Category Archives: From the PTO

Turkey Bowl 2018

Next Wednesday morning, November 21, 9:30-11:00am, the 8th grade will hold its annual Turkey Bowl.

This is a spirit-filled flag-football game. Cluster 8E competes versus Cluster 8F for the coveted Turkey Bowl trophy led by coaches Michael “Bear” Burtch and Andrew “Belichek” Swan. Parents are invited to come cheer on their children. This is a great way to kick-off the holiday weekend.

Following the football game, pizza and dessert will be served in the cafeteria. The cost is $4. Please pre-pay the homebase teacher next week. Cash only, no lunch accounts are acceptable for this special lunch.

Transition to High School informational Meeting (Special Education)

Thinking about high school, and how your child’s special education services will translate? Please come to Bigelow on Thursday, November 29, from 9-11 am. Kate McCarthy, Special Education Department Chair for Newton North HS, and Katie Stahl, Assistant Department Chair, will be here until 10am to review the grade 8-9 transition process and answer your questions about services and course work. This informal talk will take place in the Bigelow Computer Lab, off of the main lobby.

Immediately following our high school presentation, join us for a conversation on the importance of transition planning as youth with disabilities plan for adulthood! NPS Transition staff will be here from 10-11 am, to provide a brief presentation then focus on answering questions about the transition planning process. Topics will include:

  • An overview of the transition planning process
  • School and Community resources
  • Family involvement

Bigelow is in need of a SEPAC parent representative

Would you be interested in filling the SEPAC liaison role at Bigelow? Being without a representative means families of children with special needs at your school may not be getting important information and support. As a liaison, you do not need to attend meetings or be an expert on special education services! You just need to refer or relay any questions or concerns from parents at Bigelow to the greater community of parents of children with special needs in Newton. If you are interested in filling this role, please contact SEPAC Liaison Coordinator Kim Gallaugher at momofiggy@hotmail.com or 857-800-3644. More information here.

Did you know? – ADL Peer Leadership Program

The Anti-Defamation League’s A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE Institute Peer Training Program provides students in the middle and high school with the opportunity to increase their understanding of the causes of prejudice and its manifestations such as name calling, bullying and cyberbullying. All four middle schools in Newton have an ADL Peer Leadership program. More information here.

“Our peer leadership program, developed by the Anti Defamation League, is beginning its second full year at our four middle schools. It was a pleasure to see the Bigelow peer leaders working intensely on their plans for delivering lessons to their peers. It was a keen reminder that peer-led conversations can be a very effective learning tool as we strive to have schools that are welcoming and inclusive for all.”

Superintendent David Fleishman, Nov 2018

“As You Like It” premiers this week!

Bigelow Drama’s Fall play, “As You Like It,” by Shakespeare, will be performed on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights 11/15-11/17. All shows at 7 PM. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for kids. Tickets will go on sale for students in the cafeteria at lunchtime starting Tuesday, November 13th and will be available at the door before the performances.

Before the show the Bigelow Pops will  be fundraising for new stage lights and upgraded light board.

 

Bake Sale Thank You

Thank you to all of you for your support of the Election Day Bake Sale, in support of the Class of 2019 end-of-year activities.  We raised close to $1000 and voters enjoyed all of your culinary creations.

We greatly appreciate the help of the all of you who baked items for the sale and to those of you who staffed the table during the election.

Thank you to the following Bigelow parents for baking and / or working at the bake sale: Ning Pan, Carol Pelon, Tripti Thomas-Travers, Heather Pozen, Meredith Andrews, Ellen Waldorf, Jennifer Weber, Jessica Gilmartin, Joana Canedo, Beth Secinaro, Michelle Freedman, Anna Olivella, Elsa Tsao, Lena Goodwin , Dinora Justice, Andrea Hemment, Shelagh Heurtebize, Sandra Kelley, Macy Tubman, Elsa Tsao, Sarah Rizzo, Carly Semerjian and anyone else we may have missed.

A special thanks goes also to the Bigelow custodians for their help before and after this event.

And lastly, a BIG thank you to Miriam Alandydy for organizing and running this event for us.

All the 8th Graders thank you!!!!

Parent/Teacher Conference registration opens Tuesday

Parents and Guardians may sign-up on-line for Parent-Teacher conferences beginning Tuesday, November 13, at 8:00 am, and continuing until Monday, January 28, 11:00 pm. Reservations are made on a first come, first served basis on the Virtual Paragon reservation system.

Parent-teacher conferences begin on November 27, 2018 and continue until January 29, 2019.

To schedule a conference with your child’s teachers or cluster, login to the Virtual Paragon website. You will then have to enter Bigelow’s master password before you enter the system. If you have questions or encounter any problems, please send an email to bigelow.support@newton.k12.ma.us or call the School Office.

Parent-teacher conferences are organized by the school.  The PTO sponsors this convenient, on-line registration system, thank you to your continued support.