The Common

Hello Nashoba!

What a start to the school year! It was good to see the halls filled with students, teachers, and staff again this week. The enthusiasm for the new year was evident throughout the district, with lots of smiles and laughter.

As we begin a new school year, there’s always a period of adjustment. We’re grateful for your patience and understanding as we’ve worked to fine-tune student schedules and bus routes. Your support helps us to resolve these issues as quickly as possible, and allows us to make sure that we can set each and every one of our students up for a successful school year at the start!

I have no doubt this will be a good year for the Nashoba community. From the classrooms to the ball fields, the stages, and beyond, I know our students will represent our district with pride and respect. We are proud of them already.

Please read through The Common to see pictures from the opening days of school! Have a great year, everyone! I can't wait to see all the things we accomplish together.

Peace,

Kirk Downing (He/Him)
Superintendent

As we begin the new school year, we want to remind you that the Teaching & Learning Website is a valuable resource with information on curriculum, digital learning, our Portrait of a Nashoba Graduate work, and more. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be highlighting different sections of the site so you know exactly what resources are available and how to find them easily.

With Open Houses and Curriculum Nights right around the corner, we would like to feature our Curriculum Guides first. The Nashoba Regional School District Curriculum Guides offer families an overview of each academic year’s course of study. Our curriculum is aligned with the Massachusetts Department of Education Curriculum Frameworks and National Standards where applicable and outlines our vision for learning, the major units of study, essential questions, transfer goals, and the key skills and competencies students will develop throughout the year.

Curriculum is not static, it evolves to meet the changing needs of our students and reflects shifts in educational best practices. As part of our Curriculum Review Process, these guides are regularly reviewed and updated.

In mid-August, we welcomed our new educators and staff during our New Hire Orientation. This event is designed to introduce new employees to the district and help them begin their roles with the information and connections they need. Throughout the day, participants had the opportunity to meet principals and members of the leadership team, as well as hear from key departments such as Technology, Human Resources, and Teaching and Learning. These sessions focused on providing practical tools and guidance to support our new educators and employees as they start the year.

A key part of the orientation is the mentorship program, where new teachers are matched with experienced mentors who will support them throughout the year. The day concluded with a group lunch, offering new and old staff a chance to connect before returning to their respective schools.

The Student Services Department has been working hard to transition our system to PowerSchool Special Programs. This will enable all of our Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and 504 documents to be offered to families digitally through the system. Ultimately, providing easier access when it comes to receiving and signing important documents. We want to thank the incredible Student Services Team, Elizabeth Dumas, Linda Milton, and Katherine Torilli. Their hard work over the summer ensured that the new system was up and running for the new school year.

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.

We were thrilled to welcome our Kindergarten students into the district on Thursday, and today, we had the chance to welcome our youngest learners as our Pre-K students joined us! As a reminder, the Nashoba Regional School District's Pre-Kindergarten enrollment is ongoing! Our Stow Full Day Program still has a few spots available. For any families who are interested, please reach out directly to Director of Early Childhood, Kristen Ryan, at kryan@nrsd.net.

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!

Click here to tell someone they are Nashoba Notable!

The FIRST day of FIRST grade! Superintendent Downing welcomed FSS first graders as they arrived on Day 1!

Principal Grady and Dean of Students, Ms. Lappas, welcomed Hale students back into the building!

The MRE Husky visited the students during lunch on the first day of school and had a delicious meal!

Center welcomed kindergarten students in style! Each class got their own colored visor!

Thanks to our Cafeteria staff and Whitsons, the back to school menu has been delicious. Whether it's the New Hire Lunch or the first day of school lunch, they're serving up something good!

NRSD welcomed back educators on Monday, August 25th, with a district wide presentation before teachers returned to their buildings to prepare for students!