The Bigelow PTO sends out weekly newsletters on Thursdays as well as other targeted communications throughout the school year. Please review the items below to ensure you are up to date.
Stay current! As we start a new school year, please take a moment to review and update your newsletter communication preferences, including subscribing to grade-specific and staff communications, through the update your preferences link at the bottom of Bigelow PTO newsletters and emails.
Help spread the word! If you know new members of the Bigelow community, please encourage them to subscribe to the PTO Newsletter via the PTO websiteor this direct link.
Left Bigelow? If you are no longer affiliated with Bigelow and want to be removed from the list, you can use the unsubscribe link at the very bottom of Bigelow PTO newsletters or emails, or scroll to the unsubscribe link at the bottom of the update your preferences link.
Need Help? If you have any questions or need help troubleshooting issues with your Bigelow PTO Newsletter (e.g., duplicate communications, updating preferences, unsubscribing) please email BigelowBulldog@gmail.com.
The Bigelow PTO Family Directory is hosted online at Membership Toolkit. The access is free and it can be used by all Bigelow families. The directory is run and funded by the PTO thanks to your support!
The online platform is a secure and easy to use tool that organizes contact information for all Bigelow families. It is a convenient, environmentally conscious system, that can be updated throughout the school year.
Please confirm that your information is correct and up-to-date. Specific directions for accessing the Directory and verifying contact information is below.
Incoming 6th gradersfrom Underwood, Lincoln-Eliot and Ward have been automatically added to Bigelow’s Directory if the information was available in the elementary school directory. The Membership Toolkit account for Bigelow will use the same login as your elementary school. Mason Rice and out of district families will need to enter their information manually (see directions for new users below).
PLEASE NOTE that regulations and privacy laws do not allow information from Aspen and/or Newton Public schools to flow into this Directory and vice versa. We acknowledge that it is painful to update information in more than one place. The success of this Directory is dependent on every family logging in and adding or updating their information.
Instructions: Accessing and Adding/Verifying Information
Login Information
Login as RETURNING USER, using the same login as last year at Bigelow or your elementary school, if you are:
A returning Bigelow family
An incoming family from Lincoln-Eliot, Underwood or Ward that participated in the elementary school directory
Login as NEW USER, and create a new account if you are:
An incoming family from Mason-Rice or starting Grade 6 from out of the district
A new family with students in Grade 7 and/or Grade 8
A family that did not participate in their elementary school (Lincoln-Eliot, Underwood or Ward) Directory
Click “Verify my email” and then check your email for a link to complete the process. The link expires in 2 hours. If you do not receive the email, check your spam or junk folders.
Once you have verified your email address, log back in and finish the registration process.
Note: Once the Primary Account is set up, the Primary User can “invite” other email addresses to access his/her account. This allows the Secondary User to have their own login information, but still have access to the family account.
Completing/Confirming Information
STEP 1: Complete the Parent/Family and then Student Information. Families can enter their name, address, and phone numbers. For returning users, most of this information should already be available. Please just confirm it is correct.
STEP 2: Complete the Directory/Publish Preferences. Each family can decide which pieces of information will be available for others to view through the privacy settings.
If you are unfamiliar with the platform or if you are unsure about whether or not you are in it, please email us with your name and your child’s name(s) at bigelowbulldog@gmail.com.
Every year, you are required to update student information in Aspen, our student information system. It is very important that families update addresses, emergency contacts, health records, and permissions so that schools have the most accurate and up-to-date information for students.
This system is also used to determine student information that can be released. Please note that we do have new Opt-Out Permissions for the 2022-2023 school year that need your review and preference selections.
Families must update their students’ records by Friday, September 30th. Please use the following instructions to access the information and forms in Aspen: Student Information Update Instructions.
Bigelow Middle School is excited to announce that this Fall we will be hosting the Girls on the Run (GOTR) program! GOTR inspires girls to be joyful, healthy, and confident using a fun experienced-based curriculum. The program enhances girls’ social, emotional, and physical skills, and has reached 2 million girls across the country. The middle school program “Heart & Sole” addresses the whole girl – body, brain, heart, spirit, and social connection – and supports girls in building critical life skills such as team building, developing a support system, boundary setting, decision making, positively impacting others, and asking for and providing help.
Welcome to the 2022-23 School Year from Bigelow Families Organizing For Racial Justice. It’s hard to believe September is here already! Bigelow FORJ welcomes all new students and their families to our school! In this email, we wanted to:
introduce you to our group;
ask if you’d like to be added to our monthly email list; and
ask if you might be interested in joining our leadership team.
ABOUT US
We are a relatively new group at Bigelow, and have about 90 people on our email list, including teachers, parents, and administrators. We are a chapter of Newton’s Families Organizing for Racial Justice (FORJ).
Bigelow FORJ is a group of devoted parents and faculty committed to raising anti-racist children who acknowledge the pervasiveness of oppression and marginalization. We invite parents and children to engage in critical conversations that support questioning, interrogating, and dismantling of white supremacy, including anti-Blackness and all forms of racial injustice.
Last year we:
co-hosted our back to school picnic in Boston
provided feedback on the One School One Book program discussion around Racial Justice, and organized our own parent discussion group
received funding for our kids to participate in a program by Urban Improvabout microaggressions in our school
organized a rally to support our school leadership around their strong programming to help our kids understand more about recent events
sponsored a family discussion group on becoming antiracist
worked with Lincoln Eliot to host a Juneteenth celebration· continued our monthly announcement/newsletter for parents
THIS SCHOOL YEAR:
We are looking forward to planning activities for the 2022-3 school year. We are looking for new members and leaders.
