Beginning the 2026–27 School Year at NEARI
08/31/2026
Dear NEARI Families,
It’s the start of the 2026–27 school year! We are all excited to reconnect and reestablish our classroom routines. We want every student to feel safe participating, taking appropriate risks and make progress they can be proud of by the end of this school year. I am so glad to have our community back together again.
Our teams have been working together to prepare for the year ahead. One particular area of focus will be our teachers' efforts in refining our curriculum so as to better align with the Massachusetts Frameworks while designing instruction that responds to students’ individual strengths and learning needs. Across the school, our focus will remain on strong relationships, consistent brain-based practices and ultimately helping students.
One new opportunity I am excited to announce is the start of a neurofeedback training offering for students. Neurofeedback uses real-time information about brain activity to help individuals practice self-regulation and develop greater awareness of their internal states. This work may support attention, emotional regulation and learning readiness. We will provide families with more detailed information as the program is implemented over the course of the fall. Please contact myself or your child’s case manager if you have any questions.
NEARI has also begun the process of pursuing official accreditation through the Association of Independent Schools in New England (AISNE). We have been an AISNE member school since I joined NEARI a few years ago and we are excited to take this next step. The accreditation process includes a comprehensive “self-study” of our educational programs, student services, leadership, governance and organizational practices. It will help us identify our strengths, examine areas that need further development and establish priorities for NEARI’s future.
We also recently completed our Mid-Cycle Review with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). During this process, DESE examined our records, policies, procedures and systems related to student programming and regulatory compliance. Combined, these efforts reflect NEARI’s commitment to growth, responsible oversight and the continued development of educational services that benefit our students. I will reference again that we believe families are an important part of that work. We will continue sharing information, welcome your input, and keep you close throughout the year. Your child’s case manager remains your primary point of contact and I hope to see many of you at our upcoming Parent Advisory Council meetings this fall.
On behalf of the entire NEARI team, I am pleased to welcome your family into the 2026–27 school year. We value the opportunity to work with your child and look forward to the work ahead.
Warmly,
Matthew Schibley, LMHC
Executive Director