Mr. Harrison will present information on the split-hybrid plan on Monday, October 26, 7pm-8:30pm.  The presentation will be followed by a question and answer period. The zoom webinar will be recorded and posted at a later date for those who can not attend live.

NPS is aiming to pivot from our current model to the split-hybrid model on November 16.

This meeting is for parents.  Bigelow will give presentations to the students as we get closer to the start date.

Zoom link: https://newton-k12-ma-us.zoom.us/j/87962992629
Passcode: please contact the school office at 617-559-6800 or bigelow.support@newton.k12.ma.us

If your student loves drama, there’s a lot going on at Bigelow this fall! Acting workshops, tech workshops, playwriting workshops- we have something for all students 4 days a week from 4-5 on zoom. Details here.

If that’s not enough, on Sat., Nov. 7, Bigelow drama students can join kids from around the state for the Massachusetts Educational Theatre Guild’s annual middle school workshop day, featuring guest clinician (and Bigelow Drama alum) Skylar Fox! Sign up here.

From the Principal’s Office:

These are challenging times for you and your children. Over the past few months, students have experienced significant disruptions in their lives with many implications for their social, emotional and academic health and development.

As we all return to school this fall, we are working hard to make sure the programs and supports we have in place meet the needs of our students and families. In our effort to foster a stronger partnership and more effective communication between school and home, we would like your help answering the questions on the linked survey. The information you provide will help us identify and develop the resources needed to support each student’s social, emotional and academic needs. The information we gather will be accessible to counselors and school based support staff who are responsible for supporting the social-emotional wellness of our students.

Social-Emotional-Academic Survey

As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your child’s guidance counselor or me if you have any questions about the survey. Thanks.

Todd Harrison, Bigelow Principal

Take a look at the Bigelow PTO online store for face masks, t-shirts, hoodies and sweatpants.

Online orders will remain open until Friday, October 30th.
Items will be distributed at the Bigelow parking lot in November. Dates and times to be announced.

Thank you to the Bigelow Student Council for the support and logo design!

SHOP BULLDOG

All funds raised by this sale will go towards supporting Bigelow students and school, including performing arts, technology, literature and cultural events. Check out here: What the PTO Supports

  and more…

A reminder that Bigelow’s Virtual Back To School Nights will be held this week on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings, October 20-22. All presentations by teachers will take place online in zoom meetings. Here is a brief overview of the schedule:

Tuesday, Oct 20

• 7-8pm. Grade 6: Team teachers, special educators, and ELL teacher
• 8-9pm. All Grades: World Language, Literacy Lab, ELL (in-person cohort C), and Library

Wednesday, Oct 21

• 7-8pm. Grade 7: Team teachers, special educators, and ELL teacher
• 8-9:10pm. All Grades: FAA Teachers, and Band/Chorus/Orchestra directors

Thursday, Oct 22

• 6:30-7pm. METCO: parents meet and greet
• 7-8pm. Grade 8: Team teachers, special educators, and ELL teacher
• 8-8:45pm. All Grades: Physical Education teachers

Here are detailed schedules with zoom links and passwords for the evening: Tuesday, Oct 20, Wednesday, Oct 21, Thursday, Oct 22

• Here is a Youtube video with closed captions that demonstrates how to read this schedule and determine your child’s classes to attend.
• Here is the powerpoint shown in the Youtube video that explains how to make your personalized BTSN schedule.
• If you have any trouble with the links during the evening, please email bigelow.support@newton.k12.ma.us

Due to the brevity of the zoom sessions, Back To School Nights are not an opportunity for individual conferences with teachers.  For an individual meeting, please email your child’s guidance counselor.

Mr. Harrison will be hosting a Q&A event about the hybrid model on October 26. If you have questions about this next model, which Bigelow hopes to implement in mid-November, please bring them to the October 26 meeting. The meeting will be recorded and posted if you can not make it.

Hope to see you at our Back To School Nights next week!

As you know, an annual event for the PTO is Ten Tables, a progressive dinner hosted by a number of Bigelow families in early November. This event is not only an important fundraiser for the PTO, but also one of the highlights of our social calendar.

We know we cannot hold our traditional Ten Tables this year, so we are reimagining what it can look like. So next month, toward the end of November or the first week of December, we would like to host Ten Dinners over the course of a week. We are hoping that 10 Bigelow families will prepare (or buy) a three course dinner which Bigelow families will purchase. In keeping with the spirit of Ten Tables, we hope to have theme dinners such as “Nights of Arabia” and “Memphis BBQ.” Families will sign up to offer the meals and we would then have families purchase them.

We are looking for a Chair to oversee this event, along with our help from the PTO Board!

Please contact us at bigelowbulldog@gmail.com if you are interested and would like to be part of what will be a fun event!

From the nurse’s office:

Daily Health Assessment

• Please be sure you’re completing the Daily Health Assessment with your child each morning. This is one of the COVID-19 prevention pillars that if followed, will help to reduce the risk of COVID-19 and allow the hybrid learning model to continue. Consider posting it in your home where you exit so you don’t forget.
  • Use a thermometer to take your child’s temperature each morning. Do not come to school if your child’s temperature is above 100 degrees F.
  • If you’re having difficulty obtaining a thermometer, check with your child’s school nurse.
  • If your child has difficulty tolerating an oral thermometer, consider a touchless model.
• If your child is staying home from school due to COVID-19 related symptoms, please call the school nurse in addition to checking in with your child’s healthcare provider about next steps.
• If your child has COVID-19 related symptoms, to return to school s/he will need either a negative COVID-19 test (PCR preferred, antigen ok, antibody not accepted) or a written alternative diagnosis from a healthcare provider. School nurses are available to help answer questions. Please reach out if your child has symptoms.

Flu Vaccine

• Flu shots: All students (even those learning remotely) must have a flu shot by 12/31/20, as required by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. If your family is having difficulty obtaining a flu vaccine, please check www.newtonma.gov/flu for a list of resources. Be sure your child’s school nurse has documentation of your child’s flu vaccine.

Medication at School

•  Please note that regular rules apply for medication administration at school.  All medications require a signed parent permission form and a written medication order by a prescriber.  The form to use can be found here http://www.newtonma.gov/civicax/filebank/documents/70889
• Students cannot transport medication.  Contact the school nurse to arrange medication drop off.

Sue Schy, RN, MSN
Bigelow School Nurse
(617) 552-7746

Calling all writers, actors, artists, builders, and techies! Bigelow Drama is now in full swing! 4-5 every day except Wednesdays, no sign up needed, open to all students in all grades. Whether your student is interested in acting, tech, or playwriting, movies or plays or musicals, there’s something for everyone! Check out our full schedule and more information at http://bigelowdrama.weebly.com/fall-2020.html

If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Alberts, Drama coordinator: Jaime_Alberts@newton.k12.ma.us

Dear Bigelow Community,

We are looking for a volunteer to help the PTO with our annual tax filings. If you are an accountant or lawyer specializing in taxes, we would greatly appreciate your assistance. Thank you!

Bigelow PTO Board