Scroll to the bottom for info on additional activities this summer.*

(The gray font below is for previously established long running events that take place weekly or bi-weekly.)

Friday evening, August 28, 2026

• ARHS Freshman Orientation Dance (6:00 – 8:00 pm) @ Algonquin Regional High School: Welcome dance in Cafeteria for incoming freshmen.
• Live Music @ Lalo’s Mexican Kitchen & Bar, 154 Turnpike Rd: The restaurant is promoting live music. (But no details are posted about the musician for this evening.)
• Live Music with Mojo Ride (8:00 – 11:00 pm pm) @ Owen O’Leary’s, 50 Turnpike Rd: Live music performed by the blues & classic rock band out of Worcester. For details, click here.

Saturday, August 29, 2026

• Safer Spaces Project – Youth Meeting (6:00 – 8:00 pm): Event for grades 6-12 hosted by Safer Spaces for LBGTQ+ youth of all faiths and their allies. This event is a themed a makeup night (not a music night as previously advertised). For details, see their related Instagram post.

Monday, August 31, 2026

• Walking Group for Seniors (8:30 am) @ Trottier Middle School’s outdoor track, 49 Parkerville Rd: Free weekly walking group organized by the Southborough Senior Center. Walkers generally go for an hour, but continue for as long as you wish. The location is a loop, so feel free to join late.
• Knitting Club & Quilting Club (1:00 pm) @ Southborough Senior Center: Weekly opportunity for senior crafters to work on their projects in a social setting, including knitting, sewing, cross stitching, needle point.
• Comic Button Making (2:00 – 4:00 pm) @ Southborough Library, Eaton Room: Ages 11+ are invited to drop-in during this weekly opportunity this summer. Make customized pin-on buttons using comic books and the library’s button maker. Registration is not required.
• Woodward School Open House (3:00 – 4:45 pm) @ Woodward School: Students and parents are invited to come meet the teachers and visit the school and their classrooms before the school year begins. (Parents should check for messages from the school for any additional details.)
• Finn School Open House (4:00 – 5:30 pm) @ Finn School: Students and parents are invited to come meet the teachers and visit the school and their classrooms before the school year begins. (Parents should check for messages from the school for any additional details.)

Tuesday, September 1, 2026

• State Primary (6:30am – 8:00 pm) @ Trottier Middle School: Voting for the political parties holding primaries for candidates who will appear on the November election ballot for regional and statewide offices. For details, see dedicated post.
• NSBORO Schools’ First Day: The first day of the school year for students of Northborough-Southborough Public Schools.
• AVRTHS Orientation @ Assabet Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School: Before the regular school year begins for Assabet, incoming freshmen only attend two days of orientation activities.
• Bridge (12:00 pm) @ Southborough Senior Center: A weekly card group for seniors, welcoming new participants. For details, contact the Senior Center at 508-229-4453.
• ARHS Fall Sports Night (5:30 – 7:00pm) @ Algonquin Regional High School: For parents (and students) of students registered to participate in Algonquin fall sports.
• Cook Book Club (6:30 – 8:30 pm) @ Southborough Library, main floor: Cook up a recipe from a cookbook and bring it into the library for a shared meal with other cooks. For details, see related post.
• Geeks Who Drink Trivia Night (8:00 – 10:00 pm) @ Owen O’Leary’s, 50 Turnpike Rd: Weekly Trivia game night with prizes. For details, see dedicated post.

