NSD eNews

Dear NSD Families:

As we near our holiday break, I would like to thank everyone for the support that has been received throughout the year and during the holiday season. I want to note the effort that has been made by all the educators, staff and families that have been involved in the growth and development of the students in the course of the school year up to this point.

As we gather with our loved ones, let us carry forward the spirit of collaboration, growth, and mutual respect that defines our school. May this time away bring you moments of joy, reflection, and renewed hope for the incredible possibilities that lie ahead.

Warmly,

Mario Andrade, Ed. D.

Superintendent of Schools

Meals Matter was honored to accept a donation of $1,000 presented by Lions Club President Ed Lecius. The Meals Matter program, in partnership with the United Way of Greater Nashua, is a student-led organization focused on eliminating food insecurity in the Nashua School District. The student members organize and hold fundraisers to support the program, participate in the United Way's Over the Edge event, and educate the community on the challenges that food insecurity creates for our students. Meals Matter is grateful for the support from the Lions Club!

The Nashua Technology Center is the state’s largest high school career and technical education center, enrolling students from eight Nashua-area high schools. It has a 40-year history of helping students to jumpstart their postsecondary plans by connecting them to technical and professional skills, career exploration opportunities, and college and industry credentials. The Nashua Technology Center is thriving this year, with staff and students alike celebrating success both in and out of our high schools. Here are just a few things that happened over the last three months!

At NHADA Education Foundation Raffle for Automotive Education, two of our Auto Technology students were presented with scholarships.

Construction 2 students partnered with the Nashua Youth Soccer League in an effort to build a shed in support for their need of a storage area for materials & equipment.

Culinary Arts students embarked on an adventure preparing apple pies for Sullivan Farm's Annual Apple Fest. This event not only allowed our students to continue to gain hands on experience in a real-world kitchen environment, but it also fostered a sense of community as they came together to share in the joy of working with food.

Principles of Engineering students along with 3 talented members of HVAC-R, showcased their engineering skills at the Popsicle Bridge Contest sponsored by the NHDOT.

Our Health Science students attended the fall conference for Health Occupations Students of America at UNH. This event brought together aspiring health professionals from various educational institutions providing a place for students to gain more knowledge and skills in the health science field.

Our Business Department at South partnered with Jeanne D'Arc Credit Union for our Money Strong for Life fair that offered seniors a hands-on experience in financial literacy through a dynamic budget simulation.

Cosmetology had it's Annual Halloween Competition that embraced the eerie allure of the "Paranormal Circus". With a time limit of just 2.5 hours, participants showcased their creativity & talent by crafting stunning looks that included hair, makeup and more.

Students in the Careers in Education program enjoyed their first days in the preschool as part of their field placement. Students were introduced to preschool aged children ages 3 to 4 years and enjoyed a wide variety of activities.

You can keep up-to-date on all of these programs and more on both the Nashua Technology Center's Facebook at this link and Instagram at this link!

Coming to Nashua in 2008, Project SEARCH aims mainly to help special needs students ages 19 to 21, aptly named "Interns", the ability to learn and work in various departments of St. Joseph Hospital in Nashua over the course of three 10 week rotations. These jobs can include warehouse work, material restocking, long-term patient check-ins, and much more. Additionally, interns have the ability to return for career and technical advice in the summer if they are still hunting for work, or would like to shift over to a different career, allowing flexibility and reducing stress. While Project SEARCH is world-wide, the program in Nashua is a partnership between St. Joseph Hospital, the Nashua School District, The PLUS Company, Gateways Community Services, and NH Vocational Rehabilitation.

I spoke with Jamie Gregoire, the program's coordinator, who was happy to show me around the hospital, introducing me to several interns in the midst of their work along the way. She explained to me that Project SEARCH teaches both hard and soft skills during their tenure, working on public speaking, their resume, and holding mock interviews. The goal is to empower these students, equipping them with essential skills for when they graduate the program and move onto the working world. I spoke with Matthew, an intern currently in the warehouse rotation, who was incredibly passionate about his work, stating that he plans to start a career within the warehousing industry once he graduates from Project SEARCH.

