This is the first profile of a Bigelow PTO volunteer for our weekly newsletter. We hope to profile someone new each week so you can see the people who help make our efforts a success.

Jeanne Choe-Arrieta, Ph.D. Bigelow has a chapter of Newton’s Families Organizing for Racial Justice (FORJ). The group invites parents and children to engage in critical conversations that support questioning, interrogating, and dismantling of white supremacy, including anti-Blackness and all forms of racial injustice. One of the co-leaders, Jeanne Choe-Arrieta, is a psychologist and parent of an eighth grader at Bigelow; she also has a ninth grader at NNHS. She got involved with FORJ around 2017 when she was a parent at Ward Elementary School. She is Korean-American raising bi-racial kids. She also serves as the Newton parent liaison with METCO families. A big part of what they do with FORJ is community-building. They did an event in Franklin Park in October. Without the time and effort of busy professionals like Jeanne, the Bigelow PTO would not be able to accomplish all we do. Thank you, Jeanne!

Last Saturday’s “Hot to Glow” Dance Party and Social was a HUGE success!

Many thanks to Nisa Dailey and Hai Ly for spearheading this amazing event.

Special thanks to Principal Green, Student Council Advisor Mr. Leone, Bigelow Custodian Freddie, and Student Council Members for all their help.

Finally, thank you to the MANY parents who volunteer at the dance: Laura Goldworm, Nick Burk, Amanda Frank, Dominque Fowler, Aparna Rolfe, Alex Rolfe, Mandy Carozza, Neil Donnelly, Anna Donnelly, Kelly Dakin, Christine Reid, Rodrigo Canales, Victoria Peake, Barbara Farell, Alberto Pina, Caty Maloney, Angela Trimmis, Kal Dagher, Tamara Peshkova, and Jessica Singer.

We can’t wait for the next one!

Healthy Kids Forum:  Mental Health, Use of Technology, Limit-Setting and Creating Kids with Grit and Independence

Thursday, December 12, 2024 at 6:30 pm | Oak Hill Middle School Auditorium

Please join us for a  forum hosted by the Office of Family and Community Partnerships in collaboration with NPS mental health staff, educators from preschool through high school, Newton Police safety partners, the technology department and the offices of special education and social work.

Dr. Nolin will serve as the moderator of this panel of professionals and know that you will walk away with tips for supporting healthy children and suggestions for technology use. A holiday buying guide will be shared to support our work as a community to limit cell and device use by our students. Join us!

Details about the panelists:

• Panel Moderator:  Dr. Anna Nolin, Superintendent of Schools
• Robert Greenfield, Digital Literacy Coordinator, Newton North High School and NPS parent
• Christina Maryland, Director of Communications and Office of Family Engagement
• Kathleen Browning, Director Newton Early Childhood Program
• Jesse Krotick, Coordinator of Social Work and Social Emotional Learning K-5, NPS
• Maura Tynes, Director of Special Education Prek-5 and NPS parent
• Isaiah Jellinik, School Resource Officer, Newton Police and NPS parent

There is no pre-registration required for this event.

Tickets to Saturday’s much-anticipated “Hot to Glow” Dance + Social are now available! Tickets are $10 and include a slice of pizza and a drink. Additional refreshments will be available for purchase at the event.

Pre-Sale Tickets are available via:

• Cash: In school at lunch this week
• Venmo: @BigelowPTONewton (or scan QR code on flyer below)
  • Please include student name and “dance” in the note
  • Pre-sale tickets via Venmo will be accepted until 3 pm on Saturday, 12/7.

Tickets will also be available for purchase at the door (Cash or Venmo) until 7:55 pm. No Admittance after 7:55 pm.

Parents & Caregivers: It is not too late to sign up to volunteer! We need chaperones to be able to put on this popular event!

We hope to see many of you tomorrow morning, Thursday, December 5th at 9 am, in the Bigelow library for Dr. Green’s Principal Coffee. Dr. Green will focus on curricular and programmatic updates.

Simply send your donation via Venmo to @BigelowPTONewton. Please put “Annual Fund” in the memo line.

Funds raised by the Bigelow PTO directly support many programs and services that enrich the middle school experience for all Bigelow students. A donation of $110 covers the cost of one student. A gift of any size will help support our programming goals for the 2024-25 school year.

Venmo to: @BigelowPTONewton. A big thank you to all those who have already donated! For other ways to donate, please visit: http://bigelowpto.org/donate

As we head into the long holiday weekend, we feel gratitude for our great Bigelow community! We cannot wait for our kids to enjoy more terrific grade-level events and activities, and to see caregivers, family, and friends at our upcoming dance and PTO events in the new year. Whether you’re giving time or donations or both, the Bigelow Middle School Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) is made up of all of us. And, ultimately, it’s about our kids and their education. As parents and guardians of Bigelow students, we are all members of the PTO, an organization that is well worth supporting.

Why give to the PTO?

• We underwrite programs that the Newton Public School’s budget does not cover, such as Creative Arts and Sciences and classroom technology.
• We offer field trip scholarships.
• We provide assistance to Bigelow families who have experienced unfortunate circumstances.
• We serve as an important communication channel between the school and parents.
• We help build the community that makes Bigelow a special place for our children.

Gifts to Bigelow PTO to support these important programs can be made via Venmo (@BigelowPTONewton), online, or by check (payable to Bigelow PTO).

On Monday, Bigelow teachers and staff were treated to a Giving Thanks Snack Bar. Many thanks to Laura Goldworm and Hai Ly for putting together this beautiful spread to help show our appreciation for Bigelow’s amazing teachers and staff!

Parents and Caregivers: We need you! Please sign up HERE to volunteer for the Fall Dance + Social.

Bigelow’s “Hot to Glow” Fall Dance + Social is fast approaching and we need volunteers! Parents & Caregivers, please sign up HERE and help make this popular event a success. This not-to-be missed event will be held on Saturday, December 7th and will include games, pizza, and dancing!

A big thank you to all who have donated to the PTO Annual Fundraising Drive so far!

The Annual Appeal is ongoing. A gift of any size will help the Bigelow PTO support many programs and services that benefit our students.

There are many ways to donate:

• via Venmo @BigelowPTONewton
• write a check and mail to Bigelow Middle School c/o PTO
• via the website at bigelowpto.org/donate/

Matching gifts are a great way to maximize your donation! Please consider adding Bigelow PTO to your company’s annual donation matching program, if applicable. Bigelow Middle School PTO is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization. Tax ID #20-0348453. All donations are tax deductible to the extent of the law.

DONATE NOW