Wednesday, September 2, 2026

• Walking Group for Seniors (8:30 am) @ Southborough cemetery, 11 Cordaville Road: Free weekly walking group organized by the Southborough Senior Center. Walkers generally go for an hour, but continue for as long as you wish. The location is a loop, so feel free to join late.
• AVRTHS Orientation (Day 2) @ Assabet Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School: Before the regular school year begins for Assabet, incoming freshmen only attend two days of orientation activities.
• TrailBlazers meeting (3:00 – 4:00 pm) @ Southborough Senior Center: The group for active seniors holds a monthly meeting to plan upcoming activities. Any seniors interested in helping or learning more are welcome to join them. For more details, see related post.
• Southborough Rotary Club (7:00 – 8:00 pm) @ Southborough Library, main floor: Regular meeting of the Rotary Club of Southborough. New and prospective members are always welcome. (Held on the 1st & 3rd Wednesdays of the month.)
• Friends of the Library Meeting (7:30 – 8:45 pm) @ zoom: Monthly meeting of board members and volunteers to discuss funding library requests and planning for upcoming fundraisers. We’re always happy for members/prospective members to join us! If you are interested, email friendsofsouthboroughlib@gmail.com and ask for the link or learn more here.
• Live Blues Jam n’ Open Mic (8:00 – 11:00 pm) @ Owen O’Leary’s, 50 Turnpike Rd: Come play or sing with the house band and fellow musical talent, or just enjoy the show. For details, click here.

Thursday, September 3, 2026

• AVRTHS First Day @ Assabet Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School: The first regular day of school for all Assabet students.
• Mah Jongg (10:00 am) @ Southborough Senior Center: The weekly program for seniors would love new players to join. Feel free to stop by to watch or talk to one of the players to see if you would be interested. For details, contact the Senior Center at 508-229-4453.
• TLT: Birdhouses (4:30 – 5:30 pm) @ Southborough Library Main Floor: The library holds a monthly Teen Library Team volunteer program for kids in grades 6-12 to make projects for good causes. This month volunteers will make birdhouses, see dedicated post.
• Neary Curriculum Night (5:30 – 7:30pm) @ Neary School: Event for parents/guardians of Neary School students to hear from their teachers about what students will be studying this year. (Parents should check for messages from the school for any additional details.)
• Virtual Book Club (7:30 – 8:30 pm) @ zoom: The Southborough Library hosts this monthly online chat for book lovers. For details, click here.
• Karaoke (9:00 – 11:00 pm) @ Owen O’Leary’s, 50 Turnpike Rd: Come and be the star. DJ and Karaoke at Owens every Thursday.

Friday, September 4, 2026

• Wizards (9:00 am) @ Southborough Senior Center: This senior social group, is a spinoff to the popular Dull Men’s Club and meets immediately prior. They’ll “generally discuss subjects relating to science and technology”. For details, see related post.
• Dull Men’s Club (10:00 am) @ Southborough Senior Center: Casual social club for senior men. New members are always welcome to drop in. For details, see dedicated post.
• Kids Jam (11:00 – 11:30 am) @ Southborough Library Children’s Room: Newborns through preschoolers are invited to dance and sing. No registration necessary. Sponsored by the Friends of the Southborough Library.
• Canasta (11:15 am) @ Southborough Senior Center: A weekly card group for seniors playing “Hand & Foot”. For details, contact the Senior Center at 508-229-4453.
• American Mah Jongg Meetup (1:00 – 4:00 pm) @ Southborough Library, Main Floor Stacks: Biweekly opportunity. Drop ins are welcome, but groups of 4 are generally necessary to play. For details, see related post.

Saturday, September 5, 2026

• Southborough Library open (10:00 am – 5:00 pm): After a summer hiatus, regular Saturday hours resume (September through June).
• Sit & Knit (2:00 – 4:00 pm) @ Southborough Library: Semi-monthly program for ages 18+ to drop in and work on your latest knitting or crochet projects while you enjoy the company of fellow yarn crafters in a relaxed social setting. All levels are welcome but no formal instruction will be given.

Labor Day — Monday, September 7, 2026

• Town Closures: The public schools, Town Offices, the Southborough Library and Senior Center are closed for the federal holiday.

*Some other opportunities that aren’t special/weekly events (like Art on the Trails, Summer Reading program activities, or favorite-places/activities in our region) can be found under my posts on Summer Fun for Adults and What to Do with Kids this Summer. 

The post Events this week appeared first on My Southborough.

Above: This month’s drop-in sessions of a monthly volunteer program for young adults requires signing up in advance. (image of cropped flyer)

The Southborough Library is continuing its about-monthly volunteer session with teens and tweens interested in supporting good causes.

The Library’s TLT (Teen Leadership Team) programs allow young adults to get volunteer credit while helping to “make the world a happier place”. Most months volunteers complete a project that will be donated to nonprofit groups or shared with the community. (It’s usually a craft project.)

