In our year-end newsletter, we’d like to give big thank yous to our PTO Board, Margaret Battat-Silva, Rachanee Nelson, Amy Davis, and graduating PTO Board Secretary Lanni Harris for every little thing, every big idea, every last-minute popsicle drop-off, and everything in between. You make magic happen for our students!

Thank you 8th Grade Committee, Gabriela Kroszynski, Tui Sutherland, and Rachanee Nelson who worked with Kersten Raso, 8th Grade Counselor Molly Morrow, and Dr. Green to give our 8th graders a wonderful send-off with a Harbor Cruise, trip to Kimball Farm, and lovely moving-on ceremony celebrating their time at Bigelow.

Thank you to our committee leaders and liaisons

School Directory – Kathleen Shields
Communications/Website – Jillian Feinberg
Teacher Appreciation – Laura Goldworm & Jenny Rosenthal
Creative Arts & Sciences – Zlatena Simeonova & Susan St. Pierre

PoPS (Parents of Performing Students) – Tui Sutherland & Jillian Feinberg
Green Newton School Connections – Alexander Lee & Nicole Peterson
FORJ – Angela Brooks & Hai Ly Burk
Yearbook – Sheryl Rice – 7th grade Social Studies teacher

Thank you to ALL our caregiver volunteers, teachers, student supporters, Bigelow staff and leadership. Here are just a few of this year’s highlights of fun, memorable events made possible by Bigelow community donations and all of YOU!

Fall Dance was a success

FORJ organized a Bigelow Team raising funds for the Walk for Hunger

Global Diversity Night is a beloved Bigelow tradition (and needs a new Chair next year!)

Teacher Appreciation all year long

Cheers to a terrific school year!

Let’s hit the ground running in September! We especially welcome incoming 6th grades from all our feeder schools to participate and actively learn more about middle school.

Check out ALL the open positions HERE to sign up or find out more about something new! Email bigelowbulldog@gmail.com.

Joining the PTO is a great opportunity to get involved, stay connected with our Bigelow community, get to know teachers, staff and families from other schools. Parents and guardians from all grades may join! We especially welcome incoming 6th grades to participate and actively learn more about middle school.

Here are a few positions we’re hoping to fill before September, so we can hit the ground running!

Check out ALL the open positions HERE to sign up or find out more about something new! Email bigelowbulldog@gmail.com.

We want to thank students, families, teachers and staff that participated in FORJ (Families Organizing for Racial Justice) events and efforts this year!

Some highlights :
-Franklin Park Picnic and candy hunt in early November 

-Developed and circulated feedback survey to gain more insights about what the Bigelow community thinks about FORJ and what efforts to focus on

-Formed Bigelow Bulldogs team at Walk For Hunger Boston to raise funds and awareness about food insecurity 

-Collaborated with other community groups highlighting events including Bystander training and screening and discussion of “The Hate U Give”

-Organized a group of Bigelow and NNHS families to experience the Black Heritage Trail tour in Boston (https://www.nps.gov/boaf/planyourvisit/index.htm)

We look forward to letting more of the Bigelow community know about FORJ and organizing meaningful efforts in the upcoming school year! We welcome committee members, continued feedback and ideas throughout the summer and school year.

Please feel free to reach out to co-chairs Angela Brooks (Angela.r.brooks@gmail.com) and Hai Ly (ms_haily@yahoo.com).

A few weeks ago, the Bigelow PTO newsletter shared the story of the way Bigelow parent Alexander Lee and teacher leaders of the Bigelow Green Team, Ms. Cavicchio and Mr. LeGare, redirected more than 1,000 pieces of untouched lunch fruit to Newton families in need. That weekly activity represents just a fraction of all of the work this super group has accomplished this school year! 

Here is a sampling of more of their good actions: 

• Hosting First Wednesday Walk & Roll with candy treats for kids who use sustainable transportation to school
• Designing, printing and posting educational posters
• Hosting May Bike Month Raffle
• Collecting “floor pencils” and cafeteria cans and bottles every 3 days
• Overseeing students for Recycling Fridays (weather-permitting)
• Conducting a recycling audit by grade resulting in two winning classrooms
• Planting pollinator-friendly Milkweed
• Posting an Earth Month Data Bulletin Board showing data from surveys and connections (see pencils, cans, bike stuff, and fruit collections)
• Gounds clean up and invasive plant removal
• Ceaning up the Bigelow courtyard (in progress)
• Educational Canva videos for the new year and for incoming Green Team members on topics like “How to Recycle”
• End of year Locker Cleanout Day with Donation Bin

and more!

