Tag: Newton Massachusetts

Newton Authors from All Time: Children’s, Young Adult and Adult (Great for Newton Book Clubs!) UPDATED

I had no idea that some of these well known authors were or currently are Newton residents. I think all of us in book clubs, both adult and child, could get some great ideas from these local authors (and I bet if you ask really nicely, you just might be able to get them to come to your book club. Personally, I have had Mitali Perkins and Karen Day come to my daughter’s book clubs and both were FABULOUS!!! And gracious, and charming, not to mention wonderful with children!!). If you are reading this and you don’t live in Newton, there is always Skype!

Feel free to leave a comment to talk about your favorite author or book below (or missing from list). I am quite sure that I have accidentally left off some Newton authors. If you know of any, please leave a comment and I’ll add to the list. If I didn’t include a particular book for an author, please leave a comment about that too. I didn’t do the entire body of work for prolific authors (it’s a prevent-carpal-tunnel-thing). Thank you!

p.s. Thank you to Capability:Mom for the assist on this post!

Click on any image of book to examine or purchase at Amazon.

Picture Books (Emilie Boon, author and illustrator)

Just Illustration (Emilie Boon, author and illustrator)

Picture Books (Virginia Lee Burton)

Children’s Non Fiction (Don Lessem)

Picture Book for Adults (Adam Mansbach, illustrated by Ricardo Cortés)

3rd-4th Grade (Mitali Perkins)

Middle Grade (Karen Day)

Children’s (Howard Zinn)

Young Adult (Mitali Perkins)

Adult (Tom Ashbrook)

Adult Science Fiction (Isaac Asimov)

Adult (Russell Banks)

Adult (Alex Beam)

Adult (Christopher Boucher)

Adult (Thomas Bulfinch)

Adult (Anita Diamant)

Adult (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

Adult (Atul Gawande)

Adult (Angela Gerst)

Politics, money, love . . . what could go wrong?

Susan Callisto is pushing thirty and taking stock. Before she traded financial security at a Boston law firm for sandals and jeans in Waltham, she specialized in real estate law. Now she has reinvented herself as a political consultant for ordinary people seeking low-level office. Her income may be dicey, but Susan loves her new life—until her sometime boyfriend, Detective Lieutenant Michael Benedict, dumps her without a goodbye. Not one to mope, Susan uses humor and perpetual motion to push away the pain.

Susan’s new world is one where politics can turn deadly and even love may not survive. So when local high roller Charles Renfrow offers her a huge retainer to advise his political campaign, Susan is wary. Why would a scientist stalking the human genome want to be mayor of a small Massachusetts town? Finding the answer takes Susan through a maze of toxic secrets including those floating around Renfrow’s biotech company. On her way to confront him, Susan instead finds the body of his beautiful assistant. Assigned to the case, Michael reenters Susan’s life.

When Michael’s suspicions settle on Roddie Baird, yet another, and favorite, of Susan’s clients, Susan elbows her way into the investigation. She hopes to prove Michael wrong. As she probes—and lays her own life on the line—Susan uncovers a crack in everything….

Adult (Nathaniel Hawthorne)

Adult (Nate Kenyon)

Adult (Raymond Kurzweil)

Adult (Elizabeth McCracken)

Adult (Tova Mirvis)

Adult History (Diana Muir)

Adult (Michael Novak)

Adult (Mitali Perkins)

Poet (Robert Pinsky)

Poet (Anne Sexton)

Playwright (Samuel Shem)

Adult (Harriet Beecher Stowe)

Collaborative Memoirist (Andrew Szanton)

Poet and Adult (Celia Thaxter)

Adult (Catharine Utzschneider)

Adult (Ben Ames Williams)

Adult (Jonathan Wilson)

Adult (Saul Wisnia)

Adult (Howard Zinn)

p.s. Adult Medical Advice/Advocacy (Jerome Groopman)

Technically Dr. Groopman lives one town over in Brookline, but my Mom Friend Nancy works for him and raves about what a nice guy he is so I snuck him in. How Doctors Think is supposed to be a wonderful book.

To view any book more closely at Amazon, please click on image of book.

February 10, 2012
Best Tutors, Private Coaches, Music Teachers etc.

I hate to tell you how many tutors I hire for my 3 kids. It’s a little embarrassing because it’s quite a lot but I do use tutors to teach my kids things that I can not and/or to help them when they don’t want my help. I am known to do a long, investigative search to find the right match for my kids so I decided to share my Rolodex of Newton Tutors, Teachers and Coaches. I am sure there are other wonderful ones out there. Will you share? Please do by leaving a comment and I’ll update the list.

