Natick Redhawks

THE WEEK AHEAD

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13 - BLUE 2 - FACULTY MEETING

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14 - RED 1

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15 - BLUE 1

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16 - RED 2

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17 - BLUE 2

We would like to congratulate Akshaya Ravi and Aviva Harman for being named finalists for the National Merit Scholarship Program. Each year, the program receives roughly 1.5 million applications and selects 15,000 finalists. In March, the NMSC will select 7,250 scholarship winners that will receive financial merit to be applied to college tuition. Best of luck to Akshaya and Aviva.

Last weekend NHS hosted the student directed 9 to 5 - The Musical, as mentioned in our previous newsletter. Below are some pictures from the musical.

Natick High School Cheerleaders and Dance Team competed in the 2023 Bay State Conference Winter Championships on Thursday February 9, 2023. Congratulations to the Cheer Team that finished in 1st place and repeated as BSC Winter Cheer Champions.

The NHS Indoor Track Team competed in The 2023 Winter Track Championship on Wednesday February 8, 2023 at The Reggie Lewis Center in Boston. The following students won their events.

Alyssa Peasley BSC Champion in the High Jump.

Angie Leavey BSC Champion in Shot Put.

Nick Bianchi Bay State Conference champion in the mile.

The 4x200 Bay State Conference Champions: Yan De la Rosa, Michael Cliver, Dylan Weddle, Drew Waldron.

Students will be able to enter their course selections for next school year using PowerSchool between February 3rd at 3:00 p.m. - February 17th at 8:00 p.m. Course Scheduling at Natick High is not a 'first come, first served' process. Rather, it is about having accurate data entered into PowerSchool. Students should use their computers to enter their course requests in PowerSchool; the process does not work on a mobile device. The system does not allow students to partially enter requests, so students should plan on entering all of their requests at one time. All students are asked to consider their extracurricular/enrichment activities and responsibilities, in order to review their commitments holistically for the coming year, and select a balanced program of study.

Guidance Counselors will be reviewing all students’ course selections, and will be meeting individually with students in late February/early March to discuss their selections. Counselors will meet with ninth graders during their Global Awareness classes, and with tenth graders during their English classes.

Directions and resources for the course selection process are posted on the Guidance website here.

1) School is closed February 20-24 for February break.

2)Spring athletics registration opened this past Monday January 23, please see the link below under Athletics for more information.

National Honor Society junior invitations will go out to qualifying juniors (anyone with a 3.4 or better GPA) on February 10th. Applications will be due no later than 2:30 on February 17th. Anyone wishing to apply must attend a virtual, mandatory meeting on Tuesday February 14 at 2:30 PM using the google meet code nationalhonorsociety. Juniors can expect a decision letter sometime in late March/ early April.

For those sophomores and juniors interested in applying to be mentors and mentor captains for next year, there will be 2 information sessions held in the auditorium during CDS on Tuesday, February 7th and Tuesday, February 14th. You must attend one of these sessions in order to apply. Please see Mr. Lofaro or Mrs. Brown with any questions.

Natick Public Schools has partnered with Panorama Education to survey families about experiences and perceptions at your child’s school. Please note that this year, you will be able to complete a survey for each child in your household. Responses remain completely confidential, which means no one will see your individual responses.

The results of this survey help school administrators better understand the perceptions of families at your school. Survey data will be used by administrators to identify strengths and areas for growth. The survey will be emailed to guardians during the day on Monday, Feb 13 and should be in your inbox by end of day. Look for an email from Panorama Education with personal links to a survey for each of your students. Emails could end up in SPAM so if you don't see one be sure to look in SPAM before calling your school with issues.

To read the NHS Health & Wellness Departments Quarterly Newsletter, please click here.

CLICK HERE to view the February Newsletter from the Natick HS Band

To view our Guidance Departments current bulletin please click here.

The winter sports season has started. HERE is a link to the athletic teams schedules.

SPRING SPORTS REGISTRATION

Registration for spring sports is now open, please click here for more information.

Differently Wired: SOS for Parents in the Trenches

Tuesday, February 7 at 7pm via Zoom -- For parents, caregivers, educators, and community members

Behind every child who is differently wired is likely one or more frustrated, isolated, perhaps even burnt out adult. In this practical and actionable talk, author and parenting activist Debbie Reber, MA, shares ten powerful “tilts,” a.k.a. practical ideas to help parents shift their thinking and give their extraordinary children what they need to thrive.

ASL interpretation will be provided at this event. Register and learn more about this FREE online program and all our upcoming events at www.SPARKKindness.org

The relationship between depression and substance use is complicated, and even teenagers get caught in the tangle. Attend this virtual webinar to learn how caring adults can engage in prevention and treatment for adolescent substance use and depression. Register here to join the conversation!

Just a reminder, if your child tests positive for Covid-19, they must stay home for 5 days. The day they started symptoms is Day 0, the next day is Day 1, then Day 2, etc. They may return to school on Day 6 and must wear a mask for an additional 5 days. A headache, scratchy throat, congestion/runny nose, cough, and/or fever are some of the more common symptoms of Covid-19.

Siblings and close contacts do not need to quarantine and can come to school as long as they are not having symptoms of illness. However, they must wear a mask for 10 days when around others following a Covid exposure.

Click for more information from the Massachusetts DPH: Covid-19 Isolation and Exposure Guidance

Please read Grade 11 parents/guardians. Very Important!

Grade 11 Screening/Vaccine Requirement

Mr. Fleming has put together a comprehensive website for NHS Yearbook resources. It includes Senior photo requirement guidelines, how to purchase a yearbook, as well as how to advertise. Please see the NHS Yearbook Website here.

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 (drivers 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: Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990Title II
• Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990Title VI
• Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964Title IX
• Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972
• MGL, Ch.76, Section 5: Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 76, Section 5