Monthly Archives: February 2020

Super Cupcake Tuesday: Please volunteer to sell or bake!

Come vote then volunteer at the bake sale table.

We are expecting large crowds coming to vote! Money raised will go towards offsetting end of the year activities for all 8th Graders. 8th Grade Students are encouraged to help before and after school.

Date: Tuesday, 03/03/2020
Time: 7:00am – 10:00am  AND 4:00pm – 7:00pm
Location: Bigelow Gym Entrance

Sign up here to volunteer and/or bake!

Please bring your items to the Bigelow Gym on 03/03 as early in the morning as you can – thanks!
OR items can be dropped off at the Markson residence on Monday – leave on front porch of 150 Hunnewell Ave. If you have any questions, please contact Una Simmons at una@ethannet.com.

Your help is very much appreciated by all the 8th Graders!

Guidelines for baked items: individually wrapped, no nuts, ingredient lists included (we can place cards on the tables, you do not need to include a list wrapped with each item).

Big Night 2020: Auction Items Still Needed!

We need 60 items for the Big Night 2020 silent auction. We are asking every grade to donate 20 items.

Do you have something you would like to DONATE to our auction at the Big Night??  Tickets to sporting events, gift cards for services,  restaurant gift certificates, vacation get aways,  jewelry, artwork, a dinner or cocktail party, memberships etc are all appreciated.  Click here to donate.  Please submit your donation items by March 10th.

You can also help by soliciting a local business for a auction donation.  Click here for a printable business solicitation letter and donation form.

Go to bigelowpto.org/big-night-2020-auction-items-request for more information. Please contact Chairpersons, Cheryl Abramson (cherylzabramson@gmail.com) or Alexia Giannakopoulos (alexiag5@yahoo.com) if you have any questions.

Tickets are on sale! Get yours today and consider sponsoring the event!

Register as a Bidder

 

All School CAS presentation: Women in World Jazz

Women in World Jazz: A Tribute to Composers Around the World

Thursday, March 5
8:30 AM – 8th grade
9:30 AM – 7th grade
10:30 AM – 6th grade

Women In World Jazz is an international ensemble of professional musicians featuring music from around the world. “A Tribute to Composers Around the World” highlights music composed by women artists, past and present. Through their engaging compositions, students learn about a diverse group of pioneering women and their unique cultures. Styles range from Jazz to World/Ethnic. Music from Cuba, Cape Verde, Brazil, Japan, and the Middle East are included.

Thank you to our PTO’s Creative Arts and Sciences (CAS) Committee for bringing this program to our school. This CAS programming is funded by your generous contributions to the PTO. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Save the Date: Bigelow Civics Day 2020

Our 8th grade students invite you to join us for Bigelow Civics Day 2020. See how these young changemakers are addressing community issues!

Since late-January, our 8th graders have been exploring strategies for effective advocacy of real community issues to apply their knowledge of government, citizenship, and the lawmaking process. Topics range from drug use to recycling programs to mental health. At this event, students aim to share their work and their plans with city leaders and parent constituents. They need to lobby for your support, hear your suggestions, and then revise and implement their tactics. Your attendance will greatly aid their efforts, their engagement, and their impact!

  • Wednesday March 18th
  • Bigelow Middle School, 42 Vernon Street
  • 8:30-8:40 Welcome Message in the library
    8:45-10:00 Interactive Student Presentations

Please RSVP and/or send questions to 8E teacher Jean Singers: singersj@newton.k12.ma.us

Yard Sign Contest: “Distracted Driving”

Given Governor Baker’s recent signing of the Hands-Free Driving Bill , the Safe Routes to School Yard Sign Contest theme will be “Distracted Driving.” The contest opened on February 25, 2020, and the deadline for all submissions is March 27, 2020. Click here for complete contest information as well as entry submission.

The Massachusetts Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Program’s Yard Sign Design Contest is a way for students to use their creativity to help promote safe roads for cyclists and pedestrians in their communities. Students create and submit a design for a yard sign that brings awareness to distracted driving, focus their designs on eliminating distracted driving, especially in and around school zones.