Requests for Referrals:

— My Mom Friend Melissa is seeking a Voice coach for her 6th grade daughter.

— My Mom Friend Penny is seeking a piano teacher for her 4th grade daughter.

p.s. A great source for an academic tutor: hire from a school that your child doesn’t attend. Ask your teacher for referrals!

p.p.s Here’s a post on How To: Select a Music Teacher

Best Flute Teacher: Barbara Nakazawa (Newton Highlands)

Best Classical Guitar Teacher: Dan Ascadi (Nonantum)

Best Soccer Private Coach: Ahead of the Game

Best Academic (Math but also other subjects) Peer Tutor: Lily Skerjl (email me for her info, she’s an 8th grader and she tutors my 6th grader)

Best Math or Reading Tutors for Boys: Hire teachers from Fessenden School

Best Spanish Tutor: Spanish by Martha.

Best Mandarin Chinese Tutor: Stella Pan (email me for her info, no website)

Cynthia Carpenter for Reading:

I’m a “retired” Brookline, Lexington, and Concord and New York City teacher, with 30 years experience teaching grades Pre-K through high school. In addition to having taught in elementary classrooms and as a middle and high school English teacher, I’m a certified Reading Specialist (providing consulting to teachers, direct support to students, and doing diagnostic testing.)

I have a Master’s + 70 post-grad credits in Education, Comparative Literature, and Art History, and my classrooms have served as placement sites for many student teachers. I am especially interested in multicultural teaching, received a Lowell Scholarship to study Linguistics at Harvard, and am listed as an “executive functioning” specialist on the Concord SEPAC website.

Cynthia Carpenter
(978) 952-8871

p.s. Other Guides to Newton:

Best Preschools in Newton

A Fairly Comprehensive List of Birthday Party Locations and Ideas for Kids in Newton and Boston

Best Martial Arts Schools for Kids and Adult in Newton

A Fairly Comprehensive List of After School Supplemental Math Classes in Newton

A Fairly Comprehensive List of Dance Studios in Newton

Best Gymnastics for Toddlers and Kids in Newton Area

Best Caretaker and Child Music Classes in Newton

February 8, 2012
Best Preschools in Newton UPDATED
Preschools, Day Care, Toddler Care in Newton

This list is from Newton’s Wikipedia page. I noticed that it’s not a comprehensive list, so please add in any preschools that you know as a comment and I’ll add the link to the page. We think this is a comprehensive list of all the preschools (Montesorri, Cooperative, Day Care, Home Preschools, etc. ) that we know of. We don’t know what the “best” preschools are; that’s very subjective but I think it starts by looking at a lot of preschools and taking time to really spend time in the classroom. Look for clues like how clean the bathrooms are and how the rooms are decorated. Ask if there are parents from your neighborhood and then track them down for their honest opinion.

Leave a comment to ask a question. Also, please leave comments about your preschool experience. Thanks!

Here are other links on preschools:

