November 22, 2023

Dear NPS Families,

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday for many reasons. My son comes home from college and my daughter has the down time to really be with us–unplugged from her high school routines. Of course, the food is fun and central! I hope these next few days afford you time to do what you love and to take a moment to count blessings.

I have been grateful to join the Newton community this year and to learn about all of its many assets. As I sought to learn about the district and the City of Newton, I was fortunate to meet families, residents, and community members. Of course, I have been thrilled to meet with my new colleagues and with many of our students over the course of this summer and fall.

After hundreds of interviews, meetings, and surveys, I share with you my 90-day entry plan. The entry planning process affirmed my admiration for the work of our staff and the support from our community for our district. This entry plan is a first step in working to craft the next phase of the Newton Public Schools.

Final Entry Plan

Entry Plan Slide Presentation

The phrase in the photos below captures the themes I heard across the many Newton stakeholder groups when asked about their dreams for our students' future:

Photo text: Growing minds, hearts, and bonds for a better future, led by students who can independently and safely navigate the world and in doing so, change it for the better.

Have a wonderful break filled with all that you and your family need to be restored and refreshed.

Warmly,

Anna

P.S. Congratulations to the outstanding North and South high school students who received the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents Award at Monday's School Committee meeting! (pictured below with former Newton superintendent Irwin Blumer.)

Inclusive Schools Week is an annual event celebrated during the first week of December. It aims to recognize and appreciate the efforts of teachers, administrators, students, and parents in creating inclusive environments within schools. By fostering inclusivity, these individuals contribute significantly to the development of a more inclusive society.

During this week, educators, students, and parents have the opportunity to engage in discussions about inclusive education and plan for the future. It serves as a platform for schools and communities to embark on or continue their journey towards providing a high-quality education for all children, regardless of their abilities, gender, ethnicity, language, or health status.

Since its inception in 2001, Inclusive Schools Week has gained participation from thousands of students, families, and educators across the United States and globally. The event is proudly sponsored by the Inclusive Schools Network and Stetson & Associates, Inc.

This year, Inclusive Schools Week is December 4-8th and the theme is “Draw Me In!”. Read on for more information and details!

Join us on Wednesday, December 6, 2023 at Newton South for a terrific information session on our METCO program. Newton was a founding member of METCO and we are proud to be one of the biggest programs in the state. Join us to learn more about METCO. Details coming soon.

Congrats to Newton South coaches Lucas Coffeen (Girls Volleyball) and Ted Norton (Boys XC) for being named Dual County League Coach of the Year for each of their sports. These awards are a testament to their dedication, leadership, and unwavering commitment to their teams and their success. Their ability to foster teamwork, their unwavering belief in the potential of their players, their dedication to the sport and the development of their athletes is truly commendable. Also - huge congrats to Coach Norton for guiding his team to the Division 1 State Championship earlier this month!

Mr Youngman and Ms Linde who have served NPS for 26 years in the NSHS Music Dept. They have created a pathways program here that starts with mentoring NPS middle school students alongside their high school heroes, and continues on to give high school musicians introductory classes, advanced courses, and eventually student conducted groups and professional performance opportunities alongside celebrities. The opportunities for student leadership they support is outstanding.

A few of our early adopters of our new elementary literacy curriculum have reached the end of their first module. It is an end that is marked by a celebration of “Magnificent Things.” This project-based collaborative portion of the new curriculum is what it is truly all about - students taking on new challenges and advancing their learning in fun and creative ways.

Thank you to the Newton Schools Foundation for their incredible $260,000 donation to the Newton Public Schools! Your commitment to education is truly inspiring.

Every year, NSF champions exciting new programs and activities with a focus on:

• New Approaches in the Classroom

• Professional Development

• Programs that Promote Equity

The NSF generosity is transforming classrooms, empowering educators, and fostering a sense of belonging. We are immensely grateful for the continued support.

Thanks to the generosity of our community, GELF has been providing equitable access to international trips for Newton Public School students since 2008. In 2024, 170 students will travel as a part of one of 9 planned trips to Argentina, France, Guadeloupe, Italy, Nigeria, Portugal (UNESCO), Prague, and Spain.

By donating today, you can make global travel a reality for a friend’s child, a neighbor or someone who you don’t know but who will be a contributing member of the future world.

GELF is a 501(c)3 organization and accepts PayPal, QR code (see above) or check. Checks should be made payable to GELF, and mailed to:

GELF

Newton North High School

457 Walnut Street

Newton, MA 02460

GELF

Newton South High School

140 Brandeis Road

Newton, MA 02459

SAVE THE DATE! 2024 GELF Gala will be held Thursday, March 28, 2024. There is much to celebrate about GELF. We can't wait to see you at this meaningful and fun event! Sponsorship opportunities are available; contact Star Lew (lewy@newton.k12.ma.us), for more information.

The Office of Student Services in Newton Public Schools is soliciting volunteers to serve on a new Disability Advisory Group (DAG). The Disability Advisory Group will advise the Assistant Superintendent for Student Services, Casey Ngo-Miller, and the Office of Student Services, on the following:

• programming and services for students with disabilities

• the district’s work on anti-ableism

• supporting the conditions for learning for all students with disabilities.

DAG shall be composed of 10 members representative of the diverse background and disabilities in our school and city community. It will include NPS staff, parents/caregivers, graduates, and community members. The goal is to create an advisory group that consists of a majority of people with disabilities to ensure perspectives shared are informed by lived experiences.The remaining members should be familiar with lived disability experiences as parents/caregivers or siblings of someone with a disability.