Participation doesn’t require a monthly commitment. And most allow volunteers to drop-in at the last minute without registering. (Next week’s is an exception that requires pre-gistration.)

The upcoming slate of programs are promotes as for kids in grades 6-12. All of them will take place from 5:00 – 6:00 pm on a weeknight (mainly Thursdays).

The programs are free, thanks to support from the Southborough Community Fund.

The first opportunity this school year is next week on Thursday, September 3rd. Volunteers will make birdhouses to be shared at the library. To participate, register here.

(The flyer did state that registration isn’t required. But there are a limited number of kits for the birdhouses. So anyone who doesn’t pre-register risks not being able to participate.)

The other programs this fall are drop-in:

• Thursday, October 1st — making Pet Toys to be shared at a local animal shelter.
• Thursday, October 29th — making Hygiene Kits to be shared with Circle of Hope a non-profit that supports homeless shelters.
• Tuesday, November 24th — making Mindfulness Kits to be shared with Project CASA, a non-profit that supports youth in the foster system

Anyone with questions can email Youth Services Librarian Marianna Sorensen at msorensen@southboroughma.com.

The post TLT: Teens & Tweens invited to volunteer for more good causes this fall appeared first on My Southborough.

Above: K-5 kids are invited to learn more about joining Southborough Cub Scouts, now all under the Pack 1 banner. (images cropped from 2019 photo by Alan Bezanson and flyer)

Southborough Cub Scout Pack 1 asked me to share their recruiting announcement. Leaders invite families with kids entering grades K to 5 to learn more about the pack and their scouting adventures. 

They are promoting info sessions this Monday, another opportunity in mid-September, and the opportunity to reach out directly.

(For any families wondering about the other Southborough pack — pack 926 merged with Pack 1 last year. Now all Southborough Cub Scouts are organized and under a single pack.)

Here is the pack’s announcement:

Join the Adventure with Southborough Cub Scout Pack 1!

Looking for an activity that gets kids outdoors, building, exploring, and trying new things?  Join the adventure with Cub Scout Pack 1 Southborough for boys & girls entering kindergarten through 5th grade.

Cub Scout Pack 1 offers adventures all year long, from camping trips and hiking to Pinewood Derby races, rocket launches, outdoor skills, STEM activities, community events, and more. Cub Scouts gives kids the opportunity to challenge themselves, learn new skills, and experience things they won’t find in a classroom or on a screen.

Learn More at Our Recruiting Events; Pack 1 leaders will be available to answer questions and share information about the Cub Scout program.

Monday, August 31

• Woodward School: 3:00 – 4:45 PM
• Finn School: 4:00 – 5:50 PM

Saturday, September 13

• Finn School Pavilion: 1:00 – 3:00 PM

Alternatively, you can reach out to pack leaders to learn more here. (You can also use that link to start the registration process if you don’t need to learn more.)

What Do Cub Scouts Do?
Camp under the stars and explore the outdoors
Launch rockets and discover STEM skills
Build and race Pinewood Derby cars
Learn outdoor skills, navigation, and teamwork
Create projects and hands-on crafts
Hike local trails and take on new challenges
Earn badges and recognition for their accomplishments
Develop leadership skills

Whether your child loves being outdoors, building things, exploring nature, or taking on new adventures, Cub Scouts offers an experience that keeps kids engaged, active, and excited throughout the year.

Adventure Starts Here.
Southborough Cub Scout Pack 1
For Boys & Girls in Grades K–5

The post Cub Scouts invites families to “Join the Adventure” appeared first on My Southborough.