How To: Pick a Preschool

Top 10 Starting Kindergarten or Preschool Picture Books

Why Preschool Helps You Get a Job

Preparing for Kindergarten: Activities to do With Your Child

Newton Preschools: A Comprehensive List
- Rosenshine Nursery School, Temple Reyim, 1860 Washington Street, Waban
- Capability:Mom posted her experience here.
- Presbyterian Church Nursery School 75 Vernon Street
- Temple Beth Avodah Nursery School, 45 Puddingstone Lane
- Beth-El Pre-School, 561 Ward St.
- Burr Cooperative Nursery School, 64 Hancock St., Auburndale
- The Teddy Bear Club Preschool, 1466 Commonwealth Ave, West Newton. French bilingual program, meaning half of the instruction (including all literacy) is taught in English. Accepting toddlers starting at 22 months
- Bernice B. Godine JCC Early Learning Center, Leventhal-Sidman JCC, 333 Nahanton St.
- The Children’s Cooperative Nursery School, 848 Beacon St.
- Temple Shalom Nursery School, 175 Temple St. (Many of my non-Jewish Mom friends send their kids here. Great proximity to Peirce Elementary School and just a great place for kids).
- Walnut Park Montessori School, 47 Walnut Park (All my Mom Friends who went here were happy)
- Auburndale Community Nursery School, 230 Central St.
- Rockwell Nursery School at Lasell College, 70 Studio Road (Full day preschool used to teach Lasell students about Early Childhood Education.)
- The Barn at Lasell College, 1844 Commonwealth Ave, Auburndale (daycare)
- Newton Community Service Center, 492 Waltham Street
- Parkside Preschool, 474 Centre Street, Newton Corner (I have one Mom Friend whose two kids went here. She was very happy with it).
- The Preschool Experience, 1091 Centre Street (I’ve always heard great things about this preschool but don’t actually know anyone who went there)
- Upper Falls Nursery School, 45 Pettee St, Newton Upper Falls
- Bilingual Beginnings at Pine Village Preschool 1326 Washington Street, West Newton (Spanish Immersion)
- West Newton Children’s Center Washington St, West Newton (gives a lot of flexibility in term of what hours you want)
- Little Red Wagon Playschool 50 Winchester Street, Newton Highlands
- Second Church Nursery School, 60 Highland Street, West Newton Hills
- Bowen Cooperative Nursery School, 96 Otis Street, Newtonville (Two of my kids went here. The teachers are fantastic but the coop format is not for everyone. Also, very short days.)
- Brookline Infant Toddler Center (BITC), 1900 Commonwealth Ave, Auburndale (My two oldest went here. It’s great if you need infant child care and full day coverage.) My neighbor Kathleen says, “Our sons went to Brookline Infant Toddler Center (BITC) at the corner of Auburn street and Commonwealth ave. It has been a number of years but we loved it. “
- Plowshares, 457 Walnut Street, Newtonville. At Newton North High School, Franklin Elementary School, and Lincoln-Elliot Elementary School.
- Newton School for Children, 25 Lenglen Rd # 2
- Golden Days Children’s Center, 66 Needham Street
- Happy Child Day Care and Preschool, 1191 Chestnut Street
- JAMS Preschool, 1671 Beacon Street, Waban (will take very young preschoolers and everyone I know who went there loves it)
- Longfellow Preschool, 777 Dedham Street, at Mount Ida College
- Suzuki Preschool, 1860 Washington St, Newton
- Camp Echo Bridge Preschool, 124 Vernon Street, Newton
- Hills and Falls Cooperative, 258 Concord Street, Newton Lower Falls (My summer camp director teaches here and she’s wonderful)
- Echo Falls Preschool, 545 Grove Street, Newton Lower Falls
- Newton Child Care, 225 Nevada, West Newton
- Barbara’s Day Care, 404 Homer Street
- Meeting House Child Care, 848 Beacon Street
- Newton Montessori, 80 Crescent Avenue (I’ve also heard good things about this school)
- Children’s Corner at Newton Wellesley Hospital, 2014 Washington St, Waban (A Mom Friend was very happy here. They have 12 hour coverage also because they provide child care for medical staff but you don’t need to work there to go here)
- Newton Creative Start, 573-B Washington Street, Watertown
- Newton School for Children, 25 Lenglen Road, Newton Corner
- Victorian Montesorri, 3 Curtis St , Newton Highlands
- Newton Early Childhood Program, 100 Walnut Street, Newtonville
- Panda Cub Academy (Mandarin Chinese immersion preschool), 1200 Boylston Street, Brookline/Chestnut Hill
- Weekday Nursery School, 54 Lincoln Street, Newton Highlands
- Jewish Creative Preschool, 349 Dedham Street, Newton, MA 02459
- Saplings Preschool, 0 Carlton Rd, Waban, MA 02468
Preschools Specifically for Toddlers in Newton

These two three schools are for 2 year olds who are typically too young for most preschools where you must be 2.6 years old in September.

Toddler Loving Care

66 Walnut Street

West Newton

My neighbor says, “When your little one gets a little older keep “Toddler Loving Care” on your list. It is a fantastic preschool. It is the multicolored Victorian building near the Ed Center on Walnut Street. Our youngest Sammy went there.” (Ann)

Jams in Waban

1671 Beacon St

Newton, Ma 02168

My mom friends were very happy at Jams. They typically used JAMS for a pre-preschool before moving them to the preschool where their older siblings were.

Green Peas Toddler Care in Newton Centre

My mom friend Katherine raved about Green Peas. It’s a half day 1, 2 or 3 mornings a week. She described it as “very sweet” and especially liked the tiny yogurt and other healthy items for snack. Her kids did a year here before preschool and she highly recommended it to me.

