Good afternoon Nashoba students and families -

We have some important information in this newsletter relating to our current remote learning plan as well as our hybrid plan which is scheduled to go into effect on March 1, 2021.

More information about our changes to our current remote plan are below. Following that information is a survey we are asking all of our families to fill out, which will continue to inform our hybrid learning model planning.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Steve Cullinane

Interim Principal

In an effort to meet the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's newest requirements related to time on learning, we will be increasing the number of live/synchronous courses each day. As such, starting next week, each day students will have one of their asynchronous classes become a synchronous class. This will be done on a rotating basis, to allow for an even distribution.

We will be utilizing a system which dictates that each week is either a Week 1 or Week 2, on an alternating basis.

On a Week 1, the following classes will become synchronous (as opposed to asynchronous) on the following days:

Monday - Social Studies

Tuesday - English

Thursday - Arts

Friday - World Language

On a Week 2, the following classes will become synchronous (as opposed to asynchronous) on the following days:

Monday - Science

Tuesday - Wellness

Thursday - Technology/Business

Friday - Math

For an updated schedule which reflects this change, please click here or see the image below.

As previously mentioned and voted upon by the NRSD School Committee, the high school will adopt a new Hybrid Learning Plan on March 1, 2021. With the adoption of this plan, the high school will need to make many changes to ensure the smoothest transition from a curricular perspective, and to ensure a healthy and safe environment for students and staff. We are asking all families to please fill out the following survey by next Tuesday, January 19, so that we may get a clearer understanding of parent/guardian choices for students to either remain in a remote model, or come in for in-person learning. The survey, at this point, is non-binding. We are using the information in it to continue our planning. We will send out a binding survey next week.

Please fill out the survey and indicate your preference. There is also a space for you to ask any relevant questions that you may have in order to make a binding choice next week.

The survey can be found here.

Please view the following letter from our school nurse, regarding a new rapid testing initiative.

As we come to the start of Semester II, class materials will again need to be returned and redistributed. On Monday 2/1, in the Upper Gym at the high school, we will hold material collection for students taking first semester classes that will no longer need their materials for the second semester. A schedule will be released before the event with times for families to drop-off materials. Once the materials have been collected, quarantined, and inventoried, they will be given to students as soon as possible to start the second semester.

The Guidance Office is honored to offer multiple scholarship opportunities via Naviance:

- Outside scholarships sent to us by outside agencies

- Private scholarships offered by local donors (recognized at Senior Scholarship Night each year)

- Nashoba Regional Dollars for Scholars scholarships (recognized at Senior Scholarship Night each year - Student directions for setting up a Chapternet account and scholarship descriptions are in the scholarships list in Naviance - you will be matched with scholarships based on the information you submit)

Each of these groups offer different directions, qualifications, and deadlines. While we will support your applications with various documents such as transcripts and mailing packages, it is YOUR responsibility to follow the various requirements and meet the deadlines - don't wait until the last minute.

Please scroll through the available scholarships to apply for and remember that new scholarships continue to be added as we receive them, so continue to monitor Naviance.

If, after having read this email and all supplied directions carefully you still have questions, please reach out to the Guidance Office.

CANCELLATION

***The January 20th early college planning presentation will not be held at this time. More information will be available at a later date.

No School - Monday, January 18

Please be aware that the district calendar shows four Late Start days for January (22,25,26,27). We will NOT have late starts on those days.

The last day of 2nd Quarter is January 29.

Please see this announcement from Commissioner Riley describing updates to assessment and accountability plans for this school year, including the postponement of the January 2021 special high school MCAS administration. At this time, DESE intends to schedule all 10th and 11th graders for the Math and ELA MCAS exams in the spring

If you ordered photos for your student, and have not already picked them up, you can pick them up in the Main Office Mon - Fri between 7:30 am - 3:00 pm. If you did not order photos and your student had his/her photo taken, there is a proof packet in the office. You can still order prints from these proof packets. You will also find student ID in the packets.

PHOTO RETAKES / MAKE UPS are scheduled for Wednesday, February 10 from 1:00 - 6:00 pm in the Cafeteria. You do not need an appointment.