Two Massachusetts Moms Say No to College Debt for Kids

Last summer two friends were chatting about how expensive college tuition is these days and the impending mounds of debt their collective six kids were most likely going to
be faced with.

They decided plan the first ever Massachusetts Strategic Scholarship Bootcamp. Kerry Strollo, mom and event co-organizer said “This is about educating parents that you don’t have to sit idly by and just hope something down the line will work out financially for your kids. This is about early success planning so you (and your kiddos) are not panicked when they are a senior in High School on how they, or you, will afford college. Who knew kids in 7th and 8th grade can start to obtain and stockpile scholarships, and High Schoolers can earn so much they pay for their college education and then receive overpayments for living expenses after college? I didn’t, and we have 4 kids! As soon as I learned this I wanted to shout it from the mountain tops.”  Strollo added, “There are tips, techniques, and a path to finding the scholarships, however it starts with putting together a plan of action. This Bootcamp is designed to help you craft that plan for success.”

Rosette Cataldo, mom and event co-organizer looks at it though a different lens.  “I watch my kids, albeit great students, wasting time every day on the internet, Fort Nite, YouTube, Netflix…you name it. These kids must use their devices and brains for a better purpose.  I want to educate my children on how to make the internet a gold mine that works for them, their future and not just a time suck.”

This event is all about educating local parents and students at the same time and getting them aligned to work together with a plan so that the family isn’t crippled with debt. This investment in your child’s future is $49.00 per person.  Students are encouraged to join their parents. For more info please visit www.strategicscholarships.com

The Strategic Scholarship Bootcamp will be held:
May 1st, 7:00 – 9:00 pm Marriott Hotel, Newton

Harness the power of social media for positive change

Want your middle-schooler using social media in positive, empowering ways?
Here to help is Mediagirls, a nonprofit that teaches middle-school girls how to discover their self-worth and harness the power of media for positive change!

Check out their upcoming #realmediagirl workshop. The 3-hour workshop will be taught by a team of inspiring Boston University students who serve on the MEDIAGIRLS Leadership Council. Participants will learn to think critically about undermining media messages, define their self-worth, and create empowering and positive content for girls using Instagram and other platforms. Space is limited so register quickly at www.mediagirls.org/Mayworkshop.

May 12th, 9:00 am – 12:00 noon
Wellesley Free Library, 530 Washington Street, Wellesley

Book Launch party

Please join the book launch party of How To Coach Girls, by Newton moms, Mia Wenjen and Alison Foley. Did you know that 70% of all kids quit organized sports by the age of 13, with girls quitting at 6x the rate of boys?

Alison Foley, Boston College’s Women’s Head Soccer Coach, and Mia Wenjen, parenting blogger at PragmaticMom.com, help coaches — both parent volunteer and professional — crack the code of how to keep girls in sports.

May 11th,  5:00 pm
Artemis Yoga, 639 M. Auburn Street.

Artemis Yoga is owned by Newton mom, Liz Padula.

Happier Now talk

Please join a evening with Happier founder and TED Talk speaker, Nataly Kogan. Nataly will share her game-changing strategies and insights on how you can live a happier life. She will talk about her new book, Happier Now, and about her time volunteering at the SEGA girls school in Tanzania, Africa.

Books will be available for purchase at the event. Reception to follow. Presented by Nurturing Minds, www.nurturingmindsinafrica.org. Purchase tickets at the event website www.tiny.cc/happier. For email inquiries please contact info@nurturingmindsinafrica.org

May 15th,  7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Mosesian Center for the Arts, 321 Arsenal Street, Watertown

Preschool registration open

The Rockwell Preschool at Lasell College is currently accepting applications for the 2018-19 school year. Rockwell has a half-day morning preschool and transition kindergarten and will be offering a full day, full year program as well as flexible extended day hours until 6:00 starting in September, 2018.

Conveniently located on the Lasell College campus near the junction of routes 16 and 30 at 70 Studio Road, Auburndale. Please contact Kathleen Rudnicki at 617-243-2355 or krudnicki@lasell.edu for more information or to schedule a tour.

