NPS Engage News
12/20/24
Dear NPS Families and Caregivers,
Congrats to the NHS students who lead ServeNatick on hosting their first Natick Impact Collaborative this Wednesday! In the event recording, you can hear MetroWest Chamber of Commerce President Reyad Shah share how his mother’s generous Sunday meals–welcoming dozens of guests–shaped his passion for giving back to the community. Shah’s reflections, along with those of the other speakers, were reminders that meaningful learning often happens outside the classroom. You may recall, however, that it was actually in a social studies classroom in 2023, that the genesis for ServeNatick was born.
Participants spoke about the importance of effort and empathy in making a difference for others. They reminded the audience that more people than we may realize need a helping hand. And when we’re disconnected from one another, we end up losing opportunities to share our strengths and talents.
A commitment to service is one of Natick’s most defining qualities. As superintendent, I’ve seen firsthand how deeply embedded it is in both our students and staff.
Educating each other is another form of service. Without a doubt, learning new curricula and tech tools in isolation can be overwhelming, but fortunately, a select group of NPS educators has been exploring the intersection of AI and K-12 education. As part of the district AI Leadership Advisory Council, they regularly provide us with insights that will help shape learners’ futures. I thank them for their hard work and would like to share a little about how they’ve contributed to our district being innovative and technologically adaptable.
The council, made of approximately 15 educators, has been diving deep into the benefits and challenges of artificial intelligence in teaching and learning. They’ve been researching the AI landscape, testing tools, surveying students/staff, providing in-depth PD sessions, and collaborating with experts from MIT, other districts, and across the region to help “prepare students and educators for an increasingly AI-integrated world,” according to their mission. Stay tuned! I look forward to showcasing more of their invaluable work in the coming school year.
Enjoy the first weekend of April!
-Dr. Melissa Spash
Natick Public Schools is very pleased to announce that Dr. Johanna Even has accepted its offer to become Principal of Brown Elementary School for the 2025-26 school year effective July 1, 2025.
Dr. Even is an experienced school leader with expertise in the areas of literacy, multilingual learners, and leadership development. She earned a B.A. in History and Literature, with a focus on Latin America, and an EdM and EdD in Administration, Planning and Social Policy from Harvard Graduate School of Education. Dr. Even is deeply committed to closing opportunity gaps and ensuring that all students have access to a high-quality education.
"The district interview committee was impressed that Dr. Even's core values of integrity, compassion, equity, and excellence drive her approach to leadership. We want to highlight that her commitment to strong systems and structures, along with clear and consistent communication are part of what made her such a strong candidate. We are thrilled to welcome her to the Brown Elementary School and Natick Public Schools communities," said Dr. Melissa Spash, Superintendent of Schools.
Dr. Even shared that she looks forward to beginning the work of supporting Brown Elementary students in collaboration with staff and families.
"I greatly enjoyed my time at the school getting to know more about what makes the school such a special place to so many of you. I plan to work hand-in-hand with the dedicated staff and to engage students and families in our continuous improvement that will be ongoing at Brown," said Dr. Even.
Natick Public Schools is conducting an audit of our literacy curriculum PK-12. We are looking in depth at the strengths and the areas for improvement with our current curriculum and exploring other curriculums that we may want to adopt in the 2026-27 school year. As presented to the School Committee several times this year, we are following a process that is endorsed by DESE.
Through that process, we are looking for input from our staff, our students and our parents and caregivers. We are asking for your input on the following survey so that we can make the best decisions for our curriculum moving forward. This survey will be open until April 15.
We thank you, in advance, for taking the time to complete this survey.
Sincerely,
Sue Balboni, Assistant Superintendent for Teaching, Learning and Innovation
Literacy Audit Curriculum Council
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