Dear Bigelow Families,
After 40 years in NPS, Mr Livingston is retiring. We want to make this as special as possible for him. Two options:

1) Share a memory of Mr Livingston for his memory book. Was it Ghost Chickens in the Sky? How to extricate a pick from inside a guitar? Watching him demo the double bass? What memory of Mr L makes YOU smile? Submit a memory of Mr L to the email livingstonparty@gmail.com! Please do so by next Wednesday, June 13.

2) Wednesday, June 13 at 7: Mr Livingston’s Big Finale Concert! At Bigelow in the gym, reception to follow. RSVP HERE.

PLEASE share this event with Newton friends – Mr L has taught in 7 schools for 40 years, so you never know who had him! Your quick note or presence at his concert will be the gift of a lifetime to the man whose presence in school was a gift to so many people.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfFdjXB_lS7Tj0wbeKRcYgb67QVep8oHvunSoseMn9-wLTISg/viewform

Chaperones needed for the 8th Grade Dance, on June 21st. It is a tradition at Bigelow for 7th grade parents and guardians (6th grade parents are welcome as well) to chaperone the 8th grade year-end dance. This year the dance will be on Thursday, June 21st, from 7-10 in the Bigelow Cafeteria. We have two shifts available (7-8:30 pm and 8:30-10 pm) and need four people per shift. If you are interested in volunteering please email the PTO at bigelowbulldog@gmail.com. Thank you!

Medication Pick-up: Parents of students who have medication stored in the health room should pick it up by the last day of school, June 22. All medication (pills, epi-pens, inhalers, etc.) not picked up will be discarded. Please plan ahead to pick medication up so it is not wasted! Medication may not be carried home by the student — it must be picked up by an adult. School nurses will not be available after June 22 to return medication to families. 

Medication Order Reminder: All medication orders expire at the end of the school year. If you are visiting your child’s health care provider during the summer, consider requesting a new medication order for your child. All medication, prescription or over-the-counter, requires an order. The Medication Permission Form and the Medication Policy are both available online at  www.newtonma.gov/schoolhealth

West Nile Virus and Lyme Disease Prevention: Mosquito and tick-borne diseases like West Nile Virus and Lyme disease occur in Newton residents. Take steps to avoid getting sick!

• Mosquito repellant not only works for mosquitoes, but helps repel ticks as well. Use a repellant with DEET, and follow label instructions for concentrations appropriate for children.
• Avoid being outdoors during peak mosquito hours, particularly once West Nile Virus has been detected in the mosquito population.
• Remove containers around your home (tires, kid pools, pots, tarps) that could allow mosquitoes to breed.
• Check your body for ticks after being outdoors and remove them immediately to avoid disease transmission.

Shoo the flu! Seasonal influenza vaccine will be offered this fall during the school day to students and employees. The flu shot (no FluMist again this year at school) will be available to all students in Kindergarten through grade 12, by parental consent only. Consent and screening forms will be posted at www.newtonma.gov/flu by early September, in preparation for the fall clinics. Insurance information will be requested, but all students are welcome to receive the vaccine at no charge.

The flu clinic date for Bigelow Middle School will be Wednesday, October 24, 2018. Forms (available in Sept.) will be due to the school nurse by Monday, October 22, 2018. This schedule is confirmed unless the flu vaccine supply is delayed, in which case the school nurse will notify families of an alternative date once the vaccine arrives.

Have a happy and healthy summer!

Sue Schy, Bigelow Nurse

A warm thank you to all that contributed your time and delectable food to the Teacher Appreciation Tea this week. The teachers and staff at Bigelow enjoyed the wonderful spread. A special thank you to Magda Duchnowska for leading this effort for us!!

