Category Archives: Community Notes

Upcoming Fitness Event!

Who doesn’t love a great giveaway? Spinbox in Newton has teamed up with performance fashion retailer Carbon38 to give away a $100.00 gift card after class on February 8th! Come join Zervas Mom, Karen Burzdak’s class at 9:15 for an epic Spinbox workout. This event is capped at 40 Spinbox is located at 978 Watertown Street, West Newton. participants so signup soon to make sure you get a spot!

Spinbox is an energizing, empowering and fun workout with 30 minutes on the bikes and 30 minutes on the bags. You can sign up for special February promotions at www.spinboxnewton.net. Bring sneakers or spin shoes, gloves, and wraps if you have them, if not they’re available for rent in the studio.

Email kburzdak@gmail.com or follow her on Instagram @hanulife for more information.

978 Watertown Street, West Newton

ASA Hoops February Vacation Clinic

ASA Hoops is hosting a school vacation basketball clinic for boys and girls ages 7-15. This is a great way to improve one’s skills while in a fun and competitive environment.

Space is limited and registration is open. Click Here for more information and email Coachb@asahoops.com for additional questions.

February 17th – 21st
Brown Middle School

ActiveMinds has 2020 vision!

Let ActiveMinds help your child achieve clarity in their studies.

• IN-HOME tutoring that is effective and personalized
• Serving Newton and surrounding towns for the past 13 years
• Offering all academic subjects, executive functioning strategies, and standardized test prep (SAT/ACT, ISEE, SSAT)

Contact ActiveMinds to learn more about their experienced tutors at 617-227-2225 or  info@activemindstutoring.com or visit http://www.activemindstutoring.com/testimonials.html

¡Hola! Spanish tutoring available

Libby Sands is an experienced Spanish teacher (certified & licensed in grades 5-12) and Newton mom with a love of the Spanish language. She provides tailored, expert tutoring in grammar, literature, writing, and conversation at all levels. Libby’s well acquainted with the NPS Spanish curriculum. If your student is struggling, she would be happy to help and offers flexible scheduling to fit families’ busy calendars. References available.. Contact her at libby@libbysands.com or 617- 256-4780.

Learn to play the piano

Gloria Jasinski has a Bachelor of Music in Composition from Berklee College of Music, a Master of Music in Jazz Studies from New England Conservatory and 30+ years of teaching experience.

You can learn Jazz/Blues/Classical, theory, and sightreading and build a high quality musical foundation with a patient, upbeat, and caring instructor. Beginners especially welcome. Have a positive and successful learning experience. Phone 617-566-9704 or email piano566@comcast.net.

School Committee Update

Dear Friends,

This update is for the 1/13/2020 Newton School Committee meeting:

Special Meeting – SC Members OML Training

  • School Committee Training conducted by members of the City of Newton Law Department on the Open Meeting Law.

Superintendent Update

  • We have reached the halfway point of the school year.
  • NPS students shined at the annual MLK Day Celebration.
  • The Governor just unveiled the state’s budget, which includes 355 million dollars for education.  The newly implemented Student Opportunity Act resulted in approximately 85% of those funds going to 35% of the districts.  State aid to NPS was $787,000.
  • Mayor Fuller pointed out that Newton received less than our anticipated state aid (an approximately $400,000 differential) and that the City of Newton was absorbing the difference.
  • The Massachusetts Senate and House still need to deliberate so there is a chance these numbers will change.

