Category Archives: From the PTO

Summer Reminders from the School Nurse

Medication Pick-up: Parents of students who have medication stored in the health room should pick it up by the last day of school, June 22. All medication (pills, epi-pens, inhalers, etc.) not picked up will be discarded. Please plan ahead to pick medication up so it is not wasted! Medication may not be carried home by the student — it must be picked up by an adult. School nurses will not be available after June 22 to return medication to families. 

Medication Order Reminder: All medication orders expire at the end of the school year. If you are visiting your child’s health care provider during the summer, consider requesting a new medication order for your child. All medication, prescription or over-the-counter, requires an order. The Medication Permission Form and the Medication Policy are both available online at  www.newtonma.gov/schoolhealth

West Nile Virus and Lyme Disease Prevention: Mosquito and tick-borne diseases like West Nile Virus and Lyme disease occur in Newton residents. Take steps to avoid getting sick!

  • Mosquito repellant not only works for mosquitoes, but helps repel ticks as well. Use a repellant with DEET, and follow label instructions for concentrations appropriate for children.
  • Avoid being outdoors during peak mosquito hours, particularly once West Nile Virus has been detected in the mosquito population.
  • Remove containers around your home (tires, kid pools, pots, tarps) that could allow mosquitoes to breed.
  • Check your body for ticks after being outdoors and remove them immediately to avoid disease transmission.

Shoo the flu! Seasonal influenza vaccine will be offered this fall during the school day to students and employees. The flu shot (no FluMist again this year at school) will be available to all students in Kindergarten through grade 12, by parental consent only. Consent and screening forms will be posted at www.newtonma.gov/flu by early September, in preparation for the fall clinics. Insurance information will be requested, but all students are welcome to receive the vaccine at no charge.

The flu clinic date for Bigelow Middle School will be Wednesday, October 24, 2018. Forms (available in Sept.) will be due to the school nurse by Monday, October 22, 2018. This schedule is confirmed unless the flu vaccine supply is delayed, in which case the school nurse will notify families of an alternative date once the vaccine arrives.

Have a happy and healthy summer!

Sue Schy, Bigelow Nurse

Thank you to all those who helped with the Teacher Appreciation Tea

A warm thank you to all that contributed your time and delectable food to the Teacher Appreciation Tea this week. The teachers and staff at Bigelow enjoyed the wonderful spread. A special thank you to Magda Duchnowska for leading this effort for us!!

THANK YOU: Akiko Schultz, Alexandra Novina, Alexis Giannakopoulos, Amy Kendall, Ana Kales, Andrea Hemment, Anna Olivella, Anne Reenstierna , Aoife O’Dwyer , Beth Hicks, Beth Secinaro, Claudia Doherty, Debbie fredberg , Frankie Kervin, Heather Pozen, Heidi Gardner, James Bryant, Jinglei Mei, Joanne Simpson , Judy Kelly, Krista Corr, Kristin Golden, Kristin Heyer, Lena Sheehan, Lisa Camesano, Macy Tubman, Maren Rossman, Maria Farrah Howell, Marianne Votta, Meridith Welch, Michelle Welford, Pongha Smith, Shelagh Heurtebize, Terri Bancroft, Tracey Wolfsdorf, Tripti Thomas-Travers, Zlatev

An “edible arrangement” especially prepared for the Bigelow Middle School teacher and staff by a 7th grade parent

Headed to Newton North? Class liaisons needed!

Looking for a way to get to know Newton North? The PTSO is looking for several volunteers to serve as class liaisons for the incoming 9th grade class. A class liaison is a parent representative for the grade. There are three liaisons per grade and this is normally a four-year position. Class liaisons communicate with the PTSO, with the school, and with parents in the grade. They also work together to host one teacher appreciation breakfast per year. Please contact co-presidents@northptso.org to volunteer. Thank you!

Honor a Bigelow graduate or staff member

From Patty Summa, Bigelow Library Teacher

Honor a Bigelow graduate or staff member this June by supporting the Bigelow Library! How? Choose a book to purchase at the Support Our Library page. A bookplate including the honoree’s and donor’s name will automatically be placed inside the book. Supporting the library in this way helps to keep the library collection relevant and interesting for our students. In addition, a donation will sustain our goal to promote a love of reading throughout the Bigelow community. It is a great way to honor a graduate or thank a staff member. The company, Bound to Stay Bound Books, binds the books in such a way that makes them more durable and last longer. Consider donating today to help support the Bigelow Library! Thank you for your support.

Link to purchase a book: Bound To Stay Bound Book Drive

Don’t miss your chance to thank teachers and staff who made a difference to your child this year!

Making a donation to Newton Schools Foundation’s Honor Thy Teacher program is a great way to do this. To donate online and to find out more about the programs NSF funds, go to www.newtonschoolsfoundation.org. Donations are tax-deductible and go toward enhancing educational excellence, including teachers’ professional development, initiatives to close the achievement gap, and new curricula and learning opportunities throughout Newton’s schools. One of the programs funded by NSF is the ADL School Peer Leadership program at Bigelow. Teachers, as well as their Principal and the Superintendent, will be notified of this honor, and if you donate by JULY 31 their names will appear in a special notification in the Newton TAB.

