The PTO Board is looking for new members, please consider joining an active group of parents who help strengthen our community ties! Would you like to become more involved in the strategic aspect of the Bigelow PTO, helping direct and manage the overall program for 2018/19?  All Bigelow parents and guardians, including those of incoming 6th graders, are encouraged to join the board or any committee. We have the following openings, and anyone is welcome to volunteer for PTO activities at any time:

• Co-Treasurer
• Co-Presidents Elect (in preparation for the 2019/20 school year)
• Teacher Appreciation co-chair
• Nominating committee members (one per feeder school)
• METCO representative
• Newton SEPAC Liaison
• 6th Grade Potluck Chair

The proposed slate of 2018/19 Board members will be voted on at our final PTO meeting of the year on June 11th.  Serving on the Board is a great way to meet other Bigelow parents and help out at your child’s school.  Please contact us at bigelowbulldog@gmail.com if you are interested in learning more.

Bigelow Civics Day was attended by parents, school administrators and members of the school committee and city council last Tuesday, May 22nd. 8th grade students on Team E presented the advocacy projects they worked on as part of the Generation Citizen pilot program lead by Ms. Singers, Grade 8 History/Social Science Teacher.

Jean Singers would like to thank all those who attended for making the day so wonderful. More information here.

Please join us on Wednesday June 13th at 6 pm at Newton North High School for the 9th annual Newton SEPAC Special Educator Awards! These awards are presented to Newton faculty and staff members who have done exceptional work with students receiving special education services. Parents, guardians and students may submit nominations and may nominate any staff member who they believe has done exceptional work. In the past, we’ve had regular education teachers, special education teachers, aides, BT’s, secretaries, principals and custodians receive awards. Please note that the awards do not identify you or your child by name, to preserve the child’s confidentiality. Only the honoree is given the name of the person who nominated him or her. Please submit your nomination by May 31 to 2018 SEPAC Awards Nomination.

Please volunteer to help or donate to the Teacher Appreciation Tea – Tuesday June 5th. Our teachers and staff members do so much for our kids throughout the year. They teach them invaluable skills, instill them with knowledge and a love of learning, and serve as intellectual role models.

So let’s say a proper thank you with a proper English tea — Bigelow-style. This year’s annual staff appreciation tea takes place on Tuesday, June 7th at 2:00 pm.

We are looking for volunteers to provide finger sandwiches, cakes, pastries, crumpets (whatever they are), fruit salad and any other delectables that go well with tea. We also need volunteers to help set up and break down. Set up is at 12:45 and break down is at 3:00.

All items may be dropped off the morning of the tea in the teacher’s lunchroom or put in the refrigerator there. Please drop off items no later than 12:30pm. It is most helpful if items are brought in a disposable container.

To donate or volunteer please sign up here.

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

Thanks again for all who helped to beautify Bigelow on April 29th!

7th grade student Olivia Freedman is collecting books for Cradles to Crayons.

“Have any new or gently used books? I am collecting books to be donated to Cradles to Crayons. You can drop off donations in a box outside the school office. Please have all donations in by June 8th. Thank you!”

Please join us for Bigelow’s Civics Day on Tuesday May 22nd, 8:45 -10am. The day will begin with a parent coffee in Bigelow’s library at 8:45am, when Jean Singers, Bigelow’s 8th grade history teacher, will speak to parents from all grades about proposed changes to the Massachusetts history/social studies frameworks.

Following the parent coffee, cluster 8E students will be presenting civic action and advocacy projects they have been working on this year, as part of the Generation Citizen pilot program Ms. Singers is leading. Generation Citizen is an action civics curriculum in which students identify issues in their community, research the root cause and then advocate for change.

Focus issues proposed by the students:

1. Dress code in Newton schools: gender biased language
2. Healthy food in school cafeterias: Meatless Mondays
3. Affordable Housing in Newton: zoning redesign
4. Marijuana use amongst teens: drug prevention education

Bigelow’s Civics Day
8:45-9:00 Tea and Coffee
9:00-9:15 Program introduction
9:15-10:00 Student presentations
Parents from all grades are welcome to arrive or leave at anytime

Please RSVP to Ms. Singers: singersj@newton.k12.ma.us

If you are looking for a way to say “Thank You!” as the year comes to a close, please consider Newton Schools Foundations’ Honor Thy Teacher campaign. This special program, established more than 20 years ago, provides an opportunity for families to thank teachers or other school personnel (such as a special education aide, a fine arts or music teacher, or a coach or counselor) by giving a gift to NSF in their honor.

NSF is a non-profit organization that raises funds to enhance educational excellence throughout Newton’s public schools. Your gift supports opportunities for teachers to access professional development, initiatives to close the achievement gap and new learning programs for middle school students that encompass: science, technology and math; social, civic and cultural understanding; leadership training; literature; and social-emotional learning. Programs supported by NSF at the Newton middle schools include:

• Generation Citizen
• BIG Talks
• One Book, One Community Celebration
• The Calculus Project
• Middle School Peer Leadership
• Responsive Classroom Training

You can make your tax-deductible donation on-line at www.newtonschoolsfoundation.org, or mail it to Newton Schools Foundation, P.O. Box 590020, Newton Centre, MA 02459. Please be sure to include the names of the teachers and/or staff that you are honoring. Or look for a flyer that will be mailed to your home that includes a donation form. After receiving each donation (a suggested amount is $25 per teacher/staff member), NSF will notify the honored teachers and staff of your gift; share the honoree names with the Superintendent and Principals; and list each of those honored in the Newton TAB.

Please join us for Bigelow’s Civics Day on Tuesday May 22nd, 8:45 -10am. The day will begin with a parent coffee in Bigelow’s library at 8:45am, when Jean Singers, Bigelow’s 8th grade history teacher, will speak to parents from all grades about proposed changes to the Massachusetts history/social studies frameworks.

Following the parent coffee, cluster 8E students will be presenting civic action and advocacy projects they have been working on this year, as part of the Generation Citizen pilot program Ms. Singer is leading. Generation Citizen is an action civics curriculum in which students identify issues in their community, research the root cause and then advocate for change.

Focus issues proposed by the students:

1. Dress code in Newton schools: gender biased language
2. Healthy food in school cafeterias: Meatless Mondays
3. Affordable Housing in Newton: zoning redesign
4. Marijuana use amongst teens: drug prevention education

Bigelow’s Civics Day
8:45-9:00 Tea and Coffee
9:00-9:15 Program introduction
9:15-10:00 Student presentations
Parents from all grades are welcome to arrive or leave at anytime

Please RSVP to Ms. Singer: singersj@newton.k12.ma.us

At the last meeting of the year, the PTO presents the proposed budget and votes for the incoming board members for the 2018/19 school year. All members of the Bigelow Middle School community are part of the PTO and are invited.

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 in one of the open positions:

• Co-Treasurer
• Co-Presidents Elect (in preparation for the 2019/20 school year)
• Nominating committee members (one per feeder school)
• Teacher Appreciation Committee co-chair
• METCO representative

You can also help the PTO fulfill its purpose/mission by being a Committee Chair or a volunteer in some of our activities. Check here the opportunities for next year.

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