Category Archives: High Schools

Nonprofit Youth Rock Band Program – Spring Session begins February 28

The Plugged In Band Program Spring Session begins February 28 (both in person and virtual).  Plugged In is a nonprofit youth rock band program in Needham where young musicians of all levels and needs are welcome. Students are grouped by age, skill level and musical interest.  I am emailing you in the event you know of any youth ages 8-18 who could benefit from participation in this unique, non-competitive and fun music program. More information and online registration can be found at www.pluggedinband.org.

Spring programming includes in person or online Band Classes, Songwriting and Production, Intro to Digital Audio Production, Creating Music with Coding, Livestreaming 101 and Amped Up: Planning a Youth Music Festival (more details below). 

Plugged In combines music education, philanthropy and diversity in a creative and collaborative environment where students gain music education, self-esteem, connection and community and are prepared for a life of civic participation in an inclusive society.

Music Lessons at The Conservatory at Highlands! 

Winter is in full swing and nothing makes the winter months fly by like playing music! If you’re starting a new instrument, or looking to develop your skills as a musician, The Conservatory is here to help. Locally owned and operated in Newton Highlands. 
Students beginning new instruments in school benefit greatly from private instruction. 
Our teachers are experienced, patient, kind and supportive. We help musicians of any age reach their goals. 

Sign Up/Inquire Here (no commitment necessary)   

(Trouble with link? Copy and Paste: https://forms.gle/WmHpoURxZoSNT6ZK6 in your browser)

or call/text/e-mail: 617-903-0944  

info@highlandsconservatory.com

The Conservatory offers music lessons on almost all instruments, including: piano, voice, violin, viola, cello, guitar, drums, bass, saxophone, flute, clarinet, trombone, baritone, oboe, ukulele, and even harmonica! Sign up for parent/student lessons, or record in our state-of-the-art recording studio with audio production lessons and more!

more info:

www.highlandsconservatory.com

The Conservatory at Highlands is locally owned and operated and offers a 21st-century music education that is equally inclusive and challenging taught by the best musicians in Boston. The Conservatory is your community music school, where we can all learn and develop the craft of music together. 

51 Winchester Street, Newton Highlands.

Feel free to e-mail info@highlandsconservatory.com with any questions.

Upcoming Program for Senior parents from Youth Services

College Acceptance & Financial Award Review – “How to make the best decision for you.”  (Flyer attached)

  • The final workshop of our College Financing series titled, “College Acceptance & Financial Award Review,” will be held on Thursday, February 17 from 6:30-8:00 p.m. via Zoom webinar.   The workshop will be facilitated by MassBay Community College in partnership with the Village Bank.  It is highly recommended that the young person attends with their parent/caregiver.   
  • Pre-registration required, CLICK HERE: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_quWo-lbIRHmei9nv71PR-g

Please reach out if you have any questions!

Meg

Meghan Murtagh, M.Ed (she/her/hers)

Asst. Director of Youth Services

City of Newton Health & Human Services Department

617-796-1436

mmurtagh@newtonma.gov

Interactive Media Use & Youth Mental Health: Guidance for Parents of Students Across the Developmental Span

Description. The Newton Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) is excited to partner with Boston Children’s Hospital’s Digital Wellness Lab to offer a comprehensive presentation on the relationship between children’s and teens’ media use and their mental health. 

The Digital Wellness Lab’s senior content strategist, Kristelle Lavallee Collins, will discuss the most recent research on the relationships between interactive media use and the well-being of children and adolescents. The presentation will also cover the latest science-based strategies parents and caregivers can employ to support children in developing a “healthy” relationship with technology and screen media. 

For questions, contact info@NewtonSEPAC.org. We hope you will join us!

