NPS Engage News

Wednesday, Sept. 18: Early Release Day

Thursday, Oct. 3: Schools Closed (In Observance of Rosh Hashana)

Dear NPS Families and Caregivers,

You may have viewed this week’s presentation to the School Committee earlier this week or received a letter regarding cell phone use and related practices and procedures across our middle and high schools. This letter is to update our families at all grade levels on these procedures, which we started implementing last spring. These steps are intended to support and complement the Natick School Committee’s existing cell phone policy (page 51).

While this notice is for all families, please note that cell phone lockers used at Kennedy Middle and Wilson Middle as well as containers used at Natick High are not currently in use at the elementary schools.

At KMS and WMS, phones are stored in homeroom lockers and returned at the end of the day. At NHS, phones are placed in wall pockets during each class and retrieved when leaving classrooms. The growing global concern around social media use and its impact on cognitive capacity, learning, executive functioning, attention and mental health have made these practices necessary. Since the secondary schools have instituted these practices, teachers have reported improved engagement, while students have reported less distractibility and anxiety about “missing out.”

If you’re interested in learning more, the newly-released book, entitled The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness provides details on digital device use and its effects on children in the United States today.

HOW CAN FAMILIES HELP?

School leaders encourage parents not to call or text students during the school day and to contact the main office if they need to get in touch with their student. We recommend limiting smartphone and social media use in the evenings to ensure better sleep and less distraction.

Another recommendation is to consider keeping open communication with your child about which apps they use (if they have a device). Also, stay informed about apps, especially ones that may share their location. Many popular apps allow this without young users realizing it. Counselors can be a valuable resource for families seeking more information about how to promote healthy habits with digital technology and social media use.

School administrators will continue to review the effectiveness of cell phone management practices during the school day.

-Dr. Melissa Spash

Download Dr. Spash's entry plan below or visit the dedicated entry plan webpage to obtain the plan and the presentation from the Monday, September 9 School Committee meeting.

Has your 4th grader ever wanted to see what it’s like to play an instrument?

Come meet with some of our Natick High School Band students who can show you how! (If you can't make it, you can still sign up online for instrument lessons from our NPS instructors.) Go to https://bit.ly/NPS_musiclesson to learn more.

What: Instrument Showcase (Hear & Try Out Instruments In Person!)

When: Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, from 6 - 8 p.m.

Where: Natick High Cafeteria

Welcome Back from the Office of Student Services. Review the letter from Erin Miller, Director of Student Services and Equity that was shared with families of students who receive special education services. Office of Student Services 24-25 Welcome Letter

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CHILD FIND NOTICE: Massachusetts Child Find law requires school districts to identify, evaluate, and provide services to children with disabilities:

• Identification: School districts must identify school-aged children with disabilities, even if the school doesn't offer special education services.

• Evaluation: School districts must evaluate children who may have disabilities, regardless of the severity of their disability.

• Program: School districts must propose and provide special education programs to meet the needs of children with disabilities.

• Records: School districts must keep records of the identification, diagnosis, proposal, and program provided.

• CHILD FIND FACT SHEET, see the link below for translated documents:

• https://www.doe.mass.edu/sped/ta/docs/child-find-resources/
  
  

If you have a referral or questions about the child find process, please contact Erin Miller, Director of Student Services and Equity at emiller@natickps.org or 508-647-6646.

On September 6, Principal Karen Ghilani and Assistant Principal Danny Flannery led Ben-Hem in their first all-school assembly of the year. Students watched a fun video that embodied who Ben-Hem Bobcats are (which left the audience laughing & smiling). They also learned about the composting project and how much waste was reduced through the efforts of committed students. The class flag project was introduced and the youngest Bobcats, the kindergarteners—who behaved excellently—learned behavioral expectations for assembly events.

On August 24, Audi Lynch (pictured, right), Natick’s new METCO Director, attended this first official event in Boston where he had the opportunity to meet families from our school district. It was a great way to kick off the school year and connect with the community.

Students who participate in the METCO program are thriving from the elementary to high school grade levels. Natick became a partner METCO district in 1969. Learn about METCO's history.

We will update submissions for consideration in our community notices pages on a periodic basis. As a general rule, NPS will not be including community partner updates in our newsletters. Contact communitynotices@natickps.org.

Is someone in your household not receiving the Engage biweekly district newsletter or important notices related to bus transportation? Direct them to communications@natickps.org to let us know.

Smore.com newsletter HYPERLINK + FILE & ATTACHMENT notice

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: 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