Dear Trottier Families,

As we head into the long weekend, I want to take a moment to recognize and honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the significance of this holiday. Dr. King’s work and legacy continue to remind us of the importance of reflection, service, and a commitment to values such as inclusivity, acceptance, and awareness. These are values we strive to reinforce every day at Trottier as we work to build a school community where all students feel seen, respected, and valued.

As we return next week, we have some exciting opportunities to come together as a school community. We will be hosting a basketball game on Tuesday, and I encourage families to come out and cheer on our students. In addition, our drama program will be presenting its production on Friday and Saturday evening. Our students and staff have worked incredibly hard, and it would be wonderful to see our community come out in support of the arts and our performers.

Let's make it a great one!

Dear Families,

I’d like to take a moment to preview a few upcoming academic notifications and important dates.

Our current term will close on January 23. Teachers will enter final report card grades over the weekend, and the report card portal will go live on Wednesday, January 28 at 3:00 PM. We encourage you to take time to review your child’s report card once it becomes available.

Looking ahead, Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held on Thursday, February 5. Please note that teachers have a limited number of conference slots, and availability is often driven by supply and demand. If your child is currently in good academic standing and you feel well informed about their strengths and areas for growth, we kindly ask that you consider deferring a conference at this time. That said, families should always feel comfortable reaching out to teachers directly if questions or concerns arise.

Conference sign-ups will open on Friday, January 30 at 3:00 PM. We recognize that this is a quick turnaround between report cards and conferences, and we appreciate your patience and understanding. As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.

Dear Trottier Families,

At this time, we have a limited reserve of backup Chromebooks. These loaner devices are intended specifically for students whose assigned Chromebooks are temporarily unavailable due to repair.

We are currently meeting with students who routinely arrive at school without their Chromebooks to reinforce expectations around daily preparedness. Going forward, students whose Chromebooks are being repaired will be given priority access to loaner devices. If a student arrives at school without their Chromebook and it is not related to a repair issue, they may need to make adjustments to their learning activities throughout the day.

We ask for your support in helping your child develop the habit of bringing their Chromebook to school each day, as this is essential for being prepared for learning.

Thank you, 

Gary Hreschuk 

Dear Trottier:

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.

There has been a recent surge in flu cases (particulary flu A) in the Trottier community, especially among the 6th grade. Please see the doc below for further information. In addition, please notify the school nurse for any confirmed communicable illnesses and reach out with any questions/concerns. 

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 

Dear Families,

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

The drop-off at the picnic tables combined with the vans is resulting in greater congestion. I recognize this is a shift from the beginning of the year. However, we are seeing 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 times safe and orderly for everyone. If you have questions or need clarification, please do not hesitate to reach out.