Category Archives: Community Notes

Next Level Up Tutoring

Next Level Up Tutoring has been providing tutors and academic coaches to Newton students since 2009. Next Level Up worksclosely with families to ensure that their students receive high quality, individualized academic support and enrichment.

Tutors can work with any age student in all levels of Math, Science, and Writing. Next Level Up strivea to accommodate the myriad schedule requests within today’s families’ dynamics, and will respond quickly to every inquiry.

Call 781-540-1123 or email for more information or visit Next Level Up online at www.nextleveluptutoring.com

The post Next Level Up Tutoring appeared first on Newton PTO Council.

Register for Heartbreak Hill Road Race & Walk

Spring is just around the corner (yes, it’s true!) – and it’s time to start dusting off those running (or walking) shoes!

Registration is now open for the 23rd annual Heartbreak Hill Road Race and Family Walk, a perfect way to shake off some of that cabin fever! Not a runner? Everyone can walk the course at 11:30am.

Sunday, April 19
noon – 3:30pm
Newton City Hall

Every runner receives an official digital-clock time, a race medallion, goody bag and a free ticket to the pre-race pasta party at Newton City Hall on Saturday, April 18th.

The 1st, 2nd & 3rd place runners in each category win a trophy! There are free games and activities organized by Steve DeMasco’s Shaolin Studios of Wellesley and the Lasell College Special Events students. Register now at the Newton Community Pride website. The first 500 registrations receive a free t-shirt.

The post Register for Heartbreak Hill Road Race & Walk appeared first on Newton PTO Council.

Global Leadership Benefit Dinner coming soon

Global Leadership Education Fund (GELF) Benefit Dinner

Change students’ lives by joining Newton community members for chef’s favorites, wine, and live entertainment to support lower-income Newton students in taking advantage of international opportunities.

Come for food, fun, and more:

Five course gourmet tasting menu prepared by Chef Katya Salkever, including tropical shellfish ceviche, balsamic-braised short ribs, & more!
Live music by Newton South’s very own Katani Sumner and band
Fine wines & beers carefully selected to accompany each course
Live auction
Excellent company (150 of the coolest members of our community!)
A great cause: Opening up travel opportunities to Newton students regardless of background

Since its inception, GELF has funded more than 160 students for international travel and given away more than $170,000 in scholarships. This year alone GELF has funded nearly $34,000 in grants to 19 students for 7 different international trips.

Reserve your seat today by clicking here or you may send a $150/person check (made payable to Newton Schools Foundation) to: Newton Schools Foundation, 246 Dudley Road, Newton Centre, MA 02459.

Please write GELF on the memo line of your check and include guest names and your email address. Whether you are coming or not, please consider donating to support a teacher to attend the event ($100/person) or just mail a check to the address above.

March 21st, 6:30 pm
Newton North High School

The post Global Leadership Benefit Dinner coming soon appeared first on Newton PTO Council.

Historic Newton programs in March

COMMUNITY WEEKEND AT HISTORIC NEWTON
Saturday and Sunday, March 7 and 8

Newton residents are invited to enjoy free admission to both our museums. At the Durant-Kenrick House and Grounds, 286 Waverley Avenue 10:00 AM-4:00 PM AND the Jackson Homestead and Museum, 527 Washington Street Noon-5:00 PM.

HISTORIC NEWTON BOOK CLUB MEETING
Thursday, March 19, 7:30 PM

Offering a nuanced understanding of the American Revolution from the British point of view, this month’s selection is The Men Who Lost America: British Leadership, the American Revolution and the Fate of the Empire, by Andrew Jackson O’Shaughnessy. Contrary to familiar stereotypes, he suggests the loss of the American colonies and was not because British leaders were blundering incompetents. Quite the contrary, they were astute and capable, and in some instances brilliant strategists. The book has won numerous prizes, including the George Washington Book Prize, where the jury praised the book as “a major contribution to the history of the American Revolution.” The book club is free and open to the public; new members are always welcome. At the Jackson Homestead and Museum, 527 Washington Street.

CONFLICT AND TRANSFORMATION: LIFE IN A 19TH CENTURY TOWN
Tuesday, March 24, 7:00 PM (rescheduled from February 10)

We sometimes romanticize New England towns in the first decades of the 19th century as peaceful, bucolic havens — they were not. In this talk, public historian and independent scholar Mary Babson Fuhrer will discuss the remarkable stories of conflict and transformation that reshaped local communities in the decades leading up to the Civil War. The diaries, letters, and account books she draws on form the basis of her recent book, Crisis of Community: Trials and Transformation of a New England Town, 1815-1848. At the Durant-Kenrick House and Grounds, 286 Waverley Avenue, Newton 02458. Free.

A CITY OF VILLAGES-THE 2015 NEWTON HISTORY SERIES
Thursday, March 26, 7:00 PM

Discover Historic Nonantum: A Village of Traditions
Nonantum residents Terry Sauro, Lois Dominique, and Alderman Alison Leary will present an overview of their village’s historic sites, traditions and notable persons. Join them in exploring the cultural events and traditions that make Nonantum unique among Newton’s 13 villages, including the Saint Mary of Carmen Festival, the Coletti-Magni park lighting and the notable shops that run along the Village Center. Co-Sponsored by Historic Newton and the Newton Free Library. At the Newton Free Library, 330 Homer Street. Free.

