News
New Calendar for Nashoba
By Ann Needle
The Nashoba School Committee gave its nod to the district’s calendar for next school year — another version from the ones previously proposed. It also voted to establish a capital spending fund to help shore up local special education facilities.
The long-awaited calendar for the upcoming school year was approved unanimously, though it wasn’t the versions “A” and “B” the district has been looking at since December. Until last night, the School Committee appeared to favor “B,” which replaces the all-day parent/teacher conferences on Election Day (November 4) with a vacation day, and keeps a full professional development day the Friday before April vacation. (Proposal A would have kept Election Day as a conference and professional day, and made the Thursday and Friday before April vacation early release days.)
DECA is Out to Win
By Ann Needle
A successful business is a growing one. Just by that standard, Nashoba Regional High School DECA chapter (Distributive Education Clubs of America) is an unqualified smash. Since 2010, membership has exploded, along with members qualifying for state and national competitions.
Nashoba Debates Kindergarten Day
By Ann Needle
Last night, the Nashoba School Committee continued debate on changes coming to district kindergarten in the fall. There were also several pieces of good news coming out of Nashoba Regional High School, and a glimpse at a new law calling for Massachusetts districts to continue educating suspended and expelled students.
Narcotics Dog Takes a Bow at Nashoba
By Ann Needle
The human cooing that greeted a guest canine at Nashoba Regional High School on March 4 could make an unsuspecting visitor believe they were dropped into a dog show. Actually, it was a show—state police were recently showing off just how a narcotics-sniffing dog can, very effectively, hunt down illegal substances at the high school.
Nashoba Approves the Budget
By Ann Needle
After a public hearing that drew few comments, the Nashoba School Committee officially approved its proposed budget last night, which comes in now at under $50 million. Meanwhile, some parents — especially in Stow — continue to question one of those spending items.
School Needs Discussed at Tri-Town
By Ann Needle
The short- and long-term needs of the Nashoba Regional School District were the spotlight of last Wednesday’s Tri-Town meeting at Thayer Library in Lancaster. Officials from Nashoba’s three towns, along with several Nashoba School Committee members, also heard highlights of some major financial changes in store for Minuteman High School.
Forecast Calls for Cleanup, Conservation
By Rob Kean
March has arrived roarless but bearing an ice-covered mane just the same, a lion merely halfway between groundhog and lamb. Still, with talk of spring being right around the corner, several Stow groups are already looking ahead to what lies beneath the snow when it finally melts.
Nashoba Looks at Trimming Budget
By Ann Needle
Talk of compromise and reductions for the proposed +$50 million school budget filled last night’s School Committee meeting. Both the school administration and the Committee searched out other routes to savings for 2014/15.
Weather Dissected
By Nancy Arsenault
Polar Vortex. Snow & Ice Account. Mesoscale Banding. Yes, those are all terms that should be familiar to readers by now – well, maybe not mesoscale banding.
Nashoba Kindergarten to Go Full Day
By Ann Needle
A busy Nashoba School Committee meeting last night was highlighted by a decision on whether to make all district kindergarten classes full day.
After almost 90 minutes of debate among Committee and audience members, the Committee voted 5 to 1 (plus 2 abstentions) to fund the cost for converting all Nashoba kindergarten classes into full-day sessions. Though Nashoba has offered full-day kindergarten for the past few years, some kindergarten classes were still half day. Meanwhile, the waiting lists grew for full day spaces.