Natick Redhawks

Dear Natick High School Families,

In the two weeks since my last newsletter, a lot has happened at Natick High! We are in the swing of term 1, and I have had the opportunity to visit a number of classrooms and see the excellent teaching and learning that is taking place. From Film classes to ELL English to Chemistry, I saw engaged students, asking thoughtful questions and completing activities that got them moving around the room, thinking with partners and problem-solving through hands-on activities. Last week, we also held three Picture Days, and I would be remiss if I did not thank Lewis Glass, our longtime school photographer, who photographed over 1000 students in three days! This week our 9th graders also engaged in Renaissance Testing in English and Math, which is one way that Natick Schools track student progress. Our 9th graders also held elections for class office. We had a record 26 students run this year! This show of initiative and leadership was impressive. No matter the outcome, I am so proud of these young people, who stood in front of their peers and spoke proudly about how they could serve their community.

As we look forward to the next two weeks, we will be approaching the midpoint for term 1. If you are concerned about your child's progress, I encourage you to look on Powerschool at your student's grades and missing assignments. You can also reach out to particular teachers via email, encourage your student to see a particular teacher during CDS or after school, or remind your student about the free tutoring options we offer through Paper Tutoring (more info below!) Your student's guidance counselor is also an excellent resource and can help you and your student work out a solution to best support their progress. We strongly believe that all students can learn at high levels and look forward to partnering with you towards that end.

In closing, I wanted to mention that this Monday, October 2nd is School Custodian Day. We are blessed with a top-notch team of custodians at Natick High School. Led by Jim Rooney, our custodial staff are always at the ready, and keep our building in top shape. I wanted to make sure that they know how grateful we are for their work.

Kind Regards,

Josepha Blocker

Principal, Natick High School

We cordially invite you to the NHS Open House on 10/25/23 at 6 pm. Open House is an opportunity for families and guardians to learn more about their students' schedules, classes and teachers. It is also a time for us to celebrate the NHS community. Individual conversations about student progress are best suited to phone calls and/or connecting via email, as we will be unable to engage in those conversations at Open House.

From Superintendent Bella Wong and Dean Jason Hoye:

I also want to announce a new opportunity for student travel at the high school. There will be a virtual introductory meeting at 7 pm October 4 led by NHS teacher Andrea Rogers for an European student tour to Berlin/Dresden/Prague/Krakow/Budapest during February school vacation. The tour will include a visit to the Auschwitz-Birkenau former concentration camp in Poland. Maximum enrollment will be 30 students by October 29. A minimum number of 12 students enrolled by October 18 is required for the trip to run. Rsvp for the informational meeting at this link: Meeting RSVP: https://rsvp.eftours.com/d9w2tw6.

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.

All Natick High School students have access Paper Tutoring, which offers 24-hour online support to students in the form of live, one-to-one sessions with knowledgeable tutors. Paper also offers feedback on written submissions. Students can log in to paper using at app.paper.co/login/students. There are also online info sessions available for parents and guardians if you would like to learn more.

As we enter into Hispanic Heritage Month, students and teachers are invited to check out the Hispanic Heritage Month display at the library! Ms. Epossi and Mr. Winters have curated a variety of exciting books by Hispanic authors — YA, graphic novels, romance, classics, cookbooks, and more!

Natick High School has received National Banner recognition from Special Olympics North America! National Banner recognition signifies NHS's excellence in the areas of inclusion, advocacy and respect! We are 1 of only 22 schools in Massachusetts and among 205 schools nationwide to achieve this status for the 2022-23 school year! This award recognizes the ongoing work at NHS to create a culture of belonging, and is a tribute to the hard work of our teachers, staff, students, coaches, volunteers, community partners and district leadership. And, while this work is never done, it is good to know that we are on a good path.

A special note of thanks to:

• Unified Basketball Coaches Ben Maki, John Larkin and Nick Coleman
• Unified Track and Field Coaches Nick DiAntonio and Jack Harris
• Community Connections Club Advisors Christine Fleming and Sarah Butterfield
• Unified Community Projects Teacher Chistine Fleming
• Unified Speed and Strength Coaches Joseph Guidice, Nick DiAntonio and Garry Coles
• Unified Wellness Teacher Joseph Guidice

Building Bridges is partnering with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) across the country to host one of the largest HBCU events of the year. Ms. Clayton and Mr. Cardoso will be taking interested Natick High School students to this event in Boston on October 26th. Admissions representatives from numerous HBCUs will be holding information sessions, a college fair, and an on-site interviews. If your student is interested, please contact Mr. Cardoso at ccardoso@natickps.org.

October 3, 2023 at 7pm (via Zoom)

For parents, caregivers, educators, and community members

Expert Dr. Sameer Hinduja shares how parents/caregivers can address the ways youth are using and misusing their phones and other technology with a focus on tools to address cyberbullying, sexting, and unsafe social media practices. ASL, Portuguese, and Spanish language interpretation will be provided at this event. Learn more about this FREE program and register at www.SPARKKindness.org/programs

The Town of Natick is looking to build climate resilience through the planting of trees in the form of a Tiny Forest. Due to rain on 9/23, planting will take place on the Natick High campus on Saturday, 9/30. All town residents are welcome to volunteer and learn more about this program here.

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.

Parents/Guardians of Grade 9 and Grade 10 Students: Please read the Mandated Screening Letter. This is important to read, as there is an opt out date to respond by if you don't want your student(s) to participate.

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

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 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