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Natick Redhawks
Your Weekly Update from Natick High School
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From the Principal's Desk
Hello Natick High School Caregivers,
I am excited to be sharing our newsletter with you directly for the first time this year! During the COVID years, to streamline communication, the district made the decision to link all school newsletters to the Central Office Engage email. As we return to a more typical pace, we are noticing that this approach has lowered readership substantially. Therefore, in conjunction with Corrie Kerr, our new Communications' Director, a few of the schools are piloting direct communication with you again. I am looking forward to seeing if this reaches more people, and whether this approach is beneficial to you.
Over the past two weeks, we have had a lot of activity at the high school. The juniors had an assembly on safe driving, through a partnership with MA State Police. The assembly was an interactive game show, and for such a topic, there was great energy in the room. This past week, we also held a well-attended career fair and our Art Extravaganza, which invited families from across the district to celebrate all of our artists and musicians from elementary through high school. It was great to see the building so alive both nights!
Then, yesterday, the Class of 2025 held their Staff versus Student Basketball Game. The staff won the day with a final basket at the buzzer, and the Class of 2025 had a chance to get in some fundraising ahead of the upcoming Boat Cruise! (I will also take this moment to remind families that have not paid their one-time class dues, to see the information at the bottom of the newsletter, as these payments are essential to funding class events.)
As we head into this week, we are looking forward to our Equity Co-op on Thursday, 3/21. Many of our students have been preparing presentations and are eagerly awaiting the chance to share them with their peers. We are so proud of the initiative that they have shown about topics they are passionate about, and are grateful for the leadership that Ms. Burns, Ms. Adams and Ms. Conroy have shown in guiding them through the process of designing and leading presentations to their peers.
I wish you a wonderful weekend and am looking forward to the weeks ahead.
Warmly,
Josepha Blocker
Principal, Natick High School
Calendar for the Next Two Weeks
UPCOMING STUDENT EVENTS
Second Annual Jay and Ricky Ball Impact Award
Natick High School in partnership with The Ball Family is launching the second annual Jay and Ricky Ball Impact Award this year. A $1000 award will be granted to a student or student group with the best proposal for a service project impacting the community. The award is designed to encourage service in the community through an annual monetary award to fund a proposed project. All students and student groups are eligible for the award. To hear more about the award and how to get involved and qualify, please attend one of the following meetings:
In person: Tuesday, March 19 at 2:30 in Room 229
Virtual: Thursday, March 21 at 7:45am MEET LINK
If you have any questions or can't make any of the meetings, please reach out to Mr. Brenneman.
Cradles to Crayons Clothing Drive @ NHS 3/25 - 4/5
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Ramadan Mubarak!
We wish all of our Muslim families a Ramadam Mubarak. For students who are fasting, we have let their teachers know that they may take a break in the nurses office if they are feeling light headed at all. The library is also available for students who would like a food-free lunch period. We hope that this is a period of meaningful reflection for you and your family.
NHS Robotics - Intro to Python 3/14-4/11
Please note that this course is for MIDDLE SCHOOL students, and is hosted by our HIGH SCHOOL students. It is online, and will not be supervised by an adult.
Health/PE Parent Survey
A Message from:
Sue Balboni, Assistant Superintendent for Teaching. Learning and Innovation
Bob Anniballi, Director of Health and Wellness K-12
Our Health and Wellness staff
Natick Public Schools is committed to providing all of our students with the best possible educational experience. Because of this, we conduct regular curriculum audits. This year, we are reviewing our current Health and Physical Education curriculum. We value the feedback from all of our stakeholders. We ask that you please complete this survey to provide us with feedback as we work to assess and improve our curriculum. Thank you in advance for your time in completing this survey.
Natick Public Schools District Report Card
Dear Families:
Every year, each public school and school district in Massachusetts receives a report card. Just as your child’s report card shows how they are doing in different subjects, the district and school’s report card is designed to show families how our school is doing in different areas. A link to our district’s report card is available here. In addition to the district report card, each school receives a report card. You can view the report card for Natick High School here.
The report card includes multiple measures of a school’s performance – more than just MCAS scores. It represents a way of looking at school performance, by providing information on student achievement, teacher qualifications, student learning opportunities, and more.
Report cards are designed to be useful tools for everyone connected to our school. Families can use the information to have meaningful conversations with us about what the school is doing well and where there is room for improvement. Community and education leaders can use the information to better understand how to support students and our school.
We encourage you to become involved in helping us improve our school. We see parents as critical partners in the success of our students and school, and we are grateful for your continued support.
Finally, if your child attends a school that receives federal Title I funds, you also have the right to request the following information about the qualifications of your child’s classroom teachers:
- Whether your child’s teacher is licensed in the grade levels and subject areas they teach,
- Whether your child’s teacher is teaching under an emergency license or waiver,
- The college degree and major of your child’s teacher, and
- Whether your child is provided services by paraprofessionals and, if so, their qualifications.
If you have questions about our school’s report card, would like to become involved in school improvement activities, or would like to request information about the qualifications of your child’s classroom teacher, please contact your Ms. Blocker, the NHS principal, at jblocker@natickps.org.
School Committee Candidates Forum @ NHS on 3/19
If you are not able to attend in person, you can watch the forum live on Pegasus.
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
We would like to congratulate the following members of our Speech and Debate Team. These members have earned recognition through points and degrees in the NSDA Honor Society. Each new degree represents hours of learning, practice, and improvement by your students thanks to dedicated coaching.
The following degrees were earned at Natick High School from 02/01 - 02/29:
Max Cohen - Excellence
Sanjhbati Das - Distinction
Ryan Eigenmann - Honor
Desmond Eliot - Distinction
Sarayu Mudundi - Honor
Adam Pochobut - Distinction
Caleb Retik - Excellence
Caleb Retik - Distinction
Doris Yu - Distinction
NHS Jazz at MAJE Central District Jazz Festival
On Wednesday 3/6, at Algonquin Regional High School, the Natick High School Jazz Ensemble received a Gold Medal for a superior performance. Receiving outstanding Musicianship Awards were Michael Scorpa (12, sax), Michael Abrams (12, guitar), and Max Curtis (12, trumpet). Additionally, Michael Scorpa was named Most Valuable Player in Division I.
As a result, the ensemble has been invited to play at the State Finals in Norwood on March 15th. We are at UNH the same day.
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!
MESSAGES FROM OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS
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.
Quick Links
Bullying Incident Report Form
Use this form to report a bullying incident.
Student Support
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COVID-19 Updates
View the latest COVID-19 updates from NPS.