Bigelow families will have another skate outing in March! Save the date and plan to come with the whole family and friends for a fun night of ice skating at the Warrior Ice Arena on Friday, March 27th from 8pm-10pm! Lots of kids came out last year that had never skated, so bring your friends and come out!

WE NEED YOUR HELP!

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

Can you donate a vacation house getaway, a gift certificate from your favorite restaurant, sports tickets? Can you host a party or BBQ at your house or ask a business for an item or monetary donation?

Please contact Chairpersons, Cheryl Abramson (cherylzabramson@gmail.com) or Alexia Giannakopoulos (alexiag5@yahoo.com) if you have any questions.

Also, you can go to www.bigelowpto.org for Big Night 2020 donation forms, ticket information and more!

ps – Tickets will be on sale soon! Please watch out for a message about it this week. 

Calling all 8th grade parents and caregivers! Can you help out with the upcoming Bake Sale on Super Tuesday – March 3rd?

The polls will be teeming with people casting their ballots and the proceeds will go towards lowering the cost for all 8th graders end-of-year celebration event. Last year the 8th graders went on the Boston Odyssey Cruise for their end-of-year celebration.

Right now we need a few parents to lead & organize this event. Can you help? Let us know at bigelowbulldog@gmail.com. The PTO has a tried and true process for this type of event but we need parents to take the lead. Please consider being a leader.

A sign up sheet will be posted closer to the date for shifts and items needed. Kids are encouraged to help with their parents.

The Postural Screening Program will be the week of March 2nd for students whose parents choose to have the screening.

This year, postural screening will be done for students whose parents/guardians sign them up for the program. If you would like your child to be screened for scoliosis by the school nurse, please download form and return it by 2/14/2020.

Massachusetts General Laws (M.G.L. c.71, s.57) require that all public school students in grades five through nine be screened annually for the early detection of spinal problems. This is not a diagnostic service but a screening program to identify children who should have further medical evaluation.

The screening consists of observations of the student’s back when standing and bending forward and will be done by a school nurse or Physical Education, Health and Wellness teacher. Boys and girls are screened separately and privately. The results are recorded in the confidential school health record. If your child has any unusual findings, you will be notified and asked to have your child seen by a health care provider.

Students are asked to remove their shirts. Girls should wear a bra or halter top to permit more accurate observation of the back. If students do not have the type of clothing that permits observation of the back or refuse screening, they will not be screened and a notice will be sent to parents/guardians that screening was not done. Follow up should be with the student’s health care provider with documentation submitted to the school nurse.

Please feel free to contact the school nurse with any questions about postural screening.

Sue Schy, RN
Bigelow Nurse
(617) 552-7746

On Wednesday, Feb 12th, the Improbable Players will come to Bigelow to perform and talk with Grade 7 students. The age-appropriate play, “I’ll Never Do That”,  focus on substance use. The  25-45-minute long performance is followed by a talkback/Q&A, giving students the space and tools to combat social pressures and find coping strategies that work for them.

This program is solely funded by the PTO, thanks to your contributions! PTO funding allows Bigelow to act swiftly to address issues that are directly affecting our kids. This show is being fine tuned for our school to emphasize the issue of vaping.

Are you looking for a fun way to contribute to the Bigelow community? Please consider becoming part of ​Creative Arts and Sciences (CAS)​. If you’ve been part of CAS at the elementary school level, you know that it’s a great program. If you’ve never been part of CAS, this is the perfect opportunity to participate on a highly revered PTO funded program. CAS brings enrichment programming to students in K-8, all funded by the PTO. Check out the city-wide CAS website to learn more about CAS happenings in all of the schools.

About CAS at Bigelow:

In a typical school year, CAS at Bigelow brings 8-9 enrichment programs. All the systems are in place and ready to pass on. The administration is highly supportive as are teachers. In the past Bigelow has brought in programming from Tanglewood Marionettes, New England Aquarium and Theatre Espresso. This year Bigelow has brought in authors Sheela Chari and Gregory Mone, and is looking forward to a visit from NASA astronaut, Susan Kirlan in the spring.

Have questions before committing or are you ready to sign up? Please contact: Alexandra Cohen, current Bigelow CAS Chair, ​acohen415@gmail.com

* If you have a friend that’s interested, you can both participate – co-chairing is always welcome!

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.

Monday, March 9th, 7pm @ the Bigelow Library. Refreshments will be served.

Newton Safe Routes to School reminds families that pedestrian safety is a shared responsibility. All our schools have high traffic volume in the morning and most children are pedestrians for all or part of their route to school, whether they walk from home, walk over from a nearby street (Park & Walk maps), walk to the bus stop, or walk from the Blue Zone.  The following guidelines are adapted from the National Safety Council. However you get to school, put your phone down and pay attention.  #ShareTheRoad.

Sharing the Road with Young Pedestrians

• Always stop for a school patrol officer or crossing guard in a crosswalk or intersection. Sometimes young children need more time to cross the intersection than the light allows.
• Don’t block the crosswalk when stopped at a red light or waiting to make a turn, forcing pedestrians to go around you; this could put them in the path of moving traffic.
• Never pass a vehicle stopped for pedestrians.
• Do not pull into driveways to turn around, especially near schools. You may not see a child on the sidewalk approaching on bike or on foot.
• Be extra cautious when backing up.
• Take extra care to look out for children in school zones, near playgrounds and parks, and in all residential areas. School Zone speed limits are 20 mph.
• Don’t honk or rev your engine to scare a pedestrian, even if you have the right of way.
• Always use extreme caution to avoid striking pedestrians wherever they may be, no matter who has the right of way

Sharing the Road with School Buses

• If you’re driving behind a bus, allow a greater following distance than if you were driving behind a car. It will give you more time to stop once the lights start flashing. It is illegal in all 50 states to pass a school bus that is stopped to load or unload children.
• Never pass a bus from behind – or from either direction if you’re on an undivided road – if it is stopped to load or unload children
• If the yellow or red lights are flashing and the stop arm is extended, traffic must stop
• The area 10 feet around a school bus is the most dangerous for children; stop far enough back to allow them space to safely enter and exit the bus
• Be alert; children often are unpredictable, and they tend to ignore hazards and take risks

Sharing the Road with Bicyclists

On most roads, bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as vehicles, but bikes can be hard to see. Children riding bikes create special problems for drivers because usually they are not able to properly determine traffic conditions. The most common cause of collision is a driver turning left in front of a bicyclist.

• When passing a bicyclist, proceed in the same direction slowly, and leave 3 feet between your car and the cyclist.
• When turning left and a bicyclist is approaching in the opposite direction, wait for the rider to pass.
• If you’re turning right and a bicyclists is approaching from behind on the right, let the rider go through the intersection first, and always use your turn signals.
• Watch for bike riders turning in front of you without looking or signaling; children especially have a tendency to do this.
• Be extra vigilant in school zones and residential neighborhoods.
• Watch for bikes coming from driveways or behind parked cars.
• Check side mirrors before opening any door.

More at www.newtonsaferoutes.org.