Author: Mia

Summer Activities for Kids from FA Day Middle School Nurse

Summer Activities for Kids from FA Day Middle School Nurse. Two helpful PDFs with camps and volunteer opportunities for kids.

After school and summer activities can be an essential part of your child’s educational and social/emotional learning. Research has shown the value of after school and summer programs and here in Newton, we are lucky enough to have numerous high quality out of school time programs.

The City of Newton’s Executive Office, Health and Human Services Department and Newton Public Schools are currently working on promoting out-of-school time for middle schoolers. While all young people benefit from out of school time activities that help them grow and learn, middle school tends to be an age when student participation decreases. And yet, we know that this is a key time in development for young people to have positive role models, begin to identify skills and interests that may stay with them into adulthood. It is also a time when self-identity and judgment are forming and so positive, structured experiences can be especially beneficial. And of course, we want our middle schoolers to have FUN in safe, engaging ways.

While we are still in the early stages of this work, we have created a webpage on the City website to help families find summer options for their middle schooler, as well as provide other valuable information like financial aid tips, helpful links and more. We will be continually adding more to the webpage in the coming months but with summer coming up we want to share what we have now to help with your planning. We welcome any feedback and ideas.

Middle School Youth Summer ideas April 13

Newton Summer Middle School Programs Guide 2017 -April 13

June 20, 2017
13 REASONS WHY Controversy
Dear Newton Families:

Addressing the social and emotional needs of our students is an important system goal. It is essential that we work in partnership with families on important issues that impact our students. I am writing because we have become aware that many of our students are watching and discussing a new Netflix series entitled 13 Reasons Why, the content of which is challenging and difficult.

The series is based on a young adult novel by Jay Asher originally published in 2011. The story focuses on a high school student who dies by suicide, leaving behind 13 tapes detailing why she took her own life. The Netflix series contains graphic scenes of suicide and sexual assault/rape. It also addresses issues of cyber-bullying, alcoholism, and depression.

As a community that has felt the tragic impact of youth suicide, we are particularly concerned about the content of this series. These issues are extraordinarily challenging and may be difficult for some students to process in a healthy and appropriate way. We want to ensure that families are not only aware of the show, but are equipped with resources to help them address these issues with their children.

As a family, we encourage you to:
- Check in with your child to find out if they have watched the show or what they might know about it.
- If they want to see the show, watch it with them or preview it for them. You are the best person to determine if your child is prepared to handle the content.
- If they have already watched it, take the opportunity to open a dialogue about the important yet difficult issues portrayed in the story.
The following resources provide important guidance on the issues addressed in the show, as well as talking points for having a meaningful conversation with your child.

National Association of School Psychologists (Background)

https://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources/school-safety-and-crisis/preventing-youth-suicide/13-reasons-why-netflix-series-considerations-for-educators

Jed Foundation (Issues raised)

https://www.jedfoundation.org/13-reasons-jed-point-view/

Jed Foundation/Suicide Awareness Voices of Education (Talking Points)

https://www.save.org/13-reasons-why/

We know these issues are challenging and I hope this information is helpful. If you have any concerns, please reach out to your child’s school counselor directly.

Sincerely,

David Fleishman

Superintendent of Schools
June 19, 2017
NNHS Principal Letter

As we near the end of the year there are many events that showcase our immense student talent as well as celebrate our student’s transitions both within and onward from Newton North. Please note that in addition to highlighting some new awards and accomplishments there is detailed information regarding graduation, post-prom celebration, Educational Excellence and the Newton Schools Foundation in this email.

On a recent Friday morning in May student artists of all types showcased their work at Art Morning. Main Street was filled with the live music from Jubilee Singers and our own jazz band and the art wing displayed more than 400 student works and exhibited the learning that has taken place during the year in all areas of the North program – printmaking, photography, ceramics, painting, drawing, and a vast array of sculpture. Additionally, a large chalk drawing was created during the day outside of the Art Studios for anyone who wanted to participate. The Music Department recently held their annual Pops Night. It was a terrific evening of food and music featuring many of North’s ensembles. As always, the evening culminated with the recognition of our seniors and the presentation of awards and scholarships. Don’t miss the Jubilee Singers final performance which will be held on June 3rd at 7:00 PM in our Performing Arts Center. From June 6th to 10th the Theater Department will hold their Playwright’s Festival and Cabaret Troupe. And finally, both students and faculty members of the Theatre Department will be heading to London at the close of the school year for a Theatre Arts excursion.

Awards season at Newton North takes place in May and this year was no exception! In addition to the 11 annual awards ceremonies that are held in May, the World Language and ELL departments at Newton North and Newton South high schools collaborated to implement a Newton Public Schools Seal of Biliteracy. This award recognizes students for proficiency in two languages – English and a partner language.   At Newton North, 58 seniors earned a Seal of Biliteracy at the silver, gold or platinum level, and each school honored its recipients at a ceremony on the morning of May 4. Photos compliments of Sally Brickell on the PTSO website.

