The SHARK Alert

Chatham Elementary School Community Update

Mid-August Update

Dear CES SHARKS & Friends,

Preparations for the start of school are moving ahead at full steam! Our SHARKS will return to gleaming hallways and fresh new classrooms. Additionally, we have been expanding our fintastic staff. Please join me in welcoming the following new CES SHARKS staff:

Mrs. Beth Vasquez - Lead Cook

Ms. Amanda Griswold - Instructional Assistant

Mrs. Kathleen Connor - Instructional Assistant

We hope you and your students will join us for our annual Ice Cream Social on Wednesday, August 28th from 6:00-7:00 pm. The new Kindergarten students will go for a short bus ride to downtown Chatham with Dr. Kelly and learn about our bus expectations. The bus leaves at 6:05 pm. All other grade levels and families are welcome to attend, enjoy a sweet treat generously donated by the Metters Family (Chatham Penny Candy and Sweet Dreams Candy and Ice Cream of Chatham), catch up with friends and teachers, and play on our amazing playground. The CES PTO is in need of volunteers to help with set up and break down and scooping ice cream. If you are interested in volunteering, please reach out to Ms. Deb at dgebhardt@monomoy.edu

Please enjoy these final weeks of vacation and remember to be kind to one another!

With deep appreciation,

Dr. Kelly

Must Do for All Returning Monomoy Families!

Update your Aspen Information

To prepare for the start of the school year, we ask that all families take a moment to review the information listed in Aspen and make any needed changes.

This simple process ensures that we have accurate contact information for you.

Log into your Aspen account
Follow the workflow to review the information currently in Aspen, such as address, contact phone number, etc., and make any necessary changes
If you would like to receive text messages from the district along with our other communications tools (such as email and app), please ensure that your cell phone number is listed in the field reading ‘Phone number to receive texts’
Families will also be able to submit health information and authorizations for students
Please complete this process prior to the start of school on September 3, 2024
Please complete all information as fully and accurately as possible

If you don’t know your Aspen password or remember your login ID, use the "Trouble logging in?" link on Aspen's login screen using the email address we have on file. If you need to contact the school directly, please send an email to help@monomoy.edu. For more information on Aspen, including tutorials, click here.

If you are not able to complete this process online or need translation support, please contact the front office of your student’s school and they can help you.

The Time is NOW to Restart School Routines

The start of school is just around the corner and with that comes the return to schedules and routines. Helping your child(ren) develop consistent routines have a wide range of benefits. Research out of the University of Michigan tells us that, routines support healthy social emotional development in early childhood. In particular, children with regular routines at home have self-regulation skills, the building blocks of good mental health. When children learn to regulate feelings and behaviors, it means they are able to identify their feelings and have skills to manage those feelings so that they don’t feel overwhelmed. Young children who learn to do this well are better able to adapt to everyday challenges, stressors, and new expectations. Children do not learn to do this all at once. Just as when a child is learning other important skills, like reading and writing, self-regulation is a set of skills that build over time. Every stage includes age-appropriate milestones and important things parents can do to coach children from one stage into the next.

Some routines you can begin to planning/implementing include:

consistent bed time routine (ex. wash face, brush teeth, set out clothes for the next day, bedtime story, and a consistent lights-out time)
packing lunches/backpacks the night before and placing near the door for easy access in the morning
making a family calendar with extracurricular activities (make sure to review the day's plan each morning with students)
posting your student's special schedule and referring to it when deciding what to wear the following day (ex. make sure to pack library books the night before Media class or wear sneakers and comfortable clothing on PE days)
parents/caregivers updating Pick Up Patrol with any changes to dismissal plans before 1pm each day
setting a positive intention every morning (ex. "Have an amazing day!" - "Good luck on your spelling test!" - "I'm so proud of you!" - "Remember to be a SHARK today!!")

It's Not Too Late to Participate in the Summer of Learning Challenge!!

Practice Math & Reading - Win Prizes!!

This summer, returning CES students have the opportunity to increase their learning and win some cool prizes. Let's beat the summer slide and come back to school in September ready to hit the ground running.

At CES, we would like to ensure that our students are as successful as possible. We can combat the dreaded summer slide with short, but consistent practice (20-30 minutes, 3-5 times a week). Our incredible interventionists have put together a menu of activities for students in Grades K-3. Please visit the links below for games, activities, books, and suggestions on how to practice those important academic skills this summer.

Grade K-3 students will receive a copy of a Summer of Learning calendar with their report cards. For this challenge, students are asked to record math and reading practice in 15-minute increments. For each day your SHARK completes 15 minutes of math practice, place an "M" on the calendar day. The same goes for reading, for every 15 minutes of reading practice, place an "R" on the calendar day. Students who log at least 6 hours of practice this summer will be eligible for a wide range of prizes and invited to a special breakfast in September.

Math Suggestions & Links

Reading Suggestions & Links

"Summer slide" is a phrase coined by educators and researchers to explain the loss of learning that takes places over the summer vacation months. Here are some statistics about summer slide:

Kids in grades 3 to 5 lose about 20% of their school year gains in reading and 27% of their gains in math. (Source: Scholastic)
Students lose about a month’s worth of learning on average over the summer. (Source: Sage Journals)
The more kids learn during the school year, the more they’re likely to lose over the summer. (Source: Kappan)

So let's keep those skills sharp and log those minutes of practice this summer. We can't wait to see our SHARKS' completed calendars and celebrate their summer SUCCESS in September!!

Coming Soon to CES...

Wednesday, August 28th - Teachers Return
Wednesday, August 28th - CES Ice Cream Social 6:00 pm
Tuesday, September 3rd - Grades 1-12 First Day of School
Thursday, September 5th - Kindergarten First Day of School
Monday, September 9th - Pre-Kindergarten First Day of School
Thursday, September 19th - Picture Day!
Monday, September 23rd - Session I Clubs Begin

COMMUNITY EVENTS

Resources for Families

CES Student Handbook

Click here to view the Chatham Elementary School Handbook full of information, policies, and procedures.

Cape Cod Community Based Resources

Click here to access an extensive list of community resources including, but not limited to: food, housing, parenting support, mental/behavioral health, utilities, transportation, summer programs, clothing, etc.