Category Archives: From the PTO

Thank you – and one more 8th Grade Fundraiser…

Thank you to all members of the Bigelow community for your help on our recent fundraising efforts for the 8th grade WL trips to NYC and Quebec! On Friday, February 23rd we had a bake sale, a raffle to shave Mr. Waldman and Mr. Spiegel, and a dough raiser at UNOs. All of these events were a total success and would not have been possible without all of your help! Thank you so much! Please keep an eye out for future fundraising events…

As another fundraiser for the 8th grade WL trips to NYC and Quebec, we recently conducted a T-shirt Design Contest. All students were encouraged to submit entries, and we received so many! We then narrowed down the designs and had all students vote for their favorite design. The winning design was created by 6th graders Jonathan H. and Connor F. It really turned out great! We will now be creating t-shirts with this winning design, and taking orders for them. The t-shirts must be ordered in advance. Order forms for the t-shirts will be going out to all students soon, and I will also attach a copy. Please return all order forms to Ms. Calabria (Room 213 or mailbox) by Friday, April 13th.

Dates to Remember

April 26th – PTO Meeting 8:30 AM

May 1st – Teacher Appreciation Tea

May 23rd-25th – 8th Grade to NY,Quebec

June 8th – Step up Day and Surf the Turf

June 13th – 8th Grade Graduation and Dance at nite

June 14th – 8th grade-Six Flags

June 15th – Last day of School

From the Heath & Human Service Dept. – The Cinnamon Challenge

Parent Information: The Cinnamon Challenge

There have been recent reports of young people engaging in an activity called “The Cinnamon Challenge.”  This practice is being promoted via social networking and in You Tube videos.  The challenge involves an attempt to eat or swallow a tablespoon of ground cinnamon in under 60 seconds without drinking.  This often causes coughing, choking, gagging, watering of the eyes and burning of the mouth and throat.

Dr. Karen Sadler, Newton’s School Physician, said the fad is dangerous, particularly for children with asthma or other respiratory conditions.

“For many kids this is probably just a game that would result in coughing and gagging, but others could inhale cinnamon into the lungs and require emergency care,” she said.

Another concern is an ingredient in cinnamon called cassia that may affect blood clotting, blood sugar levels, or worsen liver disease.

“I encourage parents to talk to their children about why this is an unsafe game,” Sadler said. “This is one of those hidden dangers children may be unaware of. We want all of our children to remain healthy and safe.”

Please call your school nurse if you have any concerns or questions.

 

 

Mandatory Track Information Meeting – Wednesday 3/21

We are having our track information meeting on Wednesday 3/21 after school.  8th graders should report to room 212 (Ms. Summa), 7th graders should report to room 210 (Ms. Rice) and 6th graders should report to room 102 (Mr. Smalley’s room to meet with Ms. Hall.)  This meeting is mandatory for anyone interested in running this year.

7th & 8th Grade Girls Lacrosse

Mandatory girls lacrosse meeting, Thursday March 8th @ 2:55 in room G02.  All 7th & 8th grade girls are welcome. No experience necessary.
You MUST attend this meeting to receive important paperwork and information regarding tryouts.  If you are unable to attend this date you must inform Mrs. Martin, Ms. Calabria or Ms. Clarke BEFORE the meeting.
If you do not come and do not inform one of us of your absence, you may NOT tryout.

Greening Our Community: “For Cod & Country” (2/27)

The 2012 Greening Our Community Series presents “For Cod and Country” with Barton Seaver, chef, author, and National Geographic Fellow, who will speak about his mission to restore our relationships with the ocean, the land, and each other — through dinner. He believes that food is a crucial way for us to connect with the ecosystems, people and cultures of our world. Seaver will explore these themes through the healthful, planet-friendly recipes from his book, For Cod and Country, as well as his role as host of both the National Geographic web series “Cook-Wise” and the three-part Ovation TV series “In Search of Food.”

Monday, Feb. 27, at 7:00pm at the Druker Auditorium in the Newton Free Library. More details on the library’s website.

General PTO meeting and Big Night Out Thank You Party

Join us for a committee celebration and thank you party for Big Night Out  – and the March General PTO meeting.  It’s a chance for all of us to have fun and enjoy. We will also be stuffing thank you notes for auction donors.

Thursday, March 1, 2012
7:00 pm
Home of Laurie Gershkowitz

Let us know if you can make it so we can prepare accordingly.