In addition to the Seal of Biliteracy, The Ty Vignone Prize was also given for the first time this spring.This prize honors long serving history teacher Ty Vignone, who died this fall. Mr. Vignone was especially dedicated to civic education and global understanding. This prize goes to a graduating senior whose love and passion for history and politics shows beyond the classroom, and is manifest in active civic engagement and global citizenship. The winner should demonstrate the qualities of generosity, enthusiasm, and openness to other people that were the hallmarks of Mr. Vignone’s life. The 2017 winners of the Ty Vignone Prize are Carolina Fernandez-Londono and Jacob Sims Speyer.

The History and Social Science awards which are given annually include The Kennedy Prize. The Kennedy Prize was established after the assassination of president John F. Kennedy to recognize the best research paper on U.S. history in the school. Over time this research paper assignment has taken on great cultural significance here at Newton North and as you may know it is itself a graduation requirement for Newton North High School. Every year 10-15% of all the research papers are nominated for the Kennedy Prize. Reading the papers anonymously, the department chooses a winner and a runner-up on each curriculum level. The topics are unique and each of the papers selected as winners are incredibly well thought out and thoroughly researched. Below is a synopsis of the topics and the students who were selected as winners.

CP runner-up Alexandros Skretas

Alexandros’ paper dives into the legal politics of affirmative action, and argues that the Supreme Court decisions in the case of University of California v. Bakke and Fisher v. University of Texas demonstrate a shift in public opinion regarding racial preferences in higher education. While these two cases do not contradict, they do show differing interpretations of the fourteenth amendment, and Alexandros argues that this difference is due to growing public acceptance of the role of diversity in college education.

CP Winner Benjamin Cohen

Benjamin’s paper is titled Freedom of Speech: An Endangered Liberty. In this clearly written and well-argued paper, Ben suggests that the United States federal government has become more hostile to the free speech rights protected by the first amendment since the late twentieth century. He contrasts the Supreme Court ruling in Tinker v. Des Moines, a 1969 decision that upheld the rights of high school students protesting the Vietnam War, with the 1984 flag-burning case Texas v. Johnson. Although the court did rule that flag burning was protected speech, Congress quickly made efforts to overturn the ruling with new legislation. Ben suggests that this reaction is symbolic of a new danger to our free speech rights.

ACP runner-up Noah Klavens

Noah’s paper is about the comic books code of 1954. This was a voluntary agreement by comic book publishers to establish strict standards for illustrations and plot, that came about in response to congressional pressure. Noah did a tremendous amount of research, including a large number of primary sources, and especially focused on New York City psychiatrist Frederick Wertham, who provided much of the data to show that comic books were leading children into lives of vice and crime. Noah explains that Wertham falsified much of his testimony to Congress, and that the code was built on faulty pretexts. Noah does however include some pre-code comic book covers in his appendix, which made members of the Kennedy Prize Committee perhaps more sympathetic to Congressional concerns than Noah seems to be – but the paper overall is an excellent history of a topic that was extremely controversial in the 1950s.

ACP winner Sydney Reynders

Sydney’s paper is titled Evolution of Abortion: The Effect of Advancing Technology. In this deeply thoughtful and well-researched paper, Sydney argues that advances in medical technology have complicated the nation’s approach to the abortion issue by making it ever more difficult to determine when fetal life actually begins, and by providing parents with ever more information about their unborn children. She links the invention of ultrasound and amniocentesis to the intensified political and legal conflicts over abortion rights, and concludes that “In a perfect world, new technology should only create benefits,” but in our current situation “technology leads a race that ethics cannot compete to win.”

AP runner-up Jacob Jampel

Jacob’s paper is titled Violence Alone Was Not Enough, and it argues that African-American voters in the Reconstruction South eventually had to be denied their voting rights through legislation, because simply using violence to intimidate them was not effective. What really impressed the committee about this paper was the methodology and the level of research Jacob had to complete to carry it off. Essentially, Jacob scoured county-level voting records to show that African-American turnout was suppressed only marginally after violent events against black voters – but substantially after voter suppression laws were put into effect. Jacob prevailed upon a University of Michigan professor to get him into the voting records database he used, and his bibliography of over thirty sources included email correspondence with the Cal Tech professor who has written one of the major works on this subject.

