It’s not too late to sign up for creative summer fun at Maine Arts Camp!

Are you still looking for the perfect summer experience for your creative 9 to 16-year-old? At Maine Arts Camp – a small, nurturing co-ed camp community located on the stunning campus of Colby College – your child or teen can combine all the fun of a traditional sleepaway camp with exceptionally high quality instruction across an inspirational range of arts, science, and outdoor activities.

Whatever their interests, individualized schedules mean campers can choose activities they already love and/or explore new skills and adventures. Want to combine theater and dance with baking, metalwork, tennis, robotics and film-making? Kayaking with chorus and stained glass? With over 60 activities to choose from, and access to Colby’s outstanding facilities, it’s all available at Maine Arts Camp. With a focus on empathy and a 3:1 camper/staff ratio, they can ensure every camper gets all the support and personal attention they need to thrive.

For more information, visit www.maineartscamp.com. Please contact Rick Mades, Camp Director at maineartscamprick@gmail.com, or Anabel Cable at mainearts.anabel@gmail.com if you have any questions. Enrollment is limited to 100 campers per session, and is filling fast, so sign up soon!

SmartsSummers Theater Arts program

Spend your summer singing, dancing, acting, and having fun! Students take classes in the visual and performing arts and work together to create an original musical production. This summer, the shows are based on outer space stories and will be OUT OF THIS WORLD!

Full day and part day programs available for ages 5-13 from July 10th – August 17th. Register for 1-6 weeks. For questions, contact theaterartscamp@aol.com, visit brooklineadulted.org or https://sites.google.com/site/smartsummerstheaterarts/home

For more information or to register visithttp://www.campusce.net/brooklinesmartprograms/course/course.aspx?catId=125 or call 617-730-2700.

Parenting workshop

An Introductory Workshop in the Think:Kids Collaborative Problem Solving Approach
Do you ever feel frustrated with your child? Find yourself shouting and imposing consequences in reaction to challenging behavior, but it rarely works and doesn’t make you feel very good?

The Think:Kids Collaborative Problem Solving parenting approach brings out the best in both parents and children by helping parents to:

  • Foster positive relationships with their child
  • Build their child’s skills in self-regulation, communication and problem-solving
  • Reduce their child’s challenging behavior
  • Solve problems calmly, collaboratively and proactively

For more information and to register for the last CPS workshops in Brookline or Needham Heights before the summer, including a 1-day workshop on June 3rd, please visit: BeTheParentBoston.com.

Big Night Luau – tickets on sale and child care

Buy your tickets, invite your friends and get ready for our Big Night Luau!

Child care option: Central Rock Gym, Watertown, generously offered to have our children play there during the party. They can be dropped off at 6:30pm and picked up at 11pm. We only need to provide a list of participants by May 5th. Please, sign up by sending a message to bigelowbulldog@gmail.com.

Bigelow Big Night Luau 2017
When: Saturday, May 20th from 7pm – 11pm.
Where: Commander’s Mansion at the Arsenal in Watertown
              440 Talcott Avenue, Watertown, MA 02472
Tickets: on sale now
Child care: sign up by email

For more information on the event, please visit the Bigelow Big Night Luau 2017 page on our website. If you have any questions please contact Beth Panella at beth.panella@comcast.net.

Thank you,
Tammy McKenna and Beth Panella – your event co-chairs

One Can Help annual benefit

Looking for a way to make a difference? Please join One Can Help at its annual fundraiser. Tickets are $40 and can be purchased here or at www.onecanhelp.org. Founded by Waban attorney Anne Bader-Martin, One Can Help provides timely, targeted assistance (in the form of small grants) to court-involved families and foster children, when no other funds are available.

With great food and drink, live music and engaging speakers including Josh Kraft, President and CEO of Boys and Girls Club of Boston, the One Can Help benefit is a fun way to spend an evening and support a worthy cause. 95% of all funds raised will go directly to program expenses, and will also help One Can Help attain a $10,000 matching grant from a local foundation.

May 2nd, 6:30-9:00 pm
Windsor Club
1601 Beacon St, Waban

Seeking host families for cultural exchange

CCI Greenheart is currently seeking volunteer host families from Newton, Brookline, Brighton, and Watertown for a group of high-school age French students participating in a 3-week cultural immersion program from July 8th – July 28th. Volunteer host families will be responsible for providing meals and housing for one student for the three week period and will be able to spend time with the student and share aspects of American culture. This 3-week program is a great introduction to hosting for families who have never hosted an exchange student before! See flyer here: Host a student

Families interested in hosting or learning more should contact the Local Coordinator, Monique Baumont at mbaumont5@gmail.com or 908-720-0520.

From the City of Newton and Newton Public Schools

The City of Newton’s Executive Office, Health and Human Services Department and Newton Public Schools are currently working on promoting out-of-school time for middle schoolers. While all young people benefit from out of school time activities that help them grow and learn, middle school tends to be an age when student participation decreases. While we are still in the early stages of this work, we have created a webpage on the City website to help families find summer options for their middle schooler, as well as provide other valuable information like financial aid tips, helpful links and more. We will be continually adding more to the webpage in the coming months but with summer coming up we want to share what we have now to help with planning. We welcome any feedback and ideas.

Click here for a link to the Middle School resources webpage http://www.newtonma.gov/gov/health/youth/middle_school_summer_resource.asp

Kids at the Farm: Summer 2017

“ Your program was my daughters favorite last summer, needless to say we are back this year, and for additional weeks!!” Little Digger Family (Entering Grades 1 -2)

Feed the chickens, harvest produce and learn what it takes to grow food sustainably, all right here in Newton. Indulge your senses, feed your curiosity and enjoy nature’s wonders.
Programs for toddlers through High School at Newton Community Farm starting in June and running until August 25th. Join in, all welcome! Weeks are filling up, register today!

Visit www.newtoncommunityfarm.org/education and click on summer.

Bigelow Drama Spring Play: “The Actor’s Nightmare”

ACTOR’S NIGHTMARE, by Christopher Durang, is the short play that Bigelow Drama has chosen for this year’s METG Festival. It is a farcical look into the world of theatre professionals and the nightmares that haunt them.

The Bigelow production will bring a fast-paced, movement-based performance whose primary goal is to introduce the students involved to many styles of movement and performance throughout history.

All are invited to the public performance at the school:

“The Actor’s Nightmare”
Thursday April 27th, 7 pm
Tickets $5 at the door

More information at the Bigelow Drama webpage