Above: This home at 26 Wildwood Drive went on the market this week for $1,099,900 (MLS photo)

Here’s what went on and off the market this week. Thanks to Gail DuBois (email) of William Raveis Real Estate for supplying the town’s new listing information for the week.*

New on the market

• 166 Southville Road, Unit A (map) – 6 room, 2 bed, 1f 0h bath Townhouse, 2/3 Family – $564,897
• 26 Wildwood Drive (map) – 10 room, 3 bed, 3f 1h bath Colonial – $1,099,900
• 12 Wood Street (map) – 13 room, 3 bed, 3f 1h bath Colonial – $1,600,000

Sale pending

• 162 Main Street (map) – 9 room, 4 bed, 2f 1h bath Colonial, Farmhouse – 34 days on the Market, Listed at $975,000
• 2 Stowe Road (map) – 10 room, 4 bed, 2f 1h bath Colonial, Cape – 46 days on the Market, Listed at $1,049,000

Sold*

• 39 Meetinghouse Lane, Unit 39 (map) – 4 room, 1 bed, 1f 1h bath Townhouse, Attached (Affordable Housing restricted to qualified buyers) – 61 days on the Market, Listed at $207,363, Sold at $207,363
• 8 Maple Street (map) – 6 room, 3 bed, 2f 0h bath Ranch – 30 days on the Market, Listed at $759,000, Sold at $750,000
• 3 Bantry Road (map) – 7 room, 3 bed, 3f 0h bath Split Entry – 14 days on the Market, Listed at $850,000, Sold at $850,000
• 3 Hubley Lane (map) – 10 room, 4 bed, 2f 1h bath Colonial – 63 days on the Market, Listed at $1,199,000, Sold at $1,180,000

*Listings for the week are based on data pulled from MLS on Thursday mornings. Occasionally, that includes “sold” info that isn’t captured by MLS until a week (or more) following the sale. [Listings don’t include houses that weren’t publicly listed through MLS.]

The post On the market this week in Southborough appeared first on My Southborough.

Above: Kindergroup is hosting two open houses in September for families to learn about the playgroup .(images of cropped flyer)

Southborough’s longtime cooperative playgroup for parents/caregivers and children five and under is launching its new season with two open houses next month.

The open houses hosted by Southborough Kindergroup invite families with kids ages 0-5 to learn about the group and find out what they have “to offer you and your family.” Returning members are also encouraged to join them.

Although both events are free, they are requesting pre-registration to help them plan.

The first open house  is an evening “Sip & Socialize” for adults (geared for members and potential members) to socialize. (It’s essentially a members’ Night Out.):

Enjoy some wine and cheese, meet other local parents, and hear from our Co-Presidents about what Kindergroup has in store this year!

That event is Thursday, September 10th from 7:00 – 9:00 pm at Apothecary Artists Studio, 11 Main St (downstairs). Click here to register.

The event on Saturday, September 12th welcomes families to meetup on a playground:

Come meet other local families and learn all about Kindergroup, while the kiddos run around on the playground and munch on some popsicles and pouches!

(RSVPing for this event is less important, but still helpful.)

That event is from 3:00 – 5:00 pm at Finn School, 60 Richards Rd. (The rain date is Sunday, September 13th.) Click here to register.

Members/potential members are welcome to attend one or both events. If you can’t make either, you can also learn more about them by emailing kindergroup.president@gmail.com, or checking out their website here.

The post Kindergroup open houses to welcome potential new families appeared first on My Southborough.

Above: NSREF is holding a fundraiser to benefit a STEAM team at Algonquin. (images cropped from Team 1100 website and flyer)

Between now and the evening of September 30th, the community is encouraged to bid on a large variety of offers through a silent auction to support Algonquin’s robotics team.

The auction is to Team 1100 “Inverse Polarity”. For those unfamiliar, the team of ARHS students build and operate “robots” to compete in the annual FIRST Robotics Competition. Members also support local youth FIRST LEGO League teams.

Plus, the team brings many of its robotic devices to annual community events, holding free interactive demos for kids. (You may have seen them at Summer Nights last Saturday. If you didn’t, you should be able to catch them at Applefest in Northborough next month.)

The fundraiser to support the team is auctioning off a wide variety of gift cards for entertainment, dining, shopping, classes, and services, plus items like decor & gift baskets. The deadline to place bids is 6:00 pm on Wednesday September 30th.

The auction is run by NSREF (The Northborough Southborough Robotics Education Foundation). It turns out that varsity sports aren’t the only Algonquin teams with boosters. Mentors for Team 1100 founded the 501c3 non-profit to provide a tax deductible option for supporting the extra curricular robotics program. On its fundraising page, NSREF promises:

You can bid knowing that 100% or your donation goes to support youth STEAM programing, not salaries or overhead.

