Category Archives: Social Outreach

Talking to Your Child About Sexual Assault: What to Say, What Not to Say and How You Can Empower Your Child (for parents of teens)

Sexual assault is a difficult, but important topic, especially with teens. Learn how to talk to your child and how we, as parents can help our teens to establish appropriate boundaries with peers and others. Presented by Meg Bossong,Community Mobilization Project Manager at the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center (BARCC). Note that a similar workshop will be taking place at Mason Rice School on the same evening for parents of elementary school students. FREE. For more information go to www.thenewtonpartnership.org/attend-an-event/

Tuesday, May 1, 2012
7:00-8:30 p.m.
Brown Middle School Library
125 Meadowbrook Road
Newton Centre, MA 02459

When Bad Things Happen to Good Families: Talking with our Children about Transition, Crisis and Loss

Parents need to understand how their children might respond to stressful events, such as moving, separation/divorce, death, etc. In this workshop, parents will learn developmentally appropriate ways to prepare children for difficult changes and how to build resilience, as well as strategies for supporting them in the midst of these types of stressors. Presented by Larry Berkowitz and Joanna Hooper, both of Riverside Trauma Center. FREE. For more information go to www.thenewtonpartnership.org/attend-an-event/

Tuesday, April 24, 2012
7:00-8:30 pm
Freedman Center
225 Nevada St., 02460

Newton South wants all your gently used books!

The 4th Annual Newton South High School Used Book Sale will be held again this year from May 22-24 in Wheeler Commons at Newton South.  If you are doing a little spring cleaning over vacation (or after), please consider donating your gently used books to the NSHS Book Sale.  Proceeds will benefit literacy initiatives in the NSHS English Department.  Drop Off hours are: Monday and Thursday mornings, April 23 thru May 17, from 7:15 – 8:15 am and 2:30 – 3:30 pm at the POD in NSHS parking lot (next to Goldrick House).  For more information about book drop off, please contact Suzanne Freudberg at suzannefreudberg@gmail.com

Community Children’s Clothing drive

Junior Girl Scout Troop 73010 is organizing a community children’s clothing (and other items) drive for Cradles to Crayons.  Clothes needed from newborn through adult medium.  This is a great time to clean out your closets of outgrown but still in good shape clothes.  Go green and help children in need.  Books, baby equipment, toys and games are welcomed too.  The drop-off will be at City Hall during Newton Serves, on April 29th from 9:00 – 3:00.  We did this last year and filled a truck.  This year we are hoping to do better, maybe even fill 2 trucks.  For more information about Cradles to Crayons and donations needed, go to:  http://cradlestocrayons.org/boston .  Other questions about the drive:  feel free to contact – Alicia Bowman  at alicia.bowman@comcast.net

Drive a Senior-Make a Friend!

Newton at Home, a member organization dedicated to helping Newton seniors age in their own homes, is looking for volunteers who can give rides to seniors.  Make a new friend while helping someone get to a doctor’s appointment, the supermarket, a social event or the airport.  Volunteer as much as you can at your convenience, and know that you have made a difference in a Newton senior’s life. You’ll meet interesting people and share great conversation along the way!

Newton at Home is also looking for volunteers to help with marketing communications and public relations.  If you are creative and a good writer and are looking for a wonderful organization to help, look no further!  For more information, call Julie Plaut Mahoney at volcoord@newtonathome.org.

Newton Community Preservation Committee

Newton Community Preservation Committee: April 24th Meeting for Civil War Monument & Housing Programs, Funding Deadline Nears!

On Tuesday, April 24th at 7 pm in City Hall Room 202, Newton’s CPC will hold a public hearing & possible funding vote on an off-cycle proposal to restore the Civil War Monument in Newton Cemetery ($134,000-$166,000) and will discuss pre-proposals for two housing programs: re-funding the Newton Homebuyer Assistance Program and initial funding for an affordable housing trust. Full proposals will be accepted next fall only for projects that meet the July 1, 2012 deadline for pre-proposals, but the earlier you submit your pre-proposal, the better for your project. For full agendas, proposals, guidelines & deadlines, see www.newtonma.gov/cpa or contact Alice Ingerson, 617.796.1144, aingerson@newtonma.gov.