AP winner Gershon Gilman

Gershon’s paper is short – only fourteen pages and a bit. His bibliography has only twenty-four sources. But it is a dazzlingly sophisticated analysis of an obscure but fascinating topic: the establishment of quasi-public monopolies over the making and distribution of electricity. In order to complete this paper, Gershon needed to understand and explain a number of sophisticated economics concepts, including the difference between “monopoly” and “natural monopoly,” and the political science concept of “regulatory capture.” Gershon does so successfully, and explains how through the early twentieth century the electric system that we’ve some to see as “natural” was actually built by “self-serving industry titan” Samuel Insull. The end of the story is that “big utilities…became untouchable. Their profitability no longer depended on technology, efficiency or business innovation, but on the skill of their lawyers and relationships with the regulators” (14). Gershon holds out hope that deregulation and home production of electricity may yet break the monopoly.

The NNHS Envirothon Team

The team took home first place in the grueling Massachusetts Envirothon Current Issue presentation at this year’s competition at Drumlin Farm on May 18. The topic was urban agriculture, and one of the judges remarked that she thought she was “listening to NPR” as the students described the results of their research into soil and water quality and farming in our Garden City. The team also put in excellent showings at the four field stations in the competition: water, soils, wildlife, and forestry, to finish in third place overall. Please congratulate captain Iris Liao (’17), Colin Kaids (’17), Christina Cong (’17), Einat Gavish (’18), Cody Kotake (’18), Tony Sun (’18), Ethan Gahm (’19), Laura Schmidt-Hong (’19), Gus Betts-O’Rourke (’19), and Ben Borhegyi (’19).

End of Year Events and Reminders

Graduation

We write in advance of graduation to outline a few important topics to ensure a smooth event.

•    First come- first served seating.

•    Only graduating seniors and faculty on the field.

•    Ceremony starts at 5:00 pm sharp. Seniors must arrive by 4:00 pm.

•    Find your graduate on Elm Road after the ceremony – do not try to meet them on the field.

•    Safety first – our staff will direct you.

A few other important things to know about graduation:

Location @ NNHS:

Graduation will take place at Newton North on the multi-purpose field and stadium behind the school on Wednesday, June 7th 2017 at 5 pm. Students should be at Newton North by 4:00pm to assemble for the processional.

IN CASE OF RAIN DURING THE CEREMONY-We will follow the procedure that we have used in the past for all outdoor graduations at North. The principal will make the call to cease ceremonial proceedings and direct seniors ONLY to the SOA to receive their diplomas. Families and their guests will proceed to their cars and plan to pick up graduates on Lowell Ave., Tiger Dr. and Hull St.

Location at Conte Forum @ Boston College:

The decision to move graduation to Conte Forum at Boston College will be made the morning of Monday, June 5th. Communication regarding a change of venue due to weather will be sent out via phone and email through our SchoolMessenger system on Monday, June 5th.

Parking:

Elm Road is closed at 3:30 – 7:30pm to all vehicles and is unavailable for parking.

Handicap parking and drop off will be available on Tiger Drive off of Walnut Street. Parking for handicap-labeled vehicles will also be available in designated areas in the Walnut Street lot next to the school. Please enter the lot by turning on to Elm Road from Walnut Street.

Parking is difficult and is mostly available on surrounding streets. The police will mark the streets in terms of appropriate parking. In general, parking will be restricted to one side of the street. See attached map. Please remember to give a 5 foot clearance for all driveways.

You can drop off anyone needing to be close to the venue on Tiger Drive, but you cannot park on Tiger Drive.

Entrance:

All guests will enter the event via the Tiger Drive building entrance, which cuts through to the field and stadium. All other entry points to the field will be closed.

Seating:

There is plenty of seating for everyone at graduation, so there are NO tickets or limit to how many guests you can bring

Graduation seating opens at 3:30 pm. All seating is first come – first served. Guests may sit in the bleachers on both sides of the field and in chairs set up on the track. In order to keep the event focused on the graduates, and to protect the turf, no guests at any time will be permitted on the field. Graduates and faculty only will be allowed on the field. Handicap seating will be available. Staff and student leaders will direct guests upon arrival.

Should you need additional time or need handicapped seating please plan to arrive by 4 pm.

Documentation:

The names of the seniors will be read aloud in alphabetical order as diplomas are presented. Official photographers will photograph each student as he/she receives his/her diploma. Graduates parents will receive a proof and ordering information from GradImages via e-mail and US mail. If you have any questions you can call GradImages Customer Service at 1-800-261-2576. Also, NewTV is taping graduation and will show their video on Cable Channel 9 in late June. Check their website

Safety & Security:

We are working diligently with faculty, city and police personnel to make the event as smooth as possible for our graduates. We will ask that all guests follow all directions of our team of student leaders, staff and police. We will try to have all off-limit areas clearly marked and attended by security personnel, but your cooperation in keeping young children safe and next to you in their seats will be much appreciated.