Please email us at bigelowforj@gmail.com if we
can add you as a member (our monthly email list) and/ or
you might be interested in joining our leadership team (we meet monthly)
Looking forward to working with you this school year—
Margo Michaels (one of Liam Opher-Michaels’ moms-8F) and Jeanne Choe-Arrieta (mom to Augie 7D and Becca-6B)
Be sure to use Amazon Smilewhen shopping on Amazon on your computer and phone! Please update your Amazon settings and earn money for Bigelow when you do your regular shopping. Choose Bigelow Middle School Parent- Teacher Organization Inc.
Parts of Waverly Ave will be closed for utility work this fall, impacting routes to and from Bigelow. The segment of Waverly Ave from Arlington St to Nonantum St was scheduled to be closed starting Wednesday 9/7, though the sidewalk on the east side will remain open for pedestrians. The city provided the detours map below to help with your school transportation planning.
Newton Safe Routes to School has information about walking/biking to school here. This may be a great to time to try walking or biking some or all of the way to school to avoid the detour hassles!
Contact the Bigelow representative Alex Rolfe at arolfe@mit.eduif you have questions or concerns that Newton Safe Routes to School can help bring to the city about the detours or about biking/walking to school in general.
Our highly-anticipated Back-to-School Block Bash will be held Thursday 9/8, from 4:30-7:00pm. Please join us for an evening full of family, friends, food trucks, music, games, and fun!
Welcome to the Bigelow Middle School Athletics, home of the Bulldogs! Please read the information for the Fall 2022 season carefully.
Registration will be open inFamily ID from 9/1/22 to 9/11/22. We are unable to process registrations after 9/11/22
Practices and/or tryouts will begin the week of 9/12/22, depending on weather and field conditions.
If your student is interested in participating in a fall sport they must attend an informational meeting during Lunch/Extension block. Students are informed about meetings through daily announcements. If your student misses an informational meeting they can speak to the coach individually.
Practice lengths and game times vary but always begin 10 minutes after dismissal. Late bus transportation is available on practice days, but not on game/meet days.
It is the intent of athletic programs to provide opportunities for participation for as many students as possible. Budget constraints, safety concerns, and available facilities, however, make a “no-cut” policy difficult. Prior to the start of a season, coaches will advise parents and students of the tryout and participation policy for each sport. Every effort will be made to accommodate as many students as possible with regard to safety, playing time, and available facilities, but coaches may follow pre-established and announced cutting policies.
The fostering of participation and sportsmanship, as well as the physical, emotional, and ethical development of a student in a competitive situation, are emphasized. Inherent in this philosophy is the belief that winning is not the major goal of an athletic program. Coaches are encouraged to play every team member when game circumstances permit the use of substitutions.
As members of the Bigelow athletic program, students and coaches are expected to demonstrate proper respect for each other, other teams and coaches, teammates, officials, spectators, and equipment. Student-athletes and coaches are expected to exhibit the highest level of conduct, both on and off the playing field, as they are, at all times, representatives of their team, school, and community.
Visit Family ID for Athletics Registration. If you are a new user, you will need to create an account. Please contact FamilyID directly with any questions.
Make sure your student has a current physical on file with the nurse. Physicals are valid for 13 months from the date of the exam. If your student’s physical expires during the season, they will be unable to practice or play until a new physical is obtained. You can email a copy of your student’s physical directly to the school nurse, Sue Schy.
Visit MySchoolBucks for Athletics payment. The user fee for athletes who participate on a team is $180.00 ($90 for Flag Football). Please wait until the coaches announce the final roster to pay user fees!
Financial waivers are available and are now located in Aspen. Please complete a financial waiver before paying for your registration. Once approved for a waiver, you will select the athletics waiver product on MySchoolBucks. For more information regarding the financial waiver please visit this page: NPS Financial Waiver Information. If you have any questions, please reach out to your athletic department or the business office at 617-559-9025 or feepayments@newton.k12.ma.us.
Clubs and the Bigelow Academic Center
Clubs and the Bigelow Academic Center (BAC) will begin in late September/Early October.
The User Fee for clubs is $60 per student, per year ($100 if the student participates in Drama) and allows students to participate in unlimited clubs throughout the school year.
Check out the website for past club offerings, information on user fees, and how to sign up for the BAC.
Join the Bigelow Middle School FORJ 2022-23 leadership committee to help strengthen Bigelow’s work around racial justice!
Bigelow Middle School FORJ is planning our activities for the 2022-23 school year and we are seeking parents and faculty who would like to join our leadership committee. If you would like to join the planning for this year’s work, please email us at bigelowforj@gmail.com. All are welcome whether or not you participated in FORJ last year. We meet once or twice a month on Zoom and we are planning our first meeting for later in September.
More about Bigelow FORJ and other ways to get involved:
Bigelow FORJ is a group of devoted parents, faculty and administrators committed to raising anti-racist children who acknowledge the pervasiveness of systemic barriers; speak out against injustices; and seek action-oriented solutions. We invite parents and children to engage in critical conversations that support questioning, challenging and dismantling systemic racism, structural inequities, including anti-Blackness, racial discrimination, unconscious biases and all other forms of racial injustice and social exclusion.
