Natick Report

Since 2020: More than you really want to know about Natick, Mass.

Natick Public Schools addressing ‘digital wellness and learning’; Plus, Game Changers, Code of Conduct & Memorial school updates

by

The Natick School Committee had a jam-packed agenda for its first regular meeting following the start of the new school year, so where to begin in recapping it? Since the meeting kicked off with a series of public comments regarding tech use in the schools, and Supt. Dr. Melissa Spash later discussed a related new committee, that’s as good a place as any.

(See the Natick Pegasus recording for all the action.)

During citizen speak, Mary Hopkins as well as the two following speakers identified themselves as being with Schools Beyond Screens-Natick, one of more than 200 chapters nationwide urging school districts to take a fresh and hard look at how they are using technology in education. She said it is “great that Natick is beginning an audit of educational technology” and offered a handful of questions that the group hopes the audit will address. These focused on areas such as finding out the cumulative daily screen time for students (including at home), and how devices are used during unstructured time or as behavior management tools. She was followed by one Natick school parent who questioned the use of videos and other technology in teaching math, and another pondered “Why do 5-year-olds need iPads at all?” after looking into what Lilja Elementary School has in store for her four-year-old son when he’s old enough to attend.

Later in the meeting, Supt. Spash shared a brief update on how the district is addressing the use of technology and artificial intelligence under the recently published 5-year Strategic Plan. She said Christopher Cook, director of curriculum and instruction, and Dennis Roche, chief technology officer, are going to lead a committee on digital wellness and learning. Goals this year are to bring various interested parties together, review current research and models, completing an inventory of the district’s technology tools and practices, and develop a roadmap for the remaining years under the strategic plan.

On a related note, Spash noted that 6th graders at the middle schools will not be bringing their Chromebooks home. They got used to this practice in fifth grade, where that was also the practice. Chromebooks are issued to all Natick Public Schools middle school students.

Asked by a School Committee member whether the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has issued guidance to schools on technology use, Spash said nothing that she’s aware of. Though she said good research and practices are emerging, and that Natick schools will seek to come up to speed on that.
 

How you can help Natick’s only daily news source:

 

Student Game Changers

 
A group of Natick High students impressed with a presentation and update on Game Changers, a program done in partnership with Northeastern University focused on preventing relationship violence, including dating violence, sexual harassment, and assault (student presenters were Nora Shine, Sophia Luoni, Jake Ciavarro, and Jude Teja). Game Changers began as an extra curricular group that attracted 25 applicants in 2017 and 100 in 2025. Due to the increased popularity of the program, it is being taught at Natick High as a course rather than a elective for the first time this fall, and has 10 sections. The discussion-based program includes peer-to-peer work and capstone projects.
 

Code of Conduct

 
A formal code of conduct is being added to student handbooks, with input from counselors, teachers, administrators and union reps, among others , said Dr. Art Fergusson, executive director of behavioral health & student safety. The School Committee is asked to approve any significant changes to student handbooks, which is why Fergusson presented to the elected body. The plan is centered, Ferguson said, on teaching students about their rights and responsibilities, and a focus was on providing common standards across schools, with room for schools to administer discipline based on their own culture. Formal approval is expected later this month.
 

Memorial Elementary School updates

 
Natick Public Schools continue to work their way through the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) process on a future version of Memorial Elementary School. A list of possible architectural firms has been narrowed down to three, and they will now enter an interview process with the MSBA’s Designer Review Panel, on which Natick has 3 of 16 seats.

For those in the community watching this project evolve, October and November will be big in terms of deciding on what’s called the education program, according to Supt. Spash. “This is a very critical document that’s going to outline what we build, and it’s really the document that the school has quite a lot of say on,” she said.

A presentation to the School Committee is slated for Oct. 19, and then a dedicated public hearing on this topic with community input is scheduled for Oct. 26, with a vote expected in early November. While the School Committee has already voted on the scope of the project in terms of number of students and classrooms, etc., the decisions now are about how the building itself will be laid out.

One thing that Natick Public Schools leaders are bringing into the Memorial project is the experience they had working with the MSBA on Kennedy Middle School, which opened in 2021. Matthew Gillis, assistant superintendent for finance, said NPS recently had a post-occupancy evaluation meeting about Kennedy with the MSBA to share feedback on what it’s like to be in the building now, and what NPS might have done differently. While Gillis didn’t share any of that feedback during his brief update at the School Committee meeting, he said that the exercise should be valuable in working on the Memorial project.

