Learn about PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychatric Disorder Associated with Strep)

Have you ever heard of a child suddenly developing separation anxiety, OCD, aggression, bedwetting or having difficulty in math and handwriting?  Learn more about PANDAS and where to get medical help/treatment.

October 16th, 7:00 – 9:00 pm
Newton Free Library, 330 Homer Street

Learn more about anxiety disorders

Minding Your Mind and the Newton After School Association present the original movie documentary Angst, a film created to open up the conversation about anxiety and provide tools, resources and hope. Appropriate for all adults and children ages 10 and up. Some scenes may trigger those who have anxiety.  Additional information is available here: Angst.

Admission $15.00 per person. Registration in advance at: mindingyourmind.org/events/angst-newton/.

October 15th, 6:30 pm
Newton Free Library

Earn Dollars for Newton Schools

Enter a Fall competition to earn donations to five local schools. Earn points for your team by attending sessions, burning calories, and bringing new friends to Cardio High. Each school will receive a donation and the top team will earn a bonus donation.

You can also win free classes, sweatshirts, and gift cards through special challenges.

Not associated with any school? No problem. They’ll assign you to a team, so you can compete and be eligible for the challenges.

The five schools eligible to win donations include:
1.Williams Elementary School
2.Burr Elementary School
3.Angier Elementary School
4.Newton North High School
5.Newton South High School

Ready to join the competition?
Reply to this email with “IN” and name the team you wish to join. If you don’t have a team preference, reply with “IN + assign me” and we will assign you to a team.

Ways to earn points:

  • Check-in to Cardio High on Facebook = 10 points per check-in
  • Tag Cardio High in a post on Facebook or Instagram = 10 points per post
  • Attend a session = 20 points for men/40 points for women
  • Burn calories = points equal to 10% of calories burned during a Cardio High session
  • Refer a new friend to Cardio High = 100 points per friend referred
  • Run in the Paddy’s 5k Road Race wearing a Cardio High t-shirt. T-shirt provided = 100 points

Empowerment Self-Defense for girls in grades 6-8

Girls, get the tools you need to stand up to harassment, bullying, and violence, and discover your power in this supportive environment. You’ll engage in skill-building activities, and group discussion on assertiveness, boundary-setting, and verbal and physical defense and learn strategies like how to speak up, state your needs, and advocate for yourself in a variety of situations.

Fee is $149.00 Register online at newtoncommunityed.org or by phone at 617-559-6999.

Five Tuesdays, October 16th – November 13th, 2:00 – 3:30pm
Day Middle School

Performance class for 5th-12 graders

The perfect program for players of any sport looking to improve their game outside of their weekly team practices. At Chestnut Hill Soccer Club’s Performance program, players will improve their strength, agility, flexibility, endurance, power and speed so they can attain their highest potential and prevent injuries.

Classes held during weekday afternoons at HealthWorks in Chestnut Hill.  Visit https://www.chestnuthillsc.com/performance for more information.

ActiveMinds Tutoring

Let ActiveMinds Tutoring help your child get off to a strong start. They’ve provided effective, personalized, convenient tutoring services in the Greater Boston area for 12 years. Offerings include all academic subjects and standardized test prep (ISEE, SSAT, SAT, ACT).

Email or call  to learn more about their expert tutors. Reserve your tutor today at
617-227-2225 or info@activemindstutoring.com or visit www.activemindstutoring.com!

Correction: Spots Open in 2nd (not 1st) Grade Brownie Troop!

Parents of second grade girls, Troop 82115 is looking for Girl Scouts to meet every other Monday during the school year starting October 1st, 3:30-4:45 pm at the Auburndale Community Library.

As a Brownie your girl will earn badges, do projects that helps others, explore nature & the outdoors, and most of all have fun and make new friends along the way. Some parent or guardian involvement is required from each family, since the troop is entirely volunteer run.

To sign up go to https://www.girlscouts.org/en/about-girl-scouts/join.html. For questions feel free to reach out to co-leaders Julie and Meghan at julie.swersey@gmail.com & megmmurphy@hotmail.com.

School Committee Update

Dear Friends,

We hope that the school year has started off well for you.

This update is for the 09/17/2018 Newton School Committee meeting:

  • Liam Hurley, Chief Financial & Administrative Officer, was joined by Julie Kirrane, Director of Business and Planning, and Sean Manion, Director of Finance to present the FY18 Final Fiscal and Operational Report. In summary, FY18 ended with a small surplus and a healthy carryover to help this year’s budget. Our first look at the FY19 Fiscal and Operational Report will take place in October.
  • Liam Hurley and Julie Kirrane were joined by David Stickney, Director of Facilities, to present an update on our summer facilities work, as well as the FY19 Update to the Long-Range Plan and the Capital Improvement Plan. A notable takeaway was the incredible amount of work done over the summer.  Over 250 projects were completed in 34 days, a testament to the Public Buildings and Facilities teams’ great efforts.  Another key discussion point was the revised long-range facilities timeline. The time estimates for projects were extended based on recent experience, and project order has been updated based on conditions and enrollment pressures.  The next major school projects will be Lincoln-Eliot and the NECP (150 Jackson St), Countryside, Ward, and Franklin.  Discussion included ideas of smaller projects at Ward and Franklin that could help improve living conditions at these buildings while they await their major renovations.
  • Stephen Marshall, Grants & Business Analyst, presented a list of grant awards and gifts.  The School Committee votes unanimously to accept these donations.
  • The School Committee unanimously voted to approve the Superintendent’s Assessment, the FY19 Systemwide Goals, Minutes for 9-4-2018, the FY19 School Committee Goals, and Anping Shen as our new MASC/MASS Conference Delegate.

Next Meeting:

  • October 1st @7PM: High School Start Time Update, Full Day Kindergarten Discussion, Student Assignment Working Group Discussion, MASS/MASC Resolutions Discussion.

Reminder:

We hope you found this summary useful. You can access all School Committee meeting documents via the NPS website (https://www.newton.k12.ma.us/Page/2227). 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.

Have a wonderful week!

Sincerely,
The Newton School Committee
schoolcommittee@newton.k12.ma.us

Join us for a parent gathering with the Principal

You are invited for an evening of conversations about Bigelow and the PTO!

Join us on Tuesday, September 25th, 7pm at the Bigelow Library. Principal Todd Harrison will update parents on the happenings at the school and PTO officers will talk about PTO events  and plans for the 2018-19 year, including 8th Grade Activities. We will be joined by a representative from FORJ, who will talk about what Newton families have been doing about understanding and curiosity about racial and social differences in our society. Parents are welcome to bring comments and topics of discussion or concern to the meeting.

Hope to see you there!