Natick Redhawks

Dear Natick High School Families,

Over the last two weeks, I have attended class meetings for each grade level and visited many classrooms. At each opportunity, I have tried to reinforce two central messages to students:

1. In anything you do, you always have the choice to be kind; kindness is not weakness.
2. In your four years at NHS, the most important thing you can learn, is HOW you learn. Each of us learns differently. Once you know how to learn, the world is open to you!

Earlier this week, I visited a gathering of our past and present AP Physics 1 students. The past students came to talk to the current students about their experience as 9th graders in an AP class. I was impressed with the 9th grade students' willingness to take on such a rigorous course so early in their high school journeys, and so pleased to see their older peers showing up during CDS, when they could be home sleeping, to cheer them on. As their teacher reviewed the success of the past years' cohorts - the percentage of NHS students scoring 3 or higher is over double the national average - he reinforced that the test is one day, but that students' decision to tackle hard things will build resilience to last a lifetime. I couldn't agree more!

This week, I also met with my Principal's Advisory Class, a class that I teach once per cycle to seniors, wherein I teach students about leadership and school decision-making. In turn, they provide me valuable insights into the current student experience. Student parking and the student cheering section in football games have been topics of discussion lately!

As I look towards October, I am eagerly awaiting an upcoming professional learning opportunity, and to seeing you at Open House. Superintendent Wong is leading a trip for area principals and superintendents in the second week of October to visit schools in Finland. The Finnish school system is lauded as one of the best, if not the best, in the world. Dr. Wong, Deputy Superintendent Luff, Ben-Hem Principal Karen Ghilani and I will be learning about the Finnish system and best practices of the Finnish system alongside educators from Wayland, Needham and other neighboring districts.

I am also looking forward to seeing you at Open House, and finding out how your students have been settling into the year. Unfortunately, this trip coincided with the original Open House date, which necessitated a change. Last week, I published a new day for Open House, which unfortunately, must now be changed once again, to accommodate Town meeting. My team and I have checked all possible conflicts, as we know this will cause logistical stress for families, and are now committed to having Open House the evening of Wednesday, October 25th. I apologize deeply for all these changes, and I looking forward to seeing you in person.

Kind Regards,

Josepha Blocker

Principal, Natick High School

Please see the message above. We apologize for this second change. Open House will now be held on WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25TH at 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm.

All decked out for "Tacky Tourist" day, a part of senior spirit week!

We send wishes for a sweet new year to all those celebrating Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, this weekend.

Check out our clubs list! Students are invited to speak to their guidance counselors if they aren't sure which clubs they want to try. There is something for everyone.

The class advisors and class officers are busy planning important events for the Class of 2025! However, in order to begin securing locations and vendors, we need each student to pay their class dues as soon as possible. Class dues are a $100 payment that each student is required to pay before they graduate. These dues help cover expenses and lower the cost of admission for events such as the Senior Prom.

Students should bring a check, made out to the Class of 2025, for $100 and deliver it to Mr. Donohue in room 342. Financial support is available for those who qualify. Please reach out to Mr. Donohue at ndonohue@natickps.org with any questions.

SECTION 8025 OF THE EVERY STUDENT SUCCEEDS ACT (ESSA), a federal law, permits parents to submit a written request to the school and/or school district prohibiting the disclosure of their child's information, including their child's name, address, and telephone number, to any United States military recruiter without prior written consent. A child's name can be removed from these lists by filling out the Military Exempt Form and returning it to the Guidance Department.

The Town of Natick is looking to build climate resilience through the planting of trees in the form of a Tiny Forest. Planting will take place on the Natick High campus on Saturday, 9/23. All town residents are welcome to volunteer and learn more about this program here.

When exiting our parking lot during arrival and dismissal, kindly turn right to exit. Turning left adds additional traffic delays the traffic into and out of the high school, and also backs up traffic on adjoining streets.

IN-PERSON PRESENTATION

College Admissions Testing: Your Road Map to the SAT & ACT

Wednesday, September 27, 2023

6:30 - 7:45 pm EST

Natick High School Auditorium

Natick High School is pleased to partner with Summit Educational Group to provide this free information session about the current college testing landscape. Please join us to learn everything you need to know about the SAT and ACT. Our speaker is Summit's Chief Brand Ambassador, Drew Heilpern, PhD. Drew is a testing industry expert and works closely with families and schools to help their students navigate the college admissions testing process.

Topics Include:

-- SAT vs. ACT, how they differ, and how to choose

-- The new digital adaptive SAT

-- Components of a good test prep plan

-- The role of standardized tests in the college admission process

The goals of this session are simple: to reduce anxiety, increase clarity, and impart confidence to families about the college admissions testing process.

We look forward to seeing you there.

FLYER

Please bookmark this website for important information from the Guidance Department, including

• Information for all grades on College and Career Readiness
• Information on specifics for post-secondary planning and other school details.

Applications for National Honor Society, for seniors only, will be emailed out on 9/15 and will be due by 9/22 at 2:30 pm. To be accepted, seniors will need:

• A GPA of 3.4+

• 50 community service hours (30 of these must be filed in guidance)

• Two leadership roles (Information on what counts as leadership will be included on the application.)

