The Common

Dear Nashoba Families,

I have some great news to share with you today. On October 25, 2023 the Massachusetts School Building Authority voted to award the Nashoba Regional School District supplemental funding for the school building project based on raising the square footage cap from $393 to $512 per square foot of eligible reimbursement costs. This week we received the award amount and the maximum grant award has increased by almost fifteen million dollars. That means the maximum impact to taxpayers will be reduced from $177 million to $162 million.

I want to use this opportunity to thank our government representatives who advocated for additional funding to the MSBA in the FY24 budget that made this possible. Senator Robin Kennedy (Bolton), Senator John Cronin (Lancaster), Senator James Eldrige (Stow), Representative Kate Hogan (Bolton and Stow) and Representative Meghan Kilcoyne (Lancaster), are supporters of our schools and communities and their advocacy helped bring more funding to our project.

Peace,

Kirk Downing

(He/Him)

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

We are pleased to share that the Nashoba Regional School District has been awarded a Deeper Learning Implementation Grant from the Kaleidoscope Collective for Learning at DESE to enhance professional learning and deeper learning pedagogies. The grant supports the development of high-quality instructional materials and pedagogies to foster student engagement, disciplinary thinking, and discourse. The Nashoba Regional High School will serve as Nashoba's participating school. Participating members will include Dr. Kate Boynton, Assistant Principal Jeanine Boulay, Department Heads Jonathan French, Linda Peer, Kim Rocha, Teachers Katie Bradley, Maureen Dumais, and Jennifer Panarelli, Curriculum Directors Kandice McBrearty and Jed Stefanowicz, and Assistant Superintendent Laura Friend.

As participating members in the Kaleidoscope Collective, our high school team will engage in school-based and cohort-based learning, focusing on various phases of effective planning cycles such as collaborative unit unpacking, equity pauses, and instructional routines. Key activities will include participation in the DESE's Deeper Learning Kaleidoscope Convening, learning walks with the Kaleidoscope team, quarterly convenings, progress monitoring, and program evaluation.

We are excited about this opportunity as it aligns directly with our ongoing curriculum and instruction initiatives within the district and at Nashoba.

First grade students at MRE collaboratively engaged in a mathematical task using vertical whiteboards, a strategy referenced in Peter Liljedahl’s Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics. The students were not only practicing how to work collaboratively, they were also using math vocabulary (addend, sum, total) to describe the numbers. They practiced solving missing addend problems by drawing pictures and writing equations. They ended the task by consolidating their understanding together, having student volunteers pick two boards to highlight. Excellent work!

Director of Student Services - Interview Team

SEPAC (Special Education Parent Advisory Council) leadership has been asked to engage parents in the search process for our new Director of Student Services.

There are two opportunities for parents to be involved in the hiring process for this position.

Superintendent Downing posted the job opening, which can be viewed in The Common on December 8, 2023 and applications are being accepted through January 19, 2024.

The District will be holding panel interviews with the candidates between January 29 - February 2, 2024. We are looking for a parent representative from each of grades K-5, 6-8 and 9-21. Those interviews will be held in person in the School Committee room at the central office at 50 Mechanic Street, Bolton. The interview team is tentatively scheduled to meet at 9:00 am for introductions and instructions, followed by the interviews.

The second opportunity for parent participation will happen via zoom between February 6- 9, 2024. Details on time and format are forthcoming.

The Superintendent will make his recommendation to the School Committee on February 28, 2024.

If you are interested in being part of the interview team, please 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!

Superintendent Downing visited the first graders at the Mary Rowlandson Elementary School to talk about having a growth mindset and shared his personal goals.

Florence Sawyer School seventh grade engineering students on The Outsiders day

Sixth grade science students learning about this weekend’s weather patterns

Hale Middle School Students of the Month

Assistant Superintendent Friend visiting the Hale Middle School Future Leaders Club

Luther Burbank Middle School had its winter concert last week. The band and chorus performed to a packed audience.

The middle school basketball season opened this week for Florence Sawyer School and

Luther Burbank Middle School

The Center School Winter Sing Along.