Saplings Preschool in Waban

We are a nurturing play and theme based program geared towards the 2 year old and offer an enriching curriculum in a beautiful indoor/outdoor space in Waban.

p.s. Other Guides to Newton:

A Fairly Comprehensive List of Birthday Party Locations and Ideas for Kids in Newton and Boston

Best Martial Arts Schools for Kids and Adult in Newton

A Fairly Comprehensive List of After School Supplemental Math Classes in Newton

A Fairly Comprehensive List of Dance Studios in Newton

Best Gymnastics for Toddlers and Kids in Newton Area

Best Caretaker and Child Music Classes in Newton

Best Tutors, Music Teachers etc in Newton
February 4, 2012
A Fairly Comprehensive List of Birthday Party Locations in and around Newton UPDATED
Birthday party planning need not be daunting. Here are lots of ideas for your child’s birthday! Did I miss any? Please let me know and I’ll add to the list!

p.s. More ideas here from Boston Central.

10. Private Baby Animal Petting Zoo. Barn Babies. This particular petting zoo was pretty amazing. We hired them twice for birthday parties (2 of my kids), and they visited my preschool twice. What is amazing about them is that they have enough baby animals — bunnies, kittens, puppies, goat, chicks, ducklings, pig — so that every child can hold a swaddled baby animal for as long as they like. When they want to switch animals, another one gets placed into their arms. The kittens, puppies, and bunnies are eventually adopted but I hate to ask what happens to the chicks, ducklings, goat and pig. The baby goat has a Depends diaper on and a child can walk it around on a leash. They can do parties indoors or out. They don’t advertise but you’d be wise to book early as they get booked up fast. They are based on the Cape.

9. Trampoline. Launch Trampoline Park in Watertown. This is a new franchise that came our way last year and has become hugely popular. Headcount on each gigantic trampoline is closely monitored.

8. Trapeze. My oldest went to this party and had a blast even though she says she is scared of heights. My middle child is booking this for her next birthday. I hope I don’t have to do it!

7. Go Diego Go! home party. I did an elaborate Diego themed home party that took me 6 weeks to plan. I wrote it up and submitted to a Birthday Party site but now I can’t locate it. I printed out coloring sheets from Diego website and stapled it into on side of a blue file folder as a “Field Journal.” I also made a drawing of a keyboard and stapled that on the other side. I got Beenie Babies that matched the footprints and made a scavenger hunt out of that by putting footprints all over the house and backyard. The kids decorated paper towel rolls to make Spy Glasses. They used their Spy Glasses for the scavenger hunt. I hired Barn Babies as entertainment. The final stop was an extra basket of Beenie Babies for trading in case the Beenie Baby you found was not the one you wanted. The kids were only three.

6. Cookie decorating. Cookies by Design. This was the first time we had done this and my middle daughter chose this for her last birthday but it can easily be done at home. The kids had premixed sugar cookie dough to roll out and cut cookies. This was actually the most popular station. They also got colored bags of icing and decorated a plate of baked cookies. Finally, they decorated an apron using fabric markers.

5. Laser tag. This was a popular birthday party that is now a little passé though kids always seem to have fun playing laser tag. We just discovered the Mother Lode of Laser Tag locations, called Laser Quest, that has multiple floors of Laser Tag mazes. It’s in West Roxbury but it’s worth the drive!

4. Jewelry party. Home and at bead store (our two local bead stores are out of business). I did this party at home using stretchy string from the bead store. Each little girl and their mother strung a necklace and a bracelet. I think I tried this party for preschoolers which was a tad too young. I needed other activities like coloring sheets and games because the kids were either really fast at making the crafts or easily bored. My oldest went to a bead store for a birthday party at 5th grade and all the girls made beautiful necklaces. Some did not finish in the time allotted due to intricate designs.

3. Pseudo sky diving. My Mom Friend Julie’s son did this as a Middle Schooler. She said that all the boys LOVED it. The pseudo sky diving using some kind of gigantic fan to create a wind tunnel capable of suspending a person in the air to simulate sky diving. That’s my kind of sky diving: the safe kind.

2. Aquarium. On or off site. Both parties have been hits. We had a party at the Aquarium one year for my oldest when she was in preschool that, unfortunately, coincided with a gigantic snowstorm. Nevertheless, most of the guests made it to the Aquarium for the party. They do a great job letting kids touch sea creatures and it’s also educational! Our aquarium takes the show on the road and will travel to your birthday site. We went to a party that hired them and was also fabulous!