The post Historic Newton programs in March appeared first on Newton PTO Council.

NCE Summer Programs for Middle Schoolers

Newton Community Education is offering several great programs for middle schoolers this summer including:

Darkroom Photography,
Phys Ed Favorites,
Power Programmers,
Draw & Build Architecture Studio,
Web Design,
Felt & Fabric Fiber Art,
Glass Class,
Picture Perfect, and more.

For our week-by-week summer calendar, see the summer-at-a-glance flyer. To learn more about our summer programs, or to register, visit Newton Community Education online or call 617-559-6999.

The post NCE Summer Programs for Middle Schoolers appeared first on Newton PTO Council.

Race, Sport & Society: The 19th Century Bicycling Craze

RACE, SPORT, AND SOCIETY: THE 19TH CENTURY BICYCLING CRAZE
Tuesday, March 3 (rescheduled from February 3)
7:00 PM
Durant-Kenrick House and Grounds, 286 Waverley Avenue.

From 1877 to 1896, the popularity of bicycles increased exponentially, and Newton was in on it from the start with popular destinations such as Norumbega, Chestnut Hill, Echo Bridge, and the Woodland Park Hotel.

Join Lorenz J. Finison in exploring the rise of Boston-area cycling through the lives of several participants, including Kittie Knox, a biracial twenty-year-old seamstress; Joseph Gardner Holmes, a Nonantum resident and a member of the all-black Bicycle Corps of the Sixth Massachusetts Volunteer Militia; and Abbot Bassett, a Newtonville resident and vocal cycling advocate for forty years.

In this free lecture, Finison will discuss the challenges facing these riders in a time of segregation, increased immigration, and debates about the rights of women.

The post Race, Sport & Society: The 19th Century Bicycling Craze appeared first on Newton PTO Council.

Learn about Newton’s First Village, Feb. 26

Newton’s main village center at the time of the City’s founding in 1688, and always a vital thoroughfare for traffic from Boston to the west, Newton Corner expanded again in the 1860s due to the railroad. A century later, the village’s commercial center was largely demolished to make way for the Turnpike extension.

Join Newton Corner residents Jay Walter and Keith Jones to learn about this area’s progression from rural farmland to commuter suburb, including the history of Farlow Park and the current efforts to restore it.

Thursday, February 26
7:00 PM
Newton Free Library, 330 Homer St.

Program is part of the 2015 Newton History Series, A City of Villages. Free and open to all. Co-sponsored by Historic Newton and the Newton Free Library.

The post Learn about Newton’s First Village, Feb. 26 appeared first on Newton PTO Council.

Register before February 28th

Newton Girls Softball, a recreational league for Newton girls in grades K-7, welcomes players of all skill levels. The league is committed to providing an experience that fosters positive self-esteem, team spirit, and individual growth through personal achievement and as a team member.

The league is excited to be expanding to include Kindergarten girls this spring. The brand new Kindergarten T-Ball program begins May 2nd.

February 28th is the last date to register for softball with guaranteed placement and pair-me-with requests (after February 28th, players will be placed on wait list without “pair-me-with” rights). For more information and to register, please visit www.newtongirlssoftball.org.

The post Register before February 28th appeared first on Newton PTO Council.

Hey Kids – It’s Time to Act Out!

Newton Freelance Troupe AUDITIONS ON MONDAY, February 23rd!

Due to numerous school cancellations ALL auditions for the Newton Freelance Troupe will be held THIS COMING MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23rd. Everyone is encouraged to join!
The NEWTON FREELANCE TROUPE is for children ages 8-12 of all experience levels. The Troupe produces one original musical each season, with rehearsals on Monday afternoons at Grace Church, 3:30 – 5:45 pm.

Physical and vocal techniques, drama improvisation, dance, auditioning, and singing are part of the rehearsal process. Theater professionals staff the company. The programs are tuition based and some financial assistance is available, by arrangement.
For more information or to schedule a first call Kippy Dewey at 617-274-6065. The Freelance Players, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Visit www.freelanceplayers.org for additional information.

Tryouts on February 23rd, 3:30 – 5:45 pm
Grace Episcopal Church
76 Eldredge Street, Newton

The post Hey Kids – It’s Time to Act Out! appeared first on Newton PTO Council.

Youth Coffeehouse Benefit

The annual Youth Coffeehouse at the First Unitarian Society in Newton is coming up soon. This event, featuring and organized by students from Newton North and Newton South High Schools, is a benefit for vulnerable children in Africa. The coffeehouse begins at 7:00 with acoustic and comedy acts. After the intermission at 9:00, a number of live bands will perform.

All proceeds from ticket sales, snacks, t shirts, and crafts from Zambia are donated to Communities Without Borders (CWB), a non-profit organization that supports the education and well-being of AIDS orphans and vulnerable children living in and around Lusaka, Zambia.

Tickets are $13.00 for adults and $7.00 for students, although additional donations are welcome. For more information please visit: www.fusn.org/content/coffeehouse or call 617- 527-3203.

March 7th, 7:00 – 11:00 pm
1326 Washington Street, West Newton

The post Youth Coffeehouse Benefit appeared first on Newton PTO Council.