Peirce Principal News

Hello Peirce Caregivers,

Last week Perice celebrated Multicultural Night and honored the cultures and traditions of twenty-five countries connected to our school community. It was a lovely event that brought families together and offered incredible food! Many thanks to Prachi Samudra and the Peirce FORJ committee for organizing this special event.

Best Regards,

Andrea Vargas

Math Coaches Christopher McBride and Mike Smalley have made outstanding contributions to Peirce this past year. However, in an effort to provide Peirce with a single, dedicated math coach next year, Mr. McBride and Mr. Smalley will be focusing on other schools in Newton while we welcome Stacey Richard. Ms. Richard is currently a Math coach at Lincoln Eliot and will be exclusively assigned to the Perice School.

Even so, Mr. McBride and Mr. Smalley are going out with a bang! This coming week, May 30-June 2, they have organized a school-based ST Math challenge, a friendly competition between grade levels that can boost student usage with this program focused on problem solving and deep, conceptual understanding. All activities will take place during the school day. Families are encouraged to ask students about the puzzles they solve with ST Math, which also features beloved mascot Jiji the Penguin.

Dear Newton Community Members,

Hello! I am very excited to be officially joining you on July 1, 2023!

I have been working, however, behind the scenes to get to know staff, students, and some family/community members. I am so excited and energized! While the challenges facing all school systems and communities also confront us right now, the importance of caring for and educating our youth lifts us out of conflict and stress to look to the future on their behalf and holding them up as they make progress, work hard and find their future passions and life’s work.

It is my privilege to lead this work with you and will be my pleasure to connect with you this summer. I will be working to connect with as many families/caregivers and community members as possible this summer. I have a few requests from the community that will make our connecting easier. Let me know if you can help! I will be running the 5K South High road race on Sunday, perhaps I will see some of you there!

1. Let’s Get Together. Bring me to your people and neighborhood. Would you be willing to host a neighborhood meet-and-greet? I could come to your cul-de-sac, your neighborhood get together, your book group. If you could gather 20 or more people together to meet with me to talk about Newton Schools and its future, I’d love to get acquainted and hear your ideas.

Form: Host a Meet and Greet with Dr. Nolin

1. Show Me Your Newton World. Bring me to your place of worship, community organization or fitness location/activity. I’ll come to your temple, mosque, chamber meeting, sports group, civic activity, fitness bootcamp group. If you have 20 or more people to meet with me, I’ll come and talk about Newton Schools and its future.

Form: Host a Meet and Greet with Dr. Nolin

1. Show Your Spirit: Visit our Newton Public Schools Spirit Store and Support our Community Engagement Programs!

Schools often talk to families about buying spirit wear (t-shirts, hats, jackets) that are school specific, but as a group, we are a school system, not just a system of schools. Let’s show our Newton Schools Pride and support our school system as a whole. Proceeds form this spirit store will fund parent and family/caregiver engagement opportunities to ensure all parent voices are heard!

Newton Public Schools Spirit Store Link

The store will be open until Tuesday, June 6, 2023. Items will be shipped to the Education Center at 100 Walnut St. and pick up will be arranged!

1. Be Heard. Your Unique Perspective Matters. Tell me your thoughts about our future.

We need your input on this question:

"What are some things we should stop, start, or continue to do in the Newton Public Schools?"

To gather your feedback, we're using a tool called ThoughtExchange. All of our voices matter, so your participation is crucial and valued.

Below is the link to participate in our community Thought Exchange:

ThoughtExchange Link

You'll be asked to respond to the open-ended question noted above. Then, you will be asked to consider and assign “stars” (which means you like or agree with the ideas) to some of the ideas shared by others (20 to 30 is ideal).

Your thoughts and stars are confidential. You can come back as often as you'd like to participate and, in fact, we ask that you do come back to star any new ideas shared since you first participated. We learn what's important to the group by looking at the ideas that receive the most stars. The ratings will help us understand the most important areas to focus on in the coming year.

The survey is in three languages.

If you need technical help, please call ThoughtExchange at 1-800-361-9027 ext. 4 or email help@thoughtexchange.com.

1. Celebrate Our Staff. Finally, and most importantly, help me celebrate our staff on the Opening Day of School 2023-24. Share with me the stories of how our Newton Public School staff have demonstrated care, expertise and excellence in serving the children of Newton. (any staff: nurses, paraprofessionals, cafeteria staff, principals, teachers, behaviorists, counselors, psychologists, tutors, –ANYONE–). Complete this form to participate!

Form: Celebrate Staff on Opening Day

Thank you for helping me to get a head start on supporting, celebrating and improving our district functioning and communication. I look forward to meeting you and supporting your children.

Fondly,

Anna P. Nolin, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

Bus registration for the 2023-24 school year will begin in early June. All students who wish to ride the bus MUST register for a bus pass.

There are significant changes to the fee structure for purchasing a bus pass this year. Please note the following:

1. The bus fee has increased to $400, with a family cap of $800 (two passes.)

2. All elementary students who reside LESS than 2 miles from their elementary school and wish to ride the bus must now pay a bus fee.

3. Elementary students who reside MORE than 2 miles from their elementary school and wish to ride the bus DO NOT pay a bus fee.

Due to recent questions and confusion, please note the following: Students who do NOT ride the bus do NOT need to register for the bus and do NOT pay the bus fee.

Please use this link to determine your distance from your school.

When bus registration opens in early June, you will be notified via email. You will register and pay via MySchoolBucks. Installment payment plans will be available. More information on bus registration can be found on our NPS Bus Registration webpage.

Financial assistance is available for those who qualify. Please visit this page for details on how to apply.

As described in the district newsletter, we have developed a survey that seeks to inform revisions to our school calendar. The survey seeks to:

• Identify religious and cultural observances observed by NPS families and staff and understand the nature of those observances.

• Understand the priorities of the school community in balancing days out of school for religious observances with the state requirement for days in school

• Utilize data to consider whether to add or subtract days out of school for religious observances.

Here are the survey links:

Calendar Survey: English (with language drop down at top upper right)

Calendar Survey: 简体中文

Calendar Survey: 日本人

Calendar Survey: 한국어

Calendar Survey: Português

Calendar Survey: русский

Calendar Survey: Español

Complete the survey by June 2, 2023 and you will be entered to win the following:

1. A ride to school on a Newton Fire Department fire engine (grand prize)

2. One of 25 $20-gift cards to Cabot’s Ice Cream donated by Village Bank

Thank you in advance for your input!

June 21- Last Day of School, Early Release

Peirce Elementary School

170 Temple Street

Newton, MA 02465

(617) 559-9630