Newton PorchFest 2019 – June 1st

Come enjoy PorchFest! Newton PorchFest is an afternoon of free music performances on porches, front lawns and driveways around the city on Saturday, June 1st. PorchFest 2019 will include the villages of Auburndale, Lower Falls and Waban where over 100 musical acts will be performing from 12 Noon to 6:00 pm.

Gather family and friends, grab a blanket or chair and stroll the neighborhoods enjoying a wide variety of musical styles. There will be Jazz, Pop, Rock, Funk, R&B, Classical, Barbershop and more!

Check out the schedule at https://newton.porchfest.info/  to plan your route – maybe ride a bike to cover more ground! To make planning easier the schedule is arranged by village.

Don’t miss this free event – fun for all the family!

June 1st, 12:00 – 6:00 pm (Raindate June 2nd)

Next Level Up Tutoring

Help your son or daughter have a strong finish to the 2018-2019 school year by providing them with a highly experienced and dedicated tutor or academic coach.

Since 2009, Next Level Up has worked with students in all 13 of Newton’s villages. With  top notch references, they provide the guided direction, perspective, and confidence boost that many students can benefit from.  Individualized sessions try to get to the root of your concerns quickly in order to devise a specific, individualized plan. They can work with any age student in any subject. For a quick response, call 781-540-1123 or email info@nextleveluptutoring.com.

Please visit the  website www.nextleveluptutoring.com.

Call Y3K Tutor in your home today

When schoolwork goes the wrong way!

With many years of experience in teaching and educational consulting they have developed the right way to motivate, the right way to teach, be understood, and be remembered. Y3K tutors special education such as ADD, ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, executive function, and gifted as well as regular education and test preparation. In addition to academic subjects, they teach children organizational skills, homework coaching, study skills, and time management. All subjects and ages are taught.

Parents can now receive 25% off the first lesson. Call 781-492-8700 or visit   https://www.Y3KTutorInYourHome.com

Project Oceanology Marine Science Summer Camp Opportunities

Project Oceanology is a 501(c)(3) year-round marine science and environmental education organization located at Avery Point in Groton, CT with a mission to nurture enthusiasm for science and for our planet’s marine environment. Their summer camps are licensed by the State of Connecticut, their vessel operators are licensed by the U. S. Coast Guard, and their marine educators have expertise, educational backgrounds, and extensive experience in the delivery of marine science and environmental education enrichment programs to elementary through high school students, college students, summer camp participants, and the general public.

For students entering grades 6-12, Project Oceanology is offering two residential camps this summer – Ocean Camp and a new Marine Science Research Experience. Residential campers are accommodated in a hostel for a week-long immersion in hands-on, brains-on marine science education and fun aboard research vessels, along nearby shorelines, and in  marine laboratories.

Details on the camps and registration information is available at https://www.oceanology.org/summer-camps. This year generous donors have also enabled need based financial assistance to offset the cost of tuition.

See the informational flyer and financial assistance form.

Join the PTO Board next year!

The PTO is looking for enthusiastic parents and guardians to join our mission! Please consider being an active member of our rewarding organization that directly benefits our children.

Would you like to become more involved in the strategic aspect of the Bigelow PTO, helping direct and manage the overall program for 2019/20?  All Bigelow parents and guardians, including those of incoming 6th graders, are encouraged to join the board.  The proposed slate of 2019/20 Board members will be voted on at our final PTO meeting of the year on June 3rd.  Serving on the Board is a great way to meet other Bigelow parents and help out at your child’s school.  

The Bigelow PTO is a volunteer organization dedicated to provide support and information to the school community. Take a look at what we do and what we support.

We have several open positions for next year, including officer and committee roles. Please take a look here.

Please contact us at bigelowbulldog@gmail.com if you are interested in learning more. The success of the Bigelow PTO depends on our volunteer parents and caregivers. We are grateful for your support and hope to work with you for the 2019/2020 school year!

Spring Family Event: Bowling

The members of the Bigelow METCO Engagement Team (BMET) would like to extend an invitation to our Spring Family Event. Our goal is to create opportunities for our Bigelow families, Newton and Boston, to come together for a fun event. The event we are planning is a Bigelow Family Bowling at Boston Bowl in Dorchester on Saturday June 1, 2019 from 2 – 4pm. It is easy to get to and has parking available. (820 MORRISSEY BLVD. BOSTON, MA 617-825-3800)

The cost is $19/person for one hour of bowling including shoe rental, card for arcade games, 2 slices of pizza and soda We hope that your family will join us for an afternoon of fun. There is also the opportunity to just purchase 2 slices of pizza and soda for $5/person if you don’t want to bowl. We also would just love to have you attend and socialize if you don’t want to bowl. Forms were made available to students and we also attached the form here. Students can return the forms and money to their guidance counselors or to Ms. Mercado (Rm. 204) or Ms. LeQuire (Rm. 206).

Please consider attending this event with your children, even if everyone does not want to bowl, as a way to get to know one another.

Sincerely,
Kyra Mercado  & B.M.E.T.

Recycling Signs

Last Sunday, as part of NewtonServes 2019, a group of students and parents put up recycling signage in most rooms at Bigelow. This is part of a larger effort to improve recycling in Newton Public Schools and we are happy to have started it at Bigelow.

The ultimate goal is to better manage waste in schools, starting with recycling. By using standardized signage, everyone has constant reminders, which minimizes confusion and makes the process of separation more efficient.

More information about the project and the group working on it can be found here:

NewtonServes 2019 – Bigelow’s garden is looking beautiful

Thank you to all who helped with “Bigelow Beautification” during NewtonServes! A special thanks to the city team from Parks and Recreation for helping both before Sunday and on Sunday, and to Newton Community Pride, a non-profit volunteer organization, who organizes NewtonServes every year.

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More photos from the many community building projects that took place on Sunday are posted on the NewtonSERVES facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/NewtonSERVES-Building-Community-Through-Service-147460985314122/

Bike racks

Bigelow students now have a place to attach their bikes. The new bike racks were installed in front of the school last week and are already being used. Funds raised by the PTO, thanks to member’s dues, events and donations, were used to purchase the racks. Thank you!

Laptop Program at the High Schools

As part of the Newton Public Schools effort to expand its 1:1 Device Pilot Program, starting next year all incoming students to the high school will receive a district issued Chromebook (Model: Lenovo 300e). A chromebook is a paired down laptop that allows students to access websites and web-based applications for completing schoolwork including but not limited to Schoology, Google Drive, and Aspen. The device will be part of the standard school-issued materials (similar to a textbook) needed for learning at the high schools. More information will be sent by the high school to current 8th grade families as we get closer to September including information regarding device handout, Chromebook Loan agreement, and an optional insurance policy covering loss or damage to the device. For now, we encourage you to visit NPS High School 1:1 Laptop Initiative website to learn more information.