Dear families, colleagues, and friends,
Thank you for waiting patiently for 10 extra weeks. The wait was worth it. Elijah did an amazing job editing footage from our final dress, and next Friday we can finally share it with you! See the fancy trailer Elijah made below and GET HYPED! We’ll see you next Friday at Newton North TV!

Watch Twelfth Night: The Musical: THE MOVIE on Friday, May 22 at 7pm! Here’s a Sneak Peek, produced by Elijah Taylor, Major 2 NNTV ©2020.

Best,
Ms A, Ms Mo, Ms Merchant

The Bigelow Middle School Drama Cast have put on a performance for the small screen. The Covid-19 pandemic lead to the closure of Newton Public Schools, but that didn’t stop the cast & crew from putting on a show. William Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” truly was the best fit for a this middle school stage performance to be adapted for the small screen. The gender-fluid comedy focuses on a shipwrecked female, Viola (Maya Lucas), finds herself in the nonsensical land of Illyria while looking for her twin brother, Sebastian (Arnav Travers), who was also present on the ship. While in Illyria, Viola seeks to work for the Duke Orsino (Parker Mace) who pursues an interest in the Countess Olivia (Charlotte Davis). Throughout the play progresses, Viola finds herself in unbarring situations among the Duke, Countess, and the other varlets of Illyria, as she attempts to live a false persona. This is one show you do not want to miss! Premieres May 22, 2020 7:00PM EST on Newton North TV.

This is a great opportunity to get involved, stay connected with our Bigelow community, get to know teachers, staff and families from other schools! Parents and guardians from all grades may join! We especially welcome incoming 6th grades to participate and learn more about middle school.

Please throw your hat in the ring by Wednesday, May 27th so we can prepare a slate to be voted by all parents on Tuesday, Jun 2, 2020. (Save the date!)

We have several PTO Board roles open for next year and we would love to have representation from all feeder schools. Check out ALL the positions HERE.

• Co-President (1): Rotating leaders who are accountable for the success of the PTO
• Vice President (1): Work with board and committee chairs to coordinate fundraising activities
• Creative Arts & Sciences (2): Help enrich the curriculum by planning cultural events for the student body
• Back to School Picnic (2): Coordinate the family picnic at Burr Park (September)
• 6th Grade Potluck (2): Host the 6th grade community “getting to know you” event (September)
• Ten Tables (1): Organize our Progressive Dinner fundraiser (October-November)
• Nominating Committee (5): Look for new PTO board and committee members. There are 5 members: the chair and the feeder schools representatives: Mason Rice, Lincoln Eliot, Underwood, Ward
• SEPAC Liaison (1): Work with the volunteer organization of parents of children with disabilities in Newton
• Safe Routes to School Liaison (1): Work with the volunteer organization that encourages walking, biking and taking the bus to school.

Yes, I want to get involved

On Tuesday, June 2nd, 7pm-8pm the Bigelow PTO will present the 2020/21 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 all PTO members: Bigelow parents, guardians, teachers, staff, and YOU. 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 2020/21, you are encouraged to join the board or one of the committees. Just send us a message at bigelowbulldog@gmail.com.

Dear Bigelow Parents,

I hope you are well.

If you haven’t had a chance to view the music video made by Bigelow staff that I emailed to your children this morning, please do so.  As the music and signs convey, we miss seeing your children in person, and want to send our words of encouragement to them.   We know how hard this long disruption has been for them, so I hope the video gives them a lift.  Here is the link:  Bigelow Music Video

Although we still have many details to work out, I want to give you preliminary information about plans so far for the end of the school year.

Graduation

A virtual eighth grade graduation ceremony will take place on the morning of Thursday, June 18.  The NPS middle schools and high schools are working with Grad Caster by Dynamic Videocasting to produce a professional, high quality, pre-recorded, live- streamed graduation program.  This video will showcase many of the features of a typical Bigelow graduation ceremony.  There will be remarks by myself and a staff member, thoughtful speeches by selected eighth graders, beautiful artwork by students, moving music by members of the chorus, and individual recognition for each 8th grade student–all in an online format.  Because it is online, all members of the Bigelow community–sixth, seventh, and eighth graders, all staff, and family near and far–can view it, either livestreamed on June 18 or at any time afterwards on the Bigelow website. An individual certificate and mementos for each eighth grader will be mailed home as well.

We can not recreate the communal affections and embrace of the real event, but we want to give our eighth graders a special experience that can be shared with their immediate family nonetheless.   More information about the specific time of the event on the morning of June 18 will be forthcoming.  We will also send directions for how students, with your help, will each record and submit a five-second pre-recorded individual video image of themselves “crossing the threshold” as their name is announced.

Locker Belongings

In addition, we are making plans to return students’ locker belongings to parents in mid-June.  Using the homebase teachers’ locker lists, I will work with our custodians to identify and unlock each student’s locker. The contents (minus any “ripe” food) will be bagged and labelled.  Then, we will have a grocery-store style curb-side pick-up.   Following a schedule according to homeroom, parents will drive-thru the Bigelow parking lot and receive their child’s bag. This will also be an opportunity to pick up Bigelow clothing if your child ordered any earlier this year, and for your child to return any text books or library books from home. No date has been set for this pick-up yet, and there may be changes to this tentative plan as we figure out the details.  I will keep you informed.

Online Auction

Finally, if you haven’t checked out the PTO’s online auction yet, please do so. There is a dazzling array of items donated by parents and caregivers. Many are favorite items, restaurants and services offered by local businesses, and are available to the highest bidder. You can also make a money donation. This is a great way to remotely purchase a special gift for yourself or a loved one, AND to support the school.  More information can be found at the PTO website: BigelowPTO.org

Please say hi to your children for me.  Be safe. Be strong. And be Bigelow 3.0!

Best regards,

Todd

Newton Public Schools, in collaboration with Newton Health and Human Services, is providing a support phone number for families with children enrolled in our schools. This service is staffed by Newton Public Schools counselors and is designed to support families experiencing food scarcity, housing scarcity, domestic or substance abuse, and other mental health struggles exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The phone number, 617-559-6021, is answered live M-F from 8 am – 3 pm and is equipped with voicemail.

You are the GOAT!

Dolly Parton Sponsors	Garth Brooks Sponsors
The Ackerman Family The Markson Family The O’Dwyer Family	The Andrews Family The Britt-Webb Family The Hicks Family

Check out all the clubs’ meeting times, descriptions, and Schoology groups HERE. For security reasons, your child MUST be logged onto the Newton Public Schools Google Account to join them.

This list and more details can also be found on the Bigelow website under “Clubs.”