Natick Redhawks
Your Weekly Update from Natick High School
From the Principal's Desk
Hello Natick High School Caregivers,
We have one week until February break, but a lot is happening in that week! Tonight, we are excited to welcome our 9th graders to their first dance, which will take place in the cafeteria at 7 pm. This will be their first major activity as a class since our December Dodgeball Tournament, and we hope to see a great crowd!
Tomorrow is also Lunar New Year, which many Asian cultures celebrate. I want to thank our Chinese Culture Club and Advisor Yeping Zhu for hosting NHS's first Lunar New Year celebration. This event is open to the community, and is from 10 - 1:30 tomorrow, February 10th in the NHS cafeteria. More information can be found below. For everyone celebrating, may the Year of Dragon bring you only the best.
February is also Black History Month and our Black and Hispanic Student Union is planning a Spirit Week next week in honor of this. I have also shared a number of teaching resources with staff to support integrating themes of Black History Month and Lunar New Year into curriculum. Both are important signposts in the year and remind us how important it is for students to see themselves in the things we teach and to also learn about those around them who may have different traditions and customs.
This week is also Valentine's Day. For the teenage heart, this can be a great day, or a tough one. One of my high school friends used to joke that this day was really "Singles Awareness Day." I like to mention this in case you notice your teen having more emotion on Wednesday than is typical. As always, please reach out to your child's guidance counselor if you have concerns.
Speaking of counselors, this past week has been National School Counseling Week! In a message full of ways that students' identities impact school, mentioning our counselors could not be more fitting! Our counselors do so much to help our students feel a sense of belonging and to support them through the transition from middle school to young adults. We are grateful for their work and want to give them an extra shout out this week.
I hope you and your Natick High student(s) have a great week ahead and a wonderful February Break.
Warmly,
Josepha Blocker
Principal, Natick High School
Calendar for the Next Two Weeks
UPCOMING STUDENT EVENTS
Class of 2027- Winter Dance Tonight!
Natick Lunar New Year Celebration at NHS Tomorrow, 2/10!
Class of 2024 - Senior Prom - Friday, May 17th
Friday, May 17, 2024
Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel
138 St. James Ave., Boston, MA
7 PM to 11 PM
Senior Prom is just over 3 months away! The Class of 2024 Officers and the Prom Committee have been working hard to finalize the last details of the big day! Tickets are $125 per person and may be purchased online or via cash or check during lunch from 2/28 - 3/8. Seniors in need of financial aid for prom should email Senior Class Advisor, Mr. Cuoco (ancuoco@natickps.org).
Other important information about prom was recently sent to all seniors via email from Senior Class Advisor Daniel Joseph. This email details including planning for transportation, online ticket sale information, information on seating arrangements and meal choice, and the After Prom Party held at NHS.
Parents/Guardians of Seniors, if you have any questions about Senior Prom, please email Senior Class Advisors Daniel Joseph (djoseph@natickps.org) or Anthony Cuoco (ancuoco@natickps.org)
Career and Training Fair 3/12 @ 6:30pm
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Course Selection for Grades 9 thru 11
Students will be able to enter their course selections for next school year using PowerSchool between February 2nd at 3:00 p.m. - February 16th at 8:00 p.m.
- Course Scheduling at Natick High is not a 'first come, first served' process. Rather, it is about having accurate data entered into PowerSchool.
- Students should use their computers to enter their course requests in PowerSchool; the process does not work on a mobile device.
- The system does not allow students to partially enter requests, so students should plan on entering all of their requests at one time. All students are asked to consider their extracurricular/enrichment activities and responsibilities, in order to review their commitments holistically for the coming year, and select a balanced program of study.
Guidance Counselors will be reviewing all students’ course selections, and will be meeting individually with students in late February / early March to discuss their selections. Counselors will meet with ninth graders during their Global Awareness classes, and with tenth graders during their English classes.
More Information will be available on the Guidance Website under "Course Selection."
National Honor Society Applications
Application invitations have gone out to qualifying juniors.
Their applications are due no later than 2/16 at 2:30 PM.
There is a mandatory GoogleMeet for all candidates on Tuesday, February 13th at 2:30 pm. Students may either watch it on their own, or go to in Rooms 315 or 326 to watch as a group. You must attend to be considered for membership. Please use the Google Meet name nationalhonorsociety if you wish to attend online.
