Category Archives: Other

Centre Street Food Pantry Kids’ Club

The Centre Street Food Pantry is introducing a new initiative to bolster our Kids Club program and we are hoping that the elementary schools in Newton can help make this program a success. Some of your schools have already contributed to this program and we really appreciate your participation!

As some of you know, we distribute around 100 Kids Club bags to families with children under 18 each time the Pantry is open. In an effort to better manage the influx of bags, we are recruiting schools, churches, temples and other local organizations to commit to contributing a minimum of 30 bags for a specific week. Your school can do this as often or a little as you choose. Some schools recruit a specific grade to participate; others make it a school-wide event.  It would be most helpful if bags could be dropped off on Mondays, as our distribution day is Tuesday. Of course, we can accommodate you any time if Mondays are not convenient.

The bags should be doubled bagged with handles and contain: 

1 jar jam/jelly
2 boxes mac n’ cheese
1 box of cereal
1 six-pack of applesauce or fruit cups
2 packs of cereal/granola bars 
1 large bag of pretzels/chips

The items are also listed on our website. If your school  is interested in participating in this great project, please sign up here.
Deborah Elliott will get back to you to confirm drop-off date and answer any questions. You can also contact her directly at kidsclub@centrestfoodpantry.org.

Repurpose Your Unwanted Home Goods

Do you have gently used or new household items doing you no good?  Please consider donating blenders, toasters, queen and king bedding, pots, pans, dishes, cooking utensils, silverware, towels and other basic household necessities.  Welcome Home in Newton Centre collects home goods and redistributes them, at no cost, to people who need them.  Please be sure your items are clean and not rusty, torn, stained, chipped or broken before donation.

Please contact us to schedule a dropoff appointment or make a request for items at www.welcomehomemass.org.

Invitation to Joint FORJ Event (NNHS & NSHS): Building School Community Through Affinity Spaces

Building school community through affinity spacesNewton North and Newton South’s Families Organizing for racial Justice (FORJ) chapters are hosting a joint event to discuss how we are building school community through affinity groups on Thursday, January 27 at 7-8.30pm. Students, teachers and administrators will be discussing the history of affinity groups, what they are (and what they are not), and how they function in our schools for various members of our community. All members of the Newton community are welcome, not just those with a connection to these high schools! Please click here to RSVP, and you will receive a Zoom link on the day of the event.

Thanks so much!
FORJ NNHS & NSHS Planning Committee

English Language Parent Advisory Council (ELPAC) Meeting – February 3rd

The English Language Parent Advisory Council will hold its next meeting on Thursday, February 3, 2022 at 6:30 p.m.

ELPAC supports ELL families districtwide and collaborates with schools and districts to improve the ELL programming. 

Meetings are held every other month. Interpreters and/or same language groups are provided with RSVP by January 31, 2022. The February 3, 2022 meeting topics are: Newton Free Library Resources & ACCESS Testing.

RSVP to the meeting here:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdjxQInxlKSYX_TVwVp5Dr6B4jKC0BBOqXxixNPI91VayV5pw/viewform

Once you RSVP, you will be sent a Zoom link to attend the meeting virtually.

Attached please find translated invitations. Email invitations have also been sent to ELL families from the district ELL office.

Adaptive Dance Program – Dance Academy in Newton

The Dance Academy in Newton has recently launched an amazing new adaptive dance program for kids with developmental delays, ASD, Down Syndrome, Sensory Processing Disorder, and other learning disabilities. We have a class for ages 1.5-5 and a class for ages 6-10 starting this January! Attached is a flyer about the program and there is more info on our websitehere. Contact holly@siagel.com to learn more.

Newton Community Education – Social Media Job Position

If you’re great at social media and would like a flexible, remote job that is only a few hours a week, look no further! Newton Community Education is searching for a dynamic, creative, and social-media-savvy individual to spend a few hours a week managing our social media presence (mostly Facebook and Instagram). This is a paid position that can be done largely from home with flexible hours, and it is a great way to get involved with meaningful work in our community. You can read more about Newton Community Education here, and more details about the position can be found here. Resumes/cover letters can be emailed to brooksca@newton.k12.ma.us and mandels@newton.k12.ma.us.

Family Outreach: One to One Mentoring

Newton’s One-to-One Program, our very own “big brother/sister program” has been matching wonderful high schoolers with children in grades one through five for over 40 years.  If you think your elementary-aged child would benefit from a mentor in their life and you can commit 2 hours each week to have your child meet with a high school mentor from November to May – you should contact us. 

Here is a link to the program information and application: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DUJsVEX4rEVbyJZkzSgZ8hH-CUttDSGNuhjBlK0BZWc/edit?usp=sharing

For questions or more information, please contact Rebecca Young, Program Coordinator, at youngr@newton.k12.ma.us or 617-315-8733

One to One Mentoring, accepting applications

Newton’s One-to-One Program, our very own “big brother/sister program” has been matching wonderful high schoolers with children in grades one through five for over 40 years.  If you think your elementary-aged child would benefit from a mentor in their life and you can commit 2 hours each week to have your child meet with a high school mentor from November to May – you should contact us. 

Here is a link to the program information and application: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DUJsVEX4rEVbyJZkzSgZ8hH-CUttDSGNuhjBlK0BZWc/edit?usp=sharing

For questions or more information, please contact Rebecca Young, Program Coordinator, at youngr@newton.k12.ma.us or 617-315-8733

— 
Rebecca Young, LICSW
School Social Worker, Newton Public Schools
Countryside Elementary & One to One Mentoring
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Join Newton Cub Scout Pack 210

Boys and girls grades 1-5 are invited to join Newton Cub Scout Pack 210 (http://pack210newton.scoutlander.com). Scouting is a great opportunity to make new friendships and learn new skills. We have an exciting year planned, with fun activities including camping, hiking, outdoor activities, community service, and monthly Den/Pack meetings. Our next Pack meeting is our annual camping trip on 10/23/21 at the Blue Hills. We are also starting our grade-specific Den meetings. Please reach out, and we can let you know when the meeting for your child’s grade is. Most of the initial Den meetings will be held at the Carroll Center (770 Centre Street, Newton Center) on Thursday evenings (with masking for the indoor portion of the event), where we will talk more about the Den-level calendar and planned events for the upcoming year. The next Den meetings are the Bears/3rd graders this Thursday, October 7 at 6pm, and Tigers/Wolves (1st and 2nd grade) on Thursday, October 14 – please email for info on when the other grades are meeting. Please join us or email Chris (cadunham0901@gmail.com) to join and with questions. We look forward to a great Scouting year ahead!