We are in the last five days of our Holiday Gift Card Drive. Please help our neighbors experiencing food insecurity celebrate the bounty of the season. The great news is that we are more than 80% of the way to our goal and you can help us cross the line! We don’t have to tell you how high food prices are for families right now. 

With whatever we raise, Newton Neighbors will purchase and distribute supermarket gift cards through partner agencies to at least 165 families in Newton, Waltham, and Brockton. If you are able to make any size donation to help us reach our goal, we know that these families would be so grateful.

Here is the link to donate

Each year, the PTO and its many volunteers run events and programs that support our students, our teachers, and our school community.  This collective effort enriches the middle school experience for everyone.  To make it happen, the PTO depends on community donations of time, money, and other contributions. 

This year, our goal is to raise at least $14,000 through donations from Bigelow families, which covers just under half of our annual budget (the rest comes from fundraising events and corporate donations).  We invite all families to contribute at a level they are comfortable with through https://bigelowpto.org/donate/

Thank you, as always, for your support!

‘23-’24 Bigelow PTO Board

Eugene Rhee, Alex Rolfe, Giulia Guffanti, Aparna Rolfe

How to Donate:

• via Venmo @BigelowPTONewton
• write a check and mail to Bigelow Middle School c/o PTO
• via the website at bigelowpto.org/donate/

Please consider adding Bigelow PTO to your company’s annual donation matching program, if applicable. Bigelow Middle School PTO is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization. Tax ID #20-0348453. All donations are tax deductible to the extent of the law.

How Your Donation Helps

Funds raised by the PTO, thanks to your donations, are used to support many wonderful programs and services to benefit our students.

Thank you to all who came out and made last Saturday’s Game Night a great success!

Special thank you to Charlene Gillespie & Shana Smythe for organizing this fun and festive evening and to Shana & Dan Smythe for welcoming everyone into their home.

Thanks to your efforts, we raised $2,000 to support Bigelow and our students!

Newton has added 21 new Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFBs) this year. Locations were selected to improve safety on routes to schools, village centers and public transit and factored in crash history.  Locations near Bigelow include Centre Street at Newtonville, Tremont Street at Hibbard, Waverly Ave at Lorna, and an existing RRFB on Waverly Ave at Arlington.

PLEASE let your student know to ALWAYS push the button to activate the yellow flashing lights and to WAIT until drivers stop before stepping out into the crosswalk.

Newton’s Department of Public Works has developed a multi-factor prioritization system to evaluate the dozens of RRFB requests that come in from residents and City Councilors concerned about safe pedestrian crossings. RRFBs allow people using a crosswalk to press a button which turns on solar-powered flashing yellow lights to help drivers see people in the crosswalks sooner, thereby making crossing streets safer.  The Bigelow PTO can pass requests along to the city based on your input – email us if you have suggestions or comments.

Visit http://newtonsaferoutes.org/rrfb for a list of the new RRFB locations.

Support Our Children’s Teachers

We LOVE our educators.  We NEED our educators.  We want them to have a fair contract.  Together with the other Newton PTOs, we are planning a Stand-Out in support of our teachers on Friday, November 3rd starting at 7:40 am, at the Bigelow Middle School front entrance.

How you can participate!

• Students can wear BLUE to school on Friday, November 3rd.
• Show up on Friday morning with your children to stand in solidarity with our amazing teachers wearing BLUE.
• Write messages of support or gratitude and sign the poster boards for educators at the event!

A citywide collaborative group of parents and educators have joined forces over the past three years to advocate for our schools. Currently their focus has been on supporting the Newton Teachers’ Association (NTA) in obtaining a fair contract. To learn more about the NTA’s priorities and ways to support our teachers visit the Parent Educator Collaborative (PEC). If you would like to learn more about the PEC, check out this OP-ED from Fig City News.

As you know, the T in PTO stands for teacher. This is a chance to hear more from our educators’ perspective. 

Bigelow Parents Game Night is this Saturday! We are looking forward to a fun evening of cocktails, dinner, and games.

The deadline to RSVP for has been extended to Friday 11/3. RSVP now to join the fun!

BIGELOW PARENTS GAME NIGHT
Saturday, November 4th at 7 pm
at the home of
Shana and Dan Smythe
86 Stuart Road

Don’t miss this fun night out with new and old friends! Game Night will be the held instead of the Ten Tables Progressive Dinner as this Fall’s Bigelow Parent event.

Please RSVP by Friday, November 3
Donation of $50 per person suggested, but not required
Donations (please designate “game night” in the note) can be made via:

• check payable to Bigelow PTO
• Venmo @BigelowPTONewton
• cash on the evening of the event

All donations go directly to support your student’s PTO.

Questions? Please feel free to contact Charlene chargillespie@gmail.com or Shana shana.smythe@gmail.com

Calling All 8th Grade Parents & Students!

Please help out with the 8th Grade Election Day Bake Sale!  Drop off baked goods in advance or help staff the table on Election Day in the Bigelow gym when the polls are open (Tuesday, November 7th). Both home baked and store bought treats are welcome.  

All proceeds go to support 8th grade end of year graduation related activities.

Please click here to volunteer to bake or help sell: 
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0545A4AE23A6FD0-45559277-8thgrade

Questions: please contact Shana Smythe: shana.smythe@gmail.com

We were very proud to see Bigelow featured on CBS-WBZ for the social-emotional work with the Sown to Grow program! Click HERE to watch or read the story.