• A clean disciplinary record (no major infractions)

Junior and senior students may earn "privileges" (often called "priv" by the students) by earning good grades and demonstrating good behavior and attendance in prior terms. "Priv." gives students the option of having unscheduled blocks in lieu of CDS and study halls. Students with priv. are also allowed to leave campus during these unscheduled times, with parent/guardian permission.

If your student has earned priv., you can give them permission to leave campus by filling out this form. No students will be allowed off campus without a completed form.

Students on priv. are still responsible for being in the school building for all classes and other scheduled blocks, and are still required to provide notes from parents or guardians for all tardies and dismissals from scheduled blocks.

Please discuss this with your student. Your completion of this form indicates that your student agrees to abide by the rules, procedures and responsibilities that govern the Student Privileges Program. These privileges are earned and may be revoked for academic, behavior or attendance concerns. Student privileges are reassessed term by term by the students' dean or vice-principal.

Juniors and Seniors are permitted to park on campus, with a parking permit decal displayed on their vehicles, in the following locations:

• Seniors are permitted to park in the Memorial Football Lot or the Mahan Baseball Field Lot.
• Juniors are permitted to park only in the Mahan Baseball Field lot.
• No students are permitted to park in the Faculty or Visitor lots without individual approval from administration.
• Students may NOT make their own spots by parking in unlined areas. This creates potential safety issues.
• Students who do not abide by the school parking rules risk disciplinary action including detention, loss of priv. and/or loss of parking privileges.

Obtaining a Parking Permit

To obtain a parking permit, students must register their cars. Students may also obtain a parking permit in the Main Office during school hours.

Students must bring photocopies of the following to obtain a permit:

• A copy of their driver's license*
• A copy of the car's registration*
• This form filled out an signed by a parent/guardian and the student
• $200 - Cash or check accepted. (Checks should be made out to Natick Public Schools.)

* Please note that we will be KEEPING these photocopies for our records.

Parking permits are distributed on a first-come-first-served basis.

Governor Maura Healy's Office decided to institute free breakfast and lunch for all pubic school students in Massachusetts.

In the NHS Dining Hall, you can pre-order your lunch so it is waiting for you when you arrive!

With Nutrislice, students can pre-order their lunches, so they are ready when they get to lunch. Just order through this link by 9:30 a.m. each day, and lunch will be ready to pick up in the far left line near the salad and sandwich area. Students' names will be on the receipt attached to their orders. Just grab and go!

The Yearbook would like to share some information with you here. On their site, you can:

• Purchase a Yearbook
• Find information on Senior Photos and Senior Quotes.
• Buy an ad in this Yearbook and more!
• 
  

For all questions on Yearbooks and ordering school pictures, please email the Yearbook at nhsyearbook@natickps.org or contact Jonathan Fleming at jfleming@natickps.org, the staff Yearbook Advisor.

If you would like to make an appointment for medication drop-off, please send an email to highschoolnurses@natickps.org. Please remember to bring the medication in a pharmacy labeled container along with MD orders and parent permission forms. These forms are located HERE and on the NPS website under Departments: Health Services: Health Guidelines. Please take a moment to review the medication policy.

Parents/Guardians of Grade 11 Students: Please make sure to provide the health office with a recent copy of your student's physical. This needs to be received no later than September 29th. This may be emailed to highschoolnurses@natickps.org or faxed to 508-651-7167.

Parents/Guardians of Grade 11 and Grade 12 Students: if your student is age 16 or over, per Massachusetts State requirements, the Health Office must have documentation of your student's Meningococcal Conjugate (MenACWY) vaccination on file. If you have already provided documentation (i.e. included in a recent physical), please disregard. This documentation may be emailed to highschoolnurses@natickps.org or faxed to 508-651-7167.

Additionally we would like to stress the importance of completing the online PowerSchool Emergency Forms for your student(s). These must be completed each school year. The nurses use these forms to access important health information and contact numbers. These forms also include permission to administer Tylenol and/or Ibuprofen; please note that these medications will not be given without a signature from a parent/guardian.

Thank you,

Your NHS Nurses,

Nicole Marcinkiewicz, RN, Carrie Harding, RN, Kelly Keene, RN

If your NHS student will be absent, please call the absence line at 508-647-6601 before 10 am on the day of your student's absence. Please note that if we do not receive the necessary call from you, you will receive a call from us! Please see the handbook for other attendance related information regarding excused absences.

Thank you to our PTSO for their ongoing support to our students and faculty. Our PTSO is looking for more volunteers to assist them with their work for the school year. You can learn more about the NHS PTSO, and how to get involved by visiting their website. Thank you in advance for your help!

You can subscribe to their monthly newsletter at the top of their webpage.

PTSO Website and Information

Reminder If you want to volunteer in schools, you must have a CORI check conducted and you must go into the building with identification (drivers license or passport) to do this. Click here for description of what a CORI check is and does. Without a CORI check, you cannot volunteer in the school. Here is the form to fill out for a CORI.

Natick Public Schools does not discriminate in employment nor its educational programs, services, and activities based on race, creed, color, age, sex, gender identity, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, physical and intellectual differences, immigration status, homeless status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Please be aware all electronic communication to and from Natick Public Schools is public record and subject to public disclosure per Massachusetts General Law Chapter 66, Section 10.

• Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990
• Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990
• Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
• Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972
• MGL, Ch.76, Section 5: Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 76, Section 5