Bigelow PTO Annual Appeal

A HUGE thank you to those of you who have already donated!!

For more information about the Annual Appear or to make your gift on line by credit card click here or send your check to: Bigelow PTO at 42 Vernon Street   Newton, MA 02458

Matching gifts are a great way to maximize your donation and can double or triple your gift to education. Please click here for a partial list of companies that offer to match employee donations.

All donations – large or small – are greatly appreciated and will help us achieve all that we set out to do. Thank you!

Regards,

Julie Bourgoin and Carolyn Judge

PTO Co-Presidents

Angier Online Auction Closeout Sale!

Amazing deals on summer camps and classes – less than half price! The 2013 Angier Online Auction is now officially closed, but there are still a few great items left over, so, before they close out completely, they are offering them for sale one last time at a steep discount. Don’t miss out on this opportunity for huge savings! Please click here to view the list of available items.

All the items will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis at the price listed – no bidding, just a great deal. Please contact angierauction@gmail.com if you would like to purchase any of these items or if you would like more information about them.

Upcoming Teen Programs @ the Newton Free Library

The Lone Ranger Movie Screening
Johnny Depp hits the big screen in The Lone Ranger. Come to the Newton Free Library on Saturday, December 21st at 2:00 pm to watch a screening of the film. Open to ages 13 and up. Rated PG-13, runtime 149 min.

Family Game Night
Staying around town for the holiday season? Get in on a little friendly competition at Family Game Night on Monday, December 30th at 7:00 pm at the Newton Free Library. Join us in Druker Auditorium, where we will be playing board games and eating pizza. Open to all ages.

Table Manners, Conversations, Presentations, Posture, Friendships and more

The Etiquette Academy of New England has partnered with Newton Learning Center and is currently enrolling for Winter 2014!  Spots will fill up quickly, so please visit www.TheEtiquetteAcademy.org  and enroll today!

Mind Your Manners: Beyond Please and Thank You (Grades 2-4)
Sundays, January 12th – March 9th, 9:00 – 10:00 am,  Fee: $365
Final class to be held at an upscale restaurant

Etiquette for Middle Schoolers (Grades 5-8)
Sundays, January 12th – March 9th,  10:00 -11:30 am, Fee: $467
Final class to be held at an upscale restaurant

Etiquette for Young Adults (Grades 9-12)
Sundays, January 12th – March 9th, 11:30 – 1:00 pm, Fee: $469
Final class to be held at an upscale restaurant

Inaugural Events

Mayor Warren invites all residents to join him for two days of festivities as part of the 2014 inauguration. The events will begin on Tuesday, December 31st with the annual Mayor’s Open House. The day starts at 9:00 am with volunteers helping to sort and package food donations as part of our citywide food drive in the City Hall cafeteria. Then from 1:30-3:30 pm, the Open House will be taking place throughout City Hall, with a variety of arts and crafts, refreshments, music, dance and other activities for kids.

On January 1st, residents are invited to join Mayor Warren for his second inauguration. The day will begin with a pre-inaugural interfaith prayer service at Temple Shalom, 175 Temple St., Newton at 10:00 a.m… The event is open to the public, and all are welcome to attend.

The inauguration ceremony will begin at Noon at Newton City Hall, and will include the swearing in of the Mayor, Board of Aldermen and School Committee members. It will be followed by a reception which will feature musical performances from Newton Public Schools, as well as food and refreshments. The inauguration is free, but it is a ticketed event and space is limited. To request tickets, please contact Ana Gonzalez at agonzalez@newtonma.gov no later than December 26th.

Luke’s Lights

Please join us on December 20th for the Second Annual Community Celebration of Luke’s Lights from 6:00 pm-11:00 pm for a Family Pot-Luck Dinner, Kids Activities, Great Live Music, and DJ at the Windsor Club, 1601 Beacon Street, Waban, MA.

For each ticket, two lights get to someone who cannot yet imagine how his/her life will change. Tickets and information are available at http://www.lukeslights.org and food sign-up at: www.signupgenius.com/go/5080D4CA4A7238-lukes1

“Luke’s Lights” was born of a wish by Luke Voss-Kernan’s friends and family to spread his light far and wide. All proceeds go towards a nonprofit “Unite-to-Light” to bring solar lights to communities in developing countries that live off the electrical grid. Since Luke’s Lights was started over a year ago, more than 5,000 lights have been sent to light homes in Kenya, Haiti, India, and just this month, two Mason-Rice families delivered 50 solar lights to an orphanage in Tanzania so the children could read and do their homework in the evening. In the United States, Luke’s Lights helped to brightened homes in New Jersey and New York after Hurricane Sandy left them in darkness.

Luke was a 2010 graduate of Newton South High School, and an alum of Brown Middle School and Mason-Rice Elementary School. To learn more about Luke and the good this program is already doing, please take a moment and visit http://lukeslights.org/shine.html

Newton Girls Softball registration is NOW open

Newton Girls Softball registration is underway for the 2014 spring season. This is a recreational league for over 300 Newton girls in grades 1-7. Players of all skill levels will have a fun and rewarding experience. Visit the website www.NewtonGirlsSoftball.org for more details, access to on-line registration, and winter indoor clinic information.

Register before January 31st to avoid a late fee. February 28th is the last date you can register with guaranteed placement and pair-me-with requests.

Newton Youth Lacrosse registration is NOW Open

Please visit the website  www.newtonlacrosse.com  for more details. Teams and age groups offered this year :

U-9 – Open to 1st & 2nd Graders – Learn to Play
U-11 – Open to 3rd & 4th Graders
U-13 – Open to 5th & 6th Graders
U-15 – Open to 7th & 8th Graders

Select U-13 Sharks- Open to 5th & 6th Graders – Tryout required
Select U-15 Sharks – Open to 7th & 8th Graders – Tryout required

Give the Gift of Education

The Newton Schools Foundation appreciates your past support. As year-end is fast approaching please don’t forget to make your annual contribution. Your gift will continue to support innovative teaching and learning across all 22 Newton Public Schools.

In 2013-14, NSF’s goal is to raise $100,000. These funds will build on and enhance district-wide programs to provide for the appropriate space, technology, training and equipment needed to support initiatives and learning environments in areas ranging from science and engineering to literacy and the arts for all of our students.

The Appeal also allows the Foundation to carry out its mission, which is to raise private dollars for public education in Newton. We hope to hit this year’s target of $100,000 with your help and continue to make Newton Public Schools a leader in innovative education.

Your gift has an impact. Please donate by check or online at www.NewtonSchoolsFoundation.org. Thank you for your support!

All gifts postmarked by December 31st are tax deductible on your 2013 tax return.
Happy Holidays from Newton Schools Foundation.