Newton Family Singers Presents….Loves Me Like A Rock

A Joyous Celebration of the Music of Paul Simon, to benefit the Asperger’s Association of New England, and the Autism Alliance of Metro West. Join the Newton Family Singers on April 13th for a program of the energizing and inspiring music of Paul Simon, from the classic hits of the 1970’s to his uplifting African rhythms.

Proceeds of the show will benefit two local autism organizations, AANE and the Autism Alliance, which are lifelines for individuals on the autism spectrum, and their families, offering community and connection, education and information, and celebration of diversity. There are many ways to support the Loves Me Like a Rock Campaign. You can purchase tickets to the show, become a Family or Corporate Sponsor. For more information about this unique community event, please visit the concert website, www.nfsconcerts.org, or email  newfamilysingers@gmail.com.

And be sure to “like” our video of NFS original song, “Love is a Beautiful Thing,” on YouTube.  For every “like” on YouTube, our Video Corporate Sponsors, Hinckley Allen and NESCA, will donate $1 to AANE and the Autism Alliance.

April 13th, 4:00 pm
Performing Arts Center, Newton North High School

 

Nutrition and Fitness coach

Spring is the perfect time to get both yourself and your nutrition in shape; contact Sharon Shiner, certified personal trainer and nutrition coach. Sharon provides one on one training, small group training (for 2-4 people) and nutrition coaching. Check out her site at http:\\www.shinernutritionandfitness.com and drop her an email at sharonshiner@gmail.com for more information.

Films and discussion about suicide prevention

More than Sad: American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Movie & Presentation
April 1st, 6:30-8:30 pm

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) is the nation’s leading organization bringing together people across communities and backgrounds to understand and prevent suicide, and to help heal the pain it causes. AFSP has developed an educational program to help community members and concerned adults learn more about teen suicide and how they can play a role in its prevention. Join a screening of More Than Sad: Suicide Prevention Education for Teachers and Other School Personnel followed by a presentation with a clinician on hand to answer questions. The program will take place at the Newton Free Library in Druker Auditorium. View two 25-minute films that are endorsed by the National Association of School Psychologists and are listed on the Best Practices Registry for Suicide Prevention. Participate in a discussion based on a manual that integrates the films into a comprehensive suicide prevention program. The program is open to the public.

NewtonSERVES Project Registration is Now Open

NewtonSERVES is now accepting Project Registrations for its annual Day of Service to be held this year on  April 27th.

Volunteer projects can be set up by Newton non-profits, Newton city departments, individuals, and groups of citizens interested in accomplishing specific tasks with the help of over 1,000 volunteers from the community. Projects can easily be registered online, by visiting www.newtoncommunitypride.org/NewtonSERVES-project.php .

Projects can be in the morning, afternoon or all-day on Sunday, April 27th during the Day of Service, or they can be set up individually on an alternate date during the City of Newton’s Volunteer Week, April 28th-May 4th. In addition to gaining access to volunteers to tackle specific tasks, project sites may be eligible to receive additional resources such as mulch, garbage and yard waste bags. Project sites also benefit from raised awareness within the community and all participants receive NewtonSERVES T-shirts and refreshments in honor of their volunteer service. New projects leaders are encouraged to sign up along with recurring projects and experienced leaders.

Supporting Our Teens and Promoting Healthy Dating Relationships

Malcolm Astley, father of the late Lauren Astley, and a panel discussion with representatives from REACH, Journey to Safety, BARCC, and Kim Coney, NSHS School Resource Officer.

This event is sponsored by REACH, Journey to Safety, BARCC, The Second Step and the Wellesley Hospital.

April 7th,  7:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Newton South High School Auditorium

Upcoming Parent Programs

Taking Care of Ourselves and Our Teens: Reducing Stress and Enhancing Resiliency

War Memorial at City Hall, 6:00-7:30 pm, April 10th, 17th, May 6th, 13th

As part of our Youth Stress grant, Newton Youth Services, in partnership with Newton Free Library, is pleased to offer a four-session wellness program for parents of adolescents developed by the world-renowned Benson-Henry Institute of Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. This program teaches self-care skills to help cope with stresses of everyday life and aims to leave parents with a renewed sense of control and well-being. You must register to participate and registration indicates that you are able to attend all four sessions. Please visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/parentsofteens to register. This program is free to all Newton residents or parents of teens attending school in Newton.

