SAVE THE DATE:
Mon. October 30th - Fri. November 3rd, 2023 - Spirit Week (see below)
Tues. October 31, 2023 - Launch of Sown to Grow
Thurs. November 2, 2023 - All City Cross Country Meet at Day
Tues. November 7, 2023- Early Release and All School Community Day - Dismissal at 11:20 a.m.
Thurs. November 9, 2023 - Last Day of Term 1
Fri., November 10, 2023 - No School - Veteran's Day
Mon, November 13, 2023- Beginning of Term 2
Tues. November 14, 2023 - Crocodile River Music Assembly for Grades 6-8
Thurs. November 16, 2023 - Picture Re-Take Day
Fri. November 17, 2023- Term 1 Report Cards Posted in ASPEN
Fri. November 17, 2023: Principal Coffee and 6th Grade Classroom Visits
A Note from the Principal
Even as the "bumpy ride" of middle school goes, this past week at Day was a challenging one for some members of our community. Several incidents underscored the need for each of us, as the adults in our children’s lives, to stay engaged in supporting healthy choices and the creation of a safe community space for learning and development.
On Friday, students reported that someone had written the word "Hamas" in on of our bathrooms at Day. Hamas, as most of you are aware, is the terrorist group that led an attack on Israel, committing unspeakable atrocities and acts of violence on October 7th. We are very proud of the students for reporting this incident immediately to a faculty member as they knew in light of the recent violence in the Middle East, the words could be perceived as threatening and impact the sense of safety of our Jewish and Israeli students. Regardless of intent, graffiti that makes any group of students in our community feel unsafe is unacceptable.
The Day Administrative Team spoke with the student reporters, notified their families to express our pride in their role as upstanders in the community, and have launched an investigation. As we proceed, what is most clear is that our students are still grappling with the unthinkable acts of violence taking place in the Middle East, and trying to make sense of the many facts and messages accessible to them through their families, their peers, the news and social media. Each of our middle schoolers needs to count on the adults in their lives to engage them in conversation about their feelings around the issues involved, and to ensure that they have accurate information and context for everything they are hearing and seeing, so they can be responsible members of their community at this difficult time. As a school community, it is most important that all of our children continue to feel safe, feel seen, feel heard and feel protected from any form of harassment or hate. In partnership with all of you, we will continue the work of creating a school that accomplishes just that.
Please take a moment to talk with your child about the impact of this graffiti on our school community. In the coming week you will learn more details about our first community day on November 7th, where we will engage our faculty and students in a dialogue around identity, bias and microaggressions as part of creating a more inclusive school community and standing together against antisemitism, Islamophobia or any forms of hatred. I feel this event will be a timely opportunity to respond to this incident and help students process the various feelings and concerns they likely have.
This morning, as I began writing this message, I learned of another troubling incident. One of our students posted something threatening in a text thread with fellow classmates over the weekend. We take any threats, no matter the context, very seriously, and as such immediately launched our safety protocol in partnership with the Newton Police. In cases such as these our police partners visit homes, speak to parents, check for threats within the child's environment and work with city and school mental health workers to determine next steps for the child, while keeping the community safe. Due to each individual child's privacy rights, we do not follow up further with the community unless there is a credible threat to the school or to any individual. In this case, we have also notified the families of the students on the text thread, and will continue partnering with the student's family to ensure that the appropriate supports are in place and with the police to ensure that the school continues to be a safe place.
In light of the tragic events in Maine this past week and the ongoing war in the Middle East, both filling our media outlets with images of violence, it is clear that our students continue to struggle and need our ongoing support. At times like these when it seems impossible to solve the complexity of issues facing our students, these incidents serve to remind us how much our children need us, but in a different way than they did when they were younger. They need us to create the space for them to share feelings and ideas, the safety for them to grapple with who they are and how they interact with others, and the trust not to overreact when they are pushing boundaries and challenging expectations. This is what we do well here at Day. We understand the unique world of the adolescent mind, and know how to create opportunities for their growth with a safety net to catch them when they fall, hanging on tight through that very bumpy ride known as middle school.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to me or any members of the administration with any questions about these incidents, how we are working to keep our school a safe space for all, or about how we can partner to best support your child at this time.
DISTRICT SAFETY WEBINAR THIS WEEK
The Newton Public Schools is hosting a webinar for community members to learn more about the steps that we take to ensure our schools are safe and healthy environments for our students. The event will include a presentation from NPS district safety leaders, as well as partners from the Newton Police, Fire, and Health and Human Services departments. The presentation will include information on our emergency response plans and drills, as well as other strategies we use to ensure safe and healthy school communities.
Zoom Link to Join Forum at 7:00 p.m.
