Newton Community Blood Drive

Roll up your sleeves and help save lives! Newton Presbyterian Church will proudly partner with the American Red Cross to hold what they expect to be the first of many blood drives. The Red Cross has over 135 years of experience providing humanitarian aid, including more than 75 years of supplying blood to those in need.

Each pint of blood collected can help save up to three lives and will touch the lives of so many more. What a great way to pay it forward and make an impact on people in our community and across the country.  The Newton Presbyterian Church Mission Committee is leading this initiative. You’ll will be entertained by the Newton All City Troubadours during the blood drive, to be followed by their concert in the Sanctuary that evening at 7:00 pm.

See flyer for more information.

November 23rd, 9:00 am -2:00 pm
75 Vernon Street, Newton

Newton Family & Friends Ski Trips

Newton dad, Randy Friedman, of Seven Travel has planned another great line-up of skiing and riding for 2020. Come join other Newton families and friends and head to the great resorts of New England including Sunday River, Smugglers Notch, and Jay Peak. Skiers and non-skiers alike will have a blast meeting other Newton families on the slopes.

Click www.seventravel.org and go to Trips.

What’s Happening at the Y

Y Empower – Free program for girls in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade on Tuesdays from 2:30-4:00 pm

The Y Empower program provides a small learning community for young girls to explore their health holistically and be prepared to manage the stress that adolescence often brings. The program meets for eight weeks, with half of the time spent in a classroom setting with expert speakers about topics such as nutrition, social media safety, and self-care. The second half of the time is spent trying specific fitness activities such as yoga, Zumba, and swimming. All activities are designed to give girls mechanisms to cope with and prevent stressors, feel agency over their lives, and practice activities that focus on a mind-body connection. Participants must register for this program. Contact Jane Carroll at janec@wsymca.org for more information.

Late Fall Program Session – Begins October 28th

Register for the West Suburban YMCA’s Late Fall program session. Explore program offerings from the Y’s Sports, Fitness & Wellness, Creative Arts, and Aquatics Departments. The Y has programs for all ages and interests, including basketball classes, swim lessons, art and design, small group fitness classes, toddler tumbling and music classes, community choir, and more.

Kids Night Out on November 1st, 6:00 – 10:00 pm

Parents, drop off your kids for a fun Friday night with the Y’s staff. Go out for the night and take advantage of this low-cost alternative to hiring a babysitter. They’ll have pizza for dinner and keep the children entertained with games, swimming, movies and sports. Open to children in grades K-5. Cost is $25.00 per child for Y members and $30.00 per child for the community. A 20% discount is offered per child for those with two or more children attending. Kids Night Out occurs on the first Friday of every month October through June.

Family Fun Night on November 12th, 6:00 – 7:00 pm

Bring the whole family to the Y for some family fun time. The Y sets up games, crafts, and a bouncy house for all to enjoy. Light snacks are provided. Free and open to all. Family Fun Nights occur on the second Tuesday of every month.

YBA (Youth Basketball Association) League – Season starts November 16th

YBA League is a fun coed league for ages 4-12 to learn and play basketball. The league runs on Saturdays/Sundays, November 16th – February 8th, and is separated into four age groups: Mini (ages 4-5), Biddy (ages 6-7), Rookie (ages 8-9) and Collegiate (ages 10-12). Parent volunteer coaches encouraged. Register early to ensure friend and team requests can be accommodated. For more information and to register, visit www.wsymca.org or call 617-244-6050.

Financial Assistance is always available for Y Memberships and Programs

The West Suburban YMCA is a non-profit charitable organization and whose mission is to never turn anyone away due to their inability to pay. Please contact the Membership Department at 617-244-6050 ext. 3653 for financial assistance with membership or program participation.

Boston Marathon Newton Charity Runners Wanted

The John M. Barry Boys & Girls Club of Newton has been selected as a 2020 Boston Marathon® Official Charity Partner of the BAA!

Join the team of 15 charity runners and receive professional coaching and fundraising support. Check this off your “bucket list” while supporting more than 700 Newton children and teens at the same time.

For details visit www.newtonbgc.com/marathoncharityrunners.

#TeamNewtonBGC

Fall Basketball Clinics

BAT will be running basketball training sessions for all ages and levels including 3 Saturday clinics intended for beginners. Those sessions run for 2 hours and are open to all kids ages 7-14.  Also offered are small group sessions on Fridays and Sundays for athletes with 2+ years of experience playing basketball.

$75.00 per session (25% off for multi-athlete enrollment!) Registration available here  https://bostonathletictraining.com/current-basketball-programs/ and for more information, please contact Chaim Andler at chaim@bostonathletictraining.com

November clinic times are Fridays, 4:00 – 6:00 pm, Saturdays, 10:30 am – 12:30 pm, and Sundays, 10:30 am – 1:30 pm
Fridays at Dearborn Academy,  Saturdays & Sundays at The Hyde Center

Need help getting ready for the SAT?

Harvard Student Agencies Tutoring, a completely Harvard-student-run non-profit established in 2007, is offering Newton high school students an in-depth review of all sections of the exam, as well as review of test taking strategies.

This course is taught and developed by current Harvard students who scored well on the exam and can help you do the same. This course runs for five weeks with one four hour session per week. For $495.00, you’ll get all 20 hours of their proprietary curriculum, a free prep book, as well as the opportunity to develop a productive relationship with a Harvard student. Use promo code NEWTON15 to get 15% off!

