First Day of School: Tuesday, September 5th

School Hours: 7:55 a.m. – 2:25 p.m. (early release Wednesdays at 1:40 p.m.)

School Supplies: Please click here for school supply list broken down by grade level. The PTO invites you to think about school supplies in a sustainable way.  Let’s practice the three Rs of sustainability – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle with our students.

***One Additional School Supply Needed***

All students will need 2 locks; one for their main locker & the other for their PE locker. Master Lock type padlocks with a numeric combination dial fit best and are most secure.

Note: Master Lock 2-packs often include 2 locks with the same combination so your student only needs to remember 1 combination.

On Wednesday August 30th Bigelow teachers and staff were treated to an Opening Day Luncheon catered by Jersey Mike’s. Many thanks to chairs Ron Farrar and Suriya Ziblatt for organizing teacher and staff appreciation for the 2023-24 school year and to Kristin Golden for her help with this first event.

We wish everyone a great year ahead!

Dear Bigelow Community,

In this last Bigelow Notes of the 2022/2023 school year, we would like to thank you for your generosity and continuous support for another wonderful school year.

A special call-out to all our amazing volunteers who worked tirelessly to make sure that PTO sponsored events were successful.

In particular, we would like to express our deep gratitude to the following parents:

Giulia Guffanti (Treasurer), Sukanya Ghosh (Secretary), Elizabeth Apgar (Communications/Website), Sarah K. Lenz & Heather Thiessen Philbrook (Directory), Zlatena Simeonova (Creative Arts & Sciences), Gabriela Kroszynski & Heather Pozen (8th Grade Activities), Ron Farrar & Suriya Ziblatt (Teacher Appreciation), Shana Smythe, Charlene Gillespie, & Carolyn Gillespie (Ten Tables), Elizabeth Apgar (NewtonServes), Karen Hite (PoPs), Jeanne Choe-Arrieta (METCO), and Margo Michaels & Jeanne Choe-Arrieta (FORJ) for making it all happen. 

Last but not least, we would like to thank Gabriela Kroszynski (President) and May Chen (Vice-President) for their service to the Bigelow PTO during these last two school years.

We wish you all a very restful and joyous summer! Look for information over the summer for upcoming events and ways to be a part of the PTO. For those of you leaving Bigelow, we wish you all the best and hope our paths cross at Newton North.

With Gratitude, 

Bigelow PTO Board

We are actively planning for the 2023-24 school year and we are still looking for volunteers for co-presidents. If you are interested in this role, or know someone who would be a good fit, please email bigelowbulldog@gmail.com.

Volunteering is a great way to make a difference in your student’s middle school experience and stay connected with our teachers and staff.

Are you curious about the Newton Teachers Association (NTA) contract negotiations? Background on NTA negotiations, current contract priorities, and ways to become more informed and involved can be found at https://linktr.ee/ntaresources.

On Tuesday, June 20th, Bigelow celebrated the careers of 8 retiring teachers. We extend a heartfelt thank you for all you’ve done for our school and wish you the best in retirement!

The Bigelow PTO was able to provide funds to support this celebration thanks to the generosity of our community.

As the school year comes to an end, if you are looking for a way to express your appreciation to a teacher or other school staff member for the hard work that they do and the care they show for your student each and every day, while also complying with the NPS no-gift policy, here is a way to say thank you.

By donating to Newton Schools Foundation’s Honor Thy Teacher, you can show your appreciation AND support your children’s schools. NSF will notify each staff member honored of your gift and share their names with Principals and the Superintendent. Each honored staff member will receive a certificate and commemorative display magnet, and a list of honored teachers will appear on the NSF website.

Your tax-deductible donation will go towards funding NSF grants for new approaches in the classroom, professional development for teaches, and programs that promote equity for all students. 

It’s easy to donate. Use the QR Code, or donate online at the NSF Website. Please be sure to include the name of your student and the names of the teachers and/or staff that you are honoring. 

Incoming NPS Superintendent Dr. Anna Nolin wants to hear from you! Please view Dr. Nolin’s welcome letter HERE and see specific ways to connect with our incoming Superintendent below.

Host a Meet & Greet Gather 20 or more people in your neighborhood, place of worship, community organization, fitness location, etc. to meet with Dr. Nolin to talk about Newton Schools and its future.

• Form: Host a Meet and Greet with Dr. Nolin

Be Heard What are some things we should stop, start, or continue to do in the Newton Public Schools? Provide input and help identify areas of focus through a tool called ThoughtExchange:

• ThoughtExchange Link

Celebrate Our Staff on the Opening Day of School 2023-24. Share stories of how our Newton Public School staff have demonstrated care, expertise and excellence in serving the children of Newton. (any staff: nurses, paraprofessionals, cafeteria staff, principals, teachers, behaviorists, counselors, psychologists, tutors, –ANYONE–)

• Form: Celebrate Staff on Opening Day

More detailed descriptions of each way to connect with Dr. Nolin can be found in her welcome letter HERE.

Please join us tonight, Thursday June 15th, for the final PTO meeting of the school year via zoom at 7 pm. We will go over the PTO budget and planning for next year.

Zoom Link
Meeting ID: 873 656 3465
Passcode: bulldogs

One tap mobile
+13052241968,,8736563465#,,,,13697067# US

+13092053325,,8736563465#,,,,13697067# US

Would you consider volunteering your time for the 2023-2024 school year? The Bigelow Middle School PTO is still in need of volunteers for two co-presidents and will not be able to function if these positions are not filled before the start of the new school year.

Volunteering is a great way to make a difference in your student’s middle school experience and stay connected with our teachers and staff. Please review the descriptions for the roles mentioned above and other open positions here! If you have any questions or need additional details, please email bigelowbulldog@gmail.com.