Do not turn in the application until after this meeting. All questions will be answered at that time.
Share Your Culture at our Annual Equity Co-Op!
Do you have a special recipe for biryani or Spanish tortilla? Expertise with a cultural craft? A musical or dance performance??
Our annual Equity Co-op will take place on Thursday, March 21st. Students will attend workshops centered on this year’s theme, “We Are Natick.” New this year, we will hold a culture fair during the midday Flex Blocks and are inviting staff, students, and community members to lead a mini-cultural celebration or demonstration during this time. Families, friends, or individuals are invited to come share a cultural tradition at a “booth” during the blocks opposite student lunches to offer engagement, fun, and learning. The Flex Blocks will run from 11:10-1:15 in the gymnasium.
Please reach out to the Equity Advisors, Lauren Adams (ladams@naticks.org), Kate Burns (kburns@natickps.org), and Jill Conroy (jiconroy@natickps.org), with your contributions or questions.
Scrub-a-Dub Fundraiser for the Class of 2024
The Class of 2024 is holding a Scrub-a-Dub fundraiser between now and February 19, 2024. To participate in the fundraiser, buy one or multiple car wash vouchers using this unique link. Each car wash costs $10, and half of the money is donated to the Class of 2024, but only if it is purchased through the link in this message.
Use the car wash voucher(s) to get your car cleaned and support the Senior Class as they get ready for Senior Week events in the Spring! Again, this fundraiser will only run from now until February 19, so be sure to buy your voucher(s) as soon as possible! Follow the directions using the link, and redeem your car wash voucher, which will be good for several months.
Anyone can participate -- friends, family, and relatives, so spread the word!
www.scrubadub.com/fr/campaign/nhsclassof2024
Have a great weekend!
- Your Class of 2024 Officers
Class of 2024 - Scholarship Information
The NHS online Local Scholarship Program will be open until March 11th. Please submit your application by Monday, February 12th, leaving plenty of time to complete additional requirements (essays, statements, etc.) by individual scholarships.
The application process is not first come first serve. The committees will not start reviewing applications until after March 11th. Please take your time and be careful to answer all questions required thoroughly.
TRANSCRIPTS - These were emailed to seniors on February 7th.They are marked as coming from Natick Public Schools. Check your SPAM if you can’t find yours. The link will only be good for about a week.
FINANCIAL AID INFORMATION - Due to the fact that many students will not have their Student Aid Index (SAI) from the FAFSA by March 11th a question has been added to the application to address student financial need, which reads “Due to the fact that most students will not have their Student Aid Index from completing the FAFSA by March 11th, please provide us with a statement of financial need for college.” All students will be required to respond to this question.”
YOUR ACCOUNT: An account has already been created for you using your school email address. DO NOT CREATE A NEW ACCOUNT. Duplicate accounts will be deleted from the program. You will just need to reset your password.
LINK: Here is the link to the scholarship application: https://natickps.awardspring.com/
GUIDE: This guide will walk students through the process of applying for scholarships using the AwardSpring platform.
Once you have completed and submitted your application, you will be matched to all scholarship opportunities that you meet the qualifications for.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Please make sure your request for your counselor recommendation goes to Donna Slattery (dslattery@natickps.org).
If you need a teacher recommendation it is suggested you use one that was already written for your college applications. If you choose to request a new recommendation you MUST talk to the teacher before submitting their names or there is no guarantee one will be submitted for you.
NHS Athletics Department - Spring Sports Registration
We are excited that registration for the 2024 Spring Athletics Season is now open. We are offering a traditional slate of Spring athletic opportunities in the sports of Baseball, Girls and Boys Lacrosse, Sailing, Softball, Boys and Girls Tennis, Girls and Boys Track, Ultimate Frisbee, Unified Track, and Boys Volleyball.
There are new required courses: the Arxed Natick Student-Athletic course and the Concussion for Students course. We have updated the courses to make them more time efficient and effective. If you have not taken the NFHS Concussion course since June 1,2023 then you have to do it again. By State Mandate this course has to be done each academic year. All of the courses are embedded in the registration to make it easier to find them and to upload the certificates of completion.
