April
- April 22: Earth Day
- April 27: National Administrative Professionals Day
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April 29: Arbor Day
Please also refer to your school calendar for school-based activities & information.
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- Virtual Coffee Hour: April 29, 12:00-12:45 p.m. (New Date & Time) - Profile of a Graduate
Next Meeting:
Novus Agenda is updated frequently, please check the agenda 24-hours before any upcoming meetings.
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Antigen Testing Procedure During April Break
Please administer test Sunday before returning to school on Monday
Families who have opted in for at-home antigen testing will received their next set of tests on Thursday, April 14. Please administer the first of these tests on Sunday, April 24, prior to returning to school from April break. This will ensure all students are healthy and safe to return to school. We are asking the same of our staff. The second test should be used on Wednesday, May 4.
The next set of tests will be sent home on Tuesday, May 10 to be used on Wednesday, May 11.
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VIRTUAL COFFEE HOURS WITH THE NATICK SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Profile of a Graduate Conversation Rescheduled for April 29
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The Natick School Committee welcomes families and community members to attend Virtual Coffee Hours with us in the coming months! Each session has a topic aligned to the district strategic plan. We look forward to hearing your feedback and questions and sharing from our purview.
Friday, April 29, 12:00-12:45 p.m. (New Date & Time) - Profile of a Graduate
Tuesday, May 17, 6:00 - 6:45 p.m. (Time Changed) - Dismantling Systemic Barriers for Equitable Access to Opportunity
Wednesday, June 15, TBD - Social Emotional Learning and Healthy Living
Meeting ID: 867 2427 5279
Passcode: 013880
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Meeting ID: 867 2427 5279
Passcode: 013880
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ThoughtExchange: Give Feedback Directly to Dr. Nolin
We need your input on district priorities

As we head into the final 1/3 of the school year and turn our eyes to planning for the 2022-23 school year, NPS wants your feedback on how you feel we should prioritize district resources and grant funding in the coming year. Please fill out this one question survey! It's totally anonymous.
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DESE Conducting Regularly-Scheduled Tiered Focused Monitoring Review
View video of virtual parent orientation now
During the week of May 2, 2022, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Office of Public School Monitoring (PSM) will conduct a Tiered Focused Monitoring Review of Natick School District. If you missed the virtual parent orientation held by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, you can watch it online.
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DAILY COVID Symptom Screening (Checklist)
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Students and staff who are SICK should STAY HOME.
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Updated COVID-19 Testing Procedure
Natick Public Schools is no longer pool testing. We have implemented at-home weekly rapid antigen tests. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is providing antigen (rapid) COVID-19 tests for students to use at home with the expectation students test at home once a week.
How to Administer the At-Home COVID Test
The test being sent home is the iHealth Labs COVID-19 rapid antigen test kits. The tests can be completed in 15 minutes without the need to send a sample to a laboratory. Mobile phones or computers are not needed for any part of the test.
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4/22/22
No Update due to Good Friday & April Break
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Chart Terminology: CC's = Close Contacts
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Not seeing the School Newsletters or Community Updates section?
At the bottom of this email, click on "View Entire Message" to see the full Engage newsletter.
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ADDITIONAL INFO FOR FAMILIES
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School Bus Registration for SY 2022-23 Open
Bus registration for the 2022-23 school year is open. ALL parents and caregivers who want their students to ride the bus for the 2022-23 school year MUST register for school bus transportation. Each child must be registered separately. Sign-up for bus transportation on the NPS website.
The deadline for registration is June 6, 2022. The transportation fee for the 2022-23 school year is $200 per student with a family cap of $400*. A late fee is added to ALL registrations received after June 6, 2022**. If registering a new student in Natick Public Schools after the deadline, late fees do not apply if you register for transportation within two weeks of registering for school. For families with extenuating circumstances, a written request to waive a late fee may be submitted to the Director of Finance.
After you submit your first registration, additional children may be registered by clicking on the “submit another response” link. Clicking on this link will bring up a new registration page. If a transportation fee is required, you may pay online after completing the registration process. * An assessed late fee and second bus passes will not be included when determining the family cap of $400. The $400 family cap is for transportation fees only. Registration will not be considered complete until all fees are paid in full.
** A late fee will be assessed to ALL registrations received after June 6, 2022. The late fee schedule is as follows:
Registered between:
6/7/2022 - 6/30/2022 $30 per family
7/1/2022 - 7/31/2022 $60 per family
after 7/31/22 $90 per family
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Connolly & Sons Hiring Bus Drivers
Pay starts at $31/hour after completion of training
As NPS prepares to add additional bus routes for the 2022-23 school year, bus drivers are needed. Michael J. Connolly & Sons offers free CDL training, and pay starts at $31/hour after completion of training. All applicants must pass a drug screen, and a U.S. Department of Transportation physical.
Bus drivers have flexibility with part-time hours, morning routes, and/or evening routes. Drivers collect unemployment during school vacation weeks and summer break. Connolly will install car seats or booster seats if you need to bring your young child(ren) with you to work.
If you or someone you know is interested, apply on the Connolly website. Please mention you were referred by the Town of Natick Transportation Department.
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MA Approved to Provide Families Additional P-EBT for 2021-22 School Year
Eligible families to receive retroactive payments starting May 25
Starting May 25 Massachusetts will issue P-EBT for children who missed school because of COVID-19 in school year 2021-2022. If eligible, funds will be added to P-EBT or EBT cards starting May 25, 2022. Keep your P-EBT card.
For school year 2021-2022, P-EBT benefit amounts will be determined by the number of eligible COVID-related excused absences a student has in a month. Eligible Massachusetts’ families will receive a retroactive P-EBT payment for September 2021 through April 2022 COVID-related absences on May 25, 2022. The two remaining monthly payments for the school year (May and June) will be made on the 25th of each month.
Eligible families will receive one of three P-EBT amounts per month, per student depending on the number of COVID-19 related eligible excused school absences, as determined by school districts:
- 1-5 absences: $21 a month per student
- 6-15 absences: $71 a month per student
- 16+ absences: $128 a month per student
Families will continue to receive P-EBT on the same card they did in the past. Households who lost their P-EBT card can request a replacement card. Newly eligible students will receive their P-EBT benefits on their EBT card if receiving DTA benefits or will be mailed a P-EBT card if they do not receive DTA benefits.
P-EBT benefits can be used anywhere Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are accepted, including online from select retailers. More information on P-EBT can be found at Mass.gov/P-EBT and MAp-EBT.org.
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Changes Coming to Universal Free Lunch Program
Summer lunch program also ending
As you may have heard on the news, the recent appropriations package passed by Congress does not include extending the current free school lunch program past June 30, 2022. As a result we’re unable to provide universal free meals as we have the last two years, beginning with the 2022-23 school year. What does this mean for you?
NPS will return to the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and our Summer Eats sites will not be available this year. Free and reduced price meals will only be offered to students directly certified for these meals or approved through a household application (available July 1). We understand that this is a big change for all, and we’re notifying you now so you’re aware you’ll need to re-adjust to meal charges after such a long time without having to worry about it. We’ll keep you updated on any other developments from our partners at DESE and the USDA.
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