Monthly Archives: November 2019

Save the date: BIG Night 2020 Kickoff Meeting

Come join the fun and be a part of planning Bigelow’s biggest night of the year!

Hosted by Alexis Giannakopoulos and Cheryl Abramson on December 4th at 7:00pm.

Big Night is the Bigelow PTO’s biggest social and fundraising event of the year. It’s a night where the Bigelow (adult) community gets together to enjoy live music, nice food and drinks, bid on wonderful auction items, meet and catch up with other Bigelow parents and staff. More here.

Time Change: Road Safety Reminders for Drivers and Students

Please pay attention to kids walking and biking, especially now that it gets dark earlier.

Newton Safe Routes to School Time Change Safety Reminders. The end of daylight savings time means more kids will be walking and biking home at dusk and in the dark. Sunset this week is around 4:30 p.m. Newton Safe Routes to School offers the following safety tips.

WHEN YOU DRIVE:

Remember, kids walking at dusk may ASSUME DRIVERS CAN SEE THEM even when they can’t. Keep kids safe and take these steps:

  • Slow down: In dusk/dark, more time is needed to see pedestrians. Increase the recommended safe following distances. The more space, the more time there is to react. Slow down even further during rain.
  • Always stop: for pedestrians crossing the street. Do not pass vehicles stopped at crosswalks.
  • Be extra cautious: Decreased visibility calls for more vigilant driving. Watch for bicyclists and pedestrians in neighborhoods and along school bus routes, at intersections and when backing out of driveways. Watch for pedestrians at every crosswalk. 
  • Be seen: Turn on headlights to be more visible at dawn and dusk.
  • Eliminate distractions: Put away phones, food and drink. Keep your eyes on the road
  • Beware of glare: Clean windshields inside and out. Dirty windshields can magnify glare.

REMIND YOUR WALKING AND BIKING KIDS TO:

  • Cross at well-lit crosswalks, wait for the walk signal at stoplights, and make sure vehicles stop before you start to cross. Continue to look both ways as you cross the street.
  • Watch for cars pulling in and out of driveways on the sidewalk
  • Drivers cannot see well in the dark. Remember that just because you can easily see a driver, that driver may not see you. Drivers have lights from the dashboard, headlights pointed their way, and reflections from the car mirrors that keep them from seeing as well as you do as a pedestrian. 
  • Wear reflective clothing or clip something reflective to your backpack. Even better, add a blinking light. Cyclists turn on your front and back lights on the way to and from school.
  • Avoid distraction: put your phone and headphones in your pocket. Keep your hood off so you can look around. Be predictable.

Check out the Newton Safe Routes to School Facebook page here. 

Bigelow is looking for a Safe Routes to School representative. Please contact us if you are interested in helping to make the streets around the school safer for all.

TEN Tables was a Big Success! Thank you

Thank you all for making Bigelow TEN Tables the best ever!!!!!! 116 people were involved with cooking, hosting & eating their way through Newton! This could only happen with the generosity of hosts who donated all of their time, food & drinks.

We raised over $6000 which will benefit our kids.

Special thanks to Alessandra Di Bacco & Tomasz Grzegorczyk and Shana & Dan Smythe  who started the night off with a dazzling array of appetizers and cheer.

Gracious dinner hosts who opened their homes and cooked dinner.
Rachel & Ron Blankstein
Rachel & Michael Singer
Linda & David Gillespie and Raju & Vijaya Tatituri
Becca Schulman Havemeyer & Will Havemeyer
Gwen & Ben Hautefeuille
Joana Canedo & Jason Dyett
Shital Gandhi & Jay Parekh
Giulia & Andrea Monti Guarnieri
Tian Tian, Li Liang and David & Becca Connors
Beth & Bill Hicks and Alexia & Charlie Giannakopoulos
Meredith & Bill Andrews and Susan & Ron Giunta

And another huge shout out to Una and Ethan Simmons who welcomed everyone back to their home at the end of the night with fabulous assortment of desserts. All that after she organized this delicious community-building event, and incredible fundraiser!

 

 

More pictures here.

Meet Authors and Illustrators on Nov 6th

Two Authors  will visit Bigelow on Nov 6th. Then, they will join another 25 authors & illustrators  in the Zervas Elementary School library for a meet and greet, book sale, and signing event. 

Students and parents from across the district will have the opportunity to meet a variety of authors and illustrators, including those who presented at Bigelow and other schools.

MEET AN AUTHOR! TALK TO AN ILLUSTRATOR!
CAS AUTHORFEST BOOK SALE AND SIGNING EVENT
Open to students and parents from across the district
@ Zervas Elementary School Library
3:15 PM – 5:30 PM
30 Beethoven Ave., Waban

CAS AuthorFest is made possible by a grant from the Newton Schools Foundation, a contribution from The Village Bank in Auburndale, and your generous contributions to our PTO. Thank you!

Equity Working Group to present Survey findings

The Equity Working Group will make a presentation on the findings from its Spring Community Survey to the School Committee.

