The Growth Mindset Workshop Tonight

Please join us tonight for this special PTO meeting on the Growth Mindset 7:00- 8:30 pm in the Bigelow cafeteria. Newton North Principal Jen Price and The NN High School Council will be doing an encore presentation of their December workshop providing a basic overview of Growth Mindset, interactive activities and a discussion of appropriate feedback.  This discussion is based on the book Mindset by Carol Dweck. 

Click here  to RSVP for the event.

More about the Growth Mindset and the workshop:  Do you know that the research-based growth mindset is useful for all ages and in all settings—school, home, work, athletics?  To learn more about the growth mindset, read The Significance of Grit, or see this six-minute TED talk video by Angela Duckworth.

During the workshop you will learn the following:

  • Effective ways to give praise
  • Useful methods for encouraging children and teens to try new things and accept challenges
  • Constructive ways to respond to failure
  • Successful strategies for creating a parent-teacher dialogue about students’ development

Join us for the Big Night!! Tickets available now!

imagesTickets for the Big Night – “Hot Night in Havana” are on sale now!!

Go to www.charityauctionorganizer.com/auction/Bigelow2015 to purchase your tickets.  The Big Night is on Sat. May 9th 7-11pm.  

Come out for the Big Night and enjoy authentic live Cuban music, learn to salsa dance, enjoy great latin food and sip our signature mojito.  Our silent auction will feature wonderful donations from area business, as well as many one of kind items such as “Bigelow Principal for the Day”.   A complete listing of auction items will be available soon.

Please support our local businesses who support Bigelow!!  Click here for a complete list of donors.

For more information on the BIG NIGHT, please go to http://bigelowpto.org/bigelows-big-night-2015/

If you have any questions please email bigelowbulldog@gmail.com

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

Dining for Dollars – This Thursday and Friday Nights at Bertucci’s

This Thursday and Friday, April 30th & May 1, we are Dining for Dollars at Bertucci’s to support the Bigelow 8th grade field trips. Bring the attached flyer to the Newton Corner Bertucci’s at 275 Centre Street on either of these nights and Bigelow will receive 15% of any purchase. Join friends and family to eat and socialize Thursday with the whole family or consider treating yourself to a night out Friday in support of scholarships for Bigelow Students while the kids are at the dance. Dine-in, take-out, or order delivery.  Please forward the attached flyer to local friends, colleagues and family, and post it on social media.

Student Assignment notice from NPS

As many of you are aware, this is an exciting time of elementary school facilities renovation and expansion in the Newton Public Schools. Because the new schools will have expanded capacity to address our enrollment growth, and we currently have elementary schools that are overcrowded, we have formed a Student Assignment Working Group that is examining elementary school boundary lines.

Over the past few months, the Student Assignment Working Group has developed a process to evaluate various student assignment scenarios. At the School Committee meeting on Tuesday, April 28, 2015 beginning at 7:00PM and held in the Education Center (room 210), the Student Assignment Working Group will present its latest scenarios and thinking as work continues. Additionally, there will be a Public Forum on May 11, 2015 beginning at 5:45PM and held in the Education Center (room 210), for community members to ask questions and offer comments.

The public is invited to attend both meetings as we are committed to engaging the community on this important decision. We will continue to keep you informed as the Student Assignment Working Group proceeds with its work. Please visit our Student Assignment webpage at http://www.newton.k12.ma.us/ district-initiatives/expandingcapacity/studentassignment.

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Fun for Kids and Families at the Festival of the Arts!

A weekend under the big tent at Newton City Hall
Entertainment! Food Trucks! Juried Craft Show! Music! Dance!

Family DanceFEST – An evening of fun for the whole family, under the big tent and on the lawns of Newton City Hall. Pick up dinner from the Festival Food Trucks, join in the interactive games and dance party organized by Siagel Productions and The Dance Academy. Dress to move and be ready to dance with friends and family to today’s top musical favorites. Don’t miss the special appearance by The Dominoes.

Friday, May 8th : 6:00 – 9:00 pm
Tickets: $10 or $25 for family of 4. www.newtoncommunitypride.org/festival

Tanglewood Marionettes “Cinderella”  -A classic fairy tale told with wit and style, the story unfolds as the pages of a giant book open to reveal each beautifully painted setting, featuring lavishly costumed marionettes. All your favorite characters are here, from gentle Cinderella to the bumptious stepsisters and the charming prince, but we do offer a few new surprises: Cinderella’s method of conveyance to the ball is NOT the traditional horse-drawn coach, and, when all hope seems lost, a clever little bluebird saves the day for Cinderella.

