Nashoba News

DISCOVER & LEARN PARENT/GUARDIAN & CHILD PLAYGROUPS:

For Children Ages 2-5 Years Old

Led by Nashoba Regional School District PK Teachers

• Bolton: Mondays, 12-1:30 pm at Florence Sawyer School (Emerson Wing), 50 Mechanic Street, Bolton
• Lancaster: Mondays, 9:30-11:00 am at Mary Rowlandson School, 103 Hollywood Drive, Lancaster
• Stow: Fridays, 12-1:30 pm at the Center School, 403 Great Road, Stow

Registration is required. The Google registration form and the Ages & Stages questionnaire are required to participate.

Join Kristen Ryan at your local library for this month's engaging story times, including music, movement, and craft activities!

Bolton: Bolton Library, Tuesday, January 23rd at 10:30 am

Lancaster: Thayer Library, Wednesday, January 24th at 10:30 am

Stow: Randall Library (temporary location), Thursday, January 25th at 10:30 am

* The Randall Library in Stow is temporarily located on the bottom floor of the Stow Town Building located at 380 Great Road in Stow. The events room is located on the third floor with elevator access available inside the main entrance to the building.

The Nashoba Regional School District has begun kindergarten registration for the 2024-2025 school year. Children must be 5 years old on or before September 1, 2024, and reside in Bolton, Lancaster, or Stow.

The Nashoba Regional School District Integrated Preschool (Bolton, Lancaster & Stow)

Open House ~ Wednesday January 17, 2024 9 am to 2 pm.

Appointments are required, please contact the location you would like to attend:

The Center School, 403 Great Road, Stow, (978) 897-0290 Ext. 6137

Mary Rowlandson Elementary School, 103 Hollywood Drive, Lancaster, (978)368-8482 Ext. 1103

The Enrollment Lottery will be held on January 29, 2024 for the School Year 2024-2025

Here are a few ideas for indoor fun with snow!

Engage in sensory play by creating a snow-filled bin and hiding various objects for your child to discover. Encourage them to use spoons, cups, and small bowls to dig and scoop the snow, as well as practice pouring it into different containers. You can also add arctic figures for imaginative play. If real snow is not available, alternatives such as cotton balls, a mixture of conditioner and baking soda, or a combination of cornstarch and shaving cream can be used to create fun gooey or doughy sensory textures.

Create snow art by bringing in a bucket of snow and shaping it into mini snowmen, balls, shapes or simply spread the snow out on a cookie sheet. Provide your child with diluted food coloring in spray bottles or paint brushes to add vibrant colors to their creations.

Create your own snow globe by helping your child glue small toys to the bottom of a clear jar lid. Almost fill the jar with distilled water, and let them add glitter as "snow". Then, add a bit of vegetable oil to the top of the jar and secure the lid with glue. Shake the jar and place it on a table to see the snowfall effect.

Engage your child in a creative activity by folding white and blue paper in unique ways and cutting out different shapes along the folds. Decorate the snowflakes by using crayons, markers, or glue with glitter. Transform a room into a snowflake wonderland by hanging them from the ceiling or placing them through doorways.

Discover Museum: A Day of Service, Small Acts, Big Impacts

Free Admission to National Parks

Did you know we offer free online Ages & Stages Questionnaires (ASQ) to help families learn about their child’s development from 1 month through age 5 1/2? ASQ is a set of questionnaires about child development that can help identify your child’s strengths as well as any areas where your child may need support. It can be completed at multiple intervals through age 5 1/2. As a parent or caregiver, you are the best source of information about your child. That’s why ASQ questionnaires are designed to be filled out by you. You will only need 10–15 minutes. There are 2 sets of questionnaires:

• ASQ‐3 which looks at overall development in communication, physical ability, fine motor, social and problem-solving skills
• ASQ:SE-2 which looks more closely at social and emotional development.

You are welcome to complete just one or both. We will contact you after you complete the questionnaire. If your child’s development is on target, then there is nothing more you need to do. If there are concerns, we will help you with next steps: Questionnaire Link

ASQ Activities for Children Ages 2 Months Through 5 Years

ASQ-SE-2 Activities for Children Ages 2 Months through 5 Years

If you have any questions about the ASQ or would like to discuss your child’s development, please contact: Kristen Ryan at kryan@nrsd.net

Local Libraries:

Bolton Public Library, Bolton: Ongoing Youth Programming

Thayer Memorial Library, Lancaster: Ongoing Youth Programming

Randall Library, Stow: Ongoing Youth Programming

Center's for Disease Control: CDC's Developmental Milestones 2 months through 5 years and the mobile app Milestone Tracker.

Community Health Link: Provides services to support children and families. Programs include Early Intervention (Bolton & Lancaster residents), Children's Counseling, Family Support & Training, In-Home Therapy and more.

Department of Early Education and Care (EEC): Their mission is to support the healthy growth and development of all children by providing high-quality programs and resources for families and communities

Family Resources of Central Massachusetts - Seven Hills: Provides support and resources to the community.

Greater Massachusetts Special-Needs Events: Provides information about programs, events, and resources for families

Minuteman ARC for Human Services Services children and adults with developmental disabilities. Programs include: Early Intervention (Stow residents), Family Services, and Adult Services.

Product Recalls: Regulated by the US Government to better alert families about unsafe, hazardous, or defective products.

Poison Control: Get poison control help ONLINE or call 1-800-222-1222. Both options are free, expert, and confidential.

Resources for Early Learning: Information and learning resources for educators, parents, and caregivers.

Zero to Three: Early connections last a lifetime. Information and resources for families.

WHEAT: Community Cupboard (food pantry) and Cafe

Kristen Ryan (she/her)

Early Childhood Coordinator/Team Chair

CFCE Coordinator

Nashoba Regional School District

Email: kryan@nrsd.net
Website: nrsd.net
Location: 50 Mechanic Street, Bolton, MA, USA
Phone: 978-779-0539 x3008