Memorial Mustangs

Dear Memorial Families and Caregivers:

December is complex in many wonderful ways. Our community celebrates various holidays this time of year, illuminating our religious, cultural, racial, and ethnic diversity. The opportunity to unite through our differences yields learning opportunities for children and adults alike. Creating an atmosphere of connection and belonging is essential to our success.

At Memorial we believe the environment matters to the success of our students. We work hard to make sure that all students find belonging, connection and opportunity here. Again, we are prepared to support students and families so that all students have a positive and rich learning experience at school. Each and every day we are excited to greet students with smiling faces and ready hearts!

We want our young scholars to live and grow in our halls and our classrooms each day. As life is about success and failure, we want our students to learn how to thrive and how to find resiliency in themselves when they do not succeed. As life is about connection, we want our students to experience belonging and acceptance for all their myriad identities. As life is about finding a path and learning to tread off the beaten path, we want our students to learn to take risks and begin to learn their many potentials. As life is about community, we want our doors to be open and inviting to parents, friends, family, and all the many others who are there to uplift and celebrate all our students.

Thanks for your continued support!

Respectfully,

Troy Holding

School safety drills play an essential role in developing the skills that students and staff need to protect themselves during an emergency. Over the last few months, our students and staff have participated in both fire drills and a safety drill (Lockdown). Both staff and students did a great job following the protocol and procedures to maintain a safe school environment. We'd like to thank Keven Kelley, our school Resource Officer, for his continued support to our Memorial community, as well as the Natick Fire Department for making sure that we are compliant with these procedures. I couldn't be more proud of our students and staff during these critical drill times.

1. The cold winter weather is right around the corner. Please make sure your children are dressed appropriately for these cold days. In addition, remind your children to check the lost and found if they have left something behind. If you have any questions, please reach out to your classroom teachers.

2. Arrival and Drop Off Reminder: This is a friendly reminder that the perimeter of our school is not to be treated as a speedway in the mornings. I understand the sense of urgency to get to our jobs but let's put on the brakes for just a few minutes so that we can maintain a safe school environment. Thanks for your cooperation with this matter.

3. As we head into the holiday season, I want to share with you a wellness programs from Spark Kindness, a wonderful community resource that “makes sure no one feels alone, bullied, unsupported, or unconnected—every day and especially in the most challenging times”. Attached is the link to all their upcoming events of interest: Spark Kindness

4. Early Release Day: December 14th all students will be dismissed at 12:40pm for a Professional Development day.

5. Please enjoy my weekend vibe: Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young- Teach Your Children

The Memorial PTO is a parent and teacher run, non-profit organization committed to enhancing and enriching the education of our students and fostering a sense of community within our school. The PTO provides assistance to teachers within the classroom settings, raises funds for educational materials and experiences, advocates school and family social interaction, and provides an unbiased forum for sharing information on issues that impact our students. We believe in cultivating a positive learning environment to allow for students to achieve their highest potential. Please become an active participant in the PTO. Below is the link to their website:

https://www.memorialnatickpto.org/

or email them at:

pto@memorialnatickpto.org

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