WELCOME !

From the Desk of the
Superintendent of Schools

Welcome To Harwich

     Harwich, Massachusetts is a diverse community of approximately 12,000 made up of Cape Codders descended from sea captains, whalers, sailors, artisans and farmers over the past 250 years as well as newcomers who have moved here to work or retire. Thirty-one percent of Harwich’s residents are retired. Harwich residents are also artisans, crafts people, professionals, and service people who enjoy the job opportunities and the natural beauty of the Cape along with the amenities afforded by its modern economy. 

The Schools

     Harwich’s first public schools were one- or two-room school houses built during the 19th century. In 1880, the town turned the Pine Grove Seminary building into Brooks Academy, Harwich’s first high school. In 1937 Harwich opened a comprehensive high school, which was completely renovated in 1990-91 and reopened as the middle school with approximately 520 fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth graders. In 1949 Harwich built an elementary school, which has been renovated and expanded several times, the most recent work being completed in 2003, and now houses more than 550 students in grades K-4. Harwich High School was built in 1963 and houses approximately 425 students in grades 9-12. Class sizes are small, with approximately 21 students per teacher in kindergarten and first grades. 

     The Pupil Personnel Services department provides special needs services for about 16 percent of the student body. There are 185 teachers in the system including special needs teachers and teaching assistants. The three school buildings each have a principal and an assistant principal. The central office administration includes a Director of Pupil Personnel Services, a Business Manager, a Director of Instruction, Testing and Assessment and support staff, as well as the Superintendent. 

     The Harwich schools offer sound basic education augmented by new and innovative programs. A whole language program combined with a phonics program has been in place in the elementary school for several years. During the 1993-94 school year, the elementary school began a system-wide implementation of the University of Chicago math curriculum. The middle school combines a child-centered philosophy with a thorough grounding in the basics of math, science, reading, and writing. More than 80 percent of Harwich High School graduates attend college. The high school offers a full complement of advanced placement and honors courses and is modernizing its computer and technology programs. Harwich High School has recently become a member of the state-wide affiliation of virtual high school partners, thus affording its students a wide array of courses in grades 9-12 which can be offered via the internet. Harwich students have won honors in computer science, music, drama, and debate and have successfully run their own television station for several years. For many years, Harwich students have also won state and divisional championships in field hockey, basketball and baseball. The experienced faculty includes several teachers who have been recognized by various state and regional educational organizations. 

     The Harwich Public Schools has been awarded a citation as a School of the 21st Century by the Yale Bush Center. This award stipulates that the District is one of 12 demonstration sites throughout the country. This award is testimony to the before school and after school programs that have been cited as of the highest quality. Day care, enrichment, homework clubs, and MCAS remediation are offered at all levels as part of this program. 

     Great care is taken in each of our schools to provide a learning experience that is commensurate with the ages of the children it serves. This helps to ensure a positive and progressive learning environment at each stage of our children’s lives. Thus, there are goals that are unique to our elementary school, to our middle school and to our senior high school. This uniqueness which recognizes the physiological and psychological growth of our students is a very great strength in our school system, for out of this uniqueness comes a great common goal shared by each and every one of our schools: to provide the best education for the children of Harwich.