For more details on the fundraiser, and the link to the auction, click here.

(And to learn more about Team 1100, check out their website here or their YouTube page here. And if you want to talk to the team, look for them at the big Applefest BBQ at ARHS on Saturday, September 26th.)

The post Silent Auction to support ARHS’ Robotics team appeared first on My Southborough.

Above: Algonquin is requiring students to use a new app that disables most phone features if they want their phone in the school during school hours. (image cropped from school website)

Earlier this week, I shared the NSBORO Schools Back to School newsletter highlighting a focus on improving the balance of tech use in the schools.

The newsletter did not mention a major change for this school year that will ban Algonquin Regional High School students’ use of cell phones during the school day — including free periods and lunches.

The change appears to be the school’s way of addressing pending state legislation.

Readers may be aware that that this year both the state senate and house passed bills to restrict student phone use. But those still need to be reconciled into a version to advance to the Governor.

Administrators didn’t wait for a new law to pass before tackling the issue. As of the start of school next week, students have three options:

• Keep phones at home
• Drop them in the office at the start of the school day
• Or install “Doorman” — a software app designed to disable use of most of the phone’s functions during school hours

According to messages on social media, a message to parents gives noon this Friday, August 28th, to submit the form to Opt Out from using the app. [Note: Since my kids have both graduated, I no longer have access to messages that are directed only to ARHS families. If you are a parent of an enrolled student, check your emails, texts, and/or Parent Square notifications for the latest updates and details from the school.]

In prior years, Algonquin allowed kids to use cell phone during free times. The student handbook read:

Cell phones and other electronic devices may be used before and after school, during passing time, and during lunch, in effect, during unstructured and non-learning times of the school day.

For years, the policy did seek to restrict phone use during regular class time:

Unless otherwise directed by teachers or staff, personal cell phones and other related electronic devices must be off, and put aside, during class. . . 

Improper and non-approved use of cell phones . . . can result in the student being sent to the appropriate administrator to surrender the device.

But (according to my kids), many teachers struggled with (or ignored) students repeatedly ignoring the rules.

Last September, the school promoted a change they made that was meant to help with that — the adoption of Cell phone caddies in every classroom:

All teachers now require students to place their phones in a caddy at the start of class. Perhaps unpopular with some students, the change has delivered positive results so far: teachers report that students are more attentive, make fewer unnecessary trips out of class, and engage more socially (when appropriate).

My understanding is that (again) many students repeatedly ignored the caddies.

I’m assuming that was one of the reasons behind the school trying a different approach to cutting off phone use for the coming school year.

Another reason for moving ahead appears to be the growing body of evidence about the harms of cell phone and social media use. That includes results of a a MetroWest Adolescent Health Survey of NSBORO middle & high school students conducted in fall 2025.

The results were presented to Combined School Committees on June 15th. They included students’ self reporting on their phone use during the school day.

At the June 17th Regional School Committee meeting, ARHS Principal Sean Bevan updated on the school’s research into the Doorman app for the coming year. During the discussion, Assistant Superintendent Stefanie Reinhorn referred to the survey results as one of the factors. 

Reinhorn said that the app implementation was part of the larger “effort around that creating that distraction-free environment” to “support digital well-being”.

Upon questioning, Bevan explained that the app would no longer allow phone use during free time, since state legislations was looking at “bell-to-bell”.

The school website has a page dedicated to information about the Doorman app. It pitches:

Beginning with the 2026–2027 school year, Algonquin Regional High School is implementing Doorman to help create a school environment where students can be more focused, present, and connected throughout the school day.

Doorman allows students to keep their phones with them while reducing access during the school day, helping to minimize distractions without requiring students to turn in or physically lock away their devices. This approach was selected after reviewing student and family feedback and consulting with school and district stakeholder groups.

The FAQs detail:

In the days leading up to school reopening, all students will receive instructions on how to download Doorman. Once the app is installed, students will “tap in” with their phones as they enter their first class each day. This tap-in serves two purposes: it records the student’s daily attendance and activates Doorman’s school-day settings. Students who do not tap in will be marked absent.

