NSD eNews
Volume XVIII Issue 2
A Message from Mario Andrade, Superintendent of Schools
NSD Families and Staff,
I trust my newsletter finds you healthy and eager to start the new school year. I am delighted to have been working with and learning from our administrative team these last few weeks to plan for school opening. Earlier this week we welcomed about 140 teachers new to the school district. The energy and eagerness is palpable and, in just a few days, the work begins in earnest.
I wish you all the best for a successful school year.
Thank you.
Mario Andrade, Superintendent of Schools
Nashua Board of Education
The Nashua Board of Education met Monday, August 22, and here are the highlights. In particular, please note Policy GBEBB in essence prohibits texting between NSD employees and students, effective immediately.
~approved two contracts to support special education services
~approved six policies regarding Board management and student safety
- Policy BBB Board Organization
- Policy BEDG Board Meeting Minutes
- Policy GBEBB Electronic Communication Between Employees-Students
- Policy JICFA Hazing
- Policy JICFA-R Hazing Reporting, Investigation and Response Procedures
- Policy JLDBA Behavior Management and Intervention for Students
~approved the hiring of two new assistant principals: Theodora Tufts, Birch Hill Elementary School, and Tara MacDonald, Mount Pleasant Elementary School
The next Nashua Board of Education meeting will take place Tuesday, September 6.
Nashua Board of Education
Monday, August 22, 2022 Meeting
Superintendent's Comments
It is my pleasure to share some great news this evening…
McCarthy Middle School
I am proud to announce the McCarthy Middle School Mustangs will take the field in 2024. The results were conclusive, with 79.4% of respondents to our survey favoring the Mustangs.
The school colors will be red and black. The architects will incorporate the colors and the mascot into the design of the school. More importantly, the McCarthy Middle School is now more than steel and concrete, but has an identity that will take hold with students and staff as we approach the school’s opening.
In the meantime, it was great joining so many of you earlier this month for the groundbreaking. It marks a great milestone in the project, but we have much more to do moving forward. It will be a pivotal year with Fairgrounds Middle renovations complete, the massive expansion at Pennichuck Middle School concluding this spring, and the building of McCarthy Middle School now very active and very visible. However, we also look to develop this year a redistricting plan to balance enrollment among the three schools. Much more ahead, to be sure.
In the meantime, other construction projects are progressing. Right now, we have $160M in upgrades underway in our schools. Delays have caused Franklin School students to open the school year at the Boys & Girls Club until presumably late November. Marcia Bagley, Director of Special Education, alerted families and staff to the change in school site because of several construction-related issues. We wish otherwise but it was a solid decision based on safety for our students and staff. We are grateful for the Boys & Girls Club to accommodate our preschoolers and Brentwood students. At the Boys & Girls Club newly renovated facility, our students will be able to take advantage of many amenities. Thank you to all involved in this transition.
Summer Professional Development
Multiple professional development opportunities were available to our teachers this summer, with more than 65 sessions scheduled from June through August.
Workshop topics included academic disciplines…reading, math, science…as you would expect. In addition, multiple workshops about teaching multilingual learners and advising weary teachers on self-care also were offered. At our Administrator Institute last week, all 70+ administrators gathered to discuss the important topic of equitable instruction in Nashua schools. The three-day institute gave me a great opportunity to discuss fundamentals…our shared vision, values, and traditions. It was just as important for me as superintendent to learn with them and I feel the institute served as a great launch for the new school year.
My thanks to all our staff, teachers, administrators for taking time this summer to devote to renewing and recharging for the year ahead.
ELL Program
I would like to share the encouraging news from Robert Cioppa, Director of ELL and Student Services. Results of the spring ACCESS test were promising with 124 K-12 ELL students testing out of the program. The 124 students are no longer considered English language learners but are, in fact, English language proficient learners. We will now monitor them for the next four years to ensure continued success in the classroom.
Fall Athletics
The school year has already begun for the more than 750 high school students trying out for fall sports teams last week. It was great to see our students back on the fields.
Nine fall sports teams held tryouts. We are excited particularly about a first this fall. After piloting the team last year, North and South are fielding coed bass fishing teams. We have the max of 12 competitors for each team. South’s team is coached by Brendon Martin, a Social Studies Teacher, and the North team is coached by Jeff Pelletier, a Special Education Teacher at Elm Street Middle School. The teams will practice together at Mine Falls during the week and on the water on Saturday mornings. Teams compete on how many bass caught and who caught the biggest fish. Last October at the NHIAA Bass Fishing Championship, Keene won by catching eight bass, weighing almost 18 lbs in total. Let’s see how our teams do in their inaugural year. Best of luck to North and South…Reel ‘em in!
Nashua Goes Back to School
I look forward to seeing our families and principals at the 18th annual Nashua Goes Back to School at the Nashua Public Library this Thursday.
I encourage all families and students to attend…free school supplies and free eye examinations, if needed, and much more. Our food service staff will be there as well to help families register for the federal free/no cost breakfast and lunch program at our schools.
This is a great event.
My thanks to the many sponsors and all who make this night possible, including Nashua Public Library, Nashua Parks & Recreation, City leaders, The Greater Nashua Chamber of Commerce, and the more than 100 North and South fall student/athletes who volunteer to help make the event run smoothly. I look forward to seeing you all Thursday, starting a 5 pm.
Staffing
Our HR Department has processed 437 new applicants for positions in our schools that includes summer school programs, coaches, and the 21C after-school program. We will be welcoming 139 new teachers and paraeducators to the school district. So a big shoutout to our HR Department for not only recruiting new teachers but also processing and welcoming so many new staff members. That sheer number is truely impressive.
First Day of School
Schools open Tuesday, August 30. To all our students, study well, make new friends, and enjoy each day.
Thank you.
Nashua Education Foundation Seeks Nominations
After a two-year hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Nashua Education Foundation (NEF) seeks nominations for NEFie Awards.
The NEF Board of Directors will award selected awardees at a special ceremony Wednesday, October 26 at Sky Meadow Country Club. Please send your nominations to Beth Kreick, NEF President as soon as possible and no later than Monday, September 12.
To refresh your memory, please click here to view a list of previous NEFie Award winners, including winners of the esteemed Ron Kraus Outside the Profession Award.
NSD Principals and Assistant Principals
Click here for a complete list of school principals and assistant priincipals.