Please note The Hazing & Implicit Bias courses are NO longer part of registration!
Registration
OPENED: January 22, 2024 at 12 pm
CLOSES: March 8, 2024
PAYMENTS DUE: March 8, 2024*
* Payments received after March 8, 2024 will incur a $25 late fee.
https://students.arbitersports.com/programs/spring-2024-high-school-registration
This Week's Guidance Update
Each week our Guidance Department updates their page with important grade-specific information, including:
- Information for all grades on College and Career Readiness
- Information on specifics for post-secondary planning and other school details.
Dismissing Students Early
A Reminder from Our Main Office Staff
If your student needs to leave school early for a doctor's appointment or other reason, please send them into school with a note that morning. Students should come to the Main Office with the note, and exchange it for a pass, which they can show their teacher to be released from class at the correct time.
We are happy to accept phone calls, but they often take longer to get off the machine when the office is busy; so if it is possible, we would prefer you send students with a note.
REDHAWK PRIDE
Redhawks Running the Boston Marathon!
Robin MacBlane (Athletics Dept.) Will Run the Boston Marathon to Raise Money for NHS!
After running the New York, DC and the Chicago marathons, Ms. MacBlane has signed on to run the 2024 Boston Marathon to raise money for Natick High School. Besides working in the Athletic Department, Ms. MacBlane has four children who all attended NHS, and she is looking forward to giving back to the school. She needs to raise at least $4400, with an ultimate goal of hitting $6,000! Please help support her to support NHS!
With the funds she raises, she is hoping to donate:
- $1000 to the Athletic Department
- $1000 to the Music Department
- $400 to the Unified Basketball Team
- Funds to the Natick High School After Prom party
- Create scholarships for
- One student going to a trade school
- The NHS student with the most community service hours
- One student on an IEP attending a four year college
- One student that is playing a D3 sport in college, with a GPA between 2.7 and 3.5
Ms. MacBlane would like to thank NHS PTSO for their support and assistance in making this possible.
Here is the link to donate: https://www.givengain.com/project/robin-raising-funds-for-natick-high-school-parent-teacher-student-organization-72826
Special Olympics Partners with NHS Student Yousef Abdelmessih for Boston Marathon Run!
NHS has a very special relationships with the Special Olympics through our work as a Unified Banner School. Through this partnership, senior Yousef Abdelmessih has been selected to be a part of a duo-rider team in the Boston Marathon, representing Special Olympics MA! He will be pushed all 26.2 miles with a runner from Bank of America.
Huge shout out to NHS educators Joe Guidice and Christine Small, who have been in supporting Yousef and Special Olympics MA to make this a reality!
MMEA Eastern District Junior Festival
Congratulations to the following Natick High School Music students who were accepted to the MMEA Eastern District Junior District Festival on March 8th and 9th:
Choral Students: Alana Lev, Soprano; Joshvin Thomas, Tenor
Band Students: Justine Lai, Clarinet; Finn Braunhill, Trombone; Gev Gentile, Trumpet; Ethan Ren, Baritone Saxophone; Olivia Scorpa, Flute; Jacob Shteyman, Clarinet; Lila Yennior, Oboe.
Thank you to all the amazing music educators who supported them along the way.
Emerging Young Artists & Designers 2024 Juried Exhibition
Congratulations to the six students whose artwork was selected for the Emerging Young Artists and Designers 2024 Juried Exhibition, hosted by the College of Visual and Performing Arts at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. 199 pieces of art were selected from 808 submissions from schools across New England. You can view the exhibition and vote for the People’s Choice Award at www.umassd.edu/cvpa/explore/emerging-young-artists
Jessica Liu, Grade 11
Gavin McWhinnie, Grade 12
Maya Rodriguez, Grade 11
Erin Walton, Grade 12
Kelly Wasserboehr, Grade 11
Kylie Woo, Grade 12
MESSAGES FROM OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS
SPARK Kindness: Real Self-Care
Event Name: Real Self-Care: A Revolutionary Approach to Taking Good Care of Yourself
Event Date: Wednesday, February 14 at 12pm ET
Event Description: SPARK Kindness presents a FREE virtual “lunch and learn” program. In this Q&A “fireside” chat, author and psychiatrist Pooja Lakshmin, MD, offers an inclusive and affirming approach to prioritizing your own well-being. Her approach shifts self-care from a task on your “to do” list (that you feel guilty about not achieving) to a values-based practice of setting priorities and taking action. Dr. Lakshmin will share accessible, science-based strategies to help you shift your relationships, nurture yourself, and find ownership over your life. Participant questions will be welcomed before the program. Live ASL Interpretation will be provided.