In the hour I spent with Jamie, I have learned first-hand that Project SEARCH is doing a fantastic job as a transitionary program for special needs students who are preparing to move into the workforce. Project SEARCH also welcomes those interested in learning more about the program to a tour of the hospital. If so, please contact Jamie Gregoire at her email jgregoire@pluscompany.org for more information. Additionally, you can view a short documentary created by the program's originators below.

The NH Department of Education is proud to announce that Sunset Heights Elementary School has been recognized by the National Association of ESEA State Program Administrators (NAESPA) as a National ESEA Distinguished School. This honor, awarded to approximately 100 schools nationwide, recognizes Sunset Heights Elementary for their exceptional student achievement in 2024.

The National ESEA Distinguished Schools Program, a project of NAESPA, publicly recognizes qualifying federally funded schools for their outstanding academic achievements. The program highlights the efforts of schools across the country that have made significant improvements for their students. Sunset Heights Elementary School has been selected for this prestigious award in Category 1, described by NAESPA as, “exceptional student performance and academic growth category, as determined by the state.”

The NH Department of Education is excited for representatives of Sunset Heights Elementary to participate in the hybrid National ESEA Conference, February 19-21, 2025, in Austin, Texas, where the school will be honored as a recipient of this year's ESEA Distinguished School award. Through the Grants Management System (GMS), the school will also receive an amount of $7,500 to support continued attendance by the school to be recognized in-person during the conference.

For more information about the National ESEA Distinguished Schools Program, please visit the NAESPA website at http://www.eseanetwork.org/ds.

On December 3rd, students from Fairgrounds Middle School Select Choir participated in a community cultural event at Nashua City Hall, delivering a seasonal musical performance of Christmas carols. The event also featured additional participation from elementary school students who were engaged in decorative activities. You can watch a full video of the event below:

The 21st Century Extended Day Program is the Nashua School District’s afterschool program, and we have 7 programs within our elementary schools; Amherst Street, Birch Hill, Dr. Crisp, Fairgrounds Elementary, Ledge Street, Mount Pleasant and Sunset Heights.

On Wednesday, December 18th, our 21st Century Program at Mount Pleasant coordinated a field trip for our students to perform Christmas carols for the Salmon Brook Senior Living Home located in Nashua, NH. In addition, our students created holidays crafts and enjoyed holidays treats with the residents. 21st Century was tasked with a gratitude project for the holidays, so our students chose to spread cheer for members of our community. Here if a video of the performance:

The students listed below auditioned for the NHMEA (New Hampshire Music Educators Association) Jazz All-State Festival in October and the Classical All-State Festival and in November and were selected to participate at these two prestigious events. The following North and South music students will be representing Nashua at the NHMEA Jazz Festival in February at Pinkerton Academy and the NHMEA All-State Festival in April at Concord High School. Please join us in congratulating these talented musicians!

NHMEA Jazz All-State

Ethan Hobbs (Nashua North) – Trumpet (Jazz All-State Honors Band)

Keegan Lee (Nashua North) – Trombone (Jazz All-State Honors Band)

Timothy Crook (Nashua South) – Trombone (Jazz All-State Jazz Band)

NHMEA Classical All-State

Elisa Bilotta (Nashua North) – Violin (All-State Orchestra)

Scarlett Ellspermann (Nashua North) – Tuba (All-State Band)

Aidan Graham (Nashua North) – Clarinet (All-State Band)

James Harrigan (Nashua North) – Bass Voice (All-State Mixed Choir)

Ethan Hobbs (Nashua North) – Trumpet (All-State Band)

Keegan Lee (Nashua North) – Trombone (All-State Band)

Carina Lee (Nashua North) – Viola (All-State Orchestra)

Casper Logan (Nashua North) – Oboe (Nashua (All-State Band)

Mitchell Martin (Nashua North) – Bass Voice (All-State Mixed Choir)

