The Weekly Wizard: September 11, 2026

Kadi, Bennett, Dylan, Panthi, and Anna announcing ST Math updates to the community.

It has been another exciting week at Neary! We continue to build on the habits we established during our first week, and our students are responding in incredible ways. Whether gathering their attention through the Neary 5-4-3-2-1 or explaining their thinking in complete sentences, students are showing us what is possible when we set clear expectations and practice them together.

Our ST Math launch is another great example. Our goal is to have 100% of Neary students logged into the platform by September 15, and we are almost there! Yesterday, 5 student announcers pictured above celebrated three classes for solving the most puzzles last week: 

Two big virtual claps for each of these classes! Little Lou C. Goose (our friendly goose ST Math-scot) will spend a day with each of these classes this week to celebrate their effort!

This week’s Weekly Wizard is jam-packed with information. In particular, please review the important update regarding morning drop-off. We appreciate everyone’s continued flexibility and partnership as we navigate the roof project and the resulting adjustments to our school procedures.

As always, please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions.

My best,

Tom

With both SEDP and music families using the front entrance due to the roof project, we need everyone’s help to keep morning drop-off safe and moving smoothly.

When actively dropping off your child, please pull all the way forward to the stop line near the accessible parking spaces, where staff are typically stationed during regular arrival. This allows several students to exit safely at the same time and helps prevent cars from backing up into the Neary entrance, where students may be walking or riding their bikes.

The drop-off lane is for active drop-off only. If you arrive early or need to wait or leave your vehicle, please park in a designated space. Neary families may use the parking spaces directly in front of the Superintendent’s Office, located to the left of Neary’s main entrance. 

Thank you for helping us keep arrival safe and efficient for everyone.

I am writing to share information about one of the ways your child in grades will be assessed in reading this year. Our teachers have many ways to check your child’s reading development and growth, including an early literacy universal screening assessment. Early literacy universal screening assessments are brief tests that provide information about your child’s early reading skills. Screening makes it possible to see if a student is at risk of developing reading difficulties, including risk of dyslexia. Screening does not diagnose dyslexia or other disabilities, but it does help us understand which students may need additional support to be successful readers. 

In 4th and 5th grades, our district uses the screening assessment Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills, 8th Edition (DIBELS). This is one of several screening assessments approved by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Your child will be assessed three times during the school year. It typically takes five minutes to complete the assessment. The tentative schedule for this school year is shown below.

Approximate Screening Dates for 4th & 5th Grades

Following the screening assessment, a team at our school will review all students’ results. If your child scores “significantly below benchmark,” we will contact you to discuss how we can support your child. 

Please reach out if you would like additional information.

Screening is another step that helps students at our school become proficient readers, and we are grateful for your continued support and partnership. 

Please take a few minutes to complete this survey to share your input on ways for our schools to host family math events. Thank you!

All families are invited to participate in the district’s English Learner Parent Advisory Council (ELPAC). ELPAC brings families, educators, and community members together to strengthen students’ educational experiences, build connections between families and schools, create helpful resources, advise the district on programs, and celebrate the diversity of our community. Your experiences, ideas, and voice are important!

All meetings will be held from 6:30–8:00 p.m. in the Algonquin Regional High School Library, 79 Bartlett Street, Northborough, on the following dates:

ELPAC will also host an International Night: Culture and Music Festival on Friday, May 7, 2027 (tentative date). Questions, comments, or suggestions may be directed to Selvi Oyola, Director of Multilingual Learners, at soyola@nsboro.k12.ma.us or 508-351-7010, extension 1365.

The Neary Homework Club will begin on Tuesday, October 6, and will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:00–4:00 p.m. Our first session will run through Thursday, December 17. Families may register their child to attend on Tuesdays, Thursdays, or both days.

Please complete the Neary Homework Club registration form if you would like your child to participate.

Lunch bunches are one form of groups offered at Neary.  They are an opportunity for students to build social relationships and gain skill sets for social situations. Members of the group may be invited to help bolster their social skill set, if they are a new student, to help a child make friends, as a positive peer model, or earning recognition for engaging in exemplary Neary behaviors. This is an opportunity that includes all students at Neary School.