Registration Link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/788550524847?aff=oddtdtcreator
Massachusetts Partnership for Youth
Natick Public Schools has teamed with Massachusetts Partnership for Youth for many years, to support the wellbeing of our students, and the professional development of our staff. They have recently developed a new resource for caregivers that we wanted to share with you: the Parent Solutions Quick Video Library. This digital library contains useful resources that may support you in caring for your teen.
Polar Plunge to Benefit NHS Unified Athletics
Student Kinslee Starling is this year's Team Captain for the Natick High School Polar Plunge Team. The Polar Plunge is a fundraising effort organized by Special Olympics Massachusetts and benefits the NHS Unified Athletics program. This year's plunge will take place Saturday, February 10, 2024. Anyone in the Natick community, who would like to support NHS Unified Athletics, may join the team.
Location: AMVETS Post 79 at 79 Superior Dr., Natick, MA 01760
Parking: There is parking available at AMVETS Post.
Registration/Check In: 10:00AM | Plunge: 12:00PM
Please note that anyone under the age of 18 will need a parent or guardian with them to sign a waiver. Download the form ahead of time here.
If you would like more information, to sign up for The Plunge, or to donate, please visit the team's site here.
Natick 180: Creating Healty Tech and Media Habits with Your Teen
In today's digital age, it's important for parents and guardians to understand the impact of technology and media on our teens' mental health. This webinar will provide valuable insights and strategies to navigate this complex issue. Join us on Wednesday, February 28, 2024 from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM. All event registrants will receive a post-event email with the webinar recording and a resource guide.
Registration Link: https://bit.ly/NatickFeb28
IMPORTANT REMINDERS AND REPOSTS
Help for Teens Who Want to Quit Vaping
We have a number of resources at the high school for students who are struggling with early vape use, including the iDecide program and a partnership with the Natick Service Council. If you or your NHS student would like to know more about these resources, please contact your students' guidance counselor, dean or vice-principal. Those who are trying to stop using on their own may also find that practicing the 6 D's can help.
- Text VapeFreeMass to 88709 to use a free, confidential texting program called This is Quitting.
- Call or text Start My Quit to 855-891-9989 to access trained coaches at My Life, My Quit (www.mylifemyquit.com) who can help.
- Visit teen.smokefree.gov
Clubs at NHS!
Does your student want to join a club?
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.
A Message From the Class Officers and Advisors
The class advisors and class officers are busy planning important events for your class. However, in order to begin securing locations and vendors, we need each student to pay their class dues. 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 (the year they are expected to graduate), for $100 and deliver it to one of their class advisors. Class Advisors are:
Class of 2024: Anthony Cuoco - ancuoco@natickps.org & Danny Joseph - djoseph@natickps.org
Class of 2025: Neil Donohue - ndonohue@natickps.org & Brenna Keefe - bkeefe@natickps.org
Class of 2026: Emily Cunningham - ecunningham@natickps.org & Becky Tramontozzi - rtramontozzi@natickps.org
Class of 2027: Deanne Kanavas-DeRocher - dkanavas-derocher@natickps.org & Jim Brosnihan - jbrosnihan@natickps.org
Financial support is available for those who qualify. Students can see their guidance counselor or class VP/Dean to seek aid.
Please reach out to your class advisor with any questions.
Does Your Student Need Academic Help?
All Natick High School students have access to 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.
Student Parking - Important Reminders
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.
Free Breakfast and Lunch for All Students this Year
Governor Maura Healey's Office decided to institute free breakfast and lunch for all public 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!
Calling Your Student in Absent
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.
Reminder for Parents Who Want to Volunteer--CORI Checks
Reminder If you want to volunteer in schools, you must have a CORI check conducted and you must go into the building with identification (driver's 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.
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