The Common
Hello Nashoba!
Now that we are off and running, I want to share some key information about how our school system operates and the responsibilities that guide its work. The Nashoba Regional School Committee is responsible for the district’s budget, policy, and the hiring and evaluation of the Superintendent. These responsibilities define the committee’s governance role and ensure accountability to the community and the law. At the school level, each school has a School Council that works with the principal to identify needs, set priorities, and develop annual improvement plans. This ensures that parents, staff, students, and community members have a meaningful voice in shaping the direction of each school. To help summarize these roles, the following overviews provide a clear snapshot, while more details can be found in Chapter 71 of Massachusetts General Law.
School Committee
School committees serve as the governing bodies of public school districts. Their primary role is governance, setting the district’s vision, adopting policies, and overseeing resources, while the superintendent and staff manage daily operations.
- Committees provide policy leadership by establishing districtwide goals, adopting policies that guide curriculum, instruction, equity, and student conduct, and reviewing school improvement plans to ensure alignment with district priorities and state frameworks.
- Committees also oversee fiscal matters, including budget approval, expenditure oversight, and acceptance of grants.
- In addition, they make key personnel decisions by appointing and evaluating the superintendent, hiring senior administrators, and serving as the employer in collective bargaining.
- Members are required to complete state-mandated training in finance, governance, open meeting law, conflict of interest, and special education, and must follow ethics laws.
School Councils
- School councils operate at the school level and are co-chaired by the principal. Members include teachers, parents, community representatives, and, at secondary schools, students.
- Councils develop annual school improvement plans addressing curriculum, instruction, assessment, student support, professional development, parent involvement, and safety.
- They provide input on school priorities and resources, foster stronger community connections, and promote equity and high expectations for all students.
- Councils do not oversee personnel or collective bargaining, but they give families and stakeholders a meaningful role in school planning.
Soon, principals will invite interest in joining school councils if open seats are available. If you are interested, contact your principal when invitations are posted. Meetings are public, and anyone may attend, though only council members vote on the school improvement plan.
Finally, I want to take a moment to share a friendly reminder. If you have not yet filled out our Returning Student Registration for the 2025–2026 school year please do so as soon as possible. This process is crucial in making sure that we have the most up-to-date information including addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, and emergency contacts. It helps us stay in touch with you, respond quickly in case of an emergency, and it gives our school nurses the accurate medical information they need to take the best possible care of your child. Links to the Returning Student Registration were sent out by each of our schools’ front offices during the month of August.
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. Please enjoy seeing the exciting moments we had in Nashoba this week.
Peace,
Peace,
Kirk Downing (He/Him)
Superintendent
Teaching & Learning Weekly Highlight: Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS)
A Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) is a framework for how school districts can build the necessary systems to ensure that each and every student receives a high-quality educational experience. MTSS is designed to support schools in proactively identifying and addressing the strengths and needs of all students by optimizing data-driven decision-making, progress monitoring, and using evidence-based supports and strategies with increasing intensity to sustain student growth.
The MTSS section of our website covers all the general MTSS basics, as well as the essential elements of our MTSS process at Nashoba.
State Seal of Biliteracy: Information Meeting Planned for Thursday, 9/18
High school students interested in learning more about how to earn the Massachusetts State Seal of Biliteracy are invited to an informational meeting on Thursday, September 18, 2025 from 5:30-6:30pm. The meeting is open for both students and their families and will take place in Room 155 at Nashoba Regional High School.
You can find more information about how to earn the Seal of Biliteracy here. For students studying another language or for multilingual students, this opportunity is worth a look!
Last year, we were proud to announce that fifteen NRHS students received the 2025 Seal of Biliteracy and Seal of Biliteracy with Distinction awards! Ten Nashoba students received the Seal of Biliteracy (seven in Spanish, one in Portuguese, and one in Korean), while five received the Seal of Biliteracy With Distinction (two in Spanish, two in French, and one in Haitian Creole). To read more about last year's awardees click here.
Get Involved! Join Our Innovation Pathways Guest Speaker Line Up
The Innovation Pathways Program is thrilled to be entering Year Two! Over the summer, we’ve been hard at work creating fresh opportunities for our students. One exciting addition is our expanded Guest Speaker Series. We’ve enhanced the hands-on experience by designing events where students first hear directly from industry experts, then dive into a focused project related to the topic, and finally receive feedback from our guest speakers. That’s where you come in.
We’re building out our Guest Speaker Series, where professionals like you can:
- Share your career journey and insights
- Watch students tackle real-world challenges developed specifically for your area of expertise
- Offer advice and feedback to help them grow
We’re currently looking for guest speakers with experience in the following areas: Marketing, Accounting, Human Resources, Investment Advising, Product Development, Branding Management, Welding, Fabrication, CAD Design, Mechanical Engineering, Product Design, Robotics Engineering, Machining, Graphic Design, Professional Photography, Magazine Editing, Mobile App Development, Data Analytics, Technology Law, Cybersecurity, and IT.
Don’t see your role listed? No worries! Even if your role isn’t mentioned, please submit your interest anyway, you never know how your expertise might connect with our program.
Have Questions About Special Education? The NRSD SEPAC Can Help!
What is NRSD SEPAC?
The NRSD Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) is an all volunteer group with a mission to support students and their families by providing education and information on special education issues and services. Through their efforts, the organization aims to promote a better understanding of, respect for, and support of special education in the community. The Nashoba SEPAC works closely with the Nashoba Regional School District administration and School Committee to ensure that students' needs are being met in accordance with applicable laws.
SEPAC Does This By:
Listening to families, our students and caregivers
Participating in the planning, development, and evaluation of the school district's special education programs
Advising the district on matters that pertain to the education and safety of students with disabilities
Providing family-to-family support and networking
Hosting presentations
Making recommendations for professional development
Why explore SEPAC?
SEPAC welcomes everyone. We strive to build a community of support for those on the special education journey.
Get connected
Get in touch on Facebook or by emailing: SEPACchairs@nrsd.net. Each town has parent liaisons whose contact information names can be found on the district website at: https://www.nrsd.net/page/sepac-special-education-parent-advisory-council.
Returning Student Registration Reminder!
The Nashoba Nursing Team would like to thank families for submitting updated physicals, health documentation, and other relevant information to our Health Offices. As students grow and change, it’s important that we have the most current information on file, and we truly appreciate your help in keeping us informed. If you haven’t yet completed your Returning Student Registration for the school year, we encourage you to do so. We use the information that you submit through this process to make sure that we have updated contact numbers to call if your child is sick or injured, and updated information about medical information and medication consent.
Open for the 2025/2026 School Year!
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!