If you do not give permission for your child to participate in a lunch group during the 2026-2027 school year at Neary, please complete this form by September 18.

Each Thursday, Neary students spend approximately 50 minutes with a partner class, either hosting in their own classroom or visiting another teacher’s room. During this time, students enjoy 20 minutes of outdoor recess, work on ST Math, and participate in a shared read-aloud. 

Buddy Class provides another opportunity for students to build relationships, strengthen social skills, and connect with peers and teachers across our school. We wanted families to have this context in case your child comes home talking about spending time in a different classroom!

All Neary caregivers are invited to join Principal Tom Millett for the first Principal Coffee of the school year on Thursday, September 17, from 9:30–10:15 a.m. in the Neary cafeteria. Stop by for coffee, conversation, and an opportunity to connect as we begin a great year together!

As a follow-up to communications Grade 5 families have already received, our make-up field trip to Boundless Adventures in Berlin will take place on Friday, September 25. Students will leave Neary promptly at 9:00 a.m. and return by 2:00 p.m. for regular dismissal. Students should wear comfortable athletic clothing and closed-toe shoes and bring a lunch, water, and snack. Please apply sunscreen and bug spray at home. We are grateful to Neary SOS for generously sponsoring this experience, which will help students practice teamwork, collaboration, perseverance, and healthy risk-taking.

Families must complete the Boundless Adventures waiver and return the district’s paper field trip form by ASAP. If you completed the waiver for the June 2026 trip, select “I Already Have a Waiver.” Previously selected chaperones will hear directly from their child’s teacher and must have current CORI and SORI clearances. Anyone needing to complete the clearance paperwork should visit the Neary office with a driver’s license by September 16.

Our next Neary Nights event is all about bringing our community together. Neary students and their families are invited to join us for a relaxed evening of food, fun, and connection as we celebrate the start of the school year. Whether your family stays for the full evening or stops by for a short time, we hope you will join us!

The picnic is free to attend and open to the whole family. Food will be available for purchase from food trucks, with specific options shared after families RSVP. Please bring blankets or lawn chairs for your family.

New Neary merchandise will also be available for purchase, and SOS will hold a raffle. Raffle tickets will cost $5 for one ticket or $20 for five tickets.

Please use this link to RSVP and this link to volunteer. We cannot wait to celebrate the new school year together!

The Hispanic and Latin Organization of Leaders in Action (HOLA) at DESE invites students to submit artwork celebrating Hispanic or Latino identity and culture. This year’s theme is “Our Diversity Is Our Strength,” and submissions may include drawings, paintings, collages, sculptures, digital illustrations, photographs, and other forms of visual art. Selected pieces will be displayed in DESE’s Board meeting rooms in honor of Hispanic and Latino Heritage Month.

Artwork may be newly created or previously completed. Families may review the flyer and submit artwork using the student art submission form by Monday, September 14.

Join us at Beals’ Preserve on Sunday, September 13, from 3:00–5:00 p.m. for a closing poetry walk celebrating Art on the Trails. Neary’s installation, Phases, created by our current fifth- and sixth-grade students, will be the final stop at approximately 4:30 p.m. Families are welcome to arrive late and meet the group at the installation.

Help us support the Southborough Food Pantry throughout September! Each classroom has been assigned a requested item, and students are invited to wear a crazy hat and bring a donation on Neary Spirit Day, Friday, September 18. Donations will be accepted through Friday, September 25.

Week 3 was successful due to the outstanding weather conditions. The contractor reported that 21,000 square feet of the roof is complete, approximately 30% of the total area. 

Each day, the contractor is responsible for communicating which section of the roof will be replaced next. This has helped keep things predictable and manageable for learning. With continued good weather, we predict that the vast majority of classroom spaces will be completed in 2 weeks. Then they will move over to the gym side of the building. 

53 Parkerville Road

Southborough, MA 01772

(508) 481-2300