Author Archives: Bigelow PTO

April School Health Newsletter

April 2014 School Health Newsletter

Newton’s school nurses are a part of the Health & Human Services Department, and during National Public Health Week, April 7 to 13, we would like to share a few stay healthy tips.

1. Healthy Eating- Choose plenty of fruits and veggies, whole grains, and low fat dairy. Select lean meats (poultry, fish) and beans for protein. Be sure to watch serving sizes! Eating together as a family when possible is a great way to develop good habits together. Ideas for fun, healthy, kid-friendly recipes can be found at www.chopchopmag.org.

2. Exercise- Exercising as a family can be fun for parents and kids. Jumping rope, playing soccer, swimming, and dancing are ways you can enjoy physical activity together. Exercising can help strengthen bones, reduce blood pressure, reduce stress and anxiety, increase self-esteem, and help with weight management. And remember, it doesn’t have to be scheduled, a spontaneous dance party in the living room does wonders for the body!

3. Hand washing- Germs can get on to your hands from almost everything you touch. Teach children to wash their hands after using the toilet, before and after eating and any other time during the day when they look or feel dirty. Modeling this behavior yourself is a great way for children to learn and keep the whole family healthy.

4. Be prepared- Emergencies can happen any day at any time. Keep your family prepared with an emergency supply kit in your home with enough of “the basics” that will last you at least three days. And make sure you and your children have a paper list of important phone numbers and addresses in your backpack, purse or wallet so everyone can get in touch easily. For more information, visit www.ready.gov.

Join the Social Media Scavenger Hunt to celebrate Public Health Week!

Follow us on Twitter (@NewtonHealth) or check us out on Facebook (Newton Health and Human Services) to follow the scavenger hunt. To participate, respond to clues provided by various Newton organizations via Twitter or on the HHS Facebook page. The scavenger hunt will run from Monday, April 7^th to Friday, April 11^th and all participants will be entered into a raffle to win one of two great prizes, yoga classes or a massage.

Stay Healthy,

Sue

QPR Training

QPR suicide prevention training will be held in Newton on April 2^nd , 7^th ~and 15^th. QPR stands for question, persuade, refer and is an educational program that teaches ordinary citizens to recognize the warning signs of suicide, offer hope and get help for those in need. To register visit www.newtonma.gov/newtoncares.

Big Night Thank you

On behalf of the Bigelow PTO Board, we would like to thank Liz Haas and Laurie Halloran for chairing this year’s Big Night. Your dedication and leadership lead to a great night and raised close to $10,000 for our children.

With great appreciation, Julie Bourgoin and Carolyn Judge, PTO Co-Presidents

and now a THANK YOU FROM OUR BIG NIGHT CO CHAIRS:

Thanks to everyone who joined us for this year’s BIG NIGHT at the Big Easy PTO Event this past weekend. It was a wonderful evening thanks to a devoted Big Night committee: Una Simmons, Leah Arteaga, Vicki Ritterband, Michelle Sparks, Stu Schecter, Heather Mehra, Sally Weylman, Sally Brickell, Jen Siegelman, Carena Cremin, Alexis Giannakopoulos, Janet Shapiro and Carolyn Judge.

As well, we thank the additional volunteers who helped us with the set up on Saturday and to ensure that the event ran smoothly: Lisbeth Ceriani, Lilian Godoy, Michele Baxter, Becky Manley, Marian McDonagh, Alison Leary, Tiana Celesia, Vicki Spector, Jacquie Arbuckle and Liz Natale

We thank Bigelow parents, Scott Gorikov and Rozz Ozer, for their generosity in sponsoring the rental of the New Art Center and to Leslie Williams and Jack Goldsmith for sponsoring the music for the evening. We also thank Village Bank for underwriting a portion of the event. And a huge thank you to all Bigelow families who donated to our auction, we so appreciate your support.

Thanks so much to our Principal Todd Harrison for all his support, and shout out to all the teachers and staff who joined us in celebrating together while we raised essential funds for the PTO.

We are so grateful to the many local businesses who donated food, beverage, or auction items that helped our evening to be special. We thank Murray’s Liquors for their contributions towards our delicious libations. We thank El Pelon Taqueria for the quesadilla bar, Russo’s for the beautiful cut vegetable platters, Antoine’s Bakery for their cookie assortments, and Buff’s Pub for amazing wings. We also thank Daryll’s Corner Bar and Kitchen for the delicious Southern food. Please show your support of these businesses.

We also want to thank the New Art Center for hosting us and to the student Jazz Band B-Block Be-Bop who played for the first hour of the evening and got our toes tapping. And a special thanks to Take 4 from Berklee School of Music who entertained for the rest of the evening with bluesy-jazzy-swingy music.