To maintain the integrity of the multi-purpose field no high heeled shoes are to be worn on the field, this includes students graduating.

Timing:

We expect to conclude the event by 7pm.

Thank you, as always, for being our partners in this process.

Senior Prom & Celebration 2017: Please support Celebration–we need 140 more volunteers!

I am writing to ask for your support for Celebration 2017, the Newton North PTSO’s wonderful post-prom party here at North. I cannot over-emphasize the importance of this parent and community endeavor to provide students with a safe place to look forward to and convene after prom for our teenagers.

Please review the information below and consider volunteer your time and making a donation.

What is Celebration?

Celebration 2017 runs immediately after the prom, on Monday, June 5, from 11:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. It provides a fun and safe environment for seniors and a guest to continue the party. All seniors and a guest are invited–whether or not they attend prom. Celebration is a popular alternative to unsupervised house parties, helping to keep our students off the streets and out of harm’s way. Admission is free. We have police and chaperones on duty throughout the event.

Celebration features a casino, prize drawing, photo booths, entertainment, food, music, and much more. If you are new to the Newton North community you may not realize the enormous scale of Celebration 2017. Several areas of the first floor will be decorated and transformed to reflect this year’s theme, “Hollywood Nights.”

The PTSO needs your help at all levels to continue this tradition of safety! There are many ways to help, from running a casino table to helping serve food to monitoring hallways for security to helping clean up.

Why should senior parents care?

Celebration 2017 provides a supervised and structured environment for seniors to continue the fun after the prom. This helps reduce concern about post-prom parties and late-night impaired driving. Students can change from their prom attire at the school and store their clothes and backpacks safely there. Once they check in, students are not allowed to exit without formally checking out and leaving the event for the night.

Why should non-senior parents care?

It may seem that Celebration 2017 should concern only seniors and their parents/guardians, but this is not the case. Before you know it, you will be the parent of a senior! It has become a great tradition for non-senior parents to pay it forward so that senior parents can breathe a bit easier on prom night.

Where can I go to get more information or volunteer to help?

To sign up, go to NorthPTSO.org and look for the “Hollywood Nights” logo.

Donations — Celebration 2017 is funded entirely from donations. We have two ways you can support the cause financially.

To donate online, go to NorthPTSO.org and look for the “Hollywood Nights” logo.

To donate by check, make checks payable to Newton North PTSO and note “Celebration 2017” on the memo line.

Send to:

Celebration 2017

Newton North High School

457 Walnut Street

Newton, MA 02460

Newton PTSO EdEx Campaign

This year’s PTSO Educational Excellence Campaign (EdEx) is focused on raising money for “Tiger Talks”. This fund will allow us to support guest speakers with a token of appreciation and to expand our guest speaker program. One of the true bonuses of being a student at Newton North are the opportunities to attend our student run assemblies, such as BLAC Day, ToBeGlad Day, Feminism Day, Reality Fair and Kindness Day.   In addition to student and faculty presentaitons we regularly have guest speakers to help push our thinking on an array of topics.

Just recently at Kindness Day child advocate and stand-up comedian Pamela Schuller spoke with students about “Inclusion Done Differently” and she gave a workshop on improv. Pamela has an inspiring story as a person who had one of the most severe cases of Tourettes Syndrome as a child. You can watch Pamela give a speech here.

Our EdEx campaign will help us grow our speaker program and provide a small gift to thank the speakers who visit us as a gesture generosity.   If you’d like to support the “Tiger Talks” EdEx campaign please go to the following link http://www.northptso.org/node/2091. A big thank you to those of you who have already provided a gift.

Thank you

There are so many ways that Newton North families give back to Newton North.    From the breakfast for TGIF breakfasts to volunteering at events such as Newton Serves to joining committees and support organizations such as PTSo, thank you so much for all that you do to help this school make it the incredible place that it is. If you are ever looking for a way to give back to Newton North, please feel free to contact me or PTSO presidents Sally Brickel and Rex Clarke co-presidents@northptso.org

Please take a moment to review the attached message from the Newton Schools Foundation regarding Honor Thy Teacher.

Senior Countdown photos are attached here.

June 18, 2017
Summer BCMFest Celtic Festival in Harvard Square, July 2

The Boston area’s only winter-time Celtic festival will once again make a warm-weather appearance when Club Passim in Harvard Square hosts the third Summer BCMFest on July 2, featuring 12 hours of some of the best local Celtic music.

Summer BCMFest is fashioned after the annual BCMFest (Boston’s Celtic Music Fest), a weekend gathering held each January to celebrate Greater Boston ’s richness of music, song and dance from the Irish, Scottish, Cape Breton and other Celtic traditions.

