Please join us for an Ice Skaking Fundraiser at Warrior Ice Area on Friday, December 2, 2022 from 9:00-9:50 pm. Tickets are $15 (includes skate rental) and will be sold at the event.

It’s that time of year and your inbox is probably filled with worthy organizations asking for donations. The Bigelow Middle School Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) is one cause that doesn’t get more personal: our kids’ education. As parents and guardians of Bigelow students, we are all members of the PTO, an organization that is well worth supporting.

Why give to the PTO?

• We underwrite programs that the Newton Public School’s budget does not cover, such as Creative Arts and Sciences and classroom technology.
• We supplement supplies for the classrooms.
• We offer field trip scholarships.
• We provide assistance to Bigelow families who have fallen under unfortunate circumstances.
• We serve as an important communication channel between the school and parents.
• We help build the community that makes Bigelow a special place for our children.

Please support these important programs with your gift to Bigelow PTO online, via Venmo (@BigelowPTONewton), or by check.
Matching gifts are a great way to maximize your donation! Some companies will double or triple your gift to education.

DONATE NOW

On Tuesday, Bigelow teachers and staff were treated to a Thanksgiving Snack Bar. Many thanks to Ron Farrar and Suriya Ziblatt for putting together this beautiful spread to help show our appreciation for Bigelow’s amazing teachers and staff!

Simply send your donation via Venmo to @BigelowPTONewton. Please put “Annual Fund” in the memo line.

Donations to the Annual Fund support Bigelow creative arts and science presentations, the One School One Book project, community building events, cultural events, field trip scholarships, classroom supplies not covered by NPS, and lots more!  

Venmo to: @BigelowPTONewton.  Please don’t delay and make your contribution today!  A big thank you to those who already donated!  

For other ways to donate, visit: http://bigelowpto.org/donate

It is time to nominate parents/guardians to serve on the Bigelow School Council for the 2022-23 school year.

The School Council, which was established as part of the 1993 Education Reform Bill, is a group of teachers and parents who meet monthly to advise the principal on issues related to the identification of students’ needs, the budget, and the development of a School Improvement Plan. Learn more about School Councils here.

5 Parent/Guardian members are to be selected by the parents of students attending the school, in elections held by the local recognized parent-teacher organization.

Please use this form to nominate possible representatives by Tuesday November 29th. The vote will take place via a google form distributed in the PTO newsletter on Thursday December 1st.

Do you want to help make Bigelow a more positive and inclusive place for all students? Join Bigelow GSA (Gender Sexuality Alliance)!  Everyone is welcome!

It’s the last week for our Thanksgiving Gift Card Drive! We are distributing supermarket gift cards to neighbors experiencing food insecurity, in hopes that they can celebrate the bounty of the holidays!

We are more than halfway there! Food prices are so high, please help us cross the line and donate whatever you can for these families.

Newton Neighbors will purchase and distribute gift cards through partner agencies for up to 150 families in Newton, Waltham, and Brockton.

If you are able to make any size donation to help us reach our goal, we know these families will be so grateful.

Donate online at https://www.newtonneighbors.org/donate or mail a check to Newton Neighbors, PO Box 590141, Newton, MA 02459

Peace and Joy to You This Season

THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY DONATED SO GENEROUSLY!

On Tuesday, November 8th, Bigelow students explored themes of this year’s One School, One Book Count Me In by Varsha Bajaj through several activities with their advisory groups.

Students visited virtually with the author Varsha Bajaj, who spoke about the power of a story and her journey as a writer. Following the author visit, students played a team-based Math game, as Math played a role in how the main characters in Count Me In became friends. Students ended with a community-building activity called Who Are We? to reflect how the main characters in the novel both acknowledged their own family traditions and routines, and also learned to appreciate the differences between one another.

Thank you to everyone involved in organizing and planning this event for our students, especially Ms. Summa, for so thoughtfully putting together this learning experience!

Finally, thank you to all Bigelow Families for your support of the PTO! It is through your support that the Bigelow PTO is able to underwrite special programs like One School, One Book for our students.

Bigelow is fortunate to have a strong partnership between the school’s terrific leaders, teachers and staff, as well as a dedicated and vibrant Parent Teacher Organization (PTO). Please support your PTO and consider giving today.

A gift of any size will help us reach our goal of 100% participation.

As a caregiver of a Bigelow Middle School student, you are a member of the PTO. Your donation will enhance the PTO’s ability to promote and support the school community’s core values, creating an environment where students will develop a respect for self and others; a sense of responsibility for oneself and their community; and a life-long love of learning.

How to Donate:

• via Venmo @BigelowPTONewton
• write a check and mail to Bigelow Middle School c/o PTO
• via the website at bigelowpto.org/donate/

Please consider adding Bigelow PTO to your company’s annual donation matching program, if applicable. Bigelow Middle School PTO is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization. Tax ID #20-0348453. All donations are tax deductible to the extent of the law.

How Your Donation Helps

Funds raised by the PTO, thanks to your donations, are used to support many wonderful programs and services to benefit our students academically and socially, including the One School One Book Count Me In program detailed in the prior section.

Building on the success of last year’s Staff Wellness Day, Principal Coston and Bigelow Leadership are planning Bigelow’s first ever Student Wellness Day.

When? Thursday, December 8^th, ~8:30-11:20 am (December 8^th is an early release day with 11:20 am dismissal)

What? After advisory, students will rotate through 5 different 30-minute health and wellness activities. Students will be able to choose the activities that most interest them.

We need you! We are still looking for parent volunteers to share their talents and lead 30-minute activity sessions to make Bigelow’s first ever Student Wellness Day a success. The goal is for students to have a wide range of activities to choose from, e.g., origami, dance, yoga, meditation, cookie or cupcake decorating, crafts, gaming, sports, etc.!

Interested? Please email bigelowbulldog@gmail.com with your idea and join the fun!