Date/Time. Jan 27, 2022 07:00 PM

Register. https://bostonchildrens.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_jYYsTQrKQNq6Voan9rvqwA

Questions. Submit your questions in advance here:
https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/6642281/Newton-SEPAC-Digital-Wellness-Lab-Presentation

Centre Street Food Pantry Kids’ Club

The Centre Street Food Pantry is introducing a new initiative to bolster our Kids Club program and we are hoping that the elementary schools in Newton can help make this program a success. Some of your schools have already contributed to this program and we really appreciate your participation!

As some of you know, we distribute around 100 Kids Club bags to families with children under 18 each time the Pantry is open. In an effort to better manage the influx of bags, we are recruiting schools, churches, temples and other local organizations to commit to contributing a minimum of 30 bags for a specific week. Your school can do this as often or a little as you choose. Some schools recruit a specific grade to participate; others make it a school-wide event.  It would be most helpful if bags could be dropped off on Mondays, as our distribution day is Tuesday. Of course, we can accommodate you any time if Mondays are not convenient.

The bags should be doubled bagged with handles and contain: 

1 jar jam/jelly
2 boxes mac n’ cheese
1 box of cereal
1 six-pack of applesauce or fruit cups
2 packs of cereal/granola bars 
1 large bag of pretzels/chips

The items are also listed on our website. If your school  is interested in participating in this great project, please sign up here.
Deborah Elliott will get back to you to confirm drop-off date and answer any questions. You can also contact her directly at kidsclub@centrestfoodpantry.org.

Repurpose Your Unwanted Home Goods

Do you have gently used or new household items doing you no good?  Please consider donating blenders, toasters, queen and king bedding, pots, pans, dishes, cooking utensils, silverware, towels and other basic household necessities.  Welcome Home in Newton Centre collects home goods and redistributes them, at no cost, to people who need them.  Please be sure your items are clean and not rusty, torn, stained, chipped or broken before donation.

Please contact us to schedule a dropoff appointment or make a request for items at www.welcomehomemass.org.

Invitation to Joint FORJ Event (NNHS & NSHS): Building School Community Through Affinity Spaces

Building school community through affinity spacesNewton North and Newton South’s Families Organizing for racial Justice (FORJ) chapters are hosting a joint event to discuss how we are building school community through affinity groups on Thursday, January 27 at 7-8.30pm. Students, teachers and administrators will be discussing the history of affinity groups, what they are (and what they are not), and how they function in our schools for various members of our community. All members of the Newton community are welcome, not just those with a connection to these high schools! Please click here to RSVP, and you will receive a Zoom link on the day of the event.

Thanks so much!
FORJ NNHS & NSHS Planning Committee

English Language Parent Advisory Council (ELPAC) Meeting – February 3rd

The English Language Parent Advisory Council will hold its next meeting on Thursday, February 3, 2022 at 6:30 p.m.

ELPAC supports ELL families districtwide and collaborates with schools and districts to improve the ELL programming. 

Meetings are held every other month. Interpreters and/or same language groups are provided with RSVP by January 31, 2022. The February 3, 2022 meeting topics are: Newton Free Library Resources & ACCESS Testing.

RSVP to the meeting here:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdjxQInxlKSYX_TVwVp5Dr6B4jKC0BBOqXxixNPI91VayV5pw/viewform

Once you RSVP, you will be sent a Zoom link to attend the meeting virtually.

Attached please find translated invitations. Email invitations have also been sent to ELL families from the district ELL office.

Family Outreach: One to One Mentoring

Newton’s One-to-One Program, our very own “big brother/sister program” has been matching wonderful high schoolers with children in grades one through five for over 40 years.  If you think your elementary-aged child would benefit from a mentor in their life and you can commit 2 hours each week to have your child meet with a high school mentor from November to May – you should contact us. 

Here is a link to the program information and application: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DUJsVEX4rEVbyJZkzSgZ8hH-CUttDSGNuhjBlK0BZWc/edit?usp=sharing

For questions or more information, please contact Rebecca Young, Program Coordinator, at youngr@newton.k12.ma.us or 617-315-8733