When Doorman is activated, most non-approved apps and notifications are disabled for the duration of the school day. Students will continue to have access to essential functions, including making or receiving emergency calls, and to apps required for students with specific medical or learning needs (e.g., glucose monitoring, screen readers, etc.). We will be working with the School Nurses and our Special Education team to identify students who rely on specific apps for medical or learning needs. . . 

Students will be able to unlock their phones at any time. Doing so immediately restores full access to the device and automatically notifies school administrators that the phone has been unlocked.  . .

Students who repeatedly unlock their phones without an approved reason or otherwise circumvent the system’s expectations may face disciplinary consequences.

As for opting out:

students and families will receive an email with information on how to opt out of using Doorman. If this is something you are considering, please monitor your email so you may complete the opt-out process at that time.

If a student chooses not to use the app on their phone but decides to bring their phone to school, they must drop it off in one of the administrative offices for the duration of the school day. Their attendance will be noted when they do so. This will be mandatory. . . 

If a student reports that they don’t have their phone at school, we will call home to confirm the choice. Those students’ attendance will be marked by their first-period teacher. Before the opening of school, students and families will receive an email with information on how to opt out of using Doorman. If your child will not bring a cell phone to school, please monitor your email so you may complete the opt-out process at that time.

Notably, this year, the school is also shifting to requiring students to use chromebooks provided by the school district. Although there were also several unrelated reasons for that change, Bevan noted that the timing will help make the change more effective.

He told the Regional School Committee that if students were using personal computing devices, they could use those to work around the restrictions — essentially still having a phone.

The post ARHS has new cell phone restrictions, with Opt Out deadline by noon Friday appeared first on My Southborough.

Above: A new season of the library’s delicious book club and free virtual cooking lessons resume over the next few weeks. (images edited from flyers and Facebook)

The Southborough Library paused its cooking programs over the summer. But starting next week, they’re back for a new season.

Here are more details on what the library is dishing up.

The Virtual Cooking series sessions invite participants to zoom in from home and follow the step by step instructions from professional cooking instructor Ploy Khunisorn, the owner of Ploy’s Kitchen.

The next lesson promoted as “Thai Street Food” is Monday, September 14th. Ploy will teach participants how to make Larb Gai (Thai chicken salad) and Thai red curry with chicken, served with jasmine rice.
That will run from 6:00 – 7:30 pm.
To register for the free class, click here. Participants will receive a shopping list in advance to prepare for the class. 

Other upcoming classes will focus on making:

“Japanese Udon Noodles” — Thursday, October 15th, 6:00 – 8:00 pm:

Participants will make noodles from scratch and cook them up two ways for udon noodle soup and abura udon with chicken.

“Savory Galette & Apple Strudel” — Monday, November 16th, 6:00 – 8:00 pm:

Participants will make a buttery pie crust from scratch for a  spinach-and-cheese galette, then an apple strudel (using store-bought phyllo dough).

“Vietnamese Street Food” — Tuesday, December 15th, 6:00 – 8:00 pm:

Participants will make from scratch fresh rolls with dipping sauce and pho (Vietnamese noodle soup) with chicken.

“Cajun and Creole Cooking” — Monday, January 25th, 6:00 – 7:30 pm:

Participants will make chicken and sausage gumbo and New Orleans-style BBQ shrimp, served with white rice.

Ploy’s website shares of the her expertise in teaching how to cook dishes from an array of cultures:

She went to Suan Dusit International Culinary School while she was working as a financial analyst in Bangkok. She came to the USA to earn a Master of Liberal Arts in Sustainability at Harvard University and a Master of Education at Cambridge College. She started teaching cooking classes since 2014. Having traveled to over 30 countries, she has enjoyed and learned to cook varieties of cuisine around the world. In her 8+ years of teaching experience, Ploy has taught over 5,000 students to cook and bake Asian cuisines, vegan food, gluten free diets, pastries, and more. She is also a certified tea master.

The library’s Cook Book Club program also involves cooking at home. But that’s followed by the social element of bringing in what you prepare to share with other members. (It’s basically a monthly potluck club.)

