Dear Trottier:

It was a great first week back at school. While there were certainly a few tired eyes on the first morning, it was wonderful to see students so happy, celebrating, and genuinely excited to reconnect with their friends and peers. Getting back into routines can take time, but our students adjusted very well, and the positive energy in the building was evident all week.

School life quickly returned to full swing. We hosted a home basketball game against Melican, welcomed the rebooting of our clubs, and saw strong interest in offerings such as Science Fair Club, Model UN, and Ski Club, which all began this week. Our drama program continues its rehearsals, and overall, there has been a great sense of enthusiasm, engagement, and community throughout the building.

Let's make it a great one!

I would also like to share an important save-the-date for our seventh-grade families. The Washington, DC trip orientation will take place on February 24 at 6:00 PM in the auditorium. This evening will provide an overview of the trip, including the experience, logistics, and costs, and will offer families the opportunity to ask questions as they prepare for the trip scheduled for November.

Dear Families,

We are reaching out to ask for your assistance with our morning drop-off procedures.

Recently, we have seen an increase in families dropping students off in the side parking lot near the track and at the corner of the property. While we understand that this location may feel convenient, it has resulted in ongoing congestion and traffic backups that create safety concerns for students, families, and staff.

To help maintain a safe and efficient flow of traffic, we are asking all families to continue using the designated live drop-off line in front of the school. This system allows students to exit vehicles safely and keeps traffic moving smoothly during arrival.

Please refer to the map below. The area marked in red indicates locations where student drop-off should not occur. Avoiding drop-offs in these areas will greatly assist us in reducing congestion and ensuring student safety.

We truly appreciate your cooperation and partnership in helping us keep arrival time safe and orderly for everyone. If you have questions or need clarification, please do not hesitate to reach out.

Welcome

The Public Schools of Northborough and Southborough is reauthorizing its Strategic Plan, Vision 2026: Educate, Inspire, and Challenge. First approved in the spring of 2021, this plan has guided the District’s priorities and actions over the past several years. As we look ahead, it is time to chart the course for the next six years—and we invite our community to help shape that future.

This fall and winter, the District is collecting input from students, families, staff, and community members through multiple avenues, including a community-wide survey. The survey mirrors the version administered in January 2021, allowing for a comparison of new feedback with the original baseline data. These insights will inform the goals, priorities, and key actions that will define the next phase of the District’s Strategic Plan.

As part of this process, citizens are invited to participate in one of our upcoming Strategic Planning Sessions. Each session will explore the landscape students will encounter in the future—careers, higher education, and societal expectations. Together, we will identify the habits, skills, and knowledge that will empower our graduates to thrive in a complex, rapidly changing world.

Before completing the survey, we encourage all residents to review the current Strategic Plan – Vision 2026: Educate, Inspire, and Challenge .

Upcoming Strategic Planning Sessions

January 12, 2026 | 6:30–8:00 PM | ARHS Library*

January 20, 2026 | 4:00–5:30 PM | Trottier Library

January 28, 2026 | 6:30–8:00 PM | Virtual

Each session offers the same content. Please choose one to attend.

Your voice is essential as we envision the future of learning in Northborough and Southborough. We hope you will join us in this important work.

Dear Parents/ Guardians,  

We would like to share information about a program we will be implementing in our 7th-grade health classes to address student wellness and mental health.  Research has shown that adolescent and youth mental health is an area of significant need nationally.  Our district understands the importance of teaching students about mental health, how to practice positive coping skills, and how to ask for help when needed.  

Beginning the week of January 26th, your child’s health class will use a program called SOS Signs of Suicide.   This is an evidence-based program that teaches students about this difficult topic and encourages them to seek help when needed. 

SOS has been used by thousands of schools for over 20 years. Studies have shown that it effectively teaches students about depression and suicide while reducing the number of students’ self-reported suicide attempts.  

Through the program, students learn: 

During one health class period, students will watch age-appropriate video clips and participate in a guided discussion with trained school staff and counselors.  These discussions focus on the symptoms of depression, risks of suicide, and what to do if they are concerned about themselves or a friend. Following the video, students will complete a brief depression screening tool. This tool cannot provide a diagnosis of depression but does indicate whether a young person should be referred for evaluation by a mental health professional.  

At the end of class, students will complete an exit slip which asks whether they would like to talk to an adult about any concerns. School staff will immediately review student responses and conduct brief meetings with any student asking to talk further. Parents/guardians will be notified of any students who may need additional follow-up.

We encourage you to visit www.sossignsofsuicide.org/parent for information on the program,the warning signs for youth suicide, useful resources, and to review the key messages students will learn during the program. Our district Wellness website has additional information regarding this program.

If you would like to have your child opted-out of this program and participate in an alternate activity during that one class period, please complete this opt-out form by January 24, 2026.  

Sincerely, 

Gary Hreschuk, Principal