Natick Redhawks

Hello Natick High School Caregivers,

Tonight I will be joining almost 500 young adults, including the members of the senior class and their guests, at the Fairmount Copley Plaza for the senior prom. I am always amazed by how high school students suddenly look more and more like adults when they are dressed in their formal attire for the prom. This is also a season of celebration for our other grades. Our juniors will be embarking on their Boat Cruise next Thursday evening, and our 9th, 10th and 11th graders will be having the first ever End-of-Year celebration. On one of the exam days, right after school, we will be having a barbecue with lawn games, music, cotton candy and an ice-cream truck to celebrate the end of the school year! (Sign up is later in this newsletter.) With financial and logistical support from with the PTSO, we were able to add this celebration to our end-of-year festivities!

The end of the year also brings a chance for our students to show us what they have learned. This includes MCAS testing, which for high school students, is a graduation requirement. Next week, our 10th graders will be taking the Math MCAS on May 21st and May 22nd, and during the first week in June, the 9th graders will be taking the physics MCAS. Students will also be taking final assessments in their classes. As the weather gets warmer, it is common for some students to "take their foot off the gas," but the end of the year is an important time academically. Our teachers and staff are reminding our students to finish strong! You can help us support your student(s) by getting them into the building by 7:25 am, and by reminding them to give their best effort through the end of the year.

Finally, I would like to appeal to you for some help in our parking lots. Please note that the staff parking lot in front of the school should be for staff traffic only. It is essential that ONLY staff vehicles enter that lot, especially during entry and dismissal times. Student drop-off can only happen in the front loop. It poses a safety risk to have students getting out of cars and walking across the lot, while other cars are turning around and faculty are parking. We appreciate your partnership in making the parking lots safe.

Josepha Blocker

Principal, Natick High School

We are looking forward to a great evening with the Junior Class!

• Students must arrive at the high school by 3:30 PM so we can organize everyone, check everyone in, and board the buses to Boston.
• This is a school event, and all school rules apply; accordingly, it is also a substance and alcohol-free event. Please be advised that Boston City Cruises will be searching everyone's belongings upon arrival at 5 pm. Students who bring any items to the boat cruise that violate school rules will not be allowed to board the boat, and a parent/guardian will be called.
• The cruise is scheduled from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM. We will have a DJ and dancing, a buffet-style dinner, and a soda and juice bar.
• We are planning on being back in Natick by 10 PM.
• Students will be grouped alphabetically on the buses, so we can take attendance before leaving the high school and again before leaving Boston.
• If you have questions, please contact Class Advisors Neil Donohue (ndonohue@natickps.org) or Brenna Keefe (bkeefe@natickps.org).

Come celebrate the end of the year after that exams finish on Tuesday, June 11th. We will have the grill fired up, music, lawn games, cotton candy and an ice-cream truck! We will gather behind the school right after buses depart. There will be a special late bus this day at noon, in the front loop of the school.

Students should sign up here!

Seniors! Here is the original newsletter with all the information that you need on senior events,

This is the most recent senior updates email.

We are getting close! Finish strong!

10th grade students should come prepared for the Math MCAS on May 21st and 22nd. They should bring the following:

• Their charged Chromebook
• Chromebook charger
• Pencil
• Calculator (without communication device)

Students are advised to get plenty of sleep and eat a good breakfast the morning of the exam.

The end of the year is a busy time! Here are the important dates for the last few weeks. I will update this as there are more added.

5/17 - Senior Obligations Being Collected by Department/Teacher

5/17 - Senior Prom, Fairmount Copley, 7 pm - 11 pm

5/17 - 5/18 - PTSO After Prom Party, 11:45 pm - 5 am

5/20 - Last Day of Classes for Seniors

5/20 - Fundraiser for Class of 2025: Kona Ice Truck at lunch

5/21 - 5/24 - Senior Final Exams

5/21 - 5/22 - 10th Grade Math MCAS

5/22 - 5/24 - Late Testing Days for AP tests (as pre-arranged)

5/23 - Senior Graduation Rehearsal #1, 11:30 am - 12:30 pm; Auditorium

5/23 - Natick hosts the 2024 MIAA Unified Track and Field State Championships, 10:30 am; Memorial Field

5/23 - Junior Boat Cruise, Buses board at NHS at 3:30 pm and return at 10 pm

5/24 - METCO Alumni v. Staff Fundraiser Basketball Game, 2:30 pm - 4 pm; Gym

5/27 - Memorial Day - No School

5/27 - Registration for Fall Athletics, Opens online at 12 pm

5/28 - Last Day for Senior Obligations

5/28 - Graduation Rehearsal #2, 9 am - 12 pm; Auditorium & Gym & distribution of caps and gowns; Outside

5/28 - D3 Athletes Celebration, 8 am - 9 am; Gym

5/30 - Senior Picnic, 11 am - 2 pm; Memorial Field

5/30 - Class Night, 7 pm; Virtually broadcasted via Pegasus

5/31 - Graduation; Graduates arrive by 4:45; Ceremony at 6 pm

(6/2 - Graduation Rain Date; Graduates arrive by 10:45 am; Ceremony at 12 pm)

6/3 - 6/7 - Final Projects, Essays or Portfolios due for grades 9 - 11.