Advertisement

 
 

Enter the Interim Use Matrix: What could be next for Natick’s former Johnson School building

by

Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is. You have to see it for yourself.
—Morpheus, from “The Matrix” (1999)
 
The Natick Select Board at its June 8 meeting (about 35 minutes into recording) endorsed next steps within a matrix designed to help the town choose possible interim uses for the building and surrounding property that housed the Johnson Elementary School for decades until its closing two years ago.

The board at a May meeting indicated its preference for taking an interim use approach, looking at short- rather than long-term uses for the property (not that certain short-term uses couldn’t become long-term ones). The hope is that the board will vote on such uses in about a year, according to a timeline shared as part of a presentation to the board on the interim use matrix by Jay Poropatich, the town’s communications director. (We did worry slightly when he made a reference to “interim uses that ultimately is a cluster…”)

The initial list of organizations that might use the Johnson property includes Natick Public Schools (pre-school, after school, swing space), Recreation & Parks, Natick Pegasus (cable access & stream operations), and the YMCA (after school programs). The list of possible organizations is subject to change based on input from the public and others.

Members of the public now have a chance to weigh in on possible interim uses via a two-question online survey open through July 28, and again will have a chance to provide input at an interactive workshop to be held in October.

johnson timeline
The interim use matrix features red and blue pills…

 
During the June 8 meeting, board members asked a handful of questions, including whether a maximum amount of time for any use has been defined (no, but a minimum of three years is preferred so that organizations would be able to determine if investments needed for ADA compliance or other things would justify the use). Among other things the board will weigh is whether possible uses will fully take advantage of the building space (either individual organization uses or combined use by multiple organizations) and the impact such uses might have on public access to the grounds.

Board member Linda Wollschlager sought clarity on how the board and public will be able to way the financial ramifications of possible uses.  Poropatich said organizations will need to share information about their financial approach, and that such information will be found in the matrix for town and public consideration.

Members of the public sought clarification on their opportunities to provide input (the survey, the workshop), raised points about the town and schools being in sync (the School Committee voted on June 15 for a pre-school space approach, as part of discussions on the future of Memorial Elementary School, that did not include Johnson), and Johnson building ADA compliance (it’s in compliance for some uses, not for others). One member of the public also asked about the town’s needs for the space, and Town Administrator Jamie Errickson it has no immediate use, but could down the road depending on how certain projects go (say the future of the Cole Center recreation building).
 
More:

 

Please send news tips, photos, ideas to natickreport@gmail.com

Advertisements

 
 

Natick government meetings for week of June 1, 2026: School Strategic Plan; Rte. 9 carwash proposal

by

A sampling of Natick town government meetings and agenda items for the week of June 1, 2026 (Review all meetings &  agendas):                                        

Monday, June 1 – Council on Aging Executive Subcommittee, 12:00 PM, Senior Center Room 201 (In-Person)

The Executive Subcommittee will prepare for the full Council on Aging Board meeting scheduled for June 8. Members will review the structure and purpose of COA subcommittees and workgroups, finalize the upcoming board agenda, approve previous meeting minutes, and discuss logistics for future meetings.

Monday, June 1 – School Committee, 6:00 PM, Town Hall and Virtual (Hybrid)

The School Committee will begin with an Executive Session focused on negotiations involving the Superintendent, Director of Nursing, and EPLC before returning to open session. The public meeting will include updates from teacher, student, and METCO representatives, a presentation on the district’s Strategic Plan, discussion of a METCO appointment and ACCEPT Board representation for the 2026-27 school year, a conversation about the Superintendent evaluation process, and consideration of pre-closeout budget transfers. The committee will also receive an update on ongoing MSBA-related projects.

Wednesday, June 3 – Audit Advisory Committee, 5:30 PM, Town Hall and Virtual (Hybrid)

The Audit Advisory Committee will reorganize its membership, review and approve past meeting minutes, and receive a status update on the FY25 audit. Members will also discuss findings from the FY24 audit and consider recommendations to the Select Board regarding future audit processes and oversight.

Wednesday, June 3 – Planning Board, 7:00 PM, Town Hall and Virtual (Hybrid)

The Planning Board will continue public hearings on two major development proposals. Discussion will include the mixed-use redevelopment project at 273 West Central Street, which is expected to be continued to July, as well as the proposed car wash and detailing center at 625 Worcester Street. The board may also address additional planning matters raised by members before adjournment.

Advertisement

Advertisements

Privacy policy