School Committee meetings are broadcast live on NewTV at the time of the meeting and can be found on the following channels according to your cable provider:

Comcast – Ch.9
RCN – Ch.13
Verizon – Ch. 33

November 4th, 7:00 pm
The Ed Center, Room 210
100 Walnut Street, Newton

Newton Safe Routes to School Time Change Safety Reminders

The end of daylight savings time means more kids will be walking and biking home at dusk and in the dark. Sunset this week is around 4:30 pm. Newton Safe Routes to School offers the following safety tips:

WHEN YOU DRIVE: Remember, kids walking at dusk may ASSUME DRIVERS CAN SEE THEM even when they can’t. Keep kids safe and take these steps:

  • Slow down: In dusk/dark, more time is needed to see pedestrians. Increase the recommended safe following distances. The more space, the more time there is to react. Slow down even further during rain.
  • Always stop: for pedestrians crossing the street. Do not pass vehicles stopped at crosswalks.
  • Be extra cautious: Decreased visibility calls for more vigilant driving. Watch for bicyclists and pedestrians in neighborhoods and along school bus routes, at intersections and when backing out of driveways. Watch for pedestrians at every crosswalk.
  • Be seen: Turn on headlights to be more visible at dawn and dusk.
  • Eliminate distractions: Put away phones, food and drink. Keep your eyes on the road.
  • Beware of glare: Clean windshields inside and out. Dirty windshields can magnify glare.

REMIND YOUR WALKING AND BIKING KIDS TO:

  • Cross at well-lit crosswalks, wait for the walk signal at stoplights, and make sure vehicles stop before you start to cross. Continue to look both ways as you cross the street.
  • On the sidewalk, watch for cars pulling in and out of driveways.
  • Remember that just because you can easily see a driver, that driver may not see you. Drivers have lights from the dashboard, headlights pointed their way, and reflections from the car mirrors that keep them from seeing as well as you do as a pedestrian.
  • Wear reflective clothing or clip something reflective to your backpack. Even better, add a blinking light. Cyclists turn on your front and back lights on the way to and from school.
  • Avoid distraction: put your phone and headphones in your pocket. Keep your hood off so you can look around. Be predictable.

Brought to you by Newton Safe Routes to School.  To learn more about Safe Routes to School, email NewtonSafeRoutes@gmail.com

Halloween Toiletry Drive for Teens in Need

Hope & Comfort is a local nonprofit organization that distributes essential hygiene products to improve the health and self-esteem of our local youth in need. Join Hope & Comfort and their mission to serve local youth in need by collecting hygiene product donations. Make a difference as you celebrate Halloween!

They accept any unused hygiene products, but are especially in need of full-size shampoo, toothpaste, and deodorant.

Drop-off boxes for Hope & Comfort are available at the Newton North High School (Barry House) and Bigelow Middle School (Main Office) through November 5th.

Webster Woods CPA proposal public hearing

For the City of Newton’s request for $15,740,000 in CPA funding to acquire and preserve open space at 300 Hammond Pond Parkway (“Webster Woods”), the CPC will hold a public hearing and then begin deliberating on this proposal on a subsequent date.

For details about the public hearing format, to read the proposal itself, or to read community letters received to date, visit www.newtonma.gov/cpa. For assistance, contact Alice Ingerson at aingerson@newtonma.gov or 617.796.1144.

Hearing is November 6th, 7:00 pm, City Council Chamber, City Hall
Deliberations are November 12th, 7:00 pm, City Hall Room 204

FORJ Family Event

Come to the next FORJ Families Meeting (Families Organizing for Racial Justice) when Annawon Weeden will enact a dynamic monologue tracing the history of the Wampanoag from pre-1492 to the present day. His presentation challenges the audience to rethink their ideas about the Wampanoag and about America itself.

A member of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe who grew up on the Narragansett Tribal Reservation in Rhode Island, Weeden has spent his life preserving the culture of his tribe. In 2016, he was awarded with a Congressional Honor as Culture Bearer for New England.

After Weeden’s presentation, the audience will break into small groups for a family-friendly discussion about reconciliation. The event is FREE and for Adults and children ages 10+ .

Please RSVP here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeUcCJqiT0KNzMWl0nRegg6ReeBJIlimMmq59NkvUhnl9sP5A/viewform?usp=sf_link

Note: Please be ON TIME! This is a dramatic presentation and it requires quiet and focus from the audience members. This program is possible thanks to the generous sponsorship of Raising Luminaries. www.booksforlittles.com

November 13th, 7:00 – 9:00 pm
Angier School

Youth Vaping: The New Look of Nicotine Addiction

Twenty percent of Massachusetts high school students report using e-cigarettes
and vape pens and 41% report trying them at least once. You are invited to Youth Vaping: The New Look of Nicotine Addiction, a discussion to learn what these
products are, tactics used by tobacco industries to target youth and why these
products are harmful. Receive strategies for talking to youth, information about
available resources and how to protect our kids from the latest trend.

This program is intended to teach parents, students, and faculty about the dangers of tobacco in any form and how to discuss this issue with your kids. See information about other upcoming programs here:Wellness Event series

November 13th, 7:00 pm
Leventhal-Sidman JCC
333 Nahanton Street, Newton Centre