6/4 - 6/5 - Science MCAS, including 9th grade physics

6/6 - Last late bus for the year

6/7 - Last Day of Classes

6/8 - METCO Picnic, 12 pm - 3 pm, Franklin Park, Boston, MA

6/10 - 6/13 - Final Exams; 11 am Dismissal

6/11 - End of Year Celebration for Grades 9 thru 11, 11 am - 12:30 pm, behind NHS cafeteria

(6/12 - Rain Date for End of Year Celebration)

6/13 - Mentorship Student Training, (Time & location sent separately by Mr. Cuoco)

6/14 - Final Exam Make-Ups and Last Day of School

Fall athletics registration opens on May 27th, 2024 at 12 pm.

Registration closes and payment is due August 6th by 12 pm.

A late charge of $25 will be added after 12 pm on August 6th, 2024.

Sports offered for the fall season are:

• Football
• Cheerleading
• Boys & Girls Cross Country
• Field Hockey,
• Golf
• Boys & Girls Soccer
• Girls Swimming
• Girls Volleyball
• Unified Basketball (Has a separate registration, with additional information below)*

* Note that only Unified Athletes and 10th - 12th grade Unified Partners can register for Unified Basketball.

Football Start Date - August 16th

Unified Basketball Start date - September 9th

All Other Fall Sports Start Date - August 19th

All student athletes are required to take these two courses:

• ArxEd Natick Student-Athletic Course
• Concussion for Students

We have updated the courses to make them more time efficient and effective. By state mandate, these courses have to be done each academic year. Courses completed after May 2024 will be valid for the 2024-2025 school year. All of the courses are embedded in the registration to make them easier to find. Students will need to upload their certificates of completion.

Students' physicals must be within the last 13 months, and their required courses must be completed and uploaded to be approved to start the season.

General Registration Link:

https://students.arbitersports.com/natick-public-school-athletics/fall-2024-high-school-registration

Unified Basketball Registration Link:

https://students.arbitersports.com/natick-public-school-athletics/unified-basketball-2023-boys-girls-athletes-partners-grades-10-12

The required Concussion course: https://nfhslearn.com/courses/concussion-for-students

The required ArxEd Student Athlete course: https://studentathlete.arxed.com/enroll/2631694?price_id=3447778

Students will enjoy week-long courses for enrichment, exploration, and fun–right here in Natick! The Summer Enrichment and Summer Scholars programs will allow your children to explore their interests and help prevent summer slide. Pre-approved students are welcomed into the Extended School Year (ESY) program and the High School Credit Recovery Program. Our Strength and Conditioning Program provides dynamic exercises and drills from some of the best coaches in the area.

Registration through Active.com is open now. Our popular Summer Enrichment program courses include Cooking, Arts and Crafts, Pondology, Chemistry, Sports, and much more. Students from rising Kindergarteners up through rising 8th graders are grouped by grade level.

NEW THIS YEAR: All participants in Summer Enrichment and Summer Scholars will receive a complete schedule of classes (subject to availability) running from 8:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. every day. Join us this summer! Access our dedicated website for more information.

Looking for financial assistance this summer? Please complete this form prior to registering to get the process started: 2024 Summer Programs Assistance. Thank you!

Is your NHS student interested in fulfilling their Community Service Hours this summer and helping make a difference in a child's life? If so, please encourage them to apply to volunteer with the Natick Summer Program! Please check out the Natick Summer website for more information.

This summer we are offering 5 weeks of classes. Volunteers are expected to be present each day of the week for the session they sign up for. You can earn up to 18 hours of community service per week.

• Week 1: July 8-11

• Week 2: July 15-18

• Week 3: July 22-25

• Week 4: July 29-Aug 1

• Week 5: August 5-8

Think you might be a good fit? Read the Volunteer Guidelines to get a sense of the guidelines and expectations to make sure that volunteering at the Natick Summer Learning Program will work for you. We would love to have you join our team!

Ready to apply? Complete the Volunteer Application to be considered for this summer’s program. Volunteers must commit to an entire week(s) to be selected and earn community service hours!

NEW this year! All students who apply to volunteer must submit a Teacher Recommendation Form.

The deadline to apply is Friday, May 24.

If you have any questions please reach out to the Summer Learning Principal: kcasey@natickps.org

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.

https://sites.google.com/natickps.org/nhsguidancedepartment/guidance-newsletter?authuser=0

Join us this June for the "Family Stress Survival Guide", an interactive virtual workshop for youth ages 11 to 18 and their primary caregivers (parents, guardians, grandparents, etc.). In collaboration with Families for Depression Awareness and Natick 180 this FREE program will occur in two sessions and each participant will receive their own copy of the Family Stress Survival Guide. Any family in Massachusetts is welcome to join! Sessions will be held on Zoom on Monday, June 3, and Monday, June 10, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. Advance registration is required.

Registration link: https://familyaware.wufoo.com/forms/zu5g98b0lw2275/

May is Mental Health Awareness Month! To raise awareness, the Town of Natick is sponsoring various events, resources, and collaborations around Natick. All events are FREE & open to the public (some require registration). Scan the QR code or visit bit.ly/mentalhealth_natick for more event information. Follow @NatickSupportsMentalHealth on Facebook to stay updated on mental health resources and events all year round!

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.

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.

There are also a number of community resources that support young people trying to stop using vapes and other substances.

• 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

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.

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.

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 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!

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 (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.

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