The library encourages the public to “Join fellow enthusiastic cooks for a delicious dinner” each month. (In addition to your dish, you’ll want to bring an extra container to bring home some of the shared leftovers.)

The meetings take place the first Tuesday of each month 6:30 – 8:30 pm on the Library’s main floor. The new season kicks off next week, on September 1st.

If you’d like to take part, email your intended recipe selection to Marianna Sorensen (msorensen@southboroughma.com).

I don’t have details yet on the cookbook assigned for September. When I do, I’ll update this post. In the meantime, you can reach out directly to Marianna.

Updated (8/28/26 4:23 pm): For the first Cook Book Club of the season, participants can make a recipe from any cookbook. (You can check one out from the library’s extensive collection if you don’t own one you love.) At the event, the group will discuss the book selection for October.

The post Get cooking with the Library this fall <i>(Updated)</i> appeared first on My Southborough.

Above: A utility box serves as the canvas for a new public art project. (images cropped from Facebook and Google Maps)

Two weeks ago, I shared Southborough Recreation’s for submissions to a “collaborative mural” planned at the intersection of Richards and Cordaville roads. Now, I’m sharing their pics showing off the results.

Partnering with Rec, a twentysomething Southborough artist project converted the ugly traffic control box at the corner of a busy road into a colorful “community garden” mural. 

The project was spearheaded by Southborough’s Keara McHaffie, featuring drawings of flowers that the community was encouraged to submit.

On Facebook, Rec posted last week:

We’re excited to announce that our partnership with local artist Keara McHaffie for the Traffic Control Box Art Project at the corner of Richard Road & Cordaville Road is officially complete!

Keara did an outstanding job, and we’re so thankful to her for bringing some color, creativity, and light to Southborough!

We’re also thrilled to share that we received over 20 submissions of flowers for the project! Thank you to everyone who participated and helped make this community project so special.

We highly recommend driving by to check it out—you might even spot your flower on the finished artwork!

Thank you again, Keara, and to everyone who helped make this project possible!

You can read more about the project in my prior post here.

The post Enjoy the public art project at the corner of Richards & Cordaville roads appeared first on My Southborough.

Last year, I posted that U.S. News & World Report’s best public high school rankings gave Algonquin Regional a big boost — from #30 in the state to #14. This year, it dropped back down, to even lower than the 2024 & 2023 rankings.

The school is now listed as #34 for the state.

I always warn to take these rankings with more than a grain of salt. Ranking methodologies are confusing, vary greatly by organization, and can change year-to-year. And the data used generally means a lag between schools’ performance and rankings. This year’s rankings are mainly based on information from the 2023-2024 school year.

I can’t find any clear reason for this year’s shift. (It doesn’t appear the magazine’s methodology changed this year. And since the magazine replaced last year’s rankings with this year’s I can’t compare details on specific underlying scores.)

The school scored a decent 96.5 on the “scorecard”. But that’s a significant downgrade from the 98.1 last year. The change resulted in not only a tumble in state rankings, but national rankings. ARHS went from #341 in the nation to #629.

Some other schools in directly neighboring towns have also seen rankings that jumped around for better or worse over the past couple of years. In contrast, Hopkinton High stayed steady at #8 for Massachusetts.

AMSA (Advanced Math and Science Academy), which was historically ranked most years as a #2-4 school dropped last year to #15. This year, it dropped again, but by only one rank from #15 to #16.

Last year, ARHS outranked Westborough, which was #19. Westborough dropped significantly this year, but outranked ARHS again as #32.

You can see how we compare with neighboring districts over the past nine years in my chart below (click to enlarge):¹

It’s worth noting that the magazines’ (and most rankings’) methodologies are clearly geared for determining which schools are best for students to get into a selective college. That means vocational schools (which US News doesn’t give a special category for) rank poorly in comparison. (Yes, many students go on to college from a vocational school. But a higher percent of students that aren’t interested in academics and don’t take AP tests and will naturally attend a school that helps them directly prepare for the workforce.)

You can read about US News’ methodology here. And you can see Algonquin’s details (and links to other rankings) here.

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