Natick Redhawks
Your Weekly Update from Natick High School
From the Principal's Desk
Hello Natick High School Caregivers,
Over the past two weeks, we have ushered in the spring sports season, administered 10th grade ELA MCAS, and completed our course registration process for next year. You and your student likely got an email from guidance about checking those registrations. There is information on that below, as well.
Last week, we also held our Equity Co-op, wherein we had so many students demonstrate leadership skills by leading seminars for their peers on what Natick means to them. We also welcomed back alumni to speak on our keynote panel, along with current staff and students, to discuss what belonging to the Natick community meant to them. Developing one's own identity is an essential part of adolescent human development, and it was wonderful to see our young people so proud to discuss how they feel a sense of belonging at NHS, and how they see themselves within our collective community.
On Monday, we will begin the fourth and final term of the school year, and we will also have a half day for staff professional development on Wednesday 4/3. We are encouraging students to finish strong. In the coming weeks, we will also hold our spring play, She Kills Monsters, give our juniors a chance to sign up for their boat cruise, (more information on both of those below) and begin sending out important emails to seniors about end-of-the year senior activities.
As we head into the next two weeks, many of our students will also be celebrating days of meaning for them culturally and religiously. For those celebrating Good Friday tomorrow and Easter on Sunday, I wish you meaningful days filled with laughter and loved ones. And for those of you celebrating the end of Ramadan next week on Eid al Fitr, I also wish you a meaningful end to Ramadan and a chance to celebrate with those close to you. As a note for all families, for both Good Friday (tomorrow) and Eid (4/10), school is closed.
I am looking forward to joining in on all that the spring brings at Natick High!
Warmly,
Josepha Blocker
Principal, Natick High School
Calendar for the Next Two Weeks
UPCOMING STUDENT EVENTS
Juniors: Boat Cruise on May 23rd
Seniors: Sign-up for Prom Tables
Tickets for the Prom are no longer being sold. It is now time to focus on "Table Selection". Please see the "Q&A" document (linked below) which outlines all the necessary details for Table Selection.
Please read this document from start to finish (you must be logged into your student Gmail account to access the document). Failure to do so will result in miscommunication and confusion. Table Selection for Prom starts on Monday, April 1. More information is located in the document.
If you have any questions or need clarification on any points made in the document, please email me (djoseph@natickps.org) and Mr. Cuoco (ancuoco@natickps.org) BEFORE MONDAY, APRIL 1.
51 more days until Prom!
Course Registration for 9th, 10th and 11th Graders
Course Requests for 2024-2025
Now is the time to review your course requests for the 2024-2025 school year in PowerSchool!
Please follow the steps below in order to view your course requests and confirm that everything looks correct. Any elective changes must be addressed with your guidance counselor, no later than April 5th.
Steps to Review Course Requests: Viewing next year Course Requests in PowerSchool Public Portal
If you wish to make any changes to your electives, please contact your counselor.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Natick Summer Programs Are Back! Register Now
Students will enjoy week-long courses for enrichment, exploration, and fun–right here in Natick! The Summer Enrichment and Summer Scholars programs will allow your children to explore their interests and help prevent summer slide. Pre-approved students are welcomed into the Extended School Year (ESY) program and the High School Credit Recovery Program. Our Strength and Conditioning Program provides dynamic exercises and drills from some of the best coaches in the area.
Registration through Active.com is open now. Our popular Summer Enrichment program courses include Cooking, Arts and Crafts, Pondology, Chemistry, Sports, and much more. Students from rising Kindergarteners up through rising 8th graders are grouped by grade level.
NEW THIS YEAR: All participants in Summer Enrichment and Summer Scholars will receive a complete schedule of classes (subject to availability) running from 8:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. every day. Join us this summer! Access our dedicated website for more information.
Looking for financial assistance this summer? Please complete this form prior to registering to get the process started: 2024 Summer Programs Assistance. Thank you!
Happy Easter!
If you are celebrating Good Friday and/or the Easter holiday this weekend, we hope that you have a joyous day filled with celebration, joy, family and friends...and maybe a visit from the Easter Bunny, too!
