Category Archives: Education/Enrichment

Children’s Book Fair, Dec. 15

Don’t miss the Newton Community Service Center’s Book Fair,
December 15, 9am – 1pm.

Books and gifts for ages infant to 5 years. Activities for children of all ages. Featuring books from Scholastic, Inc.

Entertain your children while you shop:

– sing with Hugh Hanley 9:30-10:30,
– Big Joe the Storyteller 10:45-11:45,
– Newton Fire Truck 10:00- 11:00,
– Puppet Making with Puppet Showplace Theatre 10:00-1:00

Proceeds benefit the early education and child care programs at Newton Community Service Center, 492 Waltham Street, West Newton. Open to the public.

For more information: 617-969-5906 or info@ncscweb.org.

Basic Rights In Special Education: Workshop for Parents & Professionals, Dec 13

This free Basic Rights workshop provides families with an introduction to their rights and responsibilities under: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Massachusetts Special Education Law and No Child Left Behind (NCLB).

This workshop is designed to help parents learn to be effective partners with their child’s school to decide their child’s eligibility for special education, and to plan, make decisions and monitor their child’s progress in school.

Thursday, Dec. 13
9:00 to 11:00 AM
Room 304, 100 Walnut Street, Newtonville

Questions about the meeting can be directed by email to Eileen and Lisa at the Newton Parent Advisory Council.

Newton Parent Advisory Council (NewtonPAC) for Special Education meetings are free and open to all people interested in learning more about special education.

 

Dec. Vacation at Arsenal Center for the Arts

The Arsenal Center for the Arts in Watertown offers December Vacation Art Workshops from Dec. 26 – 28 for two age groups: 5 & 6 year olds and 7-10 year olds.

Focusing on the theme of the Great Artists, children will look at reproductions of work by famous artists (Van Gogh, Picasso, Monet and Calder) and use them for creative inspiration.

Full or half-day options available.
Morning classes run from 9:30am – Noon. Afternoon classes run from 12:30 – 3pm. Supervised lunch and extended day options are available.

For class descriptions, visit our website or call 617-923-0100, ext. 309.

Seeking middle school cast members for The Pajama Game

Watertown Children’s Theatre (WCT) is currently enrolling for its winter production of The Pajama Game, the Tony-award winning musical-comedy.  In today’s challenging economic climate, enjoy this romantic comedy  that centers around the battle between labor and management over an all important seven-and-a-half cent raise for the workers of the Sleep-Tite Pajama Factory!

From retro-costuming, classic vocal numbers and Broadway-based choreography, this production is sure to educate, enlighten, and entertain.

Open to Grades 5-9, this musical features familiar songs like “Hernando’s Hideaway” and dance numbers like “Steam Heat” that will bring parents and audience members back to the Golden Age of musicals.  A strong ensemble cast ensures that there will be fun for everyone who participates in this classic show, recently revived on Broadway.  Orientation begins December 2, so register your child now for a winter full of musical theatre fun!

For more information and registration details, visit the WCT website.

Mother-Daughter Book Club at Newton Free Library

Join us in the teen area for our bi-monthly Mother-Daughter Book Club. This month we’re discussing Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys. For daughters ages 12-15 and mothers of any age.

Wednesday, November 28
7:30 pm
Newton Free Library Teen Area, 2nd floor

To sign-up please call Liz, the Teen Librarian, at 614-796-1389 or send an email letting her know you’ll attend. If you can’t attend this week, ask to be put on the email list for future gatherings.

Historic Newton Book Club — all welcome

Join us for a discussion of the next selection of Historic Newton’s book club, American Colossus by H. W. Brands.

Thursday, Nov. 19, 7:30pm
Jackson Homestead & Museum, 527 Washington St., Newton

In his story of the economic transformation of American society after the Civil War, Brands provides a rounded and largely fair portrait of the capitalists and the world they made. As a New York Times review observed: “Brands, a terrific writer who commands his material, handles this sprawling, complicated story with authority and panache… as close as serious history gets to a page turner.”

The book club is free and new members are always welcome.

Learn about Funding through Community Preservation Act

“What Can Be Funded?” a public question-and-answer session for Newton’s new Community Preservation Act grant guidelines, will be held Thursday November 29, 7 pm, at the Newton Free Library.

Come find out if your project idea is eligible under the recently amended Community Preservation Act & the new Funding Guidelines just adopted by Newton’s Community Preservation Committee.

We’ll also have birthday cake and historic maps & photos from our year of “Happy 10th, Newton CPA!” neighborhood birthday parties. For event details & the full new funding guidelines, visit the Newton Community Preservation Committee’s home page or contact Community Preservation Program Manager Alice Ingerson via email.

Basic Rights in Special Education, Nov. 27

Learn your rights as the parent of a child receiving special education services. Daniel Ahearn, Esq., director of the Landmark School Outreach Program and former director of the Massachusetts Board of Special Education Appeals, will present an overview state and federal special education regulations including new anti-bullying regulations, new transition guidance and autism insurance law.

Nov. 27 at 7:30pm
The Education Center
100 Walnut Street, room 210

Networking and light refreshments beginning at 7:15 pm. All Newton Parent Advisory Council for Special Education meetings are free and open to the public.