Ashland Schools Open Doors for 2026-2027 Year
DATELINE — ASHLAND Ashland Public Schools opened the 2026-2027 year Monday as David Mindess Elementary welcomed students back for the first day of classes, while Town Hall rolled out a new online permitting portal and the Town Clerk's office prepared for Tuesday's state primary.
TOWN HALL The Town Clerk's office on Monday handled the advanced removal and depositing of early voted ballots ahead of the Sept. 1 Massachusetts State Primary, part of routine preparations for Tuesday's election.
Town Hall also announced a new licensing and permitting portal, called OpenGov, giving residents an online option for permit and license applications. Separately, the town clarified that residents seeking to find out whether a property has open permits must now submit a public records request rather than look the information up directly.
SCHOOLS David Mindess Elementary held its first day of classes Monday as part of the district's broader "Back to School 2026-2027" opening, and the district held a preschool orientation session Monday morning for families of incoming AM preschoolers. The district had earlier posted elementary school supply lists on Aug. 25 to help families prepare for the new year.
The regional Keefe Tech School Committee was also scheduled to meet Monday.
COMMUNITY & ARTS The Ashland Public Library added a virtual talk to its calendar Monday, "Women of War: Italian Assassins, Spies & Couriers Who Fought the Nazis," open to remote attendees. The library's in-person Monday Knit and Crochet Club also met as part of its regular weekly schedule.
ELSEWHERE IN THE NEWS "At This Under-The-Radar Massachusetts State Park You Can Walk Quiet Reservoir Trails Without the Crowds": a lifestyle feature highlighted a reservoir-side state park at 156 W Union St. in Ashland as a lesser-known spot for quiet walking trails, according to fastfoodclub.com (read it at https://fastfoodclub.com/p/at-this-under-the-radar-massachusetts-state-park-you-can-walk-quiet-reservoir-trails-without-the-crowds-837bc810/).
COMING UP Voters head to the polls Tuesday, Sept. 1, for the Massachusetts State Primary Election.
Compiled from official town feeds, community organizations, and local press. Outside reporting is attributed inline.