Sign up for the November group course before the November 1st registration deadline and prepare for your SATs! For more information and to register visit https://hsatutoring.com/newtonsouth. For more information, please call 617-496-1506 or email tutoring@hsa.net.

Uprising on King Street: The Boston Massacre

8th grade CAS presentation on 10/29/19.  Theatre Espresso: “Uprising on King Street: The Boston Massacre”

CAS programs, funded solely by the PTO, are made possible through PTO fundraising. Thank you for you support!

“In 1770, the people of Boston suffered under an increasingly harsh British occupation. What are the responsibilities of a military force sent to occupy a foreign land? Is violence ever necessary to keep the peace? What role does class play in the administration of justice? This production presents the events that led up to the Boston Massacre and sets the scene for the trial of Captain Preston, British officer on duty the night of March 5 when soldiers and citizens clashed in front of the Customs House. In roles as members of the jury at the trial of Captain Preston, students must examine the events leading up to the “massacre” and decide Preston’s guilt or innocence.”

 

Newton Community Blood Drive

November 23rd, 9:00 am -2:00 pm
75 Vernon Street, Newton

Roll up your sleeves and help save lives! Newton Presbyterian Church will proudly partner with the American Red Cross to hold what they expect to be the first of many blood drives. The Red Cross has over 135 years of experience providing humanitarian aid, including more than 75 years of supplying blood to those in need.

Each pint of blood collected can help save up to three lives and will touch the lives of so many more. What a great way to pay it forward and make an impact on people in our community and across the country.  The Newton Presbyterian Church Mission Committee is leading this initiative. You’ll will be entertained by the Newton All City Troubadours during the blood drive, to be followed by their concert in the Sanctuary that evening at 7:00 pm.

See flyer for more information.

From the Nurse’s office – National Walk to School Month

Did your child walk or roll to school this month? Or take the bus to help reduce the car congestion around our school? If so, thank you for supporting National Walk to School Day this month. If not, there’s still time to make a healthy change this month or next in how your child gets to and from school.

Walking or rolling (biking, scootering, etc.) to school increases your child’s opportunity for physical activity. At least 60 minutes of physical activity per day is recommended for children. Incorporating physical activity into your usual school routine is a great way to become more active. People who are physically active live longer and have a lower risk for heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, depression, and some cancers.

If you do drive, consider parking a bit away from the school and walking the rest of the way. Students who walk and bike to school arrive awake and alert, with better focus and concentration, which can improve academic performance.

And a heads up for drivers who do queue at school: new “No Idling” signs are making their way to schools throughout Newton. These are a great reminder to turn off your car while waiting to drop off or pick up your student. Turning off your car improves air quality for everyone around you and reduces pollutants that can be particularly harmful for our students with asthma.

Even seemingly small changes like walking a few extra times per month or turning off a vehicle for a few minutes can make a big difference over time.

For more walk to school ideas, visit https://www.cdc.gov/policy/hst/hi5/saferoutes/index.html

From Newton Safe Routes to School  (Facebook page)

CAS Authorfest 2019! Author & Illustrator Visits – November 6

Newton Public Schools’ Creative Arts & Sciences is dedicating November 6, 2019 to recognize and celebrate the importance of books in our children’s lives. We know that students are uniquely inspired when they’re given the opportunity to meet the authors and illustrators of books they’ve read. A wide range of authors and illustrators will be visiting schools across the district during the day to talk about the writing and illustrating process – from idea to published work.

Gregory Mone (7th grade) and Sheela Chari (6th and 8th grades) will be the authors visiting Bigelow.

Gregory Mone (gregorymone.com) is the author of four published novels and scientific articles for magazines including Popular Science, Atlantic Monthly, Wired and Scientific American. He adapted The Boys in the Boat, by Daniel James Brown, for young readers, and recently co-wrote three books in The Science Guy series with Bill Nye, The Science Guy.  Mone’s large-group presentation is designed to entertain, educate and inspire, and begins with a focus on science and technology journalism before turning to fiction. Utilizing a variety of visual components, he takes students through the entire process of writing a book, from the initial idea through the planning, creative writing, and revisions, to the finished work. He stresses the importance of becoming an expert in whatever subject you write about, whether it’s brain surgery, flying cars, surfing, or family history.

Sheela Chari (sheelachari.com) is the author of FINDING MIGHTY, a Junior Library Guild Selection and Children’s Choice Award Finalist; and VANISHED, an APALA Children’s Literature Honor Book, Edgar finalist for best juvenile mystery, and Al’s Book Club Pick on the Today Show. She is currently working on a novelized series, THE UNEXPLAINABLE DISAPPEARANCE OF MARS PATEL, based on the Peabody Award-winning mystery podcast by the same name created by Gen-Z Media. Sheela has degrees from Stanford University, Boston University, and New York University, where she received an MFA in Fiction. She teaches fiction writing at Mercy College and lives with her family in New York.

CAS AuthorFest is made possible by a grant from the Newton Schools Foundation, a contribution from The Village Bank, and your generous contributions to your PTO. Newton Schools Foundation is proud to support the 2019 CAS AuthorFest. Through contributions from individuals and businesses throughout the Newton community, NSF is able to provide funding for important educational programs that impact students and teachers district-wide. A percentage of the book sale proceeds will go to CAS to help defray the cost of the CAS AuthorFest event.