Brown MS Weekly Update
June 2, 2023
Dear Brown MS Community,
Welcome to June - the last month of the 2022-2023 school year. In June we celebrate Pride Month. Pride Month commemorates the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in New York and celebrates the LGBTQ+ community and the fight for equal rights. PRIDE Month is a time when we recognize and appreciate the rich diversity of identities, experiences, and stories that make up our school family. It is an opportunity for us to show support to all individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning. By educating ourselves, promoting empathy, and celebrating our differences, we can make Brown Middle School an even more inclusive and welcoming place for everyone. Our PRIDE club will be having a celebration at their final meeting on Monday. We thank Ms. Quesada Montville for all her work with this terrific group of students!
Speaking of final meetings, this week is the last week for all of our after school extracurricular activities. I want to send a big thank you to all of the teachers who have given of their time after school to enrich the lives of our student. Be it basketball club, dungeons and dragons, knitting or gardening (and so much more!) our students have enjoyed making new friends while doing something they enjoy. Hats off to Katrina Antonellis, Enrichment Coordinator, for all of her hard work to provide a robust after school program for all kids.
June is a month where we all feel like we are drinking from a fire hose. There are so many events and activities to keep track of! Just the emails alone about end of year events can be overwhelming! I have a to-do list a mile long at this point and have now reverted to putting up sticky-notes everywhere to remind me what I need to do! I imagine you are all feeling the same way. Don't worry - we will make it through! I am hopeful that this newsletter helps you to keep all of that information in one accessible place.
I am headed off to the 7th grade dance soon (see the "before" pictures below) which was started by a group of 7th grade students. It is one of our success stories where students who wanted to see something happen, took action, found helpful adults (thank you, Elizabeth Messina!) and worked hard to make it a reality!
I hope you enjoy your weekend,
Kim Lysaght, Principal
Step Up Day is Friday!
Step Up Day is designed to help 5th and 8th grade students learn more about their new school. It is a fun day where they can get their questions answered and see their future school.
6th and 7th graders: They will be dismissed at 12:50 from school (regular bus routes will run at that time).
8th graders: They will have lunch at Brown at 11:00 and then walk over to Newton South with their teachers an counselors for an orientation program. They will return to Brown at 2:30 and be dismissed at 2:50 (regular bus routes will run). Students going to North have specific information from their counselors regarding their step up program. NOTE: Any students who are not attending NSHS next year should be dismissed at 11:30, please plan accordingly.
5th graders: Our incoming 5th graders will be coming with their elementary school teachers to Brown at 12:50. They will first meet with the principal in the auditorium and then break into small groups for tours and time for questions to be answered by our 6th grade teachers. They will return to their feeder schools in time for regular dismissal.
Library Books Wanted
Ms. Quesada Montville is looking to get all of the library books that have been checked out back before the end of the school year. Please check in closets, under beds, etc. to be sure you return all of your books. Here are some dates to be aware of:
June 7 - last day to check out books (limit of one)
June 14- all library books are due
June 15/16th- bills for lost books will be sent
Considering Starting Your Child on a Smart Phone?
As I met with 5th grade parents over the past month at the elementary parent coffees, there were questions regarding phones. The decision to get your child a phone is a family one, and we recommend that you have many conversations with your child about the responsibilities that go along with having a phone. Earlier this year we were fortunate that Dr. Catherine Pearlman, author of First Phone: A Child’s Guide to Digital Responsibility, Safety and Etiquette, led an engaging and informative presentation and discussion for Newton families via zoom.
As we end the school year and your family may be considering getting your child a smart phone, I felt it would be helpful to reshare her talk. Click this link to watch the recording.
We also encourage you to order her book! It is written for a student audience and equally helpful for parents. First Phone by Dr. Catherine Pearlman (Amazon link)
Dr. Pearlman also shared some helpful resources including:
I hope you find these materials helpful.
8th Grade Boston Harbor Cruise is coming up!
Dear 8th Graders and Parents,
Three years ago, we all started our Brown journey behind zoom screens and now we are closing this out with a party on the Boston Harbor! To celebrate the accomplishments of the Class of 2023, we will be heading out for a Spirit of Boston Lunch Cruise, Thursday, June 8, 10:00am-1:00pm. Here are a few things to Know Before You Go.
ENTERTAINMENT: Cruise on the Boston Harbor on a yacht with two climate-controlled decks, rooftop views, two dance floors with state-of-the art sound systems and custom LED lighting. Onboard entertainment with a DJ and interactive games
FOOD: Delicious buffet with freshly prepared entrees, salads and desserts
** NUT ALLERGIES: While the desserts do not contain nuts, they are produced in an outside facility therefore we cannot rule out cross-contamination. Fruit will be available as an alternative.