The webinar will include opportunities to ask questions virtually. Questions may be submitted in advance here: Questions for NPS Safety Forum
WORK UPDATE FROM NATIONAL GRID
Next week NGrid will be finishing up relaying the gas main on Linwood (on Tuesday) and then moving to Edinboro Street (Wednesday)to relay the gas main there. Please note that the all the areas will be cleaned up and made safe for any children that may go out trick a treating on Tuesday afternoon-evening.
CHROMEBOOK CHARGERS
What happens if a student loses their Chromebook charger?
Students are responsible for replacing a lost Chromebook charger. Replacement chargers can be found on Amazon, by searching 45W USB C Charger Chromebook. Most replacement chargers cost between $10 and $15.
If preferred, a student can get a charger from the school and the family will be billed $30.
DAY BAND PERFORMANCE AT BOSTON COLLEGE BASKETBALL GAME
Join member of the F. A. Day Community in cheering on our talented Day Middle School Band and the B.C. Men's Basketball Team on Thursday, December 21st!
Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students.
A portion of the proceeds will benefit programming for the Day Middle School Band.
Date: Thursday, December 21, 2023
B.C. Mens' Basketball vs. Lehigh
Performance by our very own Day Middle School Band
Join this wonderful night out for the Day families and support Mr. Brown and the Day Middle School Band.
To purchase your tickets, click on the link below.
AWAY FOR THE DAY AT DAY PROGRAM UPDATES
The Yondr Pouch Program is entering its third full week and is becoming part of our daily routines. For me it has been a gift to be able to be out front of the school each morning, greeting students as they enter the building.
Below are just a few reminders:
- After your child removes the phone from the pouch at the end of the day, have them close the pouch again. If they leave the pouch open, it may become damaged in their back packs.
- If your child will not bring a device to school, please remember to fill out the "Yondr Pouch Exemption Form" linked below.
COFFEE AND TOURS WITH THE PRINCIPAL
This school year I will be hosting a morning coffee accompanied by a walkthrough our school so caregivers can see our building in action. Each month we will feature a different subject and grade.
These events will be scheduled every other month on Friday mornings from 8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Save the dates below:
SAVE THE DATE:
November 17, 2023- FEATURING 6th Grade Classrooms!!
January 12, 2024
March 15, 2024
May 17, 2024
Ms. McGettrick's 6th Grade Drama Class
Actors in Ms. McGettrick's Drama Class practice their improv skills in front of an audience of peers. I was drawn to the class by the loud encouragement and cheering!
Snacks for Sale!
Yondr Out Back
Our students are settling into their Yondr Pouch routines. Pictured here was the dismissal out back this week supervised by Mr. Healy.
Yondr Out Front...
Dismissal routines out front. Students never seem to forget to unnlock their phones!!
8th Grade Teachers Lunching in the Courtyard
The 8th grade teachers drew a lot of attention from their students on Friday when they gathered for an outdoor lunch in the courtyard on the beautiful fall day. Many students waved as they headed from the cafe back to class, and several commented, "I didn't know my teacher ate lunch!!:
DAY PTO
We hope you will consider joining the Day PTO. This is a wonderful way to get involved in supporting your child at the middle level. There are volunteer opportunities from being a Team Parent to sponsoring Teacher Appreciation Events to chaperoning the Fall Fest Dances.
Please reach out to the Day PTO a the contact information below.
Day Chorus, Band and Orchestra Donations
Music instruction helps children with the development of motor skills, language skills, social skills, decision-making, risk-taking, and inventiveness. You can help enhance the program by donating today.
Your contribution will help Day Middle School Performing Arts Programs such as Chorus, Orchestra and Band. The QR Code below will lead you to the site where you can make a donation to our programs.
FALL SPORTS
The schedule for all fall sports games and meet can be found on the website linked below:
https://arbiterlive.com/Teams?entityId=5615
NOTE: This Thursday, November 2, 2023, Day is hosting the All-City Cross Country Event. Please do not park in the construction site around Gath Pool or in the bus loading zone as this will interfere with the late bus pick- up of students.
If you have any questions about your child's specific sport schedule, please email the head coach directly.
Cross Country: Coach Ian Moloney: moloneyi@newton.k12.ma.us
Boys' Soccer: Coach Mark Murphy: murphym@newton.k12.ma.us
Girls' Soccer: Coach Adam Lunin: lunina@newton.k12.ma.us
General questions about sports should be directed to our Athletic Coordinators:
Andy Comings: comingsa@newton.k12.ma.us
Mark Murphy: murphym@newton.k12.ma.us
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT DAY
Linked below is an important list of common questions that families often ask about our school. Included is information about the first day of school as well as information about who to call with specific questions. This is a great reference guide that will support your family throughout the school year.
