Welcome Back!

Dear Bigelow Families,

We hope that this first week of school has gone well for you! We are looking forward to the new year and to sponsoring creatively both social and fundraising events to benefit our Bigelow community.

First up will be the 6th grade get-togethers over the weekends of September 26 and October 3! We will be sending a sign-up sheet for 6th graders on Monday, September 21st, so please look for that and sign up as soon as possible so that we can confirm plans with our generous host families! 

After that, we will have our Fall PTO meeting – stay tuned this week for more details.

As always, thank you for your support of the Bigelow PTO!

Best wishes,

Karen Markson
PTO President

Surveillance Viral Testing Pilot for Newton Public Schools Parent Survey

Dear Bigelow Community,

We are sharing the message below, at the request of a group of Newton scientists/physicians/parents who are engaged in the “Safer Teachers, Safer Students: Back-to-School SARs-CoV-2 testing collaborative”. You have a few more hours to fill this survey if you have not done so already.

SURVEILLANCE VIRAL TESTING PILOT FOR NEWTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS
PARENT SURVEY

Dear Families,

We are a group of scientists/physicians/parents who are engaged in the “Safer Teachers, Safer Students: Back-to-School SARs-CoV-2 testing collaborative.” This is a growing group of MA towns who are launching pilot programs to develop a comprehensive, coordinated infrastructure for surveillance (asymptomatic) viral testing of preK-12 staff/students.

We are seeking your input on a pilot viral testing program for Newton Public Schools. This survey is completely anonymous and will remain open until Midnight on 09/21/2020. To enable us to get accurate results, PLEASE submit ONLY ONE response per family. Thank you!

TAKE THE SURVEY

Safer Teachers, Safer Students: Back-to-School SARs-CoV-2 testing collaborative

 

Ergonomic Tips for Remote Learning

Original post from: UC Berkeley – Be Well At Work

When a student is provided with a laptop computer or other device, to aid in the learning process, there are some things to consider for reducing stresses to their body. Here are some good practices to follow so they do not develop bad habits now that can contribute to discomfort down the road.

Read full report here.

Things to Consider

  • Cognitive overload is reduced by changing positions frequently and building in play
    and physical movement time.
  • Creating a structured day helps develop a stimulating routine for younger students.
  • Using headphones can improve posture and focus but remember to keep the volume
    at 60% of the range to save the eardrums.
  • Protect the eyes by following the 20/20/20 rule – every 20 minutes look at something
    20 feet away for 20 seconds.