This year’s Summer BCMFest will begin with a special Celtic edition of Club Passim’s Live Music Brunch from 10:00AM – 2:00PMPassim launched Live Music Brunch earlier this year, offering diners the chance to enjoy brunch accompanied by live music from the stage of the historic Cambridge listening room. Each brunch will feature a different style of music including Bluegrass, Old Time, Blues, Celtic, Classical, Folk, Jazz and more. The Celtic Brunch will feature a performance by traditional Irish music trio Daymark. There is no cover charge for Live Music Brunch

From 2:30-5:00PM, the music moves outside to Palmer Street (directly adjacent to Club Passim) for a free concert with Keltic Kids, The Rockport Celtic Duo and Alba’s Edge.

Summer BCMFest 2017 concludes with a ticketed evening performance in Club Passim with Daymark and Scottish/Cape Breton-style fiddler Katie McNally.

ABOUT THE PERFORMERS

The international trio Daymark is made up of Will Woodson (flute, border pipes), Eric McDonald (guitar, mandolin, vocals) and Dan Foster (fiddle). The trio infuses traditional Irish music with infectious energy, raw power, and Northern swagger through a classic blend of wind and string. Their sound carries echoes of Irish-American dance halls from the 1920s and 30s, the lonesome tones of Donegal country fiddlers and the rollicking smoky pubs of Northern England’s immigrant neighborhoods. Boston native McDonald has appeared frequently at BCMFest and venues across New England over the years in numerous collaborations, including with Woodson, who in addition to his musical work is an established pipemaker (he uses an instrument of his own making). Foster has developed his music through Northern English sessions, studies at Newcastle University, and under the tutelage of master musicians in Limerick.

Keltic Kids are a group of young musicians from Cape Cod, who play a variety of Celtic music. Their instructor, Clayton March, founded the band to help them establish a foundation for lifelong love of traditional music, and to develop an understanding of its social aspect. The Keltic Kids, who made their BCMFest debut at this past January’s festival, have performed at numerous concerts and farmer’s markets, as well as the annual Yule For Fuel benefit.

Sisters Elizabeth and Mary Kozachek, known as The Rockport Celtic Duo, have been playing traditional Celtic music for years and have been dancing the music even longer than they’ve played it. Elizabeth (fiddle, Anglo concertina) and Mary (fiddle, mandolin, keyboards) have traveled to County Clare as part of a music exchange, and medaled at the Mid-Atlantic Fleadh in Irish music and dance; Mary has also medaled at New England Scottish fiddle competitions. The duo – which performed at BCMFest 2017 in January – has shared the stage with the likes of great Cape Breton musicians like Mairi Rankin and Mac Morin.

Alba’s Edge defines its sound as “a tapestry of cultures”: the expressive melodies of Scottish fiddle music woven together with jazz improvisation and harmony, funk bass lines and the rhythms of Latin America. The band (Neal Pearlman, keyboard and mandolin; Lilly Pearlman, fiddle; Doug Berns, bass; Jacob Cole, drums and percussion) has performed at the New World Festival, the Crossroads Celtic Festival and the first international Celtic Music Festival of Mexico. Among its past BCMFest appearances, Alba’s Edge was the producer and lead act of the 2016 festival’s concluding Nightcap concert, “Changing Currents: The Next Wave of Celtic Music in Boston.”

The vibrant musical traditions of Scotland and Cape Breton take on new life in the hands of fiddler Katie McNally and pianist Neil Pearlman. Based in Boston and Portland, ME, this musical couple is making waves internationally with their fresh approaches to traditional forms. Their recent album “The Boston States” has drawn rave reviews from listeners and critics alike.

Tickets for the Summer BCMFest evening concert with Daymark and Katie McNally are available online at www.passim.org, by phone at 617-492,7679 (9:30 A.M. – 5:00 P.M., Monday – Friday) or at the box office 60 minutes prior to the start of the show. Club Passim is located in Harvard Square at 47 Palmer Street, Cambridge, MA 02138. For more information about Summer BCMFest, visitpassim.org/BCMFest.

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About Passim

The mission of Passim is to provide truly exceptional and interactive live musical experiences for both performers and audiences, to nurture artists at all stages of their career, and to build a vibrant music community. We do so through our legendary listening venue, music school, artist grants and outreach programs. As a nonprofit since 1994, Passim carries on the heritage of our predecessors-the historic Club 47 (1958—1968) and for-profit Passim (1969—1994). We cultivate a diverse mix of musical traditions, where the emphasis is on the relationship between performers and audience and teachers and students. Located in Harvard Square, Passim serves Cambridge and the broader region by featuring local, national and international artists. Our ultimate goal is to help the performance arts flourish and thereby enrich the lives of members of our community. For a complete schedule, visit www.passim.org

About BCMFest

BCMFest was born after Laura Cortese (Scottish fiddle) and Shannon Heaton (Irish flute) realized that recently they had seen many great, traditional Celtic music acts playing it the area; they thought it would be exciting if more of the Boston-area trad players worked with local folk music venues like Club Passim, the Burren, Johnny D’s, and the Canadian American Club. Soon after their talk, Laura and Shannon began planning a weekend-long showcase of local traditional talent—a Boston Celtic Music Fest to celebrate the rich, diverse pool of traditional music and dance in the Boston area.

