Birch Hill Elementary School

OCTOBER 2026

Dear Birch Hill Families,

Welcome to October at Birch Hill! As we settle into our routines and continue building our school community, this month brings many opportunities for learning, connection, and celebration. In this newsletter, you’ll find important information about upcoming parent and guardian conferences, attendance, bullying prevention, digital citizenship, school events, and other reminders to help families stay connected to what is happening at Birch Hill.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support as we work together to create a school where every student feels safe, included, supported, and ready to learn. Together, we are Building Birch Hill!

October Newsletter LINK: https://app.smore.com/n/m2yuer

Chris McCallum
Principal, Birch Hill Elementary School

The Nashua School District is planning the future of our schools, and your input will help shape it.

Through our Facilities Master Plan, we have been working with Harriman to study six options for our elementary schools, from keeping all 12 open to building new consolidated schools. Each comes with different costs, savings, and trade-offs for our neighborhoods.

This 5-10 minute survey will also go over what makes you proud of Nashua schools and our core strengths, areas where we can grow and improve, the features you want to see most in modern school facilities, and opportunities for the future. Whether you are a parent, educator, student, Nashua resident, or alumni, your perspective matters.

Take the survey here: https://forms.gle/Bmopai1kLRMsE7Cp8. Thank you for your time!

September was Attendance Awareness Month, and while we’re celebrating a little late, the message is just as important! This October, Birch Hill is highlighting the importance of being at school every day and arriving on time.

Regular attendance helps students stay connected to their classmates, keep up with learning, and build strong habits for success. We know that illness and unexpected circumstances happen, but whenever possible, being here matters!

Get ready for some Halloween fun! Join the Birch Hill community for a Trunk-or-Treat celebration featuring creatively decorated cars, costumes, treats, and lots of school spirit. Students and families are invited to come together for a safe and festive way to celebrate Halloween with our Birch Hill community.

The PTO Trunk or Treat is scheduled for Friday, October 23. More details, including the time, location, and how to participate, will be shared soon. We hope to see you there!

The City of Nashua is also holding its annual Halloween Boo Bash at Greeley Park on October 17, 2026, which includes trunk-or-treating.

At Birch Hill, we help students understand that conflict and bullying are not the same. Conflict can happen when people disagree or have a problem with one another, while bullying involves repeated harmful behavior or a significant power imbalance. No matter the situation, students must tell a trusted adult when they need help.

Families can help by talking with children about treating others with kindness, including others, speaking up when something isn't right, and seeking adult help when needed.

At Birch Hill, we work together to live our core expectations every day:
RESPECT • RESPONSIBILITY • SAFETY

November 5 & November 12, 2026

Parent-teacher conferences are an important opportunity for families and teachers to connect, celebrate progress, and work together to support each child’s growth.

How can families prepare?

• Think about what your child enjoys and where they may need additional support.
• Ask about academic progress, classroom participation, friendships, and overall well-being.
• Share anything happening at home that may help us better understand and support your child.
• Come with questions! What is going well? What should we work on next? How can we help at home?

Most importantly, communication doesn’t have to wait for a conference. If you have a question, concern, or something to celebrate, please reach out to your child’s teacher at any time. We are partners in your child’s success!

October 18–24, 2026

As our students grow and learn, helping them make safe, responsible choices online is an important part of their education. Digital Citizenship Week is a great opportunity to talk with your child about their digital world.

Talk before you give access. Know what apps, games, websites, and messaging platforms your child is using.

Try asking your child:

• 🎮 What are you watching or playing?
• 💬 Who can communicate with you?
• 🛑 What would you do if something online made you uncomfortable?

A few minutes of conversation can help children feel confident making safe and responsible choices online. Let’s work together to help our Lions be safe, respectful, and responsible—both online and offline!

This October, Birch Hill students are invited to participate in Dimes for Democracy, a service project supporting our Veterans. If every student donates just one dime, we can make a big difference together!

Students can take pride in knowing that their small contribution will help support those who have served our country. Donations will be presented at our Veterans Day celebration.

Donations will be collected through Friday, October 30.

Thank you for helping our Birch Hill community make a difference!

• Oct 5 World Teacher Day
• Oct 6 National Coaches Day
• Oct 12 NO SCHOOL: Columbus Day
• Oct 16 Kindergarten Fire Truck Visit
• Oct 16 Cross Country Team Dinner, 6pm
• Oct 17 Cross Country Race, 10am
• Oct 21 Early Release 1:25pm
• Oct 21 PTO Fundraiser - Shorty's Restaurant
• Oct 23 PTO Trunk or Treat 6-7pm
• Oct 23-31 Red Ribbon Week
• Oct 26 PTO Meeting 4:30pm