The Weekly Wizard: October 9, 2026

After reading One Word for Kids: A Great Way to Have Your Best Year Ever, students in Ms. Perry’s class reflected on the kind of year they hope to have and chose one meaningful word to guide them. Words such as kind, focused, brave, and fun reflect each student’s individual goals, hopes, and personality. As you can see in the photo above, the same activity led students in many different and thoughtful directions.

Choosing a word is only the beginning. Its meaning comes from the choices and actions that follow throughout the year. Let this be a reminder to us all that even one small word can help us set an intention and make purposeful choices.

My best,

Tom

We are incredibly proud to share that the Neary Wizards surpassed our $20,000 fundraising goal! 

At the conclusion of today’s Great Neary Wizard Challenge, our community had raised more than $21,500 to support our students and school. The fundraising page remains open if your family or friends would still like to make a final donation.

This week was also filled with fun and well-earned recognition:

Today, every student participated in 15 different challenges, and we were so impressed by the teamwork, collaboration, kindness, and perseverance they demonstrated throughout the day. It was a wonderful day to be a Neary Wizard! 

Thank you to SOS for making this memorable week possible and for its ongoing support of the Neary community. Finally, Tuesday will be a PJ Day! I will send a message to families on Monday.

Please be sure to enjoy the pictures below!

During academic time, students are welcome to keep a water bottle with a secure, spill-proof lid at their workspace. Other beverages, including sports drinks or juice, should be saved for snack time. This expectation helps prevent spills and protect classroom materials and learning equipment. Thank you for your support!

To see if your child's pictures are available to view, please log in to your account at mylifetouch.com. If you don’t have an account yet, you can create one using your email address. To locate your child's photos, you'll need their Student ID or Portrait ID and Access Code. If you don't have this information, you can:

Please note that pictures may not become available for all students at the same time, so check back later if you don't see your child's images yet.

We are delighted to invite you to the first English Learner/Multilingual Learner Parent Advisory Council (ELPAC) meeting of the year: 

ELPAC brings families, educators, and community members together to support our multilingual learners. Together, we help shape the programs and services that serve them. Your experiences and ideas matter to us.

Interpreters in Portuguese, Spanish, Arabic, and Chinese, pizza, and babysitting will be available. Other upcoming ELPAC meeting dates are: (all 6:30–8:00 PM, ARHS Library):

For any questions or for more information, please contact Selvi Oyola, Director of Multilingual Learners at soyola@nsboro.k12.ma.us. We look forward to seeing you there! 

The answer isn’t simply counting minutes. Healthy digital habits develop when adults model, guide, set boundaries, and gradually help children learn to manage technology for themselves.  Whether your child is in kindergarten or high school, small routines at home can make a difference.

Throughout October, Neary will collect items from the Southborough Food Pantry Wishlist. Each classroom has been assigned a specific item to donate, and all contributions are due by Friday, October 30. We will celebrate our collective effort that day with a Neary Spirit Day! Students may wear fall colors, comfortable clothing such as pajamas or onesies, Neary spirit wear, or a Halloween costume. Thank you for helping us support families in our community!

The Public Schools of Northborough and Southborough are seeking substitute teachers, nurses, and food service staff. Substituting is a flexible and meaningful way to support our students, schools, and community. Please review the flyer below or visit the District’s employment website to learn more and apply.

Roof project update: The roof is now over 85% complete following a productive week and great weather.

What’s happening now: Crews have started the finishing work, including sealing the roof edges and connecting/adjusting rooftop equipment.

What’s next: We expect the main work to wrap up in the next few weeks, and finishing work will continue into November. We anticipated reduced impact on learning during this next phase.

Thank you for your ongoing support!

53 Parkerville Road

Southborough, MA 01772

(508) 481-2300