THANK YOU: Akiko Schultz, Alexandra Novina, Alexis Giannakopoulos, Amy Kendall, Ana Kales, Andrea Hemment, Anna Olivella, Anne Reenstierna , Aoife O’Dwyer , Beth Hicks, Beth Secinaro, Claudia Doherty, Debbie fredberg , Frankie Kervin, Heather Pozen, Heidi Gardner, James Bryant, Jinglei Mei, Joanne Simpson , Judy Kelly, Krista Corr, Kristin Golden, Kristin Heyer, Lena Sheehan, Lisa Camesano, Macy Tubman, Maren Rossman, Maria Farrah Howell, Marianne Votta, Meridith Welch, Michelle Welford, Pongha Smith, Shelagh Heurtebize, Terri Bancroft, Tracey Wolfsdorf, Tripti Thomas-Travers, Zlatev

An “edible arrangement” especially prepared for the Bigelow Middle School teacher and staff by a 7th grade parent

Looking for a way to get to know Newton North? The PTSO is looking for several volunteers to serve as class liaisons for the incoming 9th grade class. A class liaison is a parent representative for the grade. There are three liaisons per grade and this is normally a four-year position. Class liaisons communicate with the PTSO, with the school, and with parents in the grade. They also work together to host one teacher appreciation breakfast per year. Please contact co-presidents@northptso.org to volunteer. Thank you!

6th and 7th grade singers are invited to audition for the Bigelow Beats a cappella group. Wednesday, June 13th, during 4th block and from 3-6. Students should prepare to sing the verse and chorus of a song they like. More information with Ms. Alberts: Jaime_Alberts@newton.k12.ma.us.

Making a donation to Newton Schools Foundation’s Honor Thy Teacher program is a great way to do this. To donate online and to find out more about the programs NSF funds, go to www.newtonschoolsfoundation.org. Donations are tax-deductible and go toward enhancing educational excellence, including teachers’ professional development, initiatives to close the achievement gap, and new curricula and learning opportunities throughout Newton’s schools. One of the programs funded by NSF is the ADL School Peer Leadership program at Bigelow. Teachers, as well as their Principal and the Superintendent, will be notified of this honor, and if you donate by JULY 31 their names will appear in a special notification in the Newton TAB.

Before you head off into summer mode, I wanted to share a few updates particularly relevant to families with school-age children.

Smartphones: Thinking of getting your student a smartphone this summer? This letter targeted to elementary school families highlights research and resources available to help parents navigate this decision in the context of their own family’s values and circumstances. Additional information relevant to students of all ages is available on the Newton Public Schools website, including suggested guidelines from Newton-Wellesley Hospital.

Summer Food: Backpacks filled with a few meal’s worth of nonperishable items will be available this summer for students at locations throughout Newton. The program – a collaboration between the Church of the Redeemer’s FUEL program and the city – is an effort to bridge the food gap for students who may rely on school breakfast and lunch during the year. Backpacks may include bread, peanut butter, canned fish, and canned fruits and vegetables. Nut-free bags can be requested. The locations include: Health and Human Services Department, Church of the Redeemer, West Suburban YMCA, The Boys & Girls Club, Crystal Lake, Gath Pool, Newton Free Library, and many more!

What’s in Your Medicine Cabinet? Be a part of the solution to the opioid epidemic. Misuse of prescription drugs is a common way for teens and adults to start down the road of addiction. The most typical place young people get access to prescription drugs is their home medicine cabinet. A few simple steps taken by adults can have a significant impact. Immediately and safely dispose of unused medication. Two Newton locations are available year-round: the Newton Police Station and Newton-Wellesley Hospital. Here are additional tips, and specific addresses and resources.

Have a great summer!

Stay healthy,

Sue Schy, RN, MSN
Bigelow School Nurse

After last year’s not so great experience – to say the least – of delayed delivery, mixed up orders, general disappointment and a lot of headache, we decided to rethink why we were ordering school supply kits.

The main reason was convenience! Who likes long lines shopping for school supplies in the summer? Also, it was a fundraising opportunity for the PTO.

But then again, to what cost? It was a lot of work for the PTO volunteers (between organizing the program and delivering the kits) for not as much raised money. Families were paying more than regular prices. And most of all, it was wasteful: we were purchasing supplies we didn’t really need – a new calculator every year?

When we really think about it, most of the items in the list do not need to be purchased. We already have a calculator, rulers, scissors at home. Most of us have extra pencils and pens. And the binders, they are pretty much the same every year –  they just need to be emptied and cleaned, and they are good to be used again. Even notebooks can have a second life by taking out the pages that were written on – usually there are many left for at least part of the new school year.

So for 2018-2019 we will be approaching the school supply list in a different way. We will try to avoid the hot summer shopping lines by not going shopping. We can save money and help reduce our impact on resources and waste. And it can be a great teaching opportunity for our children, about sustainability and consumption.