All are invited to our last meeting of the year, when we are going to celebrate the 2017-2018 school year with light refreshments and good talks! We would love to see you there!

This is a great time for rising 8th grade parents to learn about all of the 8th grade activities next year and how they can get involved. Rising 6th grade parents will have the opportunity to get to know their new PTO and what we do for the school and the students.

We will present the 2018/19 budget and show how the PTO uses all the money raised by our community. The incoming leadership will be brought forward for a vote of Bigelow parents, guardians, teachers and staff. We still have open positions to fill!! If you would like to become more involved in the strategic aspect of the Bigelow PTO, helping direct and manage the overall program for 2018/19, you are encouraged to join the board or one of the committees.

PTO Annual Meeting
Monday, June 11th 2018, from 7pm to 8pm
Bigelow Library

Proposed 2018-2019 Officers and Nominating Committee Members

• Co-Presidents – Jessica Gilmartin and Jennifer Weber
• Vice President Fundraising – Una Simmons
• Co-Treasurer  – Michelle Welford and one open
• Co-Secretaries – Joana Canedo and Kara Peterson
• Co-Presidents elect (in preparation for 2019/20)  – two open  
• Nominating Committee** – Tracy Carroll and Lisa Schwartzberg
• Nominating Committee – from Ward feeder school – Lisa Schwartzberg
• Nominating Committee – from Lincoln-Elliot feeder school – open
• Nominating Committee – from Underwood feeder school – open
• Nominating Committee – from Lincoln-Elliot feeder school – open
• **One member of the Nominating Committee serves as the Chair and one member of the Board of Directors is appointed by the Board to serve on the Nominating Committee

Please look here for committee positions still open.

• METCO representative
• Newton SEPAC Liaison
• 6th Grade Potluck Chair
• Green School Chair
• Safe Routes to School Chair

Hope to see you all there!

Please remember to drop off all items at the teacher’s lunchroom at Bigelow no later than 12:30 PM on Tuesday (perishables can be placed in the refrigerator there). If you prefer to drop off items the night before, please contact Magda Duchnowska at froggiemagda@hotmail.com or 617-548-1600.

YOU CAN STILL SIGN UP to donate or volunteer by clicking HERE.

• It is most helpful if items are brought in disposable containers.
• We ESPECIALLY need volunteers to help set up and break down. Set up is at 12:45 and clean up is at 3:00

For more information or if you have any questions, please contact the Teacher Appreciation Chair, Magda Duchnowska, at froggiemagda@hotmail.com.

Thank you again for helping us show our appreciation for our teachers and staff.

Please mark you calendars for Step-Up Day, Friday, June 8.

Grade 6
 All 6th graders will be dismissed early.
~ 11:30am dismissal – to make space for the Stepping Up 5th Graders
The usual bus routes will run then.

Grade 7
Seventh graders have a full day
~ 2:45pm dismissal – Regular Schedule

Grade 8
Eighth graders also have a full day.
~ 11:30am – 2:30pm – step up to Newton North High School
~ 2:45pm dismissal – from Bigelow Middle School

The usual bus routes will run again for 7th and 8th graders at 2:45pm.  A flyer is attached.

The SEPAC Special Educator Awards are presented to Newton faculty and staff members who have done exceptional work with students receiving special education services. Parents, guardians and students may submit nominations and may nominate any staff member who they believe has done exceptional work. In the past, we’ve had regular education teachers, special education teachers, aides, BT’s, secretaries, principals and custodians receive awards.

Please note that the awards do not identify you or your child by name, to preserve the child’s confidentiality. Only the honoree is given the name of the person who nominated him or her.

Wednesday, June 13, 2018, 6:00 pm
Newton North High School Cafeteria
457 Walnut Street

Newton North High School uses the same online directory software that we use here at Bigelow (MySchoolAnywhere). We will be authorizing their account to automatically import graduating students from our account so that no student is overlooked. This would be a great time to log in and make sure your information and share settings are up to date. Just login to: https://www.myschoolanywhere.com/login.a5w

If you still have children at Bigelow next year, you will be able to select which school to view upon logging in. If your child is not moving on to Newton North, please be sure to let the Newton North administration know so they can have the PTO remove your child from the directory. Let us know if you have any other questions about this.

The PTO Board is looking for new members, please consider joining an active group of parents who help strengthen our community ties! Would you like to become more involved in the strategic aspect of the Bigelow PTO, helping direct and manage the overall program for 2018/19?  All Bigelow parents and guardians, including those of incoming 6th graders, are encouraged to join the board or any committee. We have the following openings, and anyone is welcome to volunteer for PTO activities at any time:

• Co-Treasurer
• Co-Presidents Elect (in preparation for the 2019/20 school year)
• Teacher Appreciation co-chair
• Nominating committee members (one per feeder school)
• METCO representative
• Newton SEPAC Liaison
• 6th Grade Potluck Chair

The proposed slate of 2018/19 Board members will be voted on at our final PTO meeting of the year on June 11th.  Serving on the Board is a great way to meet other Bigelow parents and help out at your child’s school.  Please contact us at bigelowbulldog@gmail.com if you are interested in learning more.

Bigelow Civics Day was attended by parents, school administrators and members of the school committee and city council last Tuesday, May 22nd. 8th grade students on Team E presented the advocacy projects they worked on as part of the Generation Citizen pilot program lead by Ms. Singers, Grade 8 History/Social Science Teacher.

Jean Singers would like to thank all those who attended for making the day so wonderful. More information here.

Please join us on Wednesday June 13th at 6 pm at Newton North High School for the 9th annual Newton SEPAC Special Educator Awards! These awards are presented to Newton faculty and staff members who have done exceptional work with students receiving special education services. Parents, guardians and students may submit nominations and may nominate any staff member who they believe has done exceptional work. In the past, we’ve had regular education teachers, special education teachers, aides, BT’s, secretaries, principals and custodians receive awards. Please note that the awards do not identify you or your child by name, to preserve the child’s confidentiality. Only the honoree is given the name of the person who nominated him or her. Please submit your nomination by May 31 to 2018 SEPAC Awards Nomination.

Please volunteer to help or donate to the Teacher Appreciation Tea – Tuesday June 5th. Our teachers and staff members do so much for our kids throughout the year. They teach them invaluable skills, instill them with knowledge and a love of learning, and serve as intellectual role models.

So let’s say a proper thank you with a proper English tea — Bigelow-style. This year’s annual staff appreciation tea takes place on Tuesday, June 7th at 2:00 pm.

We are looking for volunteers to provide finger sandwiches, cakes, pastries, crumpets (whatever they are), fruit salad and any other delectables that go well with tea. We also need volunteers to help set up and break down. Set up is at 12:45 and break down is at 3:00.

All items may be dropped off the morning of the tea in the teacher’s lunchroom or put in the refrigerator there. Please drop off items no later than 12:30pm. It is most helpful if items are brought in a disposable container.

To donate or volunteer please sign up here.

For more information or if you have any questions, please contact the Teacher Appreciation Chair, Magda Duchnowska at froggiemagda@hotmail.com.