NPS Engage News

December 23 - 31: Winter Break

Wednesday, January 1, 2025: New Year's Day, Closed

School dismissal times are listed online. Please update your dismissal plans.

Dear NPS Families and Caregivers,

I’m thrilled to share that we were recently informed by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) that our Statement of Interest (SOI) for a Memorial Elementary building project was accepted to proceed into the “Eligibility Period” phase. Natick was one of only 22 districts invited into this project phase. This is a significant milestone for our district, and we look forward to collaborating with the MSBA to shape the future of Memorial Elementary School together!

There are several individuals whose work got us to this stage of the project, which I would like to acknowledge. Thank you to Senate President Karen Spilka, Representative David Linsky, Representative Katherine Clark, Natick Select Board Chair Kathryn Coughlin, Town Administrator Jamie Errickson, and Dr. Shai Fuxman along with the entire School Committee. Thanks also to Matthew Gillis, our Assistant Superintendent of Finance, who drafted the SOI and articulated our reasons for exploring improvements to the Memorial building. Thank you as well to Bill Spratt, Executive Director of Public Works and Facilities–who along with Memorial Principal Troy Holding, Jen Mullin and Mark Plant–provided key insights and hosted the MSBA staff who came to verify our statement of interest information during an extensive site visit this past October.

Key details will be provided to our community as we receive them from the Massachusetts School Building Authority. To clear up some confusion, please note that the “Eligibility Period” phase is distinct from the “Feasibility Study” phase and we have not yet entered into the Feasibility Study process.

My listening tour, engaging nearly 250 individuals who have shared their perspectives, has powerfully emphasized that a school district's strength lies in its people and shared vision. I deeply appreciate your participation in these meetings, as they have demonstrated how the support and engagement of stakeholders across our community play a vital role in strengthening our schools.

I look forward to sharing the results from my tour during a February School Committee meeting.

Wishing you a joyful, restful break and best wishes for the new year ahead!

-Dr. Melissa Spash

We're thrilled to announce that Natick Public Schools will debut its brand-new websites by the morning of December 21, 2024. The redesigned sites feature improved navigation, enhanced accessibility, translation options, and a more user-friendly design--all aimed at making it easier for you to find the information you need.

Ongoing Updates & Continuous Improvement
As with any big transition, there may be a few bumps along the way. From now until January 6th, we'll be "getting our house in order" as we resolve broken links, fix misdirected redirects, and address any technical issues that arise. But the improvements won't stop there! Throughout winter and spring 2025, we will continue to refine our site menus and reorganize online resources to better serve our community.

Your input is essential to this process. We welcome your feedback and invite you to share your thoughts using the Website Feedback Form, which will be located in the Contact Us section of each NPS website. You can also suggest pages to add to our Link Tree site, which serves as a one-stop repository for frequently-visited pages. (Please allow us a little extra time to update links over the next couple of weeks.) The website launch also means that several of the links in this newsletter or your school newsletter may not work. We apologize for any temporary inconvenience.

You will still be able to get to the district homepage by going to www.natickps.org.

Pictured are moments from Natick Preschool's "Toy Fair" in early December. Natick High Intro to Child Growth students designed and created homemade preschool toys that focused on the developmental domains. Spanning the grade levels, the NHS students watched and played with the preschoolers who explored a wide range of toys. They enjoyed sensory activities, sorting toys, dramatic play toys, sports games and more! (Photos courtesy of Principal MaryBeth Kinkead.)

Brown Elementary School front office staff and administrators pose in Brown gear in front of a wintery decoration.

Natick High School is going to Germany, Poland, and Czechia in February 2026 for a cultural and WWII-era history tour, and you’re invited! See our trip itinerary linked here. To learn more about this opportunity, register for our virtual info session on Tuesday, January 14 at 6pm: https://rsvp.eftours.com/j36j45m Please reach out if you have questions or cannot attend the interest session but would still like more information: Andrea Rogers, NHS English Teacher anrogers@natickps.org

Refer to our Inclement Weather Cancellations and Delays webpage for information of what to expect in the event of inclement weather that may cause any cancellations or delays.

Families will receive broadcast phone calls, SMS texts and emails from SchoolMessenger Communicate if Natick schools are delayed, closed or are dismissing early. You will also see notices posted on our website and on Facebook. Local media outlets carry our school closing notices as well.

Photo courtesy of the NHS Library staff.

Pictured are several of the Natick Public Schools attendees at the 40th Anniversary METCO Directors Association Educators Conference in Norwood, Mass. on Friday, December 6.

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.

Check out this collection.

The final, approved Natick Public Schools 2024-2025 school improvement plans are now available online for all NPS community members to review.

We will update submissions for consideration in our community notices pages on a periodic basis. Due to space and other considerations, NPS will not always be including community partner updates in our newsletters, so please look at our community notices page periodically. Contact communitynotices@natickps.org to request publication. NPS Communications reserves the right to approve final publication.

WHEN: Monday, January 20th from 9:00-11:00 a.m. at Natick High School, 15 West Street, Natick

Celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his legacy that inspires and empowers us all. Our program will feature performances from student groups, NPS middle school MLK Day Creative Contest winners, community leaders and partners, interfaith clergy representatives, and much more. You won't want to miss our moving and interactive keynote from Jamele and Amy Adams.

Join us immediately before the program at 9 a.m. for a Community Connection Event, including special MLK Day activities for all ages, and time to meet student groups, community organizations, neighbors and friends. Free refreshments for all guests will be provided by Starbucks. Our MLK Day program will begin promptly at 10 a.m.

Can’t join us in person? You can livestream the program through Natick Pegasus - www.natickpegasus.org/ or watch through Natick Community Television channels: RCN 3, Comcast 99, and Verizon 29 beginning at 10am. Visit https://bit.ly/MLK_Day_Natick for more information about this special community event. Registration will help us accommodate those with accessibility needs and fulfill other planning considerations.

This event is for community members of all ages! In person, with options to view the program virtually.

• FlashVote is a survey tool that makes it easy to give input directly to Town of Natick staff (as fast as 1min surveys!), ensure scalable results (via a registered panel that builds over time), and enables a representative sample (showing results by key demographics). This tool will absolutely provide key input to make key decisions in Natick! Sign Up. Learn more.

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 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