The festival has become a hub for generating ideas, energy, and community support for local, traditional Celtic music and dance performers. In 2011, BCMFest became an official program of Passim. Today, in addition to the annual festival in January, audiences and artists can enjoy monthly concerts at Club Passim that feature a broad selection of Boston-based Celtic music and dance acts. In 2015, Summer BCMFest was introduced.

June 17, 2017
Newton North High School Principal Letter

Principal’s Newsletter-April 2017

One of the amazing aspects of Newton North is the number of ways that our students help to give back to their school and strengthen their larger community. As you may recall, we are working to provide a greater focus on our Social and Civic Expectations across the building. Below is a sample of some of the highlights of events that showcase the many ways our Student Organizations help to strengthen our community.

Club Activities

ToBGLAD Day was held on April 7th. The days events were well attended and found it was a supportive event to help raise awareness and understanding of LGBTQ issues. During the day there were a number of panelist groups and presenters including faith community members, students and faculty, a group of acapella singers as well as a parents and community group Out Metrowest.

The Kindness Club recently celebrated Kindness Day that included a variety of activities on Main Street as well as a full day of speakers including acclaimed speaker Pamela Schuller, a special needs advocate and panel discussions for students and teachers alike. Math teachers Tracey Stewart and Allegra Atkinson lead the club with a focus on efforts to create a more connected and caring school community stating that “the one thing that’s hard to teach is just humanness, the realization that everyone around you is worthy of love, respect and kindess!”

Body Confidence Day was led by PEHW teacher Courtney Albert. The focus of the day was to start and continue conversations about the under-discussed, yet prevalent subject of how we view ourselves. The day included presentations and panel discussions that ranged from eating disorders, dieting addictions and BMI to ableism, body dysphoria for transgender students and plus size fashion and body confidence. Mass MEDA (Multiservice Eating Disorders Association) clinicians were on hand to answer questions and assist students.

Dreamfar High School Marathon Club serves a purpose far beyond helping students simply run the 26.2 miles of the Providence marathon. This year the club had 24 students involved with the group and practiced during the week after school and on Saturday mornings with teachers Ethan Peritz, Colleen Virgil and Amy McMahon. Students have reflected that being part of a community that was supportive and non-competitive is wonderful for them. One student remarked that preparing for the marathon has “had a positive impact on my mental and emotional health” and that training has “largely affected my self-confidence.” Students who take part in Dreamfar are part of a larger group of 14 schools that take part and all get to interact with one another on their long runs as part of a community.

FBLA Club awarded MA Chapter of the Year at 2017 State Competition. 15 club members were presented with an opportunity to attend Nationals in Anaheim, California for their highly competitive test scores and outstanding presentations at the state competition held at Bentley University.

SLACers (Student Library Assistant Club) help out in the Library Learning Commons throughout the school day. Our students collaborate on building creative displays to promote reading, check books in and out and shelve books that have been returned. The club welcomes new students and participate in special.projects. Each term the librarians accept 1-2 students to assist library teachers and receive credit for their service.

The Hiking Club led by Anndy Dannenberg went on a day trip to the Blue Hills. Before they left the parking lot, the club co-president had engaged all 16 students in a name-game that was remarkable in that it took as long to formulate the rules of the game as it did to play. The constant modifications to the protocol felt more like an improv theater exercise than an organized ice breaker, but it involved all concerned, and put everyone at their ease as they relaxed into the craziness. Eventually a structure was conceived and eventually the stated purpose of introductions was achieved. The hike was equally relaxed and collaborative, and the membership in the hiking club had been expanded. The co-presidents are among the most welcoming and inclusive student leaders I’ve had the pleasure of working with in my long tenure as club advisor.

Old Grannies is an inclusive and relaxed club where participants are able to be creative among friends and collaborate. In this club we can teach and learn from each other how to knit, crochet and embroider. Over the year the club has created hats, scarves, blankets and gifts. The club is dedicated to Karen Douglass whom the group tries to honor by emulating her creativity.

Archery has has taken a field trip to Bay State Archery to practice their shooting technique and has enjoyed a number of opportunities to bond as group.