Research shows that incorporating self-care strategies and healthy lifestyle behaviors can reduce medical symptoms and enhance quality of life. During the four, 1.5 hour sessions, you will learn:

  • The physiology of stress and how it affects your body
  • Self-care strategies to reduce stress and increase your resilience
  • Relaxation techniques such as meditation, deep breathing, mindfulness and imagery
  • Easy ways to reduce or stop stress-inducing thoughts
  • Tips for modeling these skills for your teens and helping reduce their stress and build their resilience too

Leadership
Taking care of ourselves is led by Rana Chudnofsky, MEd. Ms. Chudnofsky has served as the Director of the Education Initiative at the ben-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital (BHI) since 2006. Her areas of specialization include relaxation techniques and cognitive strategies for clinical treatment centers, schools and universities.

Upcoming Parent Programs

An Open Conversation: Lecture Series for Parents of Teens

Druker Auditorium, Newton Free Library,  See dates below, 7:00-8:30 pm, free and open to all. The Newton Free Library and Newton Youth Services will be hosting a five-part series of workshops for parents around the topics of wellness, stress management, and communication.  As part of the Youth Stress grant awarded to the Newton Health & Human Services Department this program is being offered by Newton Youth Services and Newton Free Library in partnership with Newton Cares, Newton-Wellesley Hospital, Riverside Community Care, the Massachusetts School for Professional Psychology and the Multiservice Eating Disorder s Association. Presenters will include mental health professionals and experts in adolescent development and communications.

Wednesday, April 30, 2014 Success under Stress

Newton is a high achieving community. Can how we define success contribute to the stressors in our lives and the lives of our teens? If we can’t eliminate stress, how do we teach our children to manage it in healthy ways?

Tuesday, May 13, 2014 #sorrynotsorry
It’s different today from when we were teens. This session will explore social media, how it is effecting teens and how we can help them navigate it.

Monday, June 2, 2014 OMG! Your teen actually talks to you?
Communication is one of the keys to raising a happy and healthy teen. This session will explore tips for open communication to help strengthen your relationship.

Thursday, June 19, 2014 Don’t Hate, Appreciate
Learn more about talking to teens about body confidence, eating disorders and media literacy. How can parents start the conversation, model healthy behaviors and teach young people not to put others down based on looks.

Community Preservation Program – Possible Funding Votes on March 20th

Newton’s CPC will meet on March 20th at 7:00 pm in City Hall Room 209. This agenda includes possible funding votes on two current proposals: Farlow Park Pond & Bridge (Newton Corner), CPA request $476,780; and Newton Highlands Playground, revised CPA request $200,000 (anticipated future construction request $2,147,400).

For additional information online, see the following links from www.newtonma.gov/cpa: “Committees & Meetings” (full agenda and pre-meeting packet), “Proposals & Projects” for the full text of all proposals. Contact Alice E. Ingerson, Community Preservation Program Manager, at aingerson@newtonma.gov or 617-796-1144.

Lifestyle management and personal concierge company

You have a lot going on, so let The Help: Boston lighten the load!  A woman-owned and women-run company that caters to a lot of moms and families, The Help: Boston is a lifestyle management company offering a wide variety of services, tailored to your every need. From running your errands to organizing your home, no task is too large or small. From moms and executives to young professionals; we could all use an extra set of hands sometimes, so let them be The Help that you need!

Types of services available include errand running (dry cleaning, groceries, retail returns, etc.); concierge services (waiting for a Comcast technician to come to the house); organization services (closets, toy rooms, basements, etc.) and home management (meal prep, tidying up, etc.). They also offer event planning, home styling and moving and staging services for folks selling their homes and/or moving to another.

For additional information visit http://www.thehelpboston.com/ or call  857-345-5379.

April Vacation with NCE

Newton Community Education offers the following vacation-week programs for kids this April: Babysitting and CPR training classes for kids ages 11 and up, and Science Gadgets and Contraptions, for kids in grades 1-4.

All programs will be held at Newton North High School. Call the NCE office at 617-559-6999 or visit www.newtoncommunityed.org for more information or to register.