Our outstanding Green Team and leaders are setting the example of activities large and small to make Newton schools and communities greener and cleaner. They raise awareness of what can be done with any level of resources and some dedicated effort. Thank you, Green Team! You’re our heroes!

We know access to the accelerated math program for Bigelow students next year is a big topic right now. Here are some resources on where you can get information, who you should contact if you have questions or concerns, and how to stay up-to-date.

K–8 Parent Curriculum Resources

We know access to the accelerated math program for Bigelow students next year is a big topic right now. Here are some resources on where you can get information, who you should contact if you have questions or concerns, and how to stay up-to-date.

K–8 Parent Curriculum Resources

Meet Arrianna Proia, Bigelow’s Ward 1 School Committee Representative.

Elected to the Newton School Committee in the fall of 2025, she is a lifelong Newton resident and proud graduate of NPS. Professionally, she serves as a Community Organizer with the Charles River Watershed Association, where she works across dozens of municipalities to advance climate-resilient policies, manage grants, and collaborate with local and state officials.

The School Committee’s next public meeting is June 15th, @7pm.

Click here for a full calendar of School Committee events.

“The School Committee in each city and town and each regional school district shall have the power to select and to terminate the Superintendent; shall review and approve budgets for public education in the district, and shall establish educational goals and policies for the schools in the district, consistent with the requirements of law and state-wide goals and standards established by the Board of Education.”

Come celebrate. Come connect. Come feel the JOY—this is more than an event, it’s a celebration of resilience, unity, and community pride.

Start your day with an exciting kickoff at Newton North High School hosted by Newton Community Education, and then join us at the Hyde Community Center from 3PM for an unforgettable celebration of culture, heritage and tradition. 

Starting at 3 PM you can look forward to:

• A party atmosphere  hosted by DJ Firestarta
• Shopping unique finds from local artisans & craft vendors
• Live performances that move your spirit (African dancing by Afro Diamond, Newton reggae artist DJ Everla$t)
• Meet the New England Patriots cheerleaders
• Two food trucks serving up delicious Caribbean flavors: Reggae Foods and Gourmet Kreyol
•  A Summer Concert Series event featuring hip-hop cover band sensation The GRV from 6–8 PM
• An 8PM screening of Black Panther, the critically acclaimed box office delight that defines Black Excellence.

This year we reject division and instead embrace ‘JOYFUL RESISTANCE!‘ Together, let’s uplift the value and richness of African-American culture and Black Excellence. All residents and visitors are invited to help celebrate 161 years since the emancipation of enslaved African-Americans.

Speaking of excellence, we honor the service of featured guest, Dr. Henry Turner, Newton North High School Principal of 10 years who departs to assume his new role as Superintendent of Reading Public Schools.

We are proud to partner with the Hyde Community Center to seamlessly incorporate Juneteenth into their Friday Summer Concert Series.

Follow the evolving details of the event on Eventbrite or Facebook, and please help us to spread the word far and wide!

Want to get involved?

• Are you a Black-owned business or a community partner? Sign up for a booth here or email questions to juneteenth@forj.org.
• Want to help with preparations beforehand and/or join our fun crew on the day of the event? Volunteer here.
• Help fund the festivities! Please click here to donate. Donate a minimum of $10 and get a free stylish Juneteenth waterbottle while supplies last!

Thank you to our partners and sponsors!

Our partners include our fiscal sponsor, Families Organizing for Justice (FORJ), the Newton Coalition of Black Residents (NCBR) and FORJ@Newton North High School (FORJ NNHS). We are grateful for generous support from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, Harmony Foundation and Village Bank. This Linda Plaut Festival of the Arts program is supported by Spark Newton in collaboration with The City of Newton.

Thank you, Bigelow Parent Alexander Lee and Green Team Leaders Crista Cavicchio (special education teacher) and Chris LeGare (art teacher) for keeping food waste to a minimum at Bigelow and in Newton! 

Every week this academic year, the teachers coordinated the collection of whole fruits not consumed during lunchtime, and Alexander picked up the bounty to drop off to a Newton North High School student, Cindy Q., and her family to redistribute to Newton families in need. An Underwood Elementary School representative dropped off additional fruit items by Wednesday morning for Alexander to carry along as well! The last pick-up was this week

2020 John O’Connor Grassroots Leadership Award Recipient – Cindy Q.: Cindy, a Newton North High School senior, is being honored for her Zero Waste work founding the Full Fork Initiative. She saw uneaten cafeteria food being dumped in the trash and realized she could tackle two problems, hunger and waste, with one campaign. Her initiative now diverts untouched cafeteria food from seven Newton schools, including Bigelow, reducing waste while distributing weekly snack bags to 100 students in need.