Ramadan Mubarak and Eid Mubarak!
We wish all of our Muslim families a Ramadan 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, ending with a celebratory Eid.
Reminder from the Transportation Department
Please be advised that ALL students require a bus pass to board their bus. The bus passes may only be used for the bus number printed on the pass. Students may not "bus hop" or go on any other bus than the bus that is assigned to them.
Students who get on a bus that is not assigned to them will be written up and families notified. Bus drivers will be diligently checking for bus passes. If your student has lost their bus pass, please let NPS Transportation Department know and they will email a new bus pass.
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.
Cradles to Crayons Clothing Drive @ NHS 3/25 - 4/5
If you're looking to support a great cause, then this is your chance! There will be a clothing drive to support children who are suffering from clothing insecurity at Natick High School!
Your donations will be sent to the non-profit organization, Cradles to Crayons, who will then give them to homeless and low-income children who don't have access to adequate clothing. We accept any new or gently used clothes sizes newborn to adult medium. The drive will run from Monday, March 25 to Friday, April 5 so make sure to drop your donations off at the box in the lobby during that time. There are children out there who need our help and your donations will make their dreams come true!
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
She Kills Monsters: Young Adventurers Edition. 4/5 @ 7:30pm & 4/7 @ 2pm
Natick High School Theatre cordially invites you to this year's spring play. She Kills Monsters: Young Adventurers Edition by Qui Nguyen is an action-packed thrill ride. A play that has epic battles, glorious special effects, monsters, weapons, colorful costumes, a pounding soundtrack, highly comedic moments, and an engaging story with honest characters mixed between two worlds: one of dungeons and dragons fantasy and the other of the all too real world of high school in the mid-1990s.
Agnes, a high school senior, is plagued by regret and torn between painfully moving forward or safely hiding in the shadows of the unresolved. She makes an unexpected discovery that leads to multiple surprises, danger, and a possible real chance for growth. What should Agnes do with what she has discovered? Come and find out. She Kills Monsters: Young Adventurers Editon- Friday, April 5th at 7:30 pm and Sunday, April 7 at 2 pm. Tickets are available at the door and online.
"A comedic romp into the world of fantasy role-playing games, She Kills Monsters is a high-octane dramatic comedy laden with homicidal fairies, nasty ogres, and 90s pop culture – a heart-pounding homage to the geek and warrior within us all." ( Samuel French )
Suggested PG 13 Rating - not appropriate for young children
NHS Show Choir, the West Street Singers
The NHS Show Choir, the West Street Singers, under the direction of Kate Burns, competed at the New England Show Choir Showdown on Saturday March 16 at Andover High School.
The group SWEPT their division, taking first place, and earning Best Vocals, Best Choreography, Best Show Design, and Grand Champion. West Street Sound, their Show Band, earned the top score in their division.
NHS Jazz Ensemble
The NHS Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Craig Chisholm, performed at the University of New Hampshire Jazz Festival Saturday morning March 16, and MAJE State Finals in Norwood on Saturday afternoon. At MAJE, NHS Jazz received a Gold Medal.
At UNH, outstanding musician awards were given to Evan Simon, clarinet/Alto Sax, and Michael Scorpa, Alto/Soprano Sax.
At MAJE, outstanding musician awards were given to Michael Abrams, Guitar, and Michael Scorpa, Alto/Soprano Sax.
Additionally, Senior MICHAEL SCORPA of Natick High School Jazz was voted the MOST VALUABLE PLAYER in Massachusetts.
As a result, the Natick High School Jazz Ensemble will perform at the MAJE Gold Medal Showcase May 5th at the Hatch Shell in Boston. Time TBA.
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
Natick 180 & SPARK Kindness Present: Life Skills Series for grades 9-12
Natick is hosting an upcoming FREE series for NHS students that aims to provide youth with important education as they transition to adulthood.
The series includes 4 sessions, each with a different topic. This 4-part series is free for youth to participate in, but registration is required: https://tinyurl.com/mr359hrv.
Mental Health Resources for Families and Students
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
PowerSchool Support
Technology Support
COVID-19 Updates
View the latest COVID-19 updates from NPS.