Asian Culture Club has monthly meetings with club members and has held both annual events in April including Asian Culture Day which featured both famous Asians in the film industry as well as NNHS teacher Subheen Razzaqui, student speakers and artist Bren Bataclan. Asian Culture Night focused on student led acts including: Chinese lion dance, Filipino traditional dance, K-Pop dancing, singing, Chinese yo-yo, a fashion show and students who played the violin and piano.

The boys and girls Ultimate teams held a discussion on gender equity in sports. The teams discussed the qualities of good leaders, teammates and friends and tried to build a greater understanding of gender I’m balance that has existed in sports throughout history. There were no ‘right’ answers’ but mostly observations of these imbalances and discussions about what can be done to support women in sports and women’s sports in general.

The Science Team earned 1st place in the state for the 2017 TEAMS (Tests of Aptitude, Mathematics, and Science) 11th and 12th grade competition. The 9th and 10th grade team won 3rd place.

Upcoming Events

The Junior semi-formal will take place on May 20th at the Royal Sonesta Hotel from 7 to 11 pm. Students can purchase tickets for the Great Gatsby/Roaring Twenties themed event during third lunch for $85 a ticket. If your student would like to take a guest from another grade or school please have them visit the Riley House office to pick up a form which must be signed by the other student’s Dean or Assistant Principal of their school. Busses will transport students to and from the event and will leave promptly from the theater entrance of Newton North at 6:30 pm.

To celebrate our students diverse backgrounds, an International Event will take place on May 25th.

Weather permitting, graduation will take place on Wednesday, June 7th at 5 pm at Newton North High School. For planning purposes, we estimate that the entire graduation takes two hours.

From left: Students painting an Office during Newton Serves; Newton METCO 50th Anniversary Celebration; 40th Anniversary celebration of Newton North–Masillon French Exchange; Ms. Franchi cooks Pancakes for her students before vacation; Winners of the Heintzelman Writing Competition read their work.

June 16, 2017
Summer Events at Davis Museum at Wellesley College

This summer, the Davis Museum at Wellesley College is embracing the outdoors by hosting family-friendly activities on the Davis Museum plaza. The second annual summer series includes films, art-making activities, food, and—for the first time—outdoor yoga.

SUMMER KICK-OFF CELEBRATION

The summer series at the Davis Museum will commence with a kick-off event on Thursday, June 22, from 5-7 p.m. The spring exhibitions will still be open for tours inside, and visitors can then head outside to the plaza to enjoy food, interactive art activities, a treasure hunt, and story time. The kick-off celebration schedule is below:

5-7 p.m.: Free art activities and treasure hunt

5:30-6 p.m.: Stories and Songs with Wellesley Free Library

6:05-6:50 p.m.: Museum Tour

THE ART OF OUTDOOR YOGA

Yoga is proven to be a therapeutic activity for all ages and body types. When yoga is practiced after viewing works of art, and then embracing the beauty of outdoors, the results can only improve! Sara DiVello—a national yoga teacher, speaker, and award-winning author who has found a niche teaching yoga in art museums—joins the Davis for its inaugural outdoor summer yoga series. The sessions include a 15-minute special tour and private viewing of a meditative object inside the Davis. The summer yoga classes will take place on Tuesdays: June 27, July 11, July 18, and July 25, from noon to 1:15 p.m.

Cost: $20 per class ($10 Friends of Art Members, Wellesley Students, Faculty, and Staff); or $70 for all four classes ($35 for Friends of Art Members, Wellesley Students, Faculty, and Staff)

OUTDOOR FILM SERIES

Films are best watched under the stars so the Davis will take advantage of the outdoor plaza to project films that feature hand-drawn animation on the outside of the museum building. Visitors are welcome to arrive as early as 7 p.m. to enjoy art-making activities for all ages, and to get settled into their viewing spot. Admission to each film is free and the Davis will also provide popcorn and refreshments—as well as free beer for visitors ages 21 and above—at no charge. Visitors are encouraged to bring folding chairs and blankets for their comfort. The Summer Film Series includes four great movies, listed below:

The Little Mermaid (1989)

June 29, 2017

Venture under the sea where Ariel, a free-spirited mermaid princess, longs to be part of the human world. After bravely striking a bargain with Ursula, a sneaky sea witch, Ariel embarks on the adventure of a lifetime. With Flounder and Sebastian at her side, Ariel will need all of her courage and determination to make things right in both her worlds.

Museum open until 7 p.m.

Art activities from 7-8 p.m.

Screenings start at 8 p.m.

Song of the Sea (2014)

July 13, 2017

Based on the Irish legend of the Selkies, Song of the Sea tells the story of the last seal-child, Saoirse, and her brother Ben, who go on an epic journey to save the world of magic and discover the secrets of their past. Pursued by the owl witch Macha and a host of ancient and mythical creatures, Saoirse and Ben race against time to awaken Saoirse’s powers and keep the spirit world from disappearing forever.