All around the evening was a huge success! Thank you to all,

Liz Haas and Laurie Halloran, 2014 Big Night Co-Chairs

Newton Serves Coordinator Needed

Newton Serves is on Sunday April 27. As part of this effort, we have identified a corridor painting project at Bigelow with Principal Harrison. We are in need of someone to lead this effort. Tasks required include purchasing the paint / other misc supplies and overseeing the work effort on April 27. We will get the volunteers to work with you. If you are interested, please contact us at bigelowbulldog@gmail.com

City of Newton needs parent/guardian input on transportation to school

Survey on How Students Get To and From School

The City of Newton and the Safe Routes to School Task Force is collecting data on how children get to and from school and why these choices are made. Your input it critical to help the city to form policies and transportation options in the coming years as well as address current issues.

The survey is designed with specific questions geared towards each school level (elementary, middle and high school). The survey will take less than 5 minutes for each school you are responding about. For parents with children at more than one school at the same level (such as having one child at Day and one at Bigelow), you are invited to complete a second survey for that child.

Please go to : https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/tofromschool to complete the survey.

Responses are anonymous. Results by school and summary information will be made available to each school to publish.

If you have any questions, concern or other information you would like to share on school transportation, please email Alicia Bowman: pedestrian@newtonma.gov

Cookie Dough Pick up this Thurs March 27

Cookie Dough Pickup is this Thursday. March 27^th, 2:45-4:30 p.m. All students who sold cookie dough should report to the cafeteria at the close of school to pick up their orders. Larger orders should be picked up by a parent prior to 4:30. This is the ONLY day for pickup and there is no storage available at the school, so please make arrangements accordingly.

Please contact Lauri Perry at Laurisperry@hotmail.com if you have any questions. Thank you.

Walk for a great cause!!

MEDA Walk at Newton North!

BOSTON — Sunday April 6, 2014 — National Eating Disorders Association’s 2^nd annual Boston NEDA Walk, themed NEDA Walk. Save a Life, in partnership with the Multiservice Eating Disorder Association will be held on Sunday, April 6 @ 10 a.m. (Registration/check-in begins at 9 a.m.) at Newton North High School, 457 Walnut St, Newton

To pre-register, visit www.nedawalk.org/boston2014 or call 212-575-6200

For more information, contact Brittany Fraser at bfraser@medainc.org

$25 per adult, $15 per student, $10 per child under 12.

The event will be featuring, Erin Gates, editor of the internationally popular design blog, Elements of Style (www.elementsofstyleblog.com) as well as music sensations, The Falk Sisters. This event is sponsored by The Village Bank, Timberline Knolls, and McLean Klarman Eating Disorders Center.

Check out the Photos from Pi Day!

Excited students and brave faculty and staff enjoy each other’s company at Pi Day 2014! In celebration of Pi Day (3/14), students buy raffle tickets and the winning ticket holders are permitted to throw pies (whipped cream or shaving cream) at the hardy teachers and staff who volunteer to be “Pied.” Raffle proceeds go to 8th grade trips.

Click here to check out the photos!

Get Your Tickets for the BIG NIGHT today

Click here to purchase your tickets for the BIG NIGHT, this coming Saturday, March 22 from 7pm-11pm at the New Art Center in Newtonville. Current, past and future Bigelow parents / guardians are all welcome! Join in the fun!

TWO live bands, food donated by El Pelon Taqueria, Buff’s, Russo’s and Antoine’s, as well as, jambalaya, catfish and other Southern favorites. Lots of great auction items and a cash bar featuring our special beverage of the evening.

PLEASE CONTACT bigelowbulldog@gmail.com if you have any questions regarding ticket purchases.

Can you spare and hour or two to help at the Big Night? We have lots of ways you can lend a hand!! Click Here to sign up today.

You can also preview our auction items by going to https://www.charityauctionorganizer.com/auction/BigelowBigNight If you can not be at the Big Night, but would like to submit a bid on an item, please email bigelowbulldog@gmail.com

BIG NIGHT Get Your Tickets Today and Auction Items Preview

Click here to purchase tickets for the BIG NIGHT this coming Saturday, March 22 from 7pm-11pm at the New Art Center in Newtonville. Current, past and future Bigelow parents / guardians are all welcome! Join in the fun!

The Big Night is the Bigelow’s PTO biggest event of the year. This year it is the BIG NIGHT. BIG EASY, a Mardi Gras themed event. It is an evening of fun, dinner / cash bar, music, friends and lots of great auction items. Best of all, it benefits our children.

ENJOY TWO live bands playing jazz, zydeco and other great music. INDULGE in food donated by El Pelon Taqueria, Buff’s, Russo’s and Antoine’s, as well as, jambalaya, catfish and other Southern favorites. BID on wonderful auction items. SIP our special signature beverage. MEET and CATCH UP with other Bigelow parents and staff.