Ways to get involved with the Bigelow PTO next year

As this school year is winding down, the Bigelow PTO is already looking forward to a fantastic 2013-14 school year. There are many activities in the works for next year and while many positions have been filled by generous parents, we are still in need of volunteer leaders who can support school staff and student activities that have been long traditions at our middle school.

Please take a moment to read the brief descriptions of activities for which we need leadership and/or extra help and let us know if you would like to fill that role by contacting Julie Bourgoin at jbourgoin@comcast.net. Thank you for your consideration of this request.

  • Vice President (2 positions open) – Work with board chairs and committee chairs to coordinate yearly activities.
  • Advertising for Directory – Solicit advertisements for the school directory. Most activity takes place over the summer.
  • 8th Grade Activities Coordinator – Recruit 8th grade volunteers and parent volunteers to head up activities throughout the year that involve the 8th grade. Events include the car wash, Turkey Bowl, Moving On ceremony, Surf the Turf, and other transition activities for the outgoing 8th graders in June.
  • Magazine Drive Coordinator – Coordinate the annual magazine drive fundraiser in the fall.
  • Cookie Dough Fundraiser Coordinator – Coordinate the annual cookie dough fundraiser in the winter.
  • Big Night Co-Chair (1 position open) – Assist the other Big Night co-chair to plan and implement this wintertime parent’s night out fundraiser.
  • Soup Stroll Co-Chair (1 postion open) – Assist the co-chair with organizing this fall event.
  • Bake Sales – Organize bake sales for political elections throughout the year. Anticipate two elections in the 2013-14 school year.

Information from NNHS for 8th Graders

Welome to Newton North High School! 

Newton North has selected Outcasts United for summer reading for all students; the book will be discussed school-wide in the fall.

For your convenience, here are some purchasing options. 

  1.  Friday, June 21, 8-9 a.m. and 11-11:30 a.m.: Outcasts United will be sold to Bigelow 8th graders before and after graduation. Cost is $13 in cash or checks payable to New England Mobile Book Fair.
  2. The book will also be available at New England Mobile Book Fair throughout the summer. 

All Newton North parents/guardians are PTSO members. We invite you to join the North PTSO community at our many educational, cultural, and fundraising events, including the following: 

  • Socialize at Northside Dining Adventure (fall 2013) and at principal and PTSO coffees.
  • Connect with other parents/guardians by attending PTSO meetings and programs.
  • Volunteer for committees or events including Teacher Appreciation, Just Think: Teens Making Smart Choices, and Celebration.
  • Learn something new at the Huntington Lecture Series.

Stay informed about everything Newton North at www.NorthPTSO.org! Information goes out only electronically and the PTSO uses an opt-in system. 

  • Communication: Sign up for Tiger News. Go to NorthPTSO.org and enter your email address in the top right box labeled “Tiger News” to receive important school-related information.
  • Communication: Sign up for House emails. Sign up to receive important class-related information via House (grade-specific) emails by submitting your request to Karen_Tobin@newton.k12.ma.us
  •  Directory: Watch for information this summer about Newton North PTSO directory.
  •  Dues: Pay your PTSO dues at www.northptso.org, and pick up your directory on Back to School Night (fall 2013). To guarantee that you will receive a directory, please pay your dues in advance.  

If you do not receive electronic communications from the PTSO by July, contact the PTSO co-presidents at www.NorthPTSO.org.           

        Best wishes for a great year! 

        Sally Brickell and Lynne LeBlanc, PTSO co-presidents

Hunger never takes a vacation

Summer donations are needed at the Centre Street Food Pantry on Homer Street. Please bring any unexpired shelf-stable canned goods, toiletries, and other items. And they are always in need of brown-handled grocery bags for our shoppers to use.

Drop off Tuesdays from 3:00 – 7:00 p.m. or contact centrestfoodpantry@gmail.com.

Thank you for your tremendous support throughout the year!

One-day auction of pre-school’s materials and furnishings

Golden Days Children Center at 66 Needham Street in Newton is closing and will auction all of its materials and furnishings on Saturday, June 22.  Preview at 9:00 a.m.  Auction starts 10:00 a.m.

