The Common

Dear Nashoba Families,

Well, it’s time for me to send out my annual reminder for school cancellations or late starts based on weather conditions. Given the amount of rain we’ve had this year, I am wondering what the winter will look like. It is always our intention to host school when weather permits, however, canceling school is rarely an easy decision. Many times I have found myself on the phone with our Facilities Department discussing road conditions and prevailing forecasts at 4:30 in the morning.

Many factors impact the decision to call a snow day.

• Weather forecast

• Weather conditions

• Road conditions

• Decisions in surrounding towns where employees reside

As we all know in New England, the forecast for inclement weather does not always match what actually becomes reality. It is possible for storms not to meet the degree of intensity of a forecast. Also, weather conditions sometimes present more intense than originally forecasted and require us to pivot on short notice.

To assess travel conditions and road safety, our Facilities Department communicates with the Department of Public Works in all three towns to assess preparation strategies and plowing effectiveness. We begin that process at 4:30 a.m. on an anticipated poor weather day.

I am in regular contact with the Superintendents of our surrounding towns to understand if they will call a snow day or delay. Because we have so many employees with children living in the surrounding area, I need to assess our ability to staff the schools in the event towns around us close.

I will do my best to keep the public informed and make the call in a timely manner. If the elements are obvious, I will make the call by 9:00 p.m. the night before school. If conditions are not certain, I will make the call on or before 5:30 a.m. that next morning. If you do not receive a notification, we will have a full day of school. There is no need to contact your school’s office staff if you do not receive a call. We will notify local media outlets of our decision by 5:30 a.m. as well.

Finally, the snow day decision can be very tricky. Ultimately it comes down to a judgment call based on the conditions. Our goal is to have kids in school. However, we need to assess if it is safe to travel to and from school for our families and employees. It is not a decision made lightly and I know that it will be made in what I believe is in the best interest of our students and employees on a macro scale.

Peace,

Kirk Downing

(He/Him)

“Be your best self. Pave your path. Impact the world.”

Last year, students in grades 3-12 took two surveys, one in December and one in June, to share their self-reported social-emotional needs and feelings of belonging and engagement at school. These surveys gave us a snapshot of understanding at two distinct times, offering insights into students' perspectives about their school experience.

Our district's Strategic Plan emphasizes the importance of this feedback. Specifically, Strategic Objective #3, titled "Culture and Belonging," guides our approach and details action steps for integrating social-emotional practices into regular classroom activities and overall student life. This feedback is essential to identify successful practices and areas that need improvement.

We will conduct similar surveys this year in grades 3-12, with our first survey of the year to be administered between October 30th and November 6th and our second survey to be administered in March. This consistent approach helps us track trends and make informed decisions about next steps. Information gleaned from survey results last year has informed, and will continue to inform, goal setting in each of our schools and will be reflected in each school's School Improvement Plans. Survey data this year will help inform progress towards these respective goals. After the spring administration, school principals will summarize and share the survey findings with their school communities and next steps as a result.

The survey should take students 10 - 15 minutes to complete at most. Just as they did last year, students will complete the survey anonymously. Should you wish to preview the survey in its entirety, please reach out to your building principal directly. The surveys administered this year are the same as last year's. The exception is at the high school, where the survey topics have been somewhat streamlined to focus on key topics related to student engagement, sense of belonging, school climate, and safety.

We hope to have all of our students participate in survey administration. While our goal is 100% participation, parents/guardians may choose to not have their child participate. The survey is voluntary; your child can skip any question or choose not to participate. If you prefer your child not to participate in this survey, please complete this Opt-Out Form by Friday, October 27th, 2023.

The Transitions Program helps to facilitate student's movement from school to post-secondary activities. The program provides individually tiered vocational, functional, and independent living skills that help young adults live, work, and participate in the community. Students focus on creating their own plans for the future, identifying transitional goals, and developing skills in self-advocacy.

SAVE THE DATE:

Meet and Greet with Interim Director of Pupil Personnel, Yumei Yao

Thursday Oct 26, 2023 ⋅ 6:30pm – 8pm

Link: meet.google.com/ejv-deqq-iqq

SEPAC is hosting a Virtual Meet and Greet with the Interim Director of Pupil Personnel Services. Please bring your questions or submit them prior to the meeting by email . Questions can be submitted by email to be anonymously presented for those who do not wish to publicly ask a question. email: SEPACchair2022@nrsd.net

Celebrating everyday greatness! Is there a Nashoba teacher or staff member out there who you think deserves some special recognition? Send a Nashoba Notable Award their way! Fill out the form below and thank a Nashoba employee today!

Nashoba Notable Awards thank Nashoba employees for supporting students, families, and their school communities in all ways great and small.

Employees will receive a certificate that includes a brief explanation from the nominator of why they are Nashoba Notable. This form is open to everyone. Students, families, staff and community members can send a Nashoba Notable Award to any Nashoba employee.

There is no limit to the number of Nashoba Notable Awards someone may receive. Thank a Nashoba employee today!

Click here to tell someone they are Nashoba Notable!

NRSD Director of Digital Learning and Innovation, Jed Stefanowicz, presenting at MassCUE

"Beyond the Bulletin Board"

"Domains of Digital Learning"

NRHS English Teacher, Melissa Foley-Procko, presenting at MassCUE

"Building Community Connections with Project-Based Learning"

Luther Burbank Middle School teacher, Jackie Macharia being recognized by DESE as the state recipient of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching

Florence Sawyer 6th grade Engineering students playing with the physics of zip lines

Florence Sawyer kindergartens held a local field trip to learn about the important work being done by our Bolton Police and Fire Departments

Hale Middle School Student Council Elections and Students of the Month for September