The Common

Dear Nashoba Community,

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday last week and enjoyed your time with friends and family. Believe it or not, in just two weeks we will break once again for winter vacation and will return to a new year.

As we embrace the holiday season, I want to take a moment to wish everyone in our community peace and goodwill. This time of year reminds us to give generously—whether it’s through acts of kindness, heartfelt gifts, or simply offering grace to those around us. It’s a season to reflect, uplift others, and look forward with optimism to the brighter days ahead.

May this season bring warmth to your heart, joy to your home, and hope for the future. Wishing you all the very best this holiday season!

Peace,

Kirk Downing (He/Him)
Superintendent

Exciting progress is underway! We’re about two weeks into the process of installing concrete foundations, marking a significant step forward in our new Nashoba Regional High School! This past week, Consigli focused on Buildings D and E, where they are forming and placing concrete footings. The work is moving along smoothly, and the transformation is already taking shape. Looking ahead, Consigli plans to begin placing concrete foundation walls in Building D next week. These are exciting milestone that bring us closer to the next phase of construction. Check out the pictures below to get a closer look at this work, and stay tuned for more updates as we continue through the building phase!

In an effort to improve home-school connections and enhance our communication systems regarding student progress, we are transitioning to Digital Document Delivery for K-8 report cards, starting with Trimester 1. Report cards, originally scheduled for distribution on December 16th, will now be securely delivered via email to all families on December 18th between 3:00–5:00 PM.

In the coming days, families should be on the lookout for communication from their building principal(s) with clear instructions on how to access their child’s report card. To ensure security, the report cards will be password-protected.

It is our hope that this updated process will improve communication with our families , provide greater convenience, and support our efforts to reduce our environmental footprint. Families who prefer a physical copy of their child’s report card may request one through the school office.

As the colder months approach, we enter the peak season for colds, flu, and other respiratory illnesses. The District’s Local Board of Health recently notified the towns they serve that there is a higher rate of illness than usual across the Commonwealth at this time of year. In an effort to educate and support families, Nashoba’s Health and Wellness Department is reaching out with reminders about how to reduce your risk of contracting and spreading illness during winter and the respiratory illness season!

Key Points to Prevent Illness

Hygiene Practices

• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially before eating.

• Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing.

• Avoid touching your face.

• Use hand sanitizer when soap and water aren't available.

• Stay home if you're sick.

Vaccination:

• Get vaccinated against common viruses like influenza, Covid, pertussis, and RSV.

Additionally, Nashoba has COVID tests for home use available at each of our schools. If you are looking to have access to at-home tests, please reach out to the Main Office at your school.

To learn more about illnesses that are common during this time of year, please see the following links: Common Respiratory Illness, Strep Throat, and Mycoplasma Pneumoniae. If you have additional questions, please reach out to your child’s School Nurse.

Nashoba SEPAC offers virtual and in-person events to families. To learn more about upcoming events and to access important meeting links see the download below.

Nashoba Special Education Parent Advisor Council (SEPAC) focuses on providing support, information, training and workshops related to special education to families of children with special needs. This December 12th webinar gives an overview of the complex special education laws and procedures and will focus on Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Massachusetts Laws, Referral and Consent to Evaluate, Required and Optional Evaluations, Team Meeting Process, Eligibility Determination Process, Difference between IEP and 504 Plan, Free and Appropriate Education (FAPE) and Least Restrictive Environment (LRE), Parent/Caregiver's Response to IEP, and Procedural Safeguards. Register Here!

There are still open spots remaining in our half day integrated pre-kindergarten programs for students who are 3 and 4 years old. Please reach out to Kristen Ryan, Director of Early Childhood at kryan@nrsd.net for more information.

It's been a busy few weeks for our Nashoba Drama and Performing Arts Department! Nashoba Drama wrapped up November with a wonderful performance of A Christmas Carol. Earlier this week, Luther Burbank students showcased their talents during a choral and band concert. If you missed these events, don’t worry—there are still plenty of opportunities to enjoy upcoming winter performances. Check out the full schedule below. Great job to all of our performers!

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!

Over 265 NRHS students came together to compete in the Mock DECA event held this week! They presented written and role-play projects to 50+ volunteer judges as prep for the upcoming District competition.

The Florence Sawyer Student Council collected food and supplies for WHEAT in their annual Thanksgiving Drive.

To mark the completion of EL Module One, FSS third grade students participated in a celebration of learning. They shared their performance task bookmarks, end of unit reading contracts, and culminating audio recordings.

Mrs. Carchidi's kindergarten class got together with Mrs. Mattia's third grade classroom for MRE's Buddy Classrooms!

Congratulations to our November Portrait of a Nashoba Graduate Award recipients!

Second graders at FSS enjoyed a visiting Science Museum field trip.

Center School students met Ivy the Very Determined Dog and her owner during their November All School Meeting!