Eric McInnis (Nashua North) – Bass Clarinet (All-State Orchestra)

Marie Nalen (Nashua North) – Trombone (All-State Orchestra)

Sophie Otocka (Nashua North) – Alto Voice (All-State Mixed Choir)

Iris Saunders (Nashua North) – Soprano Voice (All-State Treble Choir)

Anthony Umbro (Nashua North) – Oboe (All-State Band)

Gabriella Wallace (Nashua North) – Alto Voice (All-State Mixed Choir)

Bryan Wheeler (Nashua North) – Trumpet (All-State Band)

Timothy Crook (Nashua South) – Trombone (All-State Orchestra)

Tara Kurup (Nashua South) – Oboe (All-State Orchestra)

Nitya Punnoose (Nashua South) – Alto Voice (All-State Treble Choir)

Olivia Ryan (Nashua South) – Soprano Voice (All-State Treble Choir)

Jamie Su (Nashua South) – Violin (All-State Orchestra)

Hazel Winn (Nashua South) – Soprano Voice (All-State Treble Choir)

The Nashua School District is dedicated to providing all students with a safe and supportive learning environment. To enhance the 1:1 Chromebook program, the district implemented Deledao Content Filtering in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic when all Chromebooks went home. This tool is designed to protect online students while supporting teaching and learning. Deledao uses advanced technology to monitor and manage students' internet activity in real-time. With advanced artificial intelligence (AI), aims to block inappropriate content, such as harmful websites, images, or videos, ensuring students remain focused on their education. This filtering tool is unique because it employs AI to analyze online activity without storing private information, safeguarding student privacy. Additionally, the platform supports the development of digital citizenship by guiding students toward responsible internet usage.

Importantly, Deledao complies with federal cybersecurity laws, including the requirements set forth by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). It meets the standards of the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) by effectively filtering harmful content and ensuring that students' data remains secure. The system also provides safe and equitable internet access that aligns with state and federal guidelines. Through being CIPA compliant, we qualify for federal programs, such as ERate, which subsidizes our big network projects and internet charges at a substantial discount rate. For parents and the community, this means that students in the Nashua School District can use technology safely and effectively as part of their education while enhancing our infrastructure. Deledao provides peace of mind, knowing that the district is proactively working to protect students online while empowering them to make the most of the digital tools available.

December 23, 2024 - January 1, 2025: (Holiday Recess) | School Resumes on 1/2/25
January 20, 2025: Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Schools & Offices Closed)

The Board of Education met on December 16th, 2024. The following policies/modifications to policies were passed and can be found on our website using the following link:

Updated:

AC-R - Sexual Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, and Sexual Violence – Students Appendix

EEAEA - Mandatory Drug and Alcohol Testing – School Bus Drivers and Contracted Carriers

FF - Naming School Facilities or an Area within a Facility

IJOC - Volunteers

JICG/ADC/GBED - Prohibitions Regarding Use of Possession of Tobacco Products, E-Cigarettes, and E-Liquids in and on School Facilities and Grounds

JLC - Student Health Services and School Nurses

Rescinded

JBAA-R - Sexual Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, and Sexual Violence – Students Appendix

GBAA - Sexual Discrimination and Harassment – Involving Staff

JLI - Safety Program

The next Nashua Board of Education meeting is scheduled to take place Monday, January 6, 2024 at Nashua High School North.

The Nashua Center for Lifelong Learning has a newsletter that you can read detailing more information on their programs at the following link: https://secure.smore.com/n/4mvjc

Keep with us this summer! #NashuaSchools is gaining followers! Since the beginning of the school year, hundreds have joined. Once again, we encourage you to follow NSD on Instagram for all upcoming important announcements and school highlights from the new school year!

Hello everyone, my name is Cam Dionne, and I will be taking over the bi-weekly posting of our iNews/eNews moving forward! If you have any questions, comments, or information you would like added to the newsletter, please contact me at dionnec@nashua.edu, and I will be sure to get back to you in a timely manner.