Category Archives: From the PTO

All-City Orchestra Auditions, grades 4-8

Now celebrating its 54th season, the All-City Orchestra (ACO) is an after-school ensemble for kids who would like to play in an orchestra outside their own school boundaries.  It is for kids in grades 4-8 who either attend the Newton Public Schools or who are home-schooled Newton residents. Students must already be dedicated participants in their own school group.  Directed by Gregory Livingston (music teacher at Bigelow), the orchestra rehearses from 3:45 to 5:00 PM on Wednesday afternoons at Bigelow Middle School.

If you have a child who plays in his or her school orchestra and would like an additional challenge, the ACO may be just the thing. More details and audition requirements are on the ACO’s website.

Events during Walk-Bike Week, Sept. 28

Bike Newton, which promotes bicycling as a viable method of transportation in Newton and advocates for safe, convenient biking for all, is sponsoring events for Walk-Bike Week:

Bike Friday, for commuters traveling into Boston, on Friday, Sept. 28. Begin at Newton City Hall, meet additional riders in Newtonville and Watertown Sq and end at the Sports Club near Boston Common. Meet at 6:45 AM, leave at 7 AM, arrive Boston 8:15 AM. Learn a safe route for your commute to Boston.

Bike Census, Saturday, Sept 29 and Wednesday, Oct 4. Volunteers are needed to help with the census (i.e. counting bike riders at locations around the city). Sign up at  bikenewton.org, click on ‘Do something’ and ‘Volunteer’. The census will be done on Saturday, Sept 29 12-1 PM and on Wed. Oct 3 8-9 AM and 4-5 PM.

Sunday Morning Weekly No-Rider-Left-Behind rides 11 AM, Sept. 30. Each ride goes to an interesting destination in the city. See schedule and routes at bikenewton.org. Meet at Homer St main library at 10:45 AM, with a bike in good working condition and a helmet. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult and be able to ride 7 – 10 miles.

Cabot Cabot After School Program celebrating 35th anniversary

The Cabot After School Program is celebrating their 35th anniversary this year by having a cruise on the Spirit of Boston on September 30th. As Cabot is one of the feeder schools into Bigelow, we are sharing the following information:

The celebration will include a harbor cruise, auction, cash bar, dinner, dancing and entertainment for the whole family.

Who: Current and former CASP families and staff
When: Sunday, September 30th, 3:00-5:30
Where: Aboard the Spirit of Boston, Boston Harbor
Cost: Adults – $25, Children 4-12 – $7.50, Children 3 & under: FREE

Payment Deadline is September 14th

Go to www.cabotafterschool.org/CruisingwithCASP for all the details!
Proceeds to benefit CASP Scholarship Fund

Upcoming Events

September 20th─Back to school night at 7pm at Bigelow. You will start in your child’s home base.

September 21st─6th Grade Potluck Dinner at 7pm at the home of Rick and Anna LeBlanc. Please RSVP to Anna at annaleblanc@comcast.net.

Please bring your own beverage and then if your child’s last name begins with:

A-G- Please bring an appetizer
H-M-Please bring a side dish
N-T Please bring a main dish
U-Z-Please bring a dessert

September 27th─PTO Meeting. Held in the library at 8:30am. All are welcome.

October 13th─Soup Stroll host and hostesses needed! Please contact: Becky Manley at becky@calare.com if you are interested.

8th Grade Car Wash a Success!

Thank you to everyone who brought their dirty car to be washed on Friday September 7th. The 8th grade raised over $700 towards graduation. A special thank you to Bid Lannery for organizing the bake sale and for purchasing needed items and to Andrea Newman for coordinating the car wash from signage to soap!

6th Grade Orientation

All 6th graders are invited to a special orientation/social event TOMORROW (August 28th) from 9-10:30am. Students should arrive in the auditorium and from there, will visit homerooms, meet their homeroom classmates, receive their class schedules, tour classrooms and have light refreshments. Parents are welcome to join Todd and the PTO officers in the library during this time. If you ordered school supplies from the PTO, you may also pick them up tomorrow between 10:30-12pm or on the first day of school.