Saturday, May 9th: 10:00 am
Tickets: $10 per person or $25 for family of 4. www.newtoncommunityprice.org/festival

Rock-A-Baby with Siagel Productions  -After “Cinderella”, jam out with the Siagel celebrity puppet band to music that will get you on your feet and the whole family groovin’!

Saturday, May 9th: 11:15 am Tickets: free for everyone attending the puppet show, or $10 per family.  www.Newtoncommunitypride.org/festival

Check the website for the month of exciting cultural events throughout Newton in May: 55 events in 31 days!

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Evening Folk Festival

Catie Curtis, who has appeared at the White House several times, is a veteran of the singer/songwriter folk scene, touring throughout the US for 20 years and releasing 13 CDs. Her credits include touring with Lilith Fair, and winning Grand Prize in the 2006 International Songwriting Competition (out of 15,000 entries) and recording a duet with Kris Kristofferson. Her songs appear in numerous films and TV shows, and she has been called a “folk- rock goddess” by New Yorker Magazine.

Also performing: Rob Siegel; Waiting Four Neil; Grace Donovan, Newton North High School; The Barbara Cassidy Band. Food trucks and Beer Garden on site.

For Tickets: www.newtoncommunitypride.org/festival $25 /$15 Seniors & Students

May 9th, 6:30-9:30pm
Newton City Hall Outdoor Tent, 1000 Commonwealth Avenue

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Book Donations Needed – starting April 27

Please donate your gently used books to the Newton South High School Used Book Sale.

Drop off on Mondays and Thursdays April 27th through May 18th, from 7:15 am to 8:15 am and 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm at the Eagle storage unit in NSHS parking lot (next to Goldrick House) and by appointment. Please contact Andrew Szanton to make arrangements.

Please note: they cannot accept any books in poor or moldy condition, children’s books, textbooks, parenting, health and medicine, travel, and erotica.

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Join the Newton Girls Ultimate Frisbee Team!

Mark Goodman and his daughter Sophie formed the Newton Girls Ultimate Frisbee team for middle school girls in 2013. The team had a successful season last Spring competing in 3 tournaments. Mark has played and taught Ultimate for 20+ years, and he looks forward to coaching the team again this Spring. There are a few roster spots open as some of the 8th graders have moved on. If your daughter is interested in playing, please contact Mark. MGoodmanhome@gmail.com.

Who: Newton Girls in grades 5 – 8.
When: Sundays 4:00 – 6:00 pm. Practice begins on March 22nd.
Where: 171 Pine Street, Auburndale (Burr elementary)
What: The girls will learn to play Ultimate Frisbee. The team is tentatively playing in local tournaments May 16th and 31st and in Amherst on May 17th.
How: If your daughter might be interested in playing, please contact Mark.
MGoodmanhome@gmail.com. The team will be limited to a max of 24 players.
Cost: $80. This will fee cover field rental, insurance. Each player will receive their own disc (Frisbee).
Why: reasons to learn to play Ultimate
1. Ultimate teaches kids integrity in sports. There are no refs in Ultimate Frisbee. The players must learn the rules and make their own foul calls. In national championships there are observers who help make rulings on difficult calls – but no refs.
2. A player can be a receiver and quarterback on every play.
3. Ultimate teaches field spacing and cutting techniques that can be applied to other sports like soccer, lacrosse and basketball.
4. Ultimate is a lifetime sport. Virtually every major US city has adult leagues – and some (like Boston) now feature masters leagues for those over 40+ years of age.
5. There more than 700 colleges with Ultimate teams, and larger schools often field 2-3 teams grouped by skill level.

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Child Care Scholarship Applications are now open for next year!

The Newton Partnership, Inc. awards financial assistance for child care to income-eligible families residing in Newton or for children who are currently enrolled in Newton Public Schools. To qualify, the child care provider must be licensed and recipients will be determined by lottery.

Applications and more details for the 2015-16 year are available on the website.
Please find the application here: Scholarship Application 2015-2016. Applications are due by May 15th.

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