January NSBORO News

NSBORO NEWS - January 2020

The Public Schools of

Northborough and Southborough

"Ten Schools, Three Districts, One Community of Learners"

NSBORO News - January Edition

Index:

Superintendent’s Message: A Portrait of a Graduate

Health Update: Flu and Cold Season Reminders

Welcome Stacy Mahoney - Trottier Middle School Assistant Principal

School Start Time Task Force Update

Fiscal Year 2021 Budget Information

Superintendent's January Updates

“You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”

– Martin Luther King, Jr.

Perseverance, learners mindset, confidence, collaboration, communication, resourceful, self-directed, and civic literacy are a few of the many themes that emerged in the Portrait of a Graduate sessions that took place during the months of December and January. Students, educators, parents, district leaders, and community members provided a wealth of ideas, perspectives, and insights - the conversations were outstanding. Moving forward, a critical task is to identify the most essential 21st century competencies our students need to be lifelong learners and contributors in our complex world. If you would like to participate in the prioritization process, please click on the link below and identify your top ten priorities.

Major Portrait of a Graduate themes identified will be an integral component of the 2021-2026 District’s Strategic Plan and will help identify the District’s “North Star.” The Strategic Planning Steering Committee is continuing its work and will be sharing a draft of the District’s reauthorized Strategic Plan in the next couple of months. In the meantime, please take a moment to review images of “our graduates.”

Respectfully,

Greg Martineau

Link: What are your top ten priorities?

Link: Portraits of our Graduates

Respectfully,

Greg Martineau

Superintendent of Schools

Health Update: Cold and Flu Season Precautions

Superintendent Martineau, Dr. Safdar Medina,School Physician and Mary Ellen Duggan, District Wellness Coordinator are keeping a close eye on the coronavirus updates. We have been in contact with Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) and are following the recommendations of DPH and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Per the CDC:

This virus is not spreading in the United States right now, but the best way to prevent infection is to avoid being exposed to this virus. There are simple everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses.

These include:

Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand

sanitizer.

In the schools we will continue to promote and remind students and staff of the importance of frequent hand washing, cough etiquette, keeping hands away from the face and staying home if you are not feeling well. Other recommendations around travel from the CDC include:

Travelers from China Arriving in the United States:

All travelers from China, including business travelers, people who visited friends and family, and humanitarian workers should take the following steps. First, watch for any changes in your health for 14 days after leaving China. If you get a fever or develop a cough or difficulty breathing during this 14-day period, avoid contact with others. Call your doctor or healthcare provider to tell them about your symptoms and your recent travel. They will provide further instructions about steps to take before your medical visit to help to reduce the risk that you will spread your illness to other people in the office or waiting room, if that is what has made you sick. Don’t travel while you are sick.

If symptomatic, avoid travel and contact with others. We will continue to monitor any updates from the CDC and MaDPH.

Link to Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Staffing Update: Welcome Ms. Stacy Mahoney

Welcome Ms. Stacy Mahoney - P. Brent Trottier Middle School Assistant Principal Appointment

With Keith Lavoie’s appointment as The Public Schools of Northborough and Southborough’s Director of Operations and Gary Hreschuk’s appointment as P. Brent Trottier Middle School’s Principal, Mr. Hreschuk has been engaged in a comprehensive search to find Trottier’s next Assistant Principal. The search committee, which was comprised of teachers, administrators, and a member of the Southborough School Committee, conducted a thoughtful and thorough search. As a result of its successful efforts, I am pleased to announce that Stacy Mahoney will be the P. Brent Trottier Middle School’s next Assistant Principal.

Ms. Mahoney comes to us from Watertown Middle School where she served as a world language teacher and guidance counselor. For the past fifteen years, she led a variety of educational programming and school-wide initiatives. Ms. Mahoney reviewed and modified her school’s student referral process. She also served as one of Watertown Middle School’s 504 Coordinators. In addition, Ms. Mahoney developed and implemented a dynamic guidance curriculum for the benefit of Watertown students.

Ms. Mahoney’s years of experience, coupled with her extensive leadership practicum, promoted a learning environment where students and staff flourished. Ms. Mahoney brings a whole child philosophy that she will utilize in her new position. She will provide a great lens to Trottier Middle School, which will help us add new and dynamic opportunities for our students.

Ms. Mahoney’s first official day will be Monday, February 24th. However, we are coordinating a time where staff and community members can meet Ms. Mahoney. Mr. Hreschuk will share this information once her transition plan is finalized.

School Start Time Task Force - Update

The School Start Time Task Force continues its work on identifying a solution. The Task Force is continuing its educational campaign and has also begun to identify options for consideration by the school committees. If you're interested in learning more, please visit the District’s Start Time webpage.

School Start Time FAQs : To learn more, please visit the Start Time Task Force Website

Fiscal Year 2021 Budget Update

As The Public Schools of Northborough and Southborough, in collaboration with the school committees and the Northborough and Southborough town administrators work toward finalized budgets, I want to provide the communities with current information. Please visit the link below to find more information.

Link: Fiscal Year 2021 Budget Information