1. Cooking. Create A Cook. We have a cooking school for kids in town, but this can easily be done at home. The parties usually have a food theme with each child making about three items that they can bring home to share. I love that my child is learning to cook. Themes can be anything from breakfast, Thai, Japanese and Italian. And it’s not just for girls. Boys, as it turns out, love the hands on “making stuff” aspect.

Here are more party ideas that we’ve attended or hosted. I hope it helps you plan the perfect party for your child!

Bowling, karate (Giroux Brothers Martial Arts, Esposito’s, Masters of Karate), gymnastics (My Gym, Energy Fitness and Gymnastics, Exxcel) , Museum of Natural History, paint pottery/plaster, video game/Chuckie E Cheese, sewing, knitting, paint ball, swimming (make sure to have plenty of lifeguards!), sleepover, ice skating, snow tubing, ice cream party at parlour (Coney Island, Lizzies, Cabots), Mad Scientist, magician, Puppet theater, movie, mini golf, old fashioned games at home (pass the shoe, scavenger piñata, etc), soccer games, rock climbing (also at BU), dress up (renting a dress up trunk), water slide/bouncy house, water park, farm, sports at YMCA, TOMB, art/ceramics at art school, dance at dance studio (All That Jazz), dance party at home, hip hop dance party, sewing party, Game Truck. There’s a second sewing studio in Newton. Boxing birthday parties at Nonantum Boxing Club. Escape the Room in Boston for an interactive game party where the group has to solve puzzles to escape the room. Boda Borg is a fun puzzle solving multi-room gaming party too.

We just tried an archery birthday party at Bay State Archery and it was really fun. It’s in Norwood. Jump On In has been really popular with kids ages 6 through 9. My boxing gym will do birthday parties. Any kind of sports games party at your location/local park or at YMCA. Jump’n’Slide Center just opened in Wells Avenue; they have activities including arcade castle, huge inflatables, Laser Maze, Cannonball Shooting range, Lego room, make crafts:
- Make a working, punched tin lantern and punched tin art
- Weave friendship bracelets and bookmarks
- Craft a journal or diary
at Durant-Kenrick House & Grounds of Historic Newton.

p.s. Other Guides to Newton:

Best Preschools in Newton

Best Martial Arts Schools for Kids and Adult in Newton

A Fairly Comprehensive List of After School Supplemental Math Classes in Newton

A Fairly Comprehensive List of Dance Studios in Newton

Best Gymnastics for Toddlers and Kids in Newton Area

Best Caretaker and Child Music Classes in Newton

Best Tutors, Music Teachers etc in Newton
February 4, 2012
Best Martial Arts Schools in Newton for Kids and Adults

My kids have been taking Karate for several years with Giroux Brothers Martial Arts and one thing that really impresses me about this studio is the older students who are unfailingly polite, accomplished and kind to small children. The style is called Chun Kuk Do which is the style of Chuck Norris. I also studied kickboxing with Steve Giroux. We think he’s great and really wonderful teacher for kids.

There are two other Karate studios that my kids’ friends’ moms also rave about: Espositos and Master’s of Karate. I went to a birthday party for little boys at Master’s of Karate and I thought the Sensei there was wonderful with children. I am taking Kickboxing at Espositos with Rich with my two girls and it’s both a really intense but fun workout and training session in self-defense. Rich runs the children’s program and is also great with kids.

There is also Oom Yung Doe which teaches 8 martial arts to kids and adults: Tae Kwon Do, Aikido, Samurai, Bagwa Chung, Jiu Jitsu, Tai Chi Chung, Ship Pal Gae, and Kung Fu.

For more on How Karate Helps Kids Succeed, check out the right hand column of Giroux Brothers Martials Arts’ new blog. Confidence, self-control, self-discipline, setting and accomplishing goals, are some of the by products of karate that children benefit from.

How to Find a Martial Art for Your Child

Karate Kids: The Benefits of Martial Arts

Here’s a short primer on some of the common styles of martial arts from Better Homes and Gardens:

“choosing a style

One of the great allures of martial arts is the huge variety of styles. Here’s a brief explanation of some of the most popular ones:

Aikido is a gentler self-defense style that emphasizes mental acuity, good breathing, relaxation techniques, and timing. In essence it focuses on finding the body’s spiritual center, as well its physical center of gravity. Techniques include throws and joint locks.

