Volunteer for Bigelow SERVES
Sunday, May 7th 9 am to ~1pm*
*Please note earlier end time

Please join us this Sunday, May 7th to help reinvigorate the green areas around Bigelow for NewtonSERVES 2023. The event will run from 9 am to ~1pm (please note earlier end time) and volunteers are welcome to drop in for any amount of time. Every minute of your time helps!

Please wear work clothes and bring a refillable water bottle. We also request the following items if you have them:

• work/gardening gloves
• yard tools (shovels, rakes, trowels, etc)
• wheelbarrow
• watering can

**Please label any tools you bring so we can be sure they are reunited with you at the end of the event.**

NewtonSERVES is annual city-wide day of community service. This year the goal across Newton is to focus volunteer efforts on cleaning and improving our parks, school grounds, open space areas, and conservation lands. Please join us in building community through service!

All Bigelow families, friends, and neighbors are welcome!

Questions? Please email Giulia Guffanti (giuliaguffa@gmail.com) or Elizabeth Apgar (erapgar@gmail.com)

In honor of National Teacher Appreciation Week (May 7th – 13th), the Bigelow PTO will host three luncheons for our dedicated teachers and staff.  Each lunch will be catered by families from each grade:

• Monday, May 8th: 6th Grade Families Sign-Up
• Wednesday, May 10th: 7th Grade Families Sign-Up
• Friday, May 12th: 8th Grade Families Sign-Up

Please review sign-up links for each grade above, and deliver your donated item to Bigelow the morning of your grade’s luncheon. 

We are also accepting monetary donations to fund luncheon items. If you would prefer to donate money, the steps are:

• 1. Venmo @BigelowPTONewton and add note “[Grade] Teacher Appreciation Lunch”.
• 2. Sign up for an item in the grade-specific SignUpGenius link above. In the comments include “Venmo to Bigelow PTO [$ amount]”.
• 3. A PTO volunteer will cover that item for you the day of the luncheon. 

This will be our final teacher appreciation event of the year.  Let’s give our Bigelow staff a big thanks for all that they do!

If you have any questions, please contact Ron Farrar (ronfarrar@gmail.com) and Suriya Sangsub (suriya59@hotmail.com).

YEARBOOK ORDERING DETAILS

• Deadline: Friday, May 5th
• Price: $25

ORDERING OPTION #1: ***We encourage ordering online***

• Order online:  ybpay.lifetouch.com 
• Bigelow’s ID Code: 1945923
• Not sure if you’ve already ordered?  Click here to view your order history for the 2022-2023 school year.

ORDERING OPTION #2:

• If you cannot order online you can bring a check or cash to the school.
• Check for $25 payable to: Bigelow Middle School
• Memo: Student’s First & Last Name, Grade
• Checks/cash must be received by May 5th

Did you know that 1 in 3 families struggle to afford diapers? Diapers are expensive, and having to buy them can take away from a family’s ability to buy food or other necessities.

Please support local families who need diapers!

Donate diapers (size NB-7) from April 22nd – May 6th Open boxes are welcome but please put diapers in labeled plastic sleeves or bags.  

DROP OFF LOCATIONS

FamilyACCESS of Newton (492 Waltham St, West Newton) Drop off inside the front doors from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm when the building is open. Look for a table with a diaper dropoff sign. NO weekend dropoffs. 

American Legion Nonantum Post 440 (295 California St, Nonantum) Drop off in the main office 7 days a week from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. From the parking lot, enter the glass doors, up the steps, and turn left.

Porch dropoff (128 Herrick Road, Newton Centre) Drop off in the bin marked “Diapers” at the top of the driveway or on the front porch at 128 Herrick Road.

Purchase diapers from our Amazon Wish List https://tinyurl.com/nndiaperdrive23 Diapers will be shipped directly to one of our collection points.

Pick up free diapers for your family on May 13th 

Pick up diapers between 7:30 am – 12:30 pm at one of these locations – no identification or registration required

• American Legion Nonantum Post 440 (295 California St, Nonantum)
• FamilyACCESS of Newton (492 Waltham St, West Newton)

Newton Neighbors Helping, welcoming, connecting neighbors https://www.facebook.com/groups/newtonneighborshelping newtonneighborshelping@gmail.com

Newton Safe Routes to School needs your help by May 8! We especially want to hear from Bigelow families and students as they are underrepresented so far on the maps! 

• Which destinations in Newton do you often walk or bike to?
• Which transit and micromobility hubs are most important to you?
• Where do you face challenges biking in Newton?
• Where do you face challenges walking in Newton?

Please thoughtfully fill out this public input tool to help inform Newton’s first Bicycle and Pedestrian Network Plan. The City of Newton is collecting feedback through May 8. The survey instrument works best with a desktop or laptop computer. If you aren’t successful at making the survey work, you can also email your comments to bikepedplan@newtonma.gov. Please be as specific as possible. 

The goal of this project is to create an implementation-focused Bicycle and Pedestrian Network Plan that will strategically recommend investments over a 5-year timeframe to ensure the walking and biking networks in Newton are safe and accessible for all ages and abilities. More about the project here: www.NewtonMA.gov/bikepedplan

Want to get involved in Safe Routes to School at Bigelow? Reach out to Bigelow Rep Alex Rolfe at NewtonSafeRoutes@gmail.com.

Bike skills event on May 7

Register now for Newton’s 3rd annual “bike rodeo” at Newton South on Sunday, May 7.  MA Safe Routes to Schools instructors will teach and review bike riding skills for Newton school students in Grades K-6.  Volunteers from Bike Newton and the Newton Safe Routes to Schools Task Force will share information about making sure your body and bicycle are ready to ride, road signs, hand signals, and more.

Students must bring their own helmet, bike and adult, and already be comfortable riding a bike.

Click here to register.

The Newton Corner Neighborhood Association is a lively community organization looking for new members! The group is working with city councilors, and has input on issues such as neighborhood walkability, pedestrian safety, traffic, zoning, and affordable housing. The group will have the greatest impact if it’s as large as possible. Please consider consulting the website and attending an upcoming meeting. We look forward to meeting you!

Newton Corner Neighborhood Association Website

Calling all rising 8th & 9th graders for summer fun!

Learn how to become the best camp counselor ever with Newton Community Education’s CIT (Counselor in Training) program. You will get experience working with campers and counselors to develop the skills and confidence to become effective leaders in a supportive environment. Sign up for one or more sessions!   

• Session 1: July 10-21, 2023
• Session 2: July 24-August 4, 2023
• Session 3: August 7-18, 2023

For more information on becoming a CIT this summer, Check out Newton Community Education here and enroll today!

Check out our other SUMMER CAMP OFFERINGS for middle schoolers!

Questions? Check out the FAQ document or Email us: nce-staff@newton.k12.ma.us

Newton Community Education is looking to offer Bigelow students some wonderful after school activities this fall. We would love to hear from you as we prepare. Please complete this linked survey so we can best support you!

These activities would be sponsored by Newton Community Education, and will not take the place of or interfere with the regular Bigelow after school activity offerings.

Celebrate bike month and join others in Newton and across Massachusetts by walking, riding, or rolling to school on Wednesday, May 3!