Art activities from 7-8 p.m.

Screenings start at 8 p.m.

Ponyo (2008)

July 27, 2017

Ponyo centers on the friendship between five-year-old Sosuke and a magical goldfish named Ponyo, the young daughter of a sorcerer father and a sea-goddess mother. After a chance encounter, Ponyo yearns to become a human so she can be with Sosuke.

Art activities from 7-8 p.m.

Screenings start at 8 p.m.

The Iron Giant (1999)

August 10, 2017

In the small town of Rockwell, Maine, in 1957, nine-year-old Hogarth finds a 50-foot giant robot with an insatiable appetite for metal and a childlike curiosity about its new world. Rumors soon spread, prompting the arrival of a government agent. The situation escalates and the possible destruction of Rockwell looms. Hogarth turns to his friend, the Iron Giant, who ultimately finds its humanity by unselfishly saving the town’s residents from their own fears and prejudices.

Art activities from 7-8 p.m.

Screenings start at 8 p.m.

For the most comprehensive schedule of activities, please visit the Davis calendar online.

June 15, 2017
Newton Art Association College Scholarships
Newton Art Association

Each year the Newton Art Association grants scholarships to two or more college-bound high school seniors from Newton; $3,000 in prize money is divided among the winners. You can apply if you meet these criteria:
- You live or go to high school in Newton.
- Your work is 2-D or 3-D such as printmaking, drawing, photography, painting, digital art, mixed media, metal work, ceramics, or glass. Unfortunately, video and film are not eligible.
To learn more about this opportunity, clic on the link bellow:

Scholarship Application 2018

Applications are no longer being accepted for the 2017 NAA scholarship. Applications for 2018 will open in February 2018.

More info: http://www.newtonartassociation.com

Find application attached to this email.

Scholarship application 2017
June 14, 2017
Shop Newton Food Pantry

The Newton Food Pantry, one of 3 food pantries located in Newton, provides food to any Newton resident who needs assistance putting food on their tables.

Shoppers can visit the Newton Food Pantry, located in the basement of Newton City Hall (1000 Commonwealth Ave.) once a month throughout the year, and choose from a wonderful selection of healthy fresh vegetables and fruit, bread and pastries, frozen meats and fish, milk, eggs, yogurt, cheese and other dairy items, canned and boxed foods, and personal care products including: shampoo, soap, toilet paper, toothpaste, toothbrushes and laundry detergent.

During the months of July and August, the Newton Food Pantry invites all Newton families with children to shop at our pantry TWICE a month. The Newton Food Pantry is open every Wednesday from 1:30-5pm, and the 3rd Saturday of each month between 11am and noon.

For more information about the Newton Food Pantry, or to learn how to apply to shop at the pantry, please stop in our pantry during our hours of operation, visit our website at www.newtonfoodpantry.org or call 617-928-6021. Attached is a flyer on the Newton Food Pantry’s Food for Families Summer Program and a copy of the Referral Form you can fill out and have signed before coming to shop at the pantry.

June 13, 2017
Old Quincy School for National Register of Historic Places

National Register of Historic Places
State Review
Wednesday, June 14th, 1:00pm
Massachusetts Historical Commission, Archives Building | 220 Morrissey Blvd, Boston, MA 02125

The Old Quincy School at 90 Tyler Street in Boston, c. 1903 (left) and 2017 (right).

CHSNE partnered with the Massachusetts Historical Commission and the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association of New England (CCBA) to register the Old Quincy School as the first site to the National Register of Historic Places to be nominated for its connection to the history of Chinese in Boston.

Last week, CCBA approved the nomination (as the building owners), by a UNANIMOUS vote! We are grateful for CCBA’s leadership role and the strong showing of community support for this nomination.

Next week, the Massachusetts Historical Commission’s State Review Board will review the nomination. This is a public meeting open to anyone interested. Please consider joining CHSNE to show your support for an inclusive history that tells the stories of all Americans.

June 12, 2017
Seeking Vendors for Common Ground Arlington Pop Up Market!

Common Ground in Arlington will be hosting its third annual Holiday Pop Up Market

on October 15th, Sunday,

from 11am to 3pm.

Are you an artist, artisan, or have a craft product or home business that you want to promote for the holiday season?

Join us for a Holiday Pop Up Market at Common Ground in Arlington (319 Broadway, Arlington, MA 02474).

We can have 16 vendors and have a few spots left. We expect 150-200 people to attend.

We have limited spots for a few more vendors. To apply for a table, please email: commongroundpopup@yahoo.com. There is no cost to vendors for this Pop Up Market event.

Common Ground Arlington Pop Up Market was a big success last year.

June 12, 2017