Judo teaches the principle of using your opponent’s strength against him, rather than relying solely on your own. It’s highly physical with foot, leg, and hand strikes as well as throwing and falling.

Karate is a broad term that covers hundreds of styles that employ highly rehearsed strikes and blows using both your hands and your feet.

Kickboxing is a strenuous, high-contact sport that requires more protective gear than other disciplines. It emphasizes muscle flexibility and control, particularly in the legs and feet. Kickboxing can be slow-paced or fast and is growing in popularity.

Tae Kwon Do combines the art of hand and foot fighting. Two techniques kids love to learn in this discipline are breaking boards and sparring with opponents”

I studied a little Aikido and Tai Kwon Do. Aikido is so precise in technique that to be an effective weapon for self defense, you have to be pretty advanced. It’s better for adults. Tae Kwon Do has more kicks in the the repertoire and is not as effective for street fighting though it IS an Olympic sport. Kickboxing doesn’t have the belt structure, so it’s great for kids who don’t want to memorize forms and work their way up a belt system.

Karate is the catch up to pretty much describe any martial art, particularly for kids.Some have weapons and some don’t, so be sure to ask. I find that kids like learning how to handle weapons like a Bo Staff or swords but they must work their way fairly high up though the belt system before being allowed to touch one. I think that’s a great incentive to motivate children to progress. I know my daughter was excited to finally learn the Bo Staff at Giroux Brothers which indicated she was about half way to her junior black belt.

Here are more places to study martial arts:

J. H. Kim Tae Kwon Do – he has multiple studios throughout Boston.

Calvin Chin Martial Arts Academy – I saw them perform at a Chinatown event and they were impressive!

Gracie Barra Boston Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu – I’ve only seen adults here.

Oom Yung Doe – This is new to Newton and seems to more adult oriented.

Clark’s Self Defense – Walk in to inquire. I called several times when researching a karate studio and no one ever returned my call.

Nonantum Boxing Club – My Dad Friend who is a Golden Gloves champion recommended a trainer to me. He’s very happy here.

p.s. Other Guides to Newton:

Best Preschools in Newton

A Fairly Comprehensive List of Birthday Party Locations and Ideas for Kids in Newton and Boston

A Fairly Comprehensive List of After School Supplemental Math Classes in Newton

A Fairly Comprehensive List of Dance Studios in Newton

Best Gymnastics for Toddlers and Kids in Newton Area

Best Caretaker and Child Music Classes in Newton

Best Tutors, Music Teachers etc in Newton

February 4, 2012
Nutrition Solutions with Health Coach Stacy Schwartz

Do you have questions about nutrition but don’t know who to ask?

Come to our 4 week nutrition solutions workshop where you will get all of your questions answered.

In this workshop you’ll learn:

. How to incorporate delicious greens into your diet.
. Tips to eat foods you enjoy and not deprive yourself.
. To understand how your lifestyle affects your cravings.
. Steps to make easy healthy meals for you and your family.

February 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th from 7:30-8:30pm

Nutritional Health Coach Stacy Schwartz will lead the seminars.

Contact: Allison Benitez at 617-458-9758 for more information and to register. You won’t want to miss this!

February 3, 2012
Free Event: Simplicity Parenting at Mason-Rice, Feb. 6th, 7-9pm

Do you ever find yourself scheduling play dates 3 weeks in advance because your child has no free time? Do you think you might have too many toys in the house? Are there too many gifts coming into your home around the holidays or when it is your child’s birthday? Are you and your children over-scheduled and overwhelmed?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, please join us on Monday, February 6th at Mason-Rice from 7-9:00 pm to learn about “SIMPLICITY PARENTING” which can help kids and parents feel calmer, happier and more secure. Consultant and author Kim John Payne will speak about how to simplify your child’s toys and books, clothes, meals, bedtime and schedule, as well as how to filter out distractions from the adult world so you can feel more connected to your children and family. This is a free event hosted by the Mason-Rice, Angier and Zervas Elementary School PTO’s.

To view any book more closely at Amazon, please click on image of book.

February 2, 2012

Classes at Waban Library: Yoga for Adults, Music and Dance for Kids!