Health updates from the Health and Human Services Commissioner

Before you head off into summer mode, I wanted to share a few updates particularly relevant to families with school-age children.

Smartphones: Thinking of getting your student a smartphone this summer? This letter targeted to elementary school families highlights research and resources available to help parents navigate this decision in the context of their own family’s values and circumstances. Additional information relevant to students of all ages is available on the Newton Public Schools website, including suggested guidelines from Newton-Wellesley Hospital.

Summer Food: Backpacks filled with a few meal’s worth of nonperishable items will be available this summer for students at locations throughout Newton. The program – a collaboration between the Church of the Redeemer’s FUEL program and the city – is an effort to bridge the food gap for students who may rely on school breakfast and lunch during the year. Backpacks may include bread, peanut butter, canned fish, and canned fruits and vegetables. Nut-free bags can be requested. The locations include: Health and Human Services Department, Church of the Redeemer, West Suburban YMCA, The Boys & Girls Club, Crystal Lake, Gath Pool, Newton Free Library, and many more!

What’s in Your Medicine Cabinet? Be a part of the solution to the opioid epidemic. Misuse of prescription drugs is a common way for teens and adults to start down the road of addiction. The most typical place young people get access to prescription drugs is their home medicine cabinet. A few simple steps taken by adults can have a significant impact. Immediately and safely dispose of unused medication. Two Newton locations are available year-round: the Newton Police Station and Newton-Wellesley Hospital. Here are additional tips, and specific addresses and resources.

Have a great summer!

Stay healthy,

Sue Schy, RN, MSN
Bigelow School Nurse

Why the PTO is not organizing the back-to-school supply kit program this year

After last year’s not so great experience – to say the least – of delayed delivery, mixed up orders, general disappointment and a lot of headache, we decided to rethink why we were ordering school supply kits.

The main reason was convenience! Who likes long lines shopping for school supplies in the summer? Also, it was a fundraising opportunity for the PTO.

But then again, to what cost? It was a lot of work for the PTO volunteers (between organizing the program and delivering the kits) for not as much raised money. Families were paying more than regular prices. And most of all, it was wasteful: we were purchasing supplies we didn’t really need – a new calculator every year?

When we really think about it, most of the items in the list do not need to be purchased. We already have a calculator, rulers, scissors at home. Most of us have extra pencils and pens. And the binders, they are pretty much the same every year –  they just need to be emptied and cleaned, and they are good to be used again. Even notebooks can have a second life by taking out the pages that were written on – usually there are many left for at least part of the new school year.

So for 2018-2019 we will be approaching the school supply list in a different way. We will try to avoid the hot summer shopping lines by not going shopping. We can save money and help reduce our impact on resources and waste. And it can be a great teaching opportunity for our children, about sustainability and consumption.

Lets get together and celebrate the 2017-2018 School Year

All are invited to our last meeting of the year, when we are going to celebrate the 2017-2018 school year with light refreshments and good talks! We would love to see you there!

This is a great time for rising 8th grade parents to learn about all of the 8th grade activities next year and how they can get involved. Rising 6th grade parents will have the opportunity to get to know their new PTO and what we do for the school and the students.

We will present the 2018/19 budget and show how the PTO uses all the money raised by our community. The incoming leadership will be brought forward for a vote of Bigelow parents, guardians, teachers and staff. We still have open positions to fill!! If you would like to become more involved in the strategic aspect of the Bigelow PTO, helping direct and manage the overall program for 2018/19, you are encouraged to join the board or one of the committees.

PTO Annual Meeting
Monday, June 11th 2018, from 7pm to 8pm
Bigelow Library

Proposed 2018-2019 Officers and Nominating Committee Members

  • Co-Presidents – Jessica Gilmartin and Jennifer Weber
  • Vice President Fundraising – Una Simmons
  • Co-Treasurer  – Michelle Welford and one open
  • Co-Secretaries – Joana Canedo and Kara Peterson
  • Co-Presidents elect (in preparation for 2019/20)  – two open  
  • Nominating Committee** – Tracy Carroll and Lisa Schwartzberg
  • Nominating Committee – from Ward feeder school – Lisa Schwartzberg
  • Nominating Committee – from Lincoln-Elliot feeder school – open
  • Nominating Committee – from Underwood feeder school – open
  • Nominating Committee – from Lincoln-Elliot feeder school – open
  • **One member of the Nominating Committee serves as the Chair and one member of the Board of Directors is appointed by the Board to serve on the Nominating Committee

Please look here for committee positions still open.

Hope to see you all there!

Teacher Appreciation Tea on Tuesday

Please remember to drop off all items at the teacher’s lunchroom at Bigelow no later than 12:30 PM on Tuesday (perishables can be placed in the refrigerator there). If you prefer to drop off items the night before, please contact Magda Duchnowska at froggiemagda@hotmail.com or 617-548-1600.

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 12:45 and clean up is at 3:00

For more information or if you have any questions, please contact the Teacher Appreciation Chair, Magda Duchnowska, at froggiemagda@hotmail.com.

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