A reminder to parents:  The cold weather is supposed to be here.  All PE classes will be going outside for the Flag Football unit.  It is a good idea for students to have a sweatshirt and running pants in their PE locker.  It is always helpful if they have an old pair of sneakers.  The field can be wet and muddy.  We don’t want to track our mud all over the school especially on the shiny new tile in school.

Anyone like shooting free throws/ fouls shots?  The Newton Elks is sponsoring a free throw contest for boys and girls 8-13.  The contest is FREE and will be held at the John Barry Boys and Girls Club this Saturday November 7th.  The contest starts at 3:00.  It is run by Newton North’s Boys Basketball coach Paul Connolly.  See Mr. P if you have any questions.

Thanks,

Mr. P and Ms. Fitzgerald

Please help us reach our goal of 50 volunteers for this event!!  Volunteers still needed for Bigelow’s Election Day bake sale on Tuesday, November 3rd!

Click on the “Sign up!” button below to volunteer.

When: Tuesday, November 3, from 7 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (or as long as the baked goods last!)

Where: hallway outside Bigelow Gym

Here are three ways you can support this important fundraiser for the Bigelow PTO.

1. Bake and package delicious home-baked items to sell.  Baked goods need to be individually wrapped for sale.  Whole pies, cakes, tea breads, coffee cakes etc are always big sellers.  (Please no peanuts / nuts or goods that require refrigeration)  Items maybe dropped of the day of at the gym or the evening before at 11 Merton Street.  We would love to get 50 plus bakers for this event.

2. Staff the bake sale on Tuesday November 3rd.   See all your friends and neighbors as they come in to vote.

3.  Buy items from the Bake Sale.  Students may purchase baked goods BEFORE and AFTER school.

Can’t bake? We can also sell store-bought individually wrapped snacks, bottled water, bananas, and apples. And cash donations are always welcome!

Thank you from your co chairs:  Marian McDonagh and Frieda Dweck

Thank you to everyone that came out today to improve and clean up the Bigelow grounds. Over 700 bulbs were planted, major pruning was done to “jungle” behind the gym and a new storage shed was put together.  It is going to look amazing in the spring.

Special thank yous to Kathy Marsh and Audrey Weissborn for their ongoing care of the plantings at Bigelow, to Mr. Harrison for joining us on your day off and to Tami Ireland for taking great care of the “island”.  Also thank you to all of you that joined in today:  The Arbuckle Family, Tracey Brenner, the Brunson-Sahakian Family, the Dumphy-Manfredi Family, The Fitzgerald Family, The Gardner-Matviak Family, Marcia Heron and John Delyani, The Hargens Family, Christine Langlois, Bob Leaper, The Marré Family, Aoife O’Dwyer, The Ou Family, Heather Pozen, Agi Sardi, the Smythe Family, the Steinbok Family, and Asher Weglein.  We apologize if we missed anyone.  It was a great team effort by parents, staff and students of Bigelow (current and future) to get the work done.

Students will be dismissed at 11:30 this coming Thursday.

A flu clinic will be held at Bigelow on November 4th.  See the attached Flu Letter for more information. Required forms can be downloaded here Student Flu Forms 2015 (1)

This Sunday, November 1st is Bigelow’s Big Fall Clean up.  We will be planting 500 bulbs at the main entry and the island as well as pruning and trimming of the grounds.  All are welcome and lunch will be served.  Many hands make light work!!

The project will be from 10am – 2pm and you can sign up to work the whole time or part of it.  CLICK HERE to sign up.

Please contact us at bigelowbulldog@gmail.com with any questions.  We hope to see you there!!

Ms Alberts and Ms M’Sadoques

Please register your Stop and Shop card and earn $$ for Bigelow while you shop.

Please go to www.stopandshop.com/aplus and select CUSTOMER REGISTRATION to register online using your Stop and Shop Card.  OR you can email Stacey Horsik at horsiks@rcn.com with your last name and 13 digit ID Stop & Shop card number.  Your family, neighbors and friends can register their cards as well.  

The Bigelow ID# is Bigelow Middle School ID#08615 

Last year we raised close to $400.  Thank you to the Bigelow Community for your support.

A special presentation / discussion for 6th grade parents on  “Helping your child get organized for 6th Grade” will take place this Wed 7pm in the Bigelow Library.

As the school year swings into full gear and the cold weather begins,  I would like to remind some and inform others about the NPS bus waiver.  You may have noticed a bus stop in your neighborhood but you choose to drive your middle schooler(s) each morning.  Perhaps the bus fee seems a bit out of reach, especially if you have more than one child who needs to ride it.  I encourage you to learn more about the waiver, fill it out and encourage your child to take the bus.  Click here for a copy of the transportation waiver.

The bus is safe and punctual.  Other benefits are a decrease in traffic congestion and pollution.  You will also be sustaining  job security for many individuals who are employed as bus drivers and your children will develop “BRC”  Bus  Riding Community with fellow students and neighbors!  Middle school bus riding is a great way to encourage independence and paves the way for future use of public transportation as young adults.

For more information see NPS homepage at http://www.newton.k12.ma.us/Domain/125

Thank you from Margaret Smith, Bigelow Parent