Morning Adult Yoga Classes

Tuesday and/or Thursday mornings from 8:50 am-10 am for 10 Tuesdays/Thursdays.Cost will be $150 for a 10-week session. Sign up for both, Tuesday and Thursday classes, you will receive a 10% discount. ($270 for both Tues/Thurs). Drop ins are welcome at $18 per class. Classes go for 10 Tues/Thurs starting January 3/5 – March 20/22

To sign up email us at wabanlibrary@gmail.com or check out the website for more details, www.wabanlibrarycenter.org

Jazz, Hip Hop and Creative Dance

$96

Ages 4 to 6 yrs.
Eight Fridays, 1:15pm-2pm

Dancers will learn the basic elements of Jazz Dance and Hip Hop set to today’s popular music. Taught by Grace Noyes, the class will include stretching exercises, progressions across the floor and sequences of age appropriate choreography that will build week to week. This fun, lively 45 minute class is offered to students who danced with us last season as well as new students. $96 Class dates:1/27, 2/3, 2/10, 2/17, 3/2, 3/9, 3/16, 3/23

Music Making

Six Fridays (EVERY OTHER WEEK)

9:30-10:15 am

Ages 15 mos. to 3yrs.

Linda Emmanuel

Kids will discover their inner musicians! Fun instruments and props will help us explore concepts like fast/slow, loud/soft and start/stop. Taught by Linda Emmanuel, who has a Master’s in Dalcroze Eurhythmics from the Longy School, a B.M. in Vocal Performance from New England Conservatory. $72 Class Dates: 1/20, 2/3, 2/17, 3/3, 3/17, 3/31.

February 1, 2012

Newton Library Employee Arraigned on Child Porn Charges (Link Roundup)

image Josh Reynolds for The Boston Globe

When it rains, it pours, apparently. “One week after a Newton elementary school teacher was arrested on child pornography charges, a Newton Free Library staffer has been arraigned on similar charges in Newton District Court.” from Newton Patch

“For the second time in two weeks, residents of Newton, which touts its reputation as one of the safest cities in America, were staggered by the accusation that a trusted public employee was involved in child pornography.

Authorities announced yesterday that they had arrested Peter Buchanan, a 10-year city employee who had worked most recently in the Newton Public Library’s audio visual section.

State Police accuse Buchanan, 47, of downloading and sharing child pornography. He pleaded not guilty in Newton District Court to three counts of possession of child pornography and two counts of distribution of material depicting a child in a sexual act.” from Boston.com

Newton Library Employee Arraigned on Child Porn Charges (Newton Patch)

Father of Newton child porn suspect says his son needs help (Boston.com)

Second child porn arrest made in Newton (Boston.com)

Newton library pedophile faces child porn charges (Wicked Local Newton)

Newton Library Employee Arrested On Child Porn Charges (WBUR)

Library Worker Arrested On Child Porn Charges (The Boston Channel News)

Newton Library Employee Charged with Child Pornography (Boston Criminal Lawyers Blog)

January 31, 2012
$5k College Scholarships from Hood for New England Athletes (Girls and Boys) Who Volunteer

The Hood Sportsmanship Scholarship presented by Hood Milk is open to seniors enrolled in a high school in one of the six New England states. Seniors must be attending a two- or four-year accredited college or university in the fall of 2012 and meet the following criteria:

* Minimum of a 3.0 GPA
* Participated in a varsity sport in high school
* Volunteered in his/her community
* Displayed a high degree of sportsmanship while participating in sports in high school

“The Hood Sportsmanship Scholarship program was established to recognize exceptional high school seniors in New England,” said Lynne Bohan, spokesperson for Hood. “We have been overwhelmed by the quality of submissions from students over the past two years, and look forward to celebrating 18 more students who serve as role models in their classes, communities and on their respective sports teams.”

Students can enter for a chance to win the Hood Sportsmanship Scholarship online at Hood.com now through February 1st, 2012. Students will be asked to complete the application form and write a short essay explaining how they display sportsmanship and integrity on and off the field. Voting will be open to the public beginning on February 15th and will run through March 15th online at Hood.com to determine the 10 finalists from each state who will be interviewed by a panel of judges. The final 18 winners — 3 from each state — will be notified in May and be invited to attend an awards banquet.

Three high school seniors in each of the six New England states — Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire,Rhode Island and Vermont — will be awarded a $5,000 college scholarship for a total of $90,000.

For more information, and rules and regulations, please visit Hood.com.

January 31, 2012

Tag: Newton Massachusetts

Preschools, Day Care, Toddler Care in Newton

Newton Preschools: A Comprehensive List

Preschools Specifically for Toddlers in Newton