Center Connection

Dear Center School Families,

Spring 2025 MCAS Individual Student Reports have been mailed home to families. The MCAS Individual Student Report provides families with their child’s results from the Spring 2025 Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) tests in English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and Technology/Engineering and Civics, where applicable.

The MCAS assessment is designed to measure performance based on the Massachusetts curriculum standards and to report the performance and progress, or growth, of individual students, schools, and districts over time. It is important to remember that the MCAS assessment represents only one measurement of achievement. Information about your child’s achievement in the Individual Student Report should be considered alongside other assessments. At Nashoba, we have multiple assessment data measures to support our understanding of student learning needs.

As we look ahead, we will continue to work towards continual improvement for all students. We see parents as critical partners in the success of our students and school, and we are grateful for the continued support of our families. The following site contains resources that may be helpful: MCAS Resources for Parents and Guardians.

Additionally, we are currently in our STAR Assessment window for the fall. Please know we are preparing your student's individual score reports which will be shared with you the week of family conferences. (Information around conferences and pick-a-time will be shared in next week's edition). We look forward to discussing your child's scores at conferences as a piece of data in their overall performance at school and areas we are digging into to help each child grow.

In partnership,

Kerryann Coppinger

October 13, 2025: No School

October 14, 2025: SPTO Meeting 7pm in the library at Center

October 16, 2025: Coffee Hour with Mrs. Coppinger (9am); Virtual Listening session 4:00pm

October 16, 2025: Multi Lingual Learner Night at Center (6:00-7:30pm)

October 23: All School Meeting (for students)

October 24: Early Release (12:15 Dismissal K-5, 11:15 Dismissal Pre-K)

October 27-31: Grade Five Outdoor Classroom Trip

October 29: School Council (3:30pm)

November 3-7: Scholastic Book Fair (Students may shop during library. Caregivers can shop during evening conferences).

November 6: Early Release (12:15 Dismissal K-5, 11:15 Dismissal Pre-K) Caregiver Conferences 1-3 virtual, 5:30-8:00 in person by appointment via pick-a-time

November 7: No School Caregiver Conferences (Virtual by appointment via pick-a-time)

November 10: Virtual Listening Session (4:00pm)

November 11: No School

November 19: School Council (3:30)

November 20: In Person Coffee Hour (9:00)

November 26-28: No School

Head lice are a common community problem. There are approximately 6-12 million cases that occur in the United States every year, most commonly affecting children, ages 3-11. Head lice can affect anyone, regardless of age or cleanliness, and are not a result of poor hygiene. While there is no season for head lice, there tends to be an increase in cases as kids return to school in the Fall and then again in January after the Winter school break. Though head lice may be a nuisance, they don’t cause serious illness or carry any disease. To be proactive, it is recommended to check your child’s hair regularly. If you notice any sings of head lice, such as persistent itching or visible nits in the hair, please take prompt action in seeking treatment.

If you need information on the prevention, identification, or treatment of head lice, please feel free to contact your pediatrician or myself at the school Health Office at 978-461-0009. If you are treating your child for head lice please notify the Health Office. The school nurse must check them before they return to class. Per our procedure, cases would need to rise to three in one classroom before all families in that classroom would be notified.

Here are some helpful websites for more information on head lice:

https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/from-insects-animals/Pages/signs- of-lice.aspx

Massachusetts Department of Public Health:

https://www.mass.gov/info-details/head-lice-pediculosis

Thank you,

Nurse Audra

Attendance & Dismissal Updates: No more phone calls, paper notes, or emails!

Now that the school year is underway, we’d like to remind families that PickUp Patrol is the program we use to share important daily information. Parents should use PickUp Patrol to report:

• Absences (Please enter as soon as you know of an upcoming absence. It helps us a lot when they are in prior to the day starting).

• Late arrivals

• Any changes to dismissal plans (before 2pm)
  
  

Using this program ensures that the school office, your child’s teacher, the health office, and the dismissal team all have the same, up-to-date information each day. Families can access PickUp Patrol through the mobile app or the website dashboard.

Nashoba Community Partnership for Children - Free Parent / Child Playgroups

Sign Up Form

Session 1: September 22, 2025 to January 16, 2026

STOW PLAYGROUP: Mondays - 9:00-10:30 AM, at the Pompositticut Community Center, 503 Great Road, Stow

BOLTON PLAYGROUP: Thursdays - 12:00-1:30 PM at the EMERSON BUILDING - Florence Sawyer School,50 Mechanic Street, Bolton

LANCASTER PLAYGROUP: Fridays - 9:00-10:30 AM at the Lancaster Community Center, 39 Harvard Road, Lancaster (Behind the Lancaster town hall)

Topic - NRSD SEPAC Meeting

Time - Oct 29, 2025 07:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Meeting ID 850 6143 1640

Substitutes play a critical role in helping our school succeed and Center School needs more of them! If you have the flexibility in your schedule or know someone who does, it is an incredible way to support our school community. Please reach out with any questions.

Apply Here

We appreciate your help in growing our substitute pool!

If you are looking for a way to help support your child's school experience please consider applying to be a lunch monitor. The lunch monitor is a paid position that works 2.5 hours as day, (11:00-1:30) 5 days a week. If you are interested please apply here. Filling this position helps make our school be the best it can be!