ATTIRE: We suggest Smart Casual Tropical Themed attire; examples are Island style Chic, Hawaiian shirts, beach shorts. (Note: No one will be turned away for not complying; This is optional and just for fun). Students should only bring themselves (no backpacks or water bottles required). Everything will be supplied for them on the ship.
PHOTOS: A professional photographer will take group photos as students board the ship (Each student will receive a printed copy upon exit)
CELLPHONES: Cell phones are permitted however, pictures and videos may not be shared on social media without permission of everyone included in the images.
MOST IMPORTANTLY: Have Fun!
Congratulations again to the Class of 2023 and Bon Voyage!
8th Grade End of Year Events!
We are gearing up for the end of the year and the PTO 8th Grade Events Committee has been hard at work designing fun events for our soon to be high school students! Here are all the events, so mark your calendars, 8th grade families! Payment for the events is available through the PTO newsletter. If you are in need of scholarship, please reach out to Margaret Power, executive secretary, at 617-559-6900.
June 8 - Boston Harbor Cruise (see above for specific details)
June 9 - Step up day
leave Brown at 11:30 to walk over to NSHS for the afternoon
return to Brown at 2:30 for some popsicles and chill time with you friends
8th grade students who will be attending Newton South or North High Schools next year will be visiting those schools for an orientation program.
Students who will attend private school next year or are moving away will be dismissed at 12:50 and will not be traveling to either Newton North or Newton South. Buses will pick students up from Brown at this dismissal time. In the past it has become problematic for students who won't be attending these schools to go to the Step-Up day programs so we appreciate your understanding and cooperation with this matter.
June 15 - Field trip to Hudson Roller Kingdom
- Unlimited laser tag
- Karaoke
- Arcade games
- Roller skating and/or roller blading
- Races
- Pizza
June 20
Graduation rehearsal
Fun activities with teachers
Yearbook distribution and signing
Cool Cow Ice Cream Truck in the afternoon
June 21
8th graders clapped around school during advisory
9:30 - 10:00 lining up by team and begin procession over to Winkler Stadium
10:15 graduation* at Winkler Stadium (students sit on the bleachers and audience sits on the field)
11:20 - They are all done with middle school and are official high school students! Congratulations!!!
*Graduation is a special occasion and most students in the past have dressed up a bit for this day for pictures with family.
Additionally, every 8th grader will be getting a custom T-shirt designed just for the graduating class. We plan to give these out ahead of the Hudson Roller Kingdom trip so you can all wear them that day.
As many of you know, the Newton Public Schools faced significant budget challenges this year. In order to arrive at a balanced budget, fees were raised for many services and activities. Below is a link to all of the fees that will be in place for the 2023-24 school year.
Fees for the 2023-24 School Year
Fee Waivers and FinancialAssistance
The Newton Public Schools provides financial assistance so that all students can utilize bus transportation and participate in school activities, regardless of financial need. To facilitate this financial support, families need to apply for district-wide financial assistance EACH YEAR.
The application for the 2023-2024 district-wide financial assistance waiver is now available in Aspen. We encourage you to apply now so that your waiver is in place for registrations that may take place in the summer (bus, fall athletic fees, etc.) Visit the fee waiver information and instructions webpage to apply via the Aspen portal.
Bus registration will open on June 1, 2023 at 9:00 a.m.
- Students who do NOT ride the bus do NOT pay the bus fee.
- Students who do not wish to ride the bus do not need to register for the bus.
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:
The bus fee has increased to $400 per student, with a family cap of two passes ($800.)
All elementary students who wish to ride the bus and reside LESS than 2 miles from their elementary school must now pay a bus fee.
Elementary students who wish to ride the bus and reside MORE than 2 miles from their elementary school DO NOT pay a bus fee.
As has been the case in previous years, all students in grades 7-12 who wish to ride the bus pay the bus fee.
6th grade students: All students in grade 6 who reside MORE than 2 miles from their school and wish to ride the bus do NOT pay a bus fee. 6th grade students who wish to ride the bus and reside less than two miles do pay a fee. Please visit our NPS Bus Fee webpage for details.
Please use this link to determine your distance from your school.
When bus registration opens on June 1, 2023, 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 read below for details on how to apply.
After School Activities - Last day Thursday, June 8th
Please take a look at our spring extracurricular activities. There continue to be many opportunities for students to get involved. This is a great way for them to explore new interests and expand their friendship groups. Click here to view the schedule of after school activities.
