Category Archives: From the PTO

Join us at the Big Night Planning Meeting!

We will be meeting again on Tuesday, February 12, 7:30-8:30 p.m, at the home of Karen Markson, at 150 Hunnewell Ave.  We will continue our planning for Big Night, the biggest fundraiser for the Bigelow community, held this year on Saturday, March 30, 7:30-10:30 pm.
We cannot plan this event without your help. We need volunteers to fill many roles, both before the event and the night of the event.  We are looking for folks to help with everything from soliciting businesses to donate items for the silent auction to arriving early at the Cambridge Boat Club before the event to help decorate.
We ask for your participation so we can make this a successful fundraiser for the Bigelow community. Please join us and see how you can help!

Sincerely,
Karen Markson and the Bigelow Big Night Committee

Wednesday: Appreciation Luncheon

The Bigelow Teacher and Staff Appreciation Luncheon will be this Wednesday, February 6th, at the Library.

Please remember to drop off all items at the teacher’s lunchroom at Bigelow no later than 10:30 AM on Wednesday (perishables can be placed in the refrigerator there). 

YOU CAN STILL SIGN UP to donate or volunteer by clicking HERE.

  • It is most helpful if items are brought in disposable containers.
  • We ESPECIALLY need volunteers to help set up and break down. Set up is at 10:30am and clean up is at 2:30pm.

For more information or if you have any questions, please contact the Teacher Appreciation Chairs, Miriam Alandydy (Miriam.alandydy@gmail.com) or Andrea Hemment (ahemment@gmail.com).

Thank you again for helping us show our appreciation for our teachers and staff.

Congratulations to Bigelow Geography Bee champion

Congratulations to Bigelow Geography Bee champion Kiran and to all the students who participated in the competition on 01/29/2019! A special thank you to Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller for moderating this year’s Bee.

“I had a terrific time moderating the Bigelow Middle School’s annual Geography Bee along with Principal Todd Harrison on Tuesday morning. The school band played “We are the Champions” as the finalists walked-in. Take a look.”

New England Camp Fair – Sunday 2/10


The New England Camp Fair will hold its 4th annual event on Sunday, February 10, 2019 at Underwood  School from 11:30am – 2:30pm. Sponsored by the Underwood PTO, the Camp Fair is FREE and open to the public, and brings together camps serving kids ages 5-14.

Bring your camper(s) and engage with staff from 20+ premier day and sleepaway camps from Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, and Connecticut. Participating camps run the gamut, including traditional day and overnight camps, sports camps, theater camps, computer camps, fencing camps, arts camps, as well as many other themed camps. 

Visit www.newenglandcampfair.org for a complete list of camps attending.

Parking and refreshments are also free! If you have any questions, feel free contacting the Underwood PTO at underwoodpto@gmail.com. 

Big Night 2019 – Auction Items Needed

We are excited about Big Night, Bigelow-On-The-Charles, on March 30, 2019, 7:30-10:30 pm, at the Cambridge Boat Club! 

Planning is well underway and we are actively seeking donations for our silent auction. Your support and help is so critical to making this event successful and being able to reach our goal of 60 donated items.

Gift cards for restaurants, spa services, sporting event tickets, weekends at a vacation home, etc. are all great ideas for our auction. And whether it is your family that is donating or a business, we cannot thank you enough for your generosity.

Donated items are due by March 10, 2019, and we appreciate receiving auction items as soon as possible!

Below you will find a link for a printable business solicitation letter and donation form. Please contact committee chairperson, Karen Markson, at kmarkson@gmail.com or bigelowbulldog@gmail.com if you have any questions. Thank you so much for your support of the Bigelow community’s biggest fundraiser of the year!

Download business solicitation letter here.

Teacher Appreciation Luncheon – Call for volunteers and food contributions

The Bigelow Teacher Appreciation Luncheon will be Wednesday, February 6th, at the Library.

It is a great way to take a moment to thank the amazing teachers and staff at Bigelow for all they do for our children. Bigelow families provide the food, beverages, and financial support for this event. Please, consider making a contribution to the luncheon, or help with set up and clean up. We still need some volunteers and donations for this appreciation event.

To donate or volunteer please sign up HERE.

To make a monetary contribution for the luncheon, please click HERE.

  • Please send in your favorite lunch food! Salads, sandwiches, entrees – whatever you think our wonderful teachers and staff will enjoy.
  • It is most helpful if items are brought in recyclable containers.
  • All items may be dropped off on the morning of the luncheon in the teacher’s lunchroom (in the library) or put in the refrigerator there.
  • Please drop off all items no later than 10:30 AM.

For more information or if you have any questions, please contact the Teacher Appreciation Chairs, Miriam Alandydy (Miriam.alandydy@gmail.com) or Andrea Hemment (ahemment@gmail.com).

Thank you again for helping us show our appreciation for our teachers and staff.

Show Your Love for the Bigelow Library!

Honor a teacher or student with a donation to the Bigelow Library. By clicking on the Bigelow Library Donation Website, you can purchase a book from the requested list of books to help maintain Bigelow Library’s rich collection of independent reading books. Each book purchased will include a bookplate on the inside cover of the book with both your name and the person you would like to honor. The books are covered and bound in a special way to last for a long time and come shelf ready so that each book can be in the hands of a reader as soon as possible.  

Love the Bigelow Library by making a donation today!  

Thank you for your consideration and generosity.
Patty Summa, Bigelow Library Teacher

Steps at Lunch – an opportunity for fresh air

The winter version of “Laps at Lunch” is “Steps at Lunch”. Parents and guardians in the Bigelow community are invited to help out, giving our students the opportunity to get outside in front of the school in the cooler months, whenever it’s a nice day.  If interested please contact Mary Fitzgerald (physical education teacher) at: Mary_Fitzgerald@newton.k12.ma.us. More about the program here.

Cabot Alumni and neighbors, you are invited to a celebration

You and your family are invited to take part in building the Cabot School Mural!

WHO: The Cabot School Community – Cabot Families, Cabot Alumni, Cabot Staff & Faculty, and Cabot Neighbors! (Please note that this is not a drop-off event – all children must be accompanied by an adult.)

WHAT: Help us build a 100-square foot glass-tile mosaic mural (under the supervision of muralist David Fichter) that will be installed in the main lobby of the new Cabot School when it opens next fall!

WHERE: Cabot @ Carr School – 225 Nevada St, Newton, MA 02460 – in the Art Room. Please enter from the doors nearest the staff parking lot on the front of the school (off of Nevada Street).

WHEN: Saturday, February 2nd and Sunday, February 10th from 10am-3pm.

HOW: Please sign-up for a time slot below, and indicate how many people will be in your group. (There is a maximum of 15 people per timeslot.)

CLICK HERE to learn more about the mural project.

Questions? Send them to cabotmural@gmail.com

Bigelow Concerts this week

This is going to be a musical week at Bigelow. Please come watch our students in two concerts in the Bigelow Auditorium. Both performances start at 7 pm.

  • Wednesday,  January 23rd – Chorus
  • Thursday, January 24th – Band & Symphonic Band