Thanks again for all who helped to beautify Bigelow on April 29th!

7th grade student Olivia Freedman is collecting books for Cradles to Crayons.

“Have any new or gently used books? I am collecting books to be donated to Cradles to Crayons. You can drop off donations in a box outside the school office. Please have all donations in by June 8th. Thank you!”

Please join us for Bigelow’s Civics Day on Tuesday May 22nd, 8:45 -10am. The day will begin with a parent coffee in Bigelow’s library at 8:45am, when Jean Singers, Bigelow’s 8th grade history teacher, will speak to parents from all grades about proposed changes to the Massachusetts history/social studies frameworks.

Following the parent coffee, cluster 8E students will be presenting civic action and advocacy projects they have been working on this year, as part of the Generation Citizen pilot program Ms. Singers is leading. Generation Citizen is an action civics curriculum in which students identify issues in their community, research the root cause and then advocate for change.

Focus issues proposed by the students:

1. Dress code in Newton schools: gender biased language
2. Healthy food in school cafeterias: Meatless Mondays
3. Affordable Housing in Newton: zoning redesign
4. Marijuana use amongst teens: drug prevention education

Bigelow’s Civics Day
8:45-9:00 Tea and Coffee
9:00-9:15 Program introduction
9:15-10:00 Student presentations
Parents from all grades are welcome to arrive or leave at anytime

Please RSVP to Ms. Singers: singersj@newton.k12.ma.us

If you are looking for a way to say “Thank You!” as the year comes to a close, please consider Newton Schools Foundations’ Honor Thy Teacher campaign. This special program, established more than 20 years ago, provides an opportunity for families to thank teachers or other school personnel (such as a special education aide, a fine arts or music teacher, or a coach or counselor) by giving a gift to NSF in their honor.

NSF is a non-profit organization that raises funds to enhance educational excellence throughout Newton’s public schools. Your gift supports opportunities for teachers to access professional development, initiatives to close the achievement gap and new learning programs for middle school students that encompass: science, technology and math; social, civic and cultural understanding; leadership training; literature; and social-emotional learning. Programs supported by NSF at the Newton middle schools include:

• Generation Citizen
• BIG Talks
• One Book, One Community Celebration
• The Calculus Project
• Middle School Peer Leadership
• Responsive Classroom Training

You can make your tax-deductible donation on-line at www.newtonschoolsfoundation.org, or mail it to Newton Schools Foundation, P.O. Box 590020, Newton Centre, MA 02459. Please be sure to include the names of the teachers and/or staff that you are honoring. Or look for a flyer that will be mailed to your home that includes a donation form. After receiving each donation (a suggested amount is $25 per teacher/staff member), NSF will notify the honored teachers and staff of your gift; share the honoree names with the Superintendent and Principals; and list each of those honored in the Newton TAB.

Please join us for Bigelow’s Civics Day on Tuesday May 22nd, 8:45 -10am. The day will begin with a parent coffee in Bigelow’s library at 8:45am, when Jean Singers, Bigelow’s 8th grade history teacher, will speak to parents from all grades about proposed changes to the Massachusetts history/social studies frameworks.

Following the parent coffee, cluster 8E students will be presenting civic action and advocacy projects they have been working on this year, as part of the Generation Citizen pilot program Ms. Singer is leading. Generation Citizen is an action civics curriculum in which students identify issues in their community, research the root cause and then advocate for change.

Focus issues proposed by the students:

1. Dress code in Newton schools: gender biased language
2. Healthy food in school cafeterias: Meatless Mondays
3. Affordable Housing in Newton: zoning redesign
4. Marijuana use amongst teens: drug prevention education

Bigelow’s Civics Day
8:45-9:00 Tea and Coffee
9:00-9:15 Program introduction
9:15-10:00 Student presentations
Parents from all grades are welcome to arrive or leave at anytime

Please RSVP to Ms. Singer: singersj@newton.k12.ma.us

At the last meeting of the year, the PTO presents the proposed budget and votes for the incoming board members for the 2018/19 school year. All members of the Bigelow Middle School community are part of the PTO and are invited.

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 in one of the open positions:

• Co-Treasurer
• Co-Presidents Elect (in preparation for the 2019/20 school year)
• Nominating committee members (one per feeder school)
• Teacher Appreciation Committee co-chair
• METCO representative

You can also help the PTO fulfill its purpose/mission by being a Committee Chair or a volunteer in some of our activities. Check here the opportunities for next year.

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

NNHS PTSO is pleased to announce new roles on the 2018-2019 Board of Directors overseeing Communications, Technology, Fundraising and Volunteer Coordination.  These roles typically have two people and most already have one person in place.  Also available are committee co-chair positions ranging from programming to fundraising to service projects.  Interested in hearing more?  Please contact co-presidents@northptso.org

Laps at Lunch is back! This is a great program designed to give students a daily opportunity to get outside for movement and fresh air. It allows students to walk laps around the inside perimeter of Burr Park once they’re done with their lunches in the cafeteria. Would you like to help? If interested please contact Mary Fitzgerald (physical education teacher) at: Mary_Fitzgerald@newton.k12.ma.us. More about the program here.

MCAS tests continue this week. The sixth and seventh grade take the Math MCAS test on Monday and Tuesday, May 7-8, and the eighth grade takes their Math MCAS test this Wednesday and Thursday, May 9-10.

We want all of the students to approach these assessments in a positive and confident frame of mind. Your help makes a huge difference. Here are a few tips:

• Words of encouragement to your child are especially helpful before the assessments and on the day of it.
• Please make sure your child gets a good night’s sleep prior to each test, a healthy breakfast on the morning of each test, and that he or she arrives to school on time.
• Bringing a water bottle or purchasing a bottle of water in the school store in the morning is also recommended.

The final test, the Science/Technology/Engineering MCAS test, will be given to the eighth grade only on May 17.

The Fall Play Info Session will be held next Thursday, May 10, at 2:45-3:30.
The following week there will be an Audition Workshop:
“Performing Shakespeare”. Thursday, May 17, from 3-5pm.

Please contact Jaime Alberts for more information: Jaime_Alberts@newton.k12.ma.us