College Consultant available

Are you thinking about the college admission process but don’t know where to begin?

Are you feeling overwhelmed by all of the complex (and sometimes conflicting) information on college admission?

Are you wishing your family wasn’t fighting over college application issues?

If you answered “Yes!” to any of these questions, an independent, comprehensive college consultant can help. Maruta Vitols guides families through every aspect of the college admission application process, from thinking about possible careers/majors to creating a college list to comparing award letters. She’s uniqely qualified, having experienced elite college admissions from the perspectives of faculty, staff, and student. Maruta is also a graduate of Newton South (Class of 1994), and a lifelong resident of Newton.

Check out www.apluscollegeconsult.com for more information, and contact her at mvitols@gmail.com to schedule a free consultation. 🙂 Maruta Z. Vitols, Ph.D.

School Committee Update

Dear Friends,

This update is for the 03/26/2018 and 04/02/2018 Newton School Committee meetings, as well as additional information about recent program open houses:

1). At both 3/26 and 4/2 meetings, the main topic was the 2018-2019 proposed budget. The question and answer periods were relatively short as we had covered quite a bit of ground at our previous budget meetings (see previous newsletters). The meeting ended with a unanimous straw vote supporting the budget proposal.

2). At the 3/26 meeting we discussed a draft revision of the policy: Alcohol, Tobacco and Drug Use for Students. The impetus for the new draft was the new requirement for SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral to Treatment) screening. SBIRT is an evidence-based practice used to identify, reduce, and prevent problematic use, abuse, and dependence on alcohol and illicit drugs This is a verbal screening for students in grades 7 and 9. A number of revisions were suggested and a final draft will be proposed at an upcoming meeting.

3). School Committee Members were invited to a open houses at Central High School located at 100 Walnut Street and the Harbor Program on the campus of Newton South High School. The facilities for both programs are in renovated spaces as of September 2018. Directors and faculty of both programs discussed how the renovated spaces have made a positive impact on addressing student needs. Central High School, as described by the NPS website, is a small, highly structured, therapeutic setting with a behavior management system built into the school day. The Harbor Program, previously known as the High School Stabilization Program, is a short term program for students in crisis. This program allows students to continue their courses of study with additional clinical supports.

We hope you have found this summary useful. You can access all School Committee meeting documents via the NPS website (https://www.newton.k12.ma.us/domain/69).

Additionally, if you are interested in watching an SC meeting from home or a recorded meeting, you can obtain access via www.newtv.org.

As always, we are very happy to answer any questions or discuss any concerns you may have. Please feel free to contact us via the email address below.

Sincerely,

Newton School Committee

schoolcommittee@newton.k12.ma.us

NCE Spring Yoga

Our springtime yoga classes are starting up soon, and if you haven’t already signed up, we’d love to have you back! There’s still space in these classes:

To register, just click a link above! Any questions, please check our website or give NCE a call, 617-559-6999. Think SPRING!

Reminder about Small Choices – Big Impact

Join a presentation by former New England Patriot Chris Sullivan and his wife Kathi Sullivan. Listen as they share their own personal stories about addiction, mental health and making good choices. This talk is geared to parents and teens. For more information and to RSVP (requested, not required) visit www.newtonma.gov/newtonpath .

April 10th, 7:00 – 9:00pm
Newton South

Film screening and discussion

Discussing depression, anxiety, and suicide is a challenge, but the best possible way to prevent suicide is to talk about it, ask questions, and listen.

“Not Alone” introduces several teens who have struggled with mental health issues and raises awareness about the warning signs and prevention methods. Unlike popular TV shows which provide inaccurate depictions and sensationalize suicide, “Not Alone” sparks an important dialogue and gives teens a context within which they can discuss their feelings or struggles with mental health.

Parents and Teens are invited to view a short film “Not Alone” with experts from Newton Wellesley Hospital and Riverside Community Care. Light Refreshments will be served. Sponsored by Newton Free Library Teen Department, Newton Cares, and the Newton Health and Human Services Department. For a flyer about this event, please click Not Alone.

April 9th, 6:30 pm
Newton Free Library, Druker Auditorium