@NipmucRegional

Last Thursday we hosted our first Inspired Learning Day since the start of the pandemic. It was a wonderful day filled with intrigue, exploration, excitement, and comradery. Students had the chance to choose their sessions and as you can see from the pictures above they learned a wide range of topics including how to make stained glass, becoming a firefighter and an EMT, exploring careers, learning about cryptocurrency, participating in unified sports training, learning about international cuisine, line dancing at the senior center, shadowing professionals in the community, and so much more.

Grade 10 students will be taking their ELA MCAS this week. An email went out to all tenth grade parents and students last week and if you didn't have the chance to review it yet you can find it here.

The schedule for all Spring 2022 MCAS testing is listed below.

English Language Arts (Grade 10)

Tuesday, March 22: English Language Arts - Session 1

Wednesday, March 23: English Language Arts - Session 2

Mathematics (Grade 10)

Tuesday, May 17: Mathematics - Session 1

Wednesday, May 18: Mathematics - Session 2

Biology (Grade 9)

Tuesday, June 7: Biology - Session 1

Wednesday, June 8: Biology - Session 2

During term 4 we will return to typical guidelines for arrival at school. We have not enforced the guidelines for arrival at school since March 2020 and recognize that this will be a change for students and families. Included below is a summary of key points about the attendance policy.

• Students need to be in their first block class (not simply in the building) prior to 7:30am.
• Students are given 3 tardies per term without consequences.
• Tardies 4 - 6 will result in after school detentions, loss of parking for the remainder of the term (if applicable), and ineligibility for after school activities on that day.
• Tardies 7+ result in a Saturday detention per tardy and ineligibility for that day's after school activities.
• Term 4 begins on April 6 and runs through the end of the school year.

Although we have not issued consequences for the late arrival to school, we continue to track all students' attendance. You can access this information in PowerSchool.

We're excited to tell you more about the trip we're planning with EF Tours to Belize in 2023! When students travel, they expand their knowledge of the world around them, discover more about themselves, and grow more confident. These skills are critical for creating the global citizens of tomorrow, and we would love to have your student join us on this adventure.

We’ll be hosting a meeting on March 22nd to provide all the details to all interested travelers. Please RSVP using this link if you’re interested in learning more!

In this info session, we'll talk about:

● How this opportunity will benefit your child

● What we'll see and do on our trip

● Everything that's included in this experience

● How your child can earn academic credit

● How we'll be keeping the trip safe and affordable

● How to enroll on the trip (before it fills up!) during EF's risk-free enrollment period

Families must RSVP in order to attend the meeting so we can make sure we are prepared for our numbers. Can't make it? Choose "No, but send info" so you don't miss out. For any questions please email Emily Ayers at eayers@mursd.org.

The Nipmuc Drama Guild Presents The Addams Family opening night this Friday, March 25 at 7 pm. Then on Saturday, March 26 there will be two shows, one beginning at 2:30pm and the last show will be Saturday evening at 7pm. You can purchase tickets now online and reserve your seat by clicking here.

Tickets will also be on sale at the door ($15.00 for adults and $10.00 for students.) There is still time if you are willing to help with the box office, concessions or backstage needs. Please contact Ms. Johnson, Nipmuc's drama director, at tjohnson@mursd.org.

Prom tickets are on sale beginning today and will be sold during all lunches through April 1 in the snack shack directly next to the auditorium. Junior and senior students should have their class dues paid in full prior to purchasing prom tickets. Out-of-school guests who are under 21 years old are allowed but need to be registered in order to purchase a ticket. If you have any questions about tickets you can email Senior Class Advisor Alycia Beatrice at abeatrice@mursd.org.

With the recent changes in the health guidelines, we are in the process of formalizing the plans for all senior events. Watch this space for upcoming details about senior activities. In the meantime, please mark your calendars for Saturday, June 4 @ 10 am for Nipmuc's Class of 2022 graduation on the front athletic field.

Monday, March 21, 2022

6:30 pm Start, 7:00pm Speaker Begins

In-Person at Nipmuc and Virtual via Zoom found here

Join us for the March MURSD SEPAC meeting, featuring a special guest speaker, Steve Lilly-Weber from the Bureau of Special Education Appeals.

Steve will speak about the mediation process when families and the school are in disagreement about special education services for a student. Please come with your general comments and questions around the process of mediation! We will also be reviewing some of the recent programming organized by the district and covering some other topics. For more information or to be added to the SEPAC mailing list, please reach out to mendonuptonsepac@gmail.com.

The student representatives to the school committee this year are Diya Deliwala and Michel Flanagan, and they are very excited to meet with their Nipmuc peers. They will be in the Nipmuc lobby during first break on Monday, March 21st and second break on Tuesday, March 22nd. Students are welcome to stop by to say hello, to ask any questions about their role, and to share any ideas or opinions for our school district! If you are unable to meet during those times or have any questions during the remainder of the school year, feel free to reach out to them through email at deliwalad23@student.mursd.org and flanaganm22@student.mursd.org.

As we welcome the season of spring, we aim to also welcome new beginnings, more daylight & vitamin D, and hope for the days ahead. This week, our students in RSS have been focusing on clinical and academic goal setting, recognizing their hopes & dreams, and focusing on their strengths as they persevere through personal challenges. With some of these challenges, unexpected emotions and/or actions may follow. BRYT (Bridge for Resilient Youth in Transition) has provided some amazing resources to share with our Nipmuc families. They are focused on many different unexpected challenges parents/guardians may experience with their teens at home.

We also provided a resource from Samaritans, a suicide prevention service based out of Boston, MA, focusing on supporting adolescents who have experienced self-harm. Please look through the provided resources and reach out to your child's school counselor or the RSS staff for further information or with any questions you may have. We look forward to working with you!

The link to BRYT Family Engagement Resources can be found here.

The Samaritans Resource: Education regarding self-harm in adolescents can be found here.

The School Counseling Center would like to share a resource from BRYT for our Nipmuc families. Is your child ready for the next chapter of their life after high school? What are the best options for a child that has struggled emotionally? What should be in place to support successful independence and health? All of these questions will be presented and answered with many resources during a YouTube Live session.

Join the conversation (or just watch) with a hand-selected panel consisting of a clinical social worker at the Center for Counseling and Psychological Health (University of Massachusetts Amherst), a director of school counseling at a public high school, and a Boston University student (and BRYT alum) speaking on what helped her succeed in college. There will be a Q&A portion of the program for you to have your own questions answered. We hope to see you there!

This virtual event will take place on April 13 at 7pm. Learn more about the Ready to Launch event and access the YouTube live link here.

The Class of 2025 enjoys supporting local businesses and wants to share their connections with you! Yummy Mummy Bakery, located in Westborough, MA, has offered to support Nipmuc's Class of 2025 by providing delicious homemade baked goods that you can either pick up or have delivered right to your door! Take a look at the link here to learn more about our fundraiser and about this great local company!