We look forward to seeing you tomorrow,

Becky, Beth, Mindy, Anna and Julie

Cyndi Dailey-Smith and Howard B. Smith Scholarship Fund

The Cyndi Dailey-Smith and Howard B. Smith Scholarship Fund

The Cyndi Dailey-Smith and Howard B. Smith Scholarship Fund was founded in 2012 to honor the contributions of Cyndi and her late husband Howard to the students of Bigelow Middle School upon her retirement from the Newton Public Schools.

Known affectionately by her students as “Ms. D,” Cyndi has been a music teacher and assistant principal in the Newton Public Schools for the past thirty-five years. After teaching music and music therapy at several elementary schools, she came to Bigelow in 1993 to help reopen the school. She and her colleagues built the music and theater program into a multifaceted and renowned department. Hundreds of Bigelow students enrolled in her chorus, and scores more participated in her theater productions. In 2003, she became the Assistant Principal at Bigelow, and in this role, she brought her flair and deep dedication to Bigelow students in new ways. She organized creative arts assemblies and chaperoned dances and overnight field trips, she helped guide students and parents through difficult situations with a loving hand, she greeted students everyday with a smiling face as they entered the building, and together with her husband Howard, she founded the Keystone Partners, a model mentoring program involving community volunteers and African American students. Current-day Bigelow is very much a reflection of Cyndi—a lively, creative, child-centered, caring, spirited, and strong community.

The Cyndi Dailey-Smith and Howard B. Smith Scholarship Fund will ensure that Cyndi and Howard’s impact will carry on into the future. This fund provides support for Bigelow students who might not be able to otherwise participate in cultural and curricular enrichment learning opportunities, such as field trips.

Please give on line by using the paypal button to the right.

BUY A BOOK – LIBRARY

A Perfect Graduation Gift:
Honor a Graduate or a Teacher by Making a Donation to the Bigelow Library

For a $15 donation, our librarian will purchase a book and attach a plate with the honoree’s name. We will send letters to the honorees informing them of the donation in their name. The donor will receive a letter acknowledging the gift.

Please visit our website bigelowpto.org for BUY A BOOK Paypal link and/or click this link BUY A BOOK to make your donation via paypal and send the following information to Eva Schmitt’s email: evaschmitt@hotmail.com

Name of Honoree(s):_______________________
Address of Honoree(s): Bigelow Middle School or:____________________________________
Donor’s address: _____________________________________Phone:_____________________

Your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Bigelow Middle School Parent-Teacher Organization, Inc. is a Section 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

Honor a Student or a Teacher — Make a Donation to the Bigelow Library

For a $15 donation, our librarian will purchase a book and attach a plate with the honoree’s name. We will send letters to the honorees informing them of the donation in their name.

Please use the form below to make your donation. For questions contact:
Eva Schmitt at 617-699-9185 or evaschmitt@hotmail.com

To motivate reluctant readers, with the money donated so far this year, Bigelow librarian Diane Montville has bought books including Sports Technology, Custom Cars, the biography of Steve Jobs, and a memoir written by a former Bigelow student (!): Searching for Solace. Ms. Montville has also purchased additional copies of the book in high demand: Hunger Games. Thank you to all the generous donors!

Bigelow-Buy-A-Book Donation Form

Name of Honoree(s):_______________________

Address of Honoree(s): Bigelow Middle School or:____________________________________

Donor’s address: _____________________________________Phone:_____________________

Please make check payable to “Bigelow Middle School PTO” and mail together with this completed form to:
Bigelow-Buy-A-Book, c/o Eva Schmitt, 88 Madison Ave, Newtonville, MA 02460-1905

Your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Bigelow Middle School Parent-Teacher Organization, Inc. is a Section 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

Teacher Appreciation Tea May 1st

Please help us create a delightful tea to show our appreciation to our wonderful teachers and staff!

Please consider donating food:

Fruit, quiches, finger sandwiches, salads, scones, dessert
Use this link to sign up
http://bigelowpto.org/teacher-appreciation-tea-donation-sign-up-2/

We also need set up help at 12:30 pm, or clean up help at 3:30 pm.

We are also accepting gift cards to area businesses or restaurants to be used in a raffle for the teachers at the event.

For more information email the PTO at Bigelowbulldog@gmail.com

Thank you for your support!!