Special School Committee Meeting, Oct. 31
The School Committee will hold a special meeting on Monday, October 31st, 8:00 a.m., Education Center, 100 Walnut St., Newtonville, Frazier Room (#210), in order to discuss and vote on the Newton Teachers Association contract.
Read more in the Newton Patch article by Melanie Graham.
Celebrate Newton Crafts Fair, Dec. 5
Join us at Celebrate Newton, an annual juried crafts fair running at Newton South High School on Sun. Dec. 5. Stroll the aisles marveling at the fabric arts, jewelry, quilts, pottery, paintings, photography, wood sculptures, and more; select the perfect holiday gifts. More than 50 Newton artisans display and sell their works, live music provides a welcoming backdrop, and you’re likely to run into a friend at this popular community event. Plus, there’s a crafts table for kids to enjoy. Proceeds will benefit Newton Community Education. For more information, click here.
School Committee Reaches Agreement with Food Workers
The School Committee reached an agreement with the Nutrition Workers Unit on a multi-year agreement to shift all of food service operations for Newton Public Schools to Whitsons School Nutrition. Whitsons is a family run company headquartered in New York with food service operations across Massachusetts and the Northeast. Whitsons and the employee union have also reached an agreement, and today the union membership voted to ratify both agreements.
For more information, click here
Anti-Bullying Presentation Dec. 7
“What Can Parents Do to Stop Bullying? The Steps to Respect Curriculum for Elementary Students in Newton” will be presented Tue. Dec. 7, 7 – 8:30 P.M. at Bowen Elementary School, 280 Cypress Street, Newton 02459. This presentation introduces Steps to Respect, the anti-bullying curriculum that is being implemented across the district in grades 3-5. Parents can play an important role in supporting their children’s skills by learning about the curriculum and reinforcing these lessons at home. Presenters are Gwendolyn J. Smith, K-8 Wellness Curriculum Coordinator & Iris G. Leigh, Curriculum Specialist, both of the Newton Public Schools. Co-sponsored by the Newton Public Schools and The Newton Partnership.
NPS Newton Lab Launches
The NPS Newton Lab, sponsored by Needham-based PTC, is a partnership between schools, communities, and businesses. The goal is to provide students and teachers with an opportunity to innovate, implement, and scale education initiatives that are centered on real world issues and solutions. Teachers partner with the Lab to pilot innovative programs and facilitate teacher education. Our founding members, PTC, the product development company, contributes over a million dollars in engineering software, expertise on professional practices, and mentoring to the school community. Successful programs already part of the Newton Lab include the green engineering program, which gives students the opportunity to apply business and engineering practices in order to develop alternative fuels and recycled products; and the Ligerbots Robotics team led by 50 students from Newton South and Newton North, teachers from both schools, and mentors from PTC and other companies. Join PTC and the Newton Public Schools Tue, Dec. 7 at 4 p.m., Newton North High School, 457 Walnut Street, Newtonville, to hear the vision of the Newton Lab from community leaders. See student demonstrations of the programs already active in the Lab. Light refreshments will be served. Come and support innovation! Please RSVP to Ayora Berry aberry@ptc.com.
When Kids Push Our Buttons Dec. 15
How do our kids ALWAYS know how to push our buttons? Want to feel in control of your responses rather than just reacting during these heated moments? “When Kids Push Our Buttons and What We Can Do About It” will be held Wed. Dec. 15, 7-8:30 p.m. at Temple Shalom of Newton, 175 Temple St., 02465. No registration required for this free interactive workshop. The workshop will be facilitated by Amy Comeau, M.Ed. and Nancy Holczer, LICSW. Amy is currently the Middle School Intervention and Prevention Counselor at Day and Bigelow Middle Schools. Nancy is the Parenting Education and Outreach Specialist for The Newton Partnership. This evening is co-sponsored by the PTO Council, Newton Clergy Association and The Newton Partnership.
Volunteer Opportunity: Shovel Snow for Neighbors in Need
The Newton Parks and Recreation and Public Works Departments are preparing a list of students and adults willing to volunteer snow shoveling services for local senior/disabled residents. Can you please help out? Visit City of Newton home page, click on “residents,”, click on “volunteer services” for more information, or e-mail parks@newtonma.gov