Talking with our Children about Transition, Crisis and Loss

4/24/12 7-8:30pm Freedman Center
225 Nevada St., Newtonville, 02460
No Registration Required

When Bad Things Happen to Good Families: Talking with our Children about Transition, Crisis and Loss

Parents need to understand how their children might respond to stressful events, such as moving, separation/divorce, death, etc. In this workshop, parents will learn developmentally appropriate ways to prepare children for difficult changes and how to build resilience, as well as strategies for supporting them in the midst of these types of stressors.

Co-Presenters:
Lawrence Berkowitz MPA, Ed.D. is the Director and co-founder of Riverside Trauma Center. A licensed Psychologist in Massachusetts, Dr. Berkowitz has specialties in working with children, adolescents and families. He trains extensively on suicide prevention, assessment and management of suicide, and postvention activities to contain suicide contagion in schools and communities. He has consulted with numerous groups throughout Massachusetts on trauma responses and clinical issues for the past 20 years, and leads a state-wide behavioral health trauma response network. He holds a Masters degree in Public Administration from Western New England College and a Doctorate of Education in Counseling and Consulting Psychology from Harvard University.

Joanna Hooper LICSW is the Clinical Services Director at Riverside Trauma Center. She has worked with youth, families, adults, and communities that have experienced trauma in a wide range of settings, including schools, shelters, drop-in centers, non-profit social service agencies, and private practices within the U.S. and abroad for more than 14 years. She has extensive experience working with survivors of child abuse, domestic violence, homelessness, substance abuse, and immigration-related traumas. She holds an MSW from the University of Michigan with a concentration in Health and a Certificate in Traumatic Stress Studies from the Trauma Center at JRI.

Newton Community Farm’s 2012 Seedling Sale

Newton Community Farm’s 2012 Seedling Sale Coming Soon!

Date: Saturday May 19 and Sunday May 20
Time: 1 – 3 p.m. General Public, noon – 1 p.m. Pre-sale for Friends of Farm
Address: 303 Nahanton Street, Newton, MA 02459

There will be 20,000 vegetable and herb seedlings for sale, including a wide variety of each. Come select plants for your backyard and talk to expert gardeners who will be on hand to answer your questions.

The cost is $5 for a four or six pack of seedlings. Cash or check only. Bring your own boxes for carrying.

Please invite your family, friends, and neighbors to the seedling sale! All are welcome. For more information, go to Newton Community Farm’s website.

Deciphering Learning Disabilities and Helping Your Student Succeed

Dr. Ellen Braaten, Director of MGH’s Learning and Emotional Assessment Program
Tuesday, April 10, 7-8:30 p.m.
Film Lecture Hall, Newton North High School

Has your student been diagnosed with a learning disability? Or are you wondering whether he or she has a learning disability? When we think of Special Education, we often think of students with visible disabilities. Yet specific learning disabilities like dyslexia, perceptual disabilities, slow processing speed, and attention issues account for fifty percent of the students on Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).

Please join the Newton North and Newton South PTSOs, The Newton Partnership, the Newton North and Newton South Special Education Departments, and the Newton Parent Advisory Council for Special Education for an exciting and informative discussion of learning disabilities with Dr. Ellen Braaten, director of the Learning and Emotional Assessment Program at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Dr. Braaten will discuss the following:

- Getting an accurate diagnosis for your child
- The parent’s role in supporting a student with learning disabilities
- Strategies for success in high school
- Teaching the student to advocate for himself/herself
- Techniques for managing home life
- Preparing students for life beyond high school with an eye toward independent living

The evening will include time for questions and answers.

Seeking Newton Host family for Month of July

Give your family a wonderful month of cross-cultural experience this summer!    Nothing brings the world closer to home than a friendship with someone from abroad.  Educational Enrichment for Romanian Children (EERC), a small local non-profit, seeks host families for six Romanian students ages 13-15 for five weeks (late June to end of July).  The students are were chosen in a competitive process for their exceptional personal and academic qualities and speak English well.  One teen will attend Newton Environmental Science camp;  the five others will attend camps in Sudbury and Hopkinton.  You may select to host a boy or girl and preview their file.  For more information, please contact Dr. Dana Floru  at dfloru@eercboston.org,  tel 781-820-2324. Details about EERC can be found at www.eercboston.org