Discussions/Updates

  • Enrollment Planning and Class Size Report:  Presented by Liam Hurley, Assistant Superintendent/ Chief Financial & Administrative Officer and Katy Hogue, District Student Data Manager.
    • The purpose of this report is to:
      • Support enrollment planning for the upcoming school year.
      • Highlight capacity concerns & opportunities in next 5 years.
      • Guide use of resources in budget process.
      • Guide long-range planning
    • Highlights of the presentation included:
    • Elementary School:
      • Average class size down.
      • Percent of classes with 25 or more students is down (2%).
      • 5-year enrollment projections to decrease by 277 students.
    • Middle School:
      • Large grade cohorts arrive and move on to high school in next 5 years.
        • Projected # of teams increase next year, remain stable and then decrease in FY24 and FY25.
    • High School:
      • Both schools projected over 2,100 students over the next 5 years.
      • Enrollment to stay elevated until larger cohorts start graduating in 2026-27.
  • Literature and Diversity Update: Presented by Mary Eich, Assistant Superintendent for Teaching & Learning, Brian Baron, Newton South High School English Department Head, Melissa Dilworth, Newton North High School English Department Head, Eileen Keane, Library Media Coordinator K-12, Deana Lew, Elementary Literacy Coordinator, Joelle Pedersen, Middle School Literacy Coordinator.
    • Goals:
      • Students will have reading experiences that reflect multiple identities and life experiences.
      • Students will read texts that are written by authors of diverse backgrounds and life experiences.
      • Students will have the skills to analyze and critique traditional (canonical) literature from multiple perspectives.
    • Elementary: Work being done to retrofit and upgrade classroom libraries and bookrooms.
    • Middle: Gaps exist in the curriculum related to Asian American experience, Latinx experience, immigration, neurodiversity, LGBTQIA issues, Black experience treated from a largely historical perspective, and a major gap in linguistic diversity.
    • High School: Work being done to add titles that counter dominant narratives, increase financial support for professional development, enhance culturally responsive teaching and recruit diverse teaching staff.

Consent Agenda

Next Meeting
On Wednesday, February 10th at 7:00PM the School Committee will meet in regular session.  We will receive an update on district-wide goals and discuss the 1:1 Chromebook Initiative.

We hope you found this summary useful. You can access all School Committee meeting documents via the NPS website (www.newton.k12.ma.us/schoolcommittee). Additionally, if you are interested in watching an SC meeting from home or a recorded meeting, you can obtain access via www.newtv.org.  On the district Facebook page, you can find videos of past “Virtual Office Hours,” which are held once a month and provide the community with the opportunity to ask questions through the FB Live format.

As always, we are very happy to answer any questions or discuss any concerns you may have. Please feel free to contact us via the email address below.

Sincerely,
The Newton School Committee

Share the Road: Safety Reminders from Newton Safe Routes to School

Newton Safe Routes to School reminds families that pedestrian safety is a shared responsibility. All of our schools have high traffic volume in the morning and most children are pedestrians for part of their route to school, whether they walk from home, walk over from a nearby street (Park & Walk maps), walk to the bus stop, or walk from the Blue Zone.

The following guidelines are adapted from the National Safety Council. However your children get to school, put your phone down please and pay attention. #ShareTheRoad.

Sharing the Road with Young Pedestrians

  • Always stop for a school patrol officer or crossing guard in a crosswalk or intersection.
  • Sometimes young children need more time to cross the intersection than the light allows.
  • Don’t block the crosswalk when stopped at a red light or waiting to make a turn, forcing pedestrians to go around you; this could put them in the path of moving traffic.
  • Never pass a vehicle stopped for pedestrians.
  • Do not pull into driveways to turn around, especially near schools. You may not see a child on the sidewalk approaching on bike or on foot.
  • Be extra cautious when backing up.
  • Take extra care to look out for children in school zones, near playgrounds and parks, and in all residential areas. School Zone speed limits are 20 mph.
  • Don’t honk or rev your engine to scare a pedestrian, even if you have the right of way.
  • Always use extreme caution to avoid striking pedestrians wherever they may be, no matter who has the right of way

Sharing the Road with School Buses

  • If you’re driving behind a bus, allow a greater following distance than if you were driving behind a car. It will give you more time to stop once the lights start flashing.
  • It is illegal in all 50 states to pass a school bus that is stopped to load or unload children.
  • Never pass a bus from behind – or from either direction if you’re on an undivided road – if it is stopped to load or unload children
  • If the yellow or red lights are flashing and the stop arm is extended, traffic must stop
  • The area 10 feet around a school bus is the most dangerous for children; stop far enough back to allow them space to safely enter and exit the bus
  • Be alert; children often are unpredictable, and they tend to ignore hazards and take risks

Sharing the Road with Bicyclists

On most roads, bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as vehicles, but bikes can be hard to see. Children riding bikes create special problems for drivers because usually they are not able to properly determine traffic conditions. The most common cause of collision is a driver turning left in front of a bicyclist.

