Author Archives: Bigelow PTO

6th Grade Parents Potluck – Please RSVP

This year the potluck will be hosted by 6th grade parents Jennifer Tseng & Marc Sabatine + Rachel & Ron Blankstein, on Saturday, September 21st, 6:30pm. Please RSVP to Jennifer Tseng: Jennifer.Tseng@bmc.org

Please bring your own beverage(s) and if your child’s last name begins with:

A – E    Please bring a dessert
F – L     Please bring a main dish
M – R   Please bring a side dish or salad
S – Z    Please bring an appetizer

The 6th Grade Parents Potluck is a wonderful, low-key, no-stress opportunity to meet with other 6th grade parents and build a community for the next 3 years of middle school! This is an adult event. More information here.

Fall PTO Wine and Cheese

You are invited for an evening of conversation about Bigelow and the PTO! Monday, September 23, from 7 to 8:30 pm at the home of Karen and Larry Markson, 150 Hunnewell Ave. Please join us for the first PTO meeting of the year where we will discuss the 2019/2020 PTO school year and how you can get involved! Your involvement is critical to making this year a successful one, and we are so grateful for your support. Come and meet other Bigelow parents, both new and current, and enjoy a glass of wine and light appetizers! Principal Todd Harrison will update parents on the happenings at the school and PTO officers will talk about PTO events and plans for the 2019-20 year, including 8th Grade Activities. Parents are welcome to bring comments and topics of discussion or concern to the meeting. Hope to see you there!

Save the date: PoPS Meet and Greet

The PoPS would like to invite all parents of performing arts students to meet the team. Help us welcome Kevin William (drama), Cara Bergantino (music/band/orchestra) and Hannah Merchant (tech) to the community. Jamie Albert’s will also join for questions, answers, light appetizers and beverages. Wednesday, September 25⋅7:00 – 9:00pm, 155 Waverly Ave.

Bigelow needs you!

TEN Tables on November 2nd
A progressive dinner fundraiser for Parents. Appetizer Host, Dessert Host and Dinner Hosts & one Co-Chair are needed. Please contact Una Simmons una@ethannet.com for more info on this fun event. 


Big Night on March 28th
Good at throwing a party? Great! Do you want to help throw Bigelow Big Night? This is our biggest fundraiser night of the year. Let’s talk! Contact Una Simmons for more information: una@ethannet.com.

Your are invited to a Family Picnic this Wednesday

Wednesday, September 11th 5:30-7:pm
Let’s Meet & Eat at the Bigelow Gym

Come join the Bigelow students, parents and community to socialize and eat delicious food! Bring a picnic or purchase dinner from the Chik Chak Food Truck that will be back this year offering their wonderful selection of Mediterranean food. We will have tables set up to enjoy your dinner and the gym will be available for kids to play and have fun. The 8th graders will be hosting a bake sale to support their 8th Grade graduation activities so we have dessert covered for you! 

There will be a Bigelow Night Celtics ticket raffle, a banner to sign and PTO activities information. 

Please join us for the first social activity of the year! 

Get involved at Bigelow in 2019-2020

Middle School can be a great experience for parents as well. Get to know the Bigelow community better by getting involved in some of the PTO activities.

Volunteering enriches the school community: every bit of effort helps and any amount of time you can contribute to support our children, the school and our community is invaluable! Check out many opportunities HEREWe have immediate need for:

  • 8th Grade Activities Committee Chair – Consider co-chairing with another parent. Tasks can be shared among volunteers.
  • TEN Tables Co-Chair – Looking for a 6th grade parent. Una Simmons will co-chair and show how easy it is to organize this great event!
  • Big Night Chairperson – Consider co-chairing with another parent 

These are tried and true Bigelow events that need parental leadership. The PTO has structured ways of running these events and will help you, but we need leaders to be in charge, please consider chairing.

Other important roles needed are:

  • Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) Liaison – any parent whose child has an IEP or 504 plan or is otherwise receiving special education services is eligible
  • Safe Routes to School Representative – join monthly meetings with Newton Police, DPW, the Mayor’s Office, and School Committee to address obstacles to students walking/biking/taking the bus to school

At Bigelow, students have the opportunity to go outside at lunch time – and they need your help!

Laps at Lunch is going to be back this week! This is a great program designed by Bigelow to give students a daily opportunity to get outside for movement and fresh air. Bigelow is the only middle school in Newton to offer this opportunity, thanks to the commitment of educators who believe that it’s good for our students well being and their academic success, and also to the invaluable help of volunteers!!! (On a side note, Brown and Oak Hill have reached out to us to help them implement similar programs).

Parents and caregivers are needed to make this program available to our students!

Laps at Lunch 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.usMore about the program here.

News from the Bigelow Athletic Department

Cross-Country

The first practice for those who meet the requirements will begin on Wednesday 9/11/19. All other runners can begin as soon as they tum in everything. The final deadline for participating is Friday 9/13/19. Practices take place from 3:00pm-4:00/4:15pm every day except for Tuesday.

Flag Football – New sport!

Informational Meeting on Monday, September 9, 2:50pm, room 215. For all students. If there is sufficient interest, we will have a 6th grade club and a separate 7th and 8th grade club.

Before school Basketball

Now open every morning, 7:30am, for all students. 

Before school Fitness

Room is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays, at 7:30am, for all students.