Category Archives: Community Notes

Blood Drive to Benefit the Jimmy Fund & Dana-Farber

Boy Scout Troop 205 will be hosting a blood drive as a part of an Eagle Scout project for one of the scouts. The project will help benefit Kraft Blood Donor Services and patients at Dana-Farber and the Jimmy Fund. The scout organizing the drive was diagnosed with leukemia when he was one year old and is now over 10 years cancer-free and in a position to give back to the people who gave so much to him.

To donate (donors must be 17 years or older), you can simply come to the MacKenzie Center between 9:00 am and 3:00 pm, but if you prefer to schedule an appointment in advance, please use this link tinyurl.com/BishopMac2018. Donors will receive a Kraft Family Blood Donor Center blanket!

November 10th, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Bishop MacKenzie Center Parking lot, 1337 Centre Street, Newton

Math Festival and Open House

Come and learn more about Studio of Engaging Math’s programs. Play games, do STEM activities, solve puzzles, and win prizes! Check out robotics, coding, and chess classes as well. See https://www.facebook.com/events/333915890498710/

Studio of Engaging Math is a pre-K-8 after-school math program. Their mission is to cultivate students’ appreciation of mathematics by fostering intellectual curiosity, critical and logical thinking, spatial reasoning and problem-solving skills to build student confidence and self-esteem. They emphasize creativity, original thinking and reasoning over memorization. A small group setting with curriculum that is tailored for students of various levels creates positive attitude about math and redefines math learning experience.

November 11th, 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
Studio of Engaging Math
320 Washington Street, Suite 301, Brighton

Waban Library Center Kids’ Book Club!

Join the next WLC Kids’ Book Club!  The next book will be A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban.

This program is a monthly book club for elementary school kids. An adult should accompany each child, BOTH of whom have read the book and are ready to participate. The book will be aimed at about a third grade reading level. However, elementary school students from any grade are welcome to join. (The child can either read the book on their own or have it read to them.)

There is no commitment to attend every month, just come when your schedule allows. At the end of the meeting the group who is there will choose the next book. Please contact Alison Corkery at alison.corkery@gmail.com with any questions.

Refreshments will be served. See you at the library!

November 19th, 6:30 pm
1608 Beacon St, Waban

Newton Community Preservation Committee meeting November 13th

The Community Preservation Committee’s agenda includes discussions of a pre-proposal for supplemental funding of the Allen House historic rehabilitation project in West Newton; a partial return of unspent funds and planning a change of purpose for the Homebuyer Assistance program; and potential future proposals for listing in the Community Preservation Plan.

The program website, www.newtonma.gov/cpa, includes the full agenda and pre-meeting packet. For assistance, contact Alice Ingerson at aingerson@newtonma.gov or 617-796-1144.

November 13th, 7:00 pm
Newton City Hall, Room 204

Newton Power Choice

What is Newton Power Choice and how can you impact the City’s decisions about your energy sources?  Come learn with LWVN!

The City of Newton is developing a new electricity program, called Newton Power Choice.  It will increase the amount of renewable energy in your electricity supply.  How much renewable energy do you think the City should include in its energy contracts?  And how much would you be willing to pay for cleaner energy?

Join members of the League of Women Voters of Newton (LWVN) to hear about this electricity aggregation program and the impact it will have on our community’s efforts to address climate change.  RSVPs to info@lwvnewton.org are appreciated!

November 15th.,  8:00 – 9:30 am
Durant-Kenrick House, 286 Waverley Ave, Newton

For more information on Newton Power Choice, go to www.newtonpowerchoice.com.

Bringing families together at the Newton Family Conference

The 2018 Newton Family Conference to be held on Saturday, December 1st,  1:00 – 4:00 pm at Newton North High School. The goal of the conference is to build relationships between families of color and white families within the district, advance dialogue around issues of race, culture, and identity and create opportunities for families within NPS to connect.

Participants will attend workshops on “Courageous Conversations About Race” facilitated by NPS trained facilitators. These sessions will be similar to the workshops in which Newton faculty and staff are participating.

The Family Conference is one way in which the Newton Public School District is seeking to create culturally responsive school communities with equity and excellence for all.

Please RSVP at https://2018familyconference.eventbrite.com. (limited childcare is available.)

Help needed

Family needs a “big sister” to supervise and drive (car will be provided if you have a license and insurance) their 12 year old daughter 3 days a week.  Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:30 or 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm and Tuesdays at 2:30 pm for just a drive to an activity. They’ll be as flexible as possible for the right candidate.

If interested in learning more, please text Pinar  at 617-957-7123.

Think Spring! Think Softball!

Registration is opening next week for Newton Girls Softball (NGS), a recreational league for Newton girls (residents or girls who attend Newton Schools) in grades K-7.

The league welcomes players of all skill levels and will provide your daughter with an experience that fosters positive self-esteem, team spirit, and individual growth through personal achievement and as a team member. Players have fun, make new friends, and enjoy a healthy outdoor activity.

For more information and to register starting November 11th, please visit www.newtongirlssoftball.org.