  • When passing a bicyclist, proceed in the same direction slowly, and leave 3 feet between your car and the cyclist.
  • When turning left and a bicyclist is approaching in the opposite direction, wait for the rider to pass.
  • If you’re turning right and a bicyclists is approaching from behind on the right, let the rider go through the intersection first, and always use your turn signals.
  • Watch for bike riders turning in front of you without looking or signaling; children especially have a tendency to do this.
  • Be extra vigilant in school zones and residential neighborhoods.
  • Watch for bikes coming from driveways or behind parked cars.
  • Check side mirrors before opening any door.

Reminders for Pedestrians

  • Whenever possible, walk on the sidewalk; if no sidewalk is available, walk facing traffic.
  • Follow the rules of the road, obeying all traffic signs and signals.
  • Cross streets at crosswalks.
  • If no crosswalk is available and your view is blocked, move to a place where you can see oncoming traffic.
  • Look left, right and left again before crossing the street, making eye contact with drivers of oncoming vehicles and wait until they wave you through.
  • Stay alert – avoid cell phone use and wearing headphones or earbuds.
  • Wear bright and/or reflective clothing, and use a flashlight at night.
  • Watch for cars entering or exiting driveways or backing up.

Newton residents featured in plays at Watertown Children’s Theatre

Newton residents are featured in Twelfth Night and She Kills Monsters: Young Adventurers Edition presented by Watertown Children’s Theatre this winter in the Black Box at the Mosesian Center for the Arts. This pairing of a contemporary favorite and a timeless classic will share the same stage and set, and they invite audiences to join us for both weekends.

Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare features a 6th – 9th grade cast including Newton residents Kaiden Reitz, Sawyer Reitz, and Maya Ullman performing the comedic classic in which love makes fools of us all.

January 31st  and February 1st, 7:00 pm and February 2nd, 1:00 pm

She Kills Monsters: Young Adventurers Edition by Qui Nguyen features a 9th – 12th grade cast including Newton resident Sandra Colangelo in this blend of contemporary family relationships and fantastical imaginary journeys. NOTE: This production contains mature content and may not be appropriate for all audience members.

February 7th and 8th, 7:00 pm and February 9th, 1:00 pm

All productions in the Black Box Theater, Dorothy and Charles Mosesian Center for the Arts, 321 Arsenal Street Watertown

For more information, visit WCT’s website at www.watertownchildrenstheatre.org or call 617-926-ARTS.Tickets, $14.00 each, are available on www.watertownchildrenstheatre.org or www.mosesianarts.org.

Avenue Q Auditions Open to Grade 8!

Watertown Children’s Theatre Spring Black Box Musical auditions are now open to students in Grades 8-12!

WCT performers will transport audiences to the streets of New York City in this silly, feel-good musical! Participants will be challenged with unique characters, puppetry, and toe-tapping musical numbers, all while telling the universal story of friends struggling through young adulthood and trying to find their purpose in life. This adaptation retains the intent, humor, and sound of the original production while offering changes to make it appropriate for teen performers. Please note this is an audition based program.

To schedule an audition, please email production.wct@mosesianarts.org. For the audition, please prepare one 16-32 bar section of a contemporary musical theatre ballad of your choice, AND prepare one 16-32 bar section of a song from the list that will be sent to you upon requesting an audition slot. Additionally, you may be asked to do a cold reading from the script. Please bring your performance resume and headshot (optional) to the audition.

Auditions/Callbacks by appointment only:
February 10th, 6:30 – 9:00 pm
February 12th, 6:30 – 9:00 pm
February 13th, 6:30 – 9:00 pm

Newton Girls Softball rocks!

Girls of all experience levels learn about and play softball together while forging friendships and fostering fun.

Register soon (by January 31st to save $15.00) for Newton Girls Softball, a recreational league for Newton girls in grades K-7. For information and to register, visit www.newtongirlssoftball.org.

NGS welcomes players of all skill levels and will provide your daughter with an experience that promotes positive self-esteem, team spirit, and individual growth through personal achievement and as a team member. Register her now, you’ll be glad you did!

2020 Registration Dates:
January 31st: Deadline to register without paying a late fee.
February 28th: Deadline to register with guaranteed placement and pair-me-with rights. A $15 late fee will be applied.
February 28th: Last day to withdraw and receive a full refund. Sorry, no refunds after this date.
March 1st – April 15th: Still accepting registrations. Player is placed on the wait list, no pair-me-with rights, and a $15 late fee. Openings filled on a first come, first served basis