Monday, March 9: Conversation with District Superintendent

The PTO invites all Bigelow caregivers for a conversation with Superintendent Dr. David A. Fleishman and members of the School Committee about what is happening in the District, including future enrollment news.

The PTO will be raffling off two tickets to Big Night and parents can bring in auction items for collection.

Monday, March 9th, 7pm @ the Bigelow Library.

Newton FORJ Book Group (Families Organizing for Racial Justice)

Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria
by Beverly Daniel Tatum
February 25th, 6:30-8:30 pm
Newton Free Public Library, Room B
Adult discussion

White Fragility
by Robin Diangelo
April 29th, 6:30-8:30 pm
Newton Free Public Library, Room B
Adult discussion

There is no childcare at these events.
Contact Jennifer Dirga at jenniferdirga@gmail.com with any questions

Paid part-time opportunity at Centre Street Food Pantry!

Part-time paid Volunteer Manager position at the Centre Street Food Pantry in Newton Centre (12 -15 hours per week including working at the busy pantry every Tuesday 4:00 – 8:00 pm and possibly Saturday 10:00 am – 3:00 pm). When not on site, the job requires working remotely and timely communication with a diverse population. Ideal candidates are enthusiastic, good planners, kind, calm under pressure and have experience in volunteer management or training. The person should be able to comfortably carry bags of groceries or boxes of food. Send resume to info@centrestfoodpantry.org.

Spring Programs at Newton Community Farm

Kid focused:
Farm Tuesdays for ages 7-11. Meets Tuesdays, 1:30 – 3:00 pm, March 31st – May 26th (no class April 21st). An after school program on NPS early release days: meet the new chicks, get the learning garden started, play games and make snacks.

Budding Chefs for ages 7-13. April vacation week, Tuesday – Thursday, 2:00 – 5:00 pm, April 21st – 23rd. Cook up delicious treats in the historic barn and spend time outdoors in the learning garden and with new flock of chicks!

Farm Sprouts for ages 2.5 – 5 with an adult and Farm Babies for ages under 2.5 with an adult.  Sing songs, read books and learn about the farm in spring. Meet the new chicks and search for signs of spring as the farm comes to life!

For adults and families:
Master Your Gut, Sunday, March 15th, 11:00 am – 12:30 pm. Meet Jay Vilar, a Nutritional Therapist Practitioner, and learn about the importance of your gut health in this brand new workshop. Enjoy samples of probiotic, prebiotic, and fermented foods and drink while you learn.

Spring Has Sprung Cookbook Potluck Dinner, April 1st, 6:30 – 8:30 pm. Join members of the farm community to celebrate food and farming. Spring’s potluck dinner will feature Alison Roman, author of Dining In and Nothing Fancy. In addition to these two fabulous cookbooks, many of her fresh recipes can be found in full on her website.

Family Baking,  April 5th, 10:30 am -12:00 pm. Get ready for spring holidays with this fun day of baking in our historic barn. Use spring ingredients like rhubarb and chamomile to make baked goods the whole family will enjoy.

Seasonal Pasta Making, April 30th, 7:00 – 9:00 pm. Make fresh pasta with farm ingredients to enjoy with others in this adult cooking workshop.

Farm Photography,  May 30th, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm. Join award-winning photographer, Karyn Novakowski, to tell the story of your food from seed to plate and beyond through photographs.

For more information on any of these programs, email education@newtoncommunityfarm.org or call the office at 617-916 9655.

Civics Challenge

Join the LWVN Civics Challenge! This is meant to be a true community builder for anyone in Grade 8 or older. There will be snacks and prizes, including a MA State House tour for the winning team.

Anyone who registers as an individual will be placed on a team OR groups of 3 or 4 may register as a team. The registration deadline is February 28th.

For more information visit https://lwvnewton.org/civics-challenge/

Registration at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfcwgcU6SArR79FLjjlPyqPCG1fUcVSaQEJD02tbnBd-BtgQA/viewform

See a flyer at https://lwvnewton.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/2020-Civics-Challenge-flyer.pdf

March 1st,  3:30 – 5:30 pm
Cabot School