Everything will be sold to the highest bidder without minimum or reserve.  Included in the sale will be wooden outdoor play equipment, a large storage shed, outdoor classroom materials, a “Nifty System” for toddlers, a fully equipped gym, approximately 4000 books, a collection of primary musical instruments, and a wide selection of building materials including 2000 wooden unit/blocks.  For more info:  http://bit.ly/11KHKfr

Extended Day Program for the Garden City Sports Camps

This new program is officially named “The Hawkes Nest” and it will be run by the Assistant Athletic Director at Newton North High School, Eric Hawkes.

The Hawkes Nest, is a dedicated Extended Day Program that is designed to provide the families of the Garden City Summer Camps a stress relief option and a safe environment for their kids.

It will be run Monday-Friday from July 1st through August 16th (excepting July 4th). The Extended Day is run in 3 sessions that are $50 each. Tuition will be collected at time of sign-up/No Refunds. If interested please sign-up here on Garden City Sports Camps Website:  http://www.newtonsummerschool.com/garden-city-sports-camps/  or reach out to the Administrative Offices of the Summer School by visiting them in Room 125 at Newton North High School or by phone at (617) 559-6264.

SchoolKidz Deadline is Friday June 14th

This Friday, the 14th is the deadline for ordering Schoolkidz back to school supplies.  This is a HARD deadline.  No order will be accepted after this date. 

This is a great and convenient way to save yourself shopping trips for school supplies at the end of the summer!

Not Your Average After School Program

Christine MacInally, founder of The Performance Factory and graduate of The Boston Conservatory, is offering a new and exciting program, “Broadway After School.”  This high energy class will focus on musical theater and acting technique.  Students will learn basic acting vocabulary while executing through skits, songs, improvisation and choreography.  Students will have the opportunity to perform in a professional show at the end of the year.

SESSION 1:  September 10 to December 17
SESSION 2:  January 7 to April 22
TIME: Tuesdays, 12:30 p.m.  – 4:00 p.m.
LOCATION:  Jackson Rd. (old Rashi school, right beside the Jackson School)
FEE (per session)  $550.00 (Includes registration fee)

For more information, please go to http://www.performancef.com/ or contact Christine at 617.470.2937.

Registration is Open for Newton SouthEast Little League’s Summer 2013 Sandlot Season

Following the tremendous success of the Sandlot program last year, NSELL is pleased to announce that registration for the Summer 2013 Sandlot Program is open for eligible 9-12 year olds. Instead of forming teams with set rosters and coaching staffs they will conduct “Sandlot Baseball Nights” on two weeknights per week from the last week of June through the middle of August.

They’ll provide shirts, hats, umpires, coaches and other game-related logistics. The objective is to give everyone a chance to have fun playing competitive baseball in a well organized environment. The cost is $75 and limited to 75 participants on a first come, first serve basis. Please visit www.newtonsoutheastll.org for more details and to register.

Best-selling author Andrew Solomon in Newton

The Newton Partnership and Understanding Our Differences are honored to be hosting best-selling author Andrew Solomon in Newton on June 17th from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. at Newton North High School.

Solomon’s book Far From the Tree is a magnificent work about extraordinary families of individuals affected by cognitive, physical or psychological differences.  Its focus is on parents who not only learn to cope with their exceptional children, but also find profound meaning in doing so. This thought-provoking book affirms the values of empathy and acceptance and is relevant for all kinds of parents and families.  Books will be available for purchase and a book signing will follow the event.

Registration is required at  http://understandingourdifferences.org/far-from-the-tree/.
Suggested donation is $5 at the door.  For a preview, view this YouTube Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bWH0DD800I.

Summer Speech and Language Program at Emerson College

The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Emerson College is offering a six-week speech and language therapy program to children and students, ages 3 – 12, in the City of Newton with documented need for services.

Supervised graduate students in speech-language pathology will provide individualized one-on-one therapy, twice a week on Mondays and Wednesdays beginning July 8th and ending August 14th for a total of 12 sessions.

All sessions meet at the Newton Educational Center on 100 Walnut Street on the 3rd floor. The fee is $375.00 for 12 one-hour sessions. Spaces are limited but applications will be accepted until the program is filled.

Applications are available from school speech-language pathologists or by contacting Laura Glufling-Tham, MS, CCC/SLP at Emerson College via email or by phone at 617-824-8318.