The Common

May 5, 2023

Superintendent Update

News from the School Committee

Dear Stakeholders,

On Wednesday April 26th, 2023, the Nashoba Regional School Committee voted on and unanimously approved a motion to form an Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) Management Advisory Committee (OMAC). The purpose of forming this advisory committee is to invite public participation towards making a recommendation to the school committee on a long-term strategy to fiscally address the district’s OPEB liability. The OMAC will be tasked with recommending a strategy to the school committee by December 31st, 2023, so that the district may include it as a feature of its FY25 budget. Once the OMAC delivers this recommendation, the committee will dissolve itself, unless it is decided that the advisory is needed for further related matters.

As approved on the April 26th meeting, the committee will consist of the following seven voting members:

Town Administrator (or their designee) from each town (3)
One resident from each town (3)
One School Committee representative (1)

Additionally, the OMAC will include a non-voting, central office district representative.

The school committee is currently seeking volunteers to fill each of the member positions as soon as possible so that the work of developing a viable solution to funding the liability can begin. If multiple residents from a single town volunteer, membership will be selected via lottery. Once the makeup of the committee is established, the membership will be voted on and approved at a subsequent school committee meeting, and the work of the advisory will begin. If you are interested in sitting on this advisory, kindly submit your request to me mhoresh@nrsd.net

by May 31st, 2023.

Regards,

Mike Horesh

Nashoba Regional School Committee

Kirk Downing

Superintendent

Ross Mulkerin

Director of Finance and Operations

News from the Department of Teaching and Learning

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Teacher Appreciation Week, May 8 - May 12th!

Please join us in extending a heartfelt thank you to all of our Nashoba faculty and staff as we celebrate and acknowledge ALL of their efforts next week during Teacher Appreciation Week. Our faculty and staff work tirelessly to meet the needs of our students, prek-12, on so many levels in ways, great and small. Their efforts - and their impact - are infinite and we could not be more grateful and inspired by the energy and dedication they bring to our students, and to one another, day in and day out. While next week may be the "official" acknowledgement of their efforts, EACH and EVERY day is Teacher Appreciation Day for us at Nashoba. Thank you, Nashoba Educators!

Nashoba Humanities Teachers Deepen Learning About Genocide Education

In January, Nashoba was notified that the district had successfully secured the Genocide in Education Grant, a competitive grant from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. This grant supports Genocide Education in middle and high school, as required by the 2021 Massachusetts State Law, "An Act Concerning Genocide Education."

Last Friday. the grant supported Nashoba Social Studies and English educators in grades 8-12 the opportunity to participate in a full day of professional development customized for Nashoba and presented by Primary Source. The learning objective for the day was to "Provide an overview and introduction to multiple thematic and interdisciplinary approaches to genocide studies that are student-centered and civically-oriented." The professional development enabled educators from across the district to develop a common understanding of language and law, and delve into examples of genocide in the 20th and 21st centuries. Educators then had the opportunity to learn a variety of approaches to teaching about genocide, including curricular connections, interdiscplinary and thematic approaches, and instructional strategies to support student-centered and civically-oriented genocide studies. Nashoba middle and high school teachers will continue to engage in professional and curricular development surrounding genocide education throughout the 2023-2024 school year.

NRHS DECA

Nashoba DECA recently competed at the DECA International Career Development Conference (ICDC) in Orlando, Florida. A school record 23 students qualified to compete at the competition and an additional 3 students were selected to attend the Thrive Leadership Academy during the conference. Our students competed against over 30,000 of the best DECA students from across the United States, Canada, China, Germany, and Spain. Nico Cerioni and Will McPhail were named International Finalists in the Marketing Team Decision Making category which signifies a Top 20 finish in the world.

Our Nashoba DECA chapter started off the year with our largest membership in school history with 210 members. Nashoba had a very successful District Competition at Umass Lowell in January with 112 of our members advancing to the State Competition that was held in Boston in March. We are sad to see our seniors graduate but we are excited for next year with many talented underclassmen in the program. We are grateful for the support from our local community who judge and mentored our groups at our mock competitions this year, thank you! We would also like to thank our primary sponsor, Clinton Savings Bank, for their dedication to our program for the last 13 years. We would also like to thank our Gold Level sponsors, Murphy Insurance Agency, Align Credit Union, Avidia Bank, Workers Credit Union, and Hardy Physical Therapy.

Nationals Recap.

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Nashoba Notable Award! Thank a Nashoba Employee!

Celebrating everyday greatness! Is there a Nashoba teacher or staff member out there who you think deserves some special recognition? Send a Nashoba Notable Award their way! Fill out the form below and thank a Nashoba employee today!

Nashoba Notable Awards thank Nashoba employees for supporting students, families, and their school communities in all ways great and small.

Employees will receive a certificate that includes a brief explanation from the nominator of why they are Nashoba Notable. This form is open to everyone. Students, families, staff and community members can send a Nashoba Notable Award to any Nashoba employee.

There is no limit to the number of Nashoba Notable Awards someone may receive. Thank a Nashoba employee today!

Click here to tell someone they are Nashoba Notable!

News from the Health and Wellness Department

Tick Talk:

Today we raise awareness about ticks in Massachusetts and the importance of taking preventive measures to avoid tick bites and the diseases associated with them.

Ticks are tiny bugs that feed on the blood of animals that can transmit a variety of diseases to humans, including Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, babesiosis, and Powassan virus. They live in shady, damp places, like brush, dead leaves, woods and tall grass. Both adult and “nymph” (young) ticks can bite and spread disease. Massachusetts is considered a high-risk area for Lyme disease.

The good news is that there are steps you can take to reduce your risk of tick bites and the diseases they transmit. Here are some preventive measure you can take:

Avoid tick-infested areas. Ticks are most commonly found in wooded and grassy areas, so try to avoid these areas, especially during peak tick season (April - September)
Wear protective clothing. If you do need to spend time in tick-infested areas, wear long-sleeved shirts, pants, and socks. Tuck your pants into your socks to prevent ticks from crawling up your legs.
Use insect repellent. Use an EPA-registered insect repellent with at least 20% DEET or picaridin. Apply the repellent to your skin and clothing, and always follow the instructions on the label.
Check for ticks. After spending time outdoors, check yourself and your children for ticks. Be sure to check all areas of the body, including the scalp, behind the ears, and in and around the genital area.
Remove ticks promptly. If you find a tick on your body remove it promptly using fine-tipped tweezers. Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible and pull it straight out, without twisting or squeezing.
Seek medical attention if necessary. If you develop symptoms of tick-borne illness, such as a fever, rash, or joint pain, seek medical attention promptly.

Ticks can pose a serious health threat, but by taking preventative measures, you can reduce your risk of tick bites and the diseases they transmit.