All DAG members must be comfortable with disability advocacy, and be willing to talk about their own lived disability experiences, challenges, or pride, as it relates to the work of the advisory group. The final advisory group will be selected by the Assistant Superintendent for Student Services.

Interested applicants should apply using the following form. Paper copies can also be obtained by contacting Casey Ngo-Miller via email at ngomillerc@newton.k12.ma.us or via phone at 617-559-6025.

To assist us with planning for the coming year, we ask that families with students eligible to enroll in kindergarten in the 2024-25 school year, please complete this short online survey to let us know your plans for your child’s school registration.

Providing this information now helps us to plan for staffing and support in your child’s potential school for the upcoming school year. Even if you will not be registering your child to attend kindergarten in the Newton Public Schools or are unsure, information about your plans is incredibly helpful for our planning for the year ahead.

Below please find a timeline for kindergarten registration:

• November 7, 2023: Kindergarten Census Survey open. Please complete.

• February 29, 2024: New Kindergarten Parent/Guardian Information Night virtual webinar for all families enrolling a student for the first time in the Newton Public Schools. Links to the webinar will be posted on our kindergarten registration page in late February.

• March 1, 2024: Our online registration system will be open for kindergarten registration. Please register your kindergarten-age child by March 22, 2024, so that we can plan staffing and programming for the year ahead.

Check out the most recent episode of the Superintendent's Secret Sauce Podcast, featuring Andrew Gluck, Building Aide and the Green Captain at Underwood Elementary. Mr. Gluck is a valued leader at his school, inspiring his students and community to live more sustainably. In this episode, he talks about his progress leading these student-involved sustainability initiatives:

• Composting in every classroom and the lunch room, and recycling or upcycling of stretchy plastic and shiny foil. Through composting and recycling initiatives, Underwood has reduced their trash output by 50%, with the side benefit of saving the city thousands of dollars a year in waste removal.
• Green Wednesdays to keep up the consciousness and visibility of sustainability work through the year.
• Outdoor school beautification gardens as a classroom and community-building tool.

Looking to get involved in sustainability work or add a Green Captain to your school? Reach out to Green Newton School Connections at schoolconnections@greennewton.org to learn more! This supportive group of educators, students and parents/caregivers meets monthly to share ideas and meet with City and NPS staff to advance shared goals.

Click HERE to take Action 4 Our Future!

Did you know Newton has its own Energy Coach!

Please check your MySchoolBucks (MSB) account for any outstanding invoices.

You can pay directly online on MSB (please keep in mind, you are not allowed to use your lunch account balance to pay for invoices.) Check payments are also accepted by mailing your payment with your statement to:

Newton Public Schools
Attn: Business Office
100 Walnut Street
Newtonville, MA 02460

Visit this webpage for additional information about the fee policy and instructions to request a waiver, if needed.

If you have any questions regarding Chromebook invoices, please contact the IT department at 617-559-6190. If you have questions regarding your library or textbooks invoices, please contact your school.

Super Cap - $2,000 maximum amount a family pays for all fees combined per school year. (The supercap does not apply to high school parking, the elementary early morning program, or the school lunch program.)

Family Cap - refers to the maximum dollar amount a family pays for any one fee per school year. Varies by fee.

Please see the Fee Letter SY 2023-2024 for more information.

After two years of planning, roadway changes are on deck to make Albemarle Road safer for all

who travel or cross this busy road for schools, the playing fields, the pool and for everyday

travel. Learn more at www.NewtonMA.gov/Albemarle.

Work crews will be out soon to restripe crosswalks, add bike lanes, install new signage and

change parking. Early in 2024, we will be adding speed cushions and flex posts. Work is planned to start on Friday, November 10 and may continue over the weekend. We are timing the work to avoid school hours. No parking will be allowed in work zones.

NSHS will be hosting the second annual Disability Awareness Day on Wednesday, December 6! Disability Awareness Day seeks to foster Newton South High School’s values of diversity, equity, and inclusion by providing opportunities to embrace disability as part of the natural fabric of our community. In an effort to create a more inclusive community, the offerings of the day will focus on the value that people of all ability levels bring to our school. There will be events held during D & E blocks.

The student and alumni panel will feature students past and present, sharing their experiences as individuals with disabilities at Newton South and dismantling common misperceptions. Alumni will also share what they have been doing since they left South and how their experience at South helped shape their decisions and life moves. The "Disability and the Media" presentation will express and illustrate some key challenges people with disability have traditionally faced in popular media portrayals, and discuss current solutions through an exploration of contemporary media.

Newton North received the 2023 MIAA District 7 Sportsmanship Award. North was selected by its peers in District 7 of the MIAA. They were honored at the MIAA Sportsmanship Summit at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough on Thursday, November 9, 2023.

The Newton South Middle to High School Music Mentorship program is off to a busy start this year! Students come up to their high school heroes from Oak Hill and Brown Middle Schools.

NECP is enrolling for the 2024-2025 school year! Come and join the fun! Find the application on our website under application process.

The Newton South Preschool program has openings for the 2024-2025 school year. If you are looking for a high quality preschool program or if you know someone who is, please reach out.

Here is our New Parent Packet, which contains information about our program, an application and links to our website and Facebook page.

We are currently recruiting for open positions and would love to hear from you. Visit our JOB POSTINGS page for detailed information and application instructions.

We need School Nurses! Join the City of Newton Health and Human Services Team as a School Nurse to support the health and well-being of Newton Public School (NPS) students. The City is hiring full-time and part-time Nurses. School Nurses work during the school year, have summers off, and follow the NPS school year calendar. Substitute School Nurses (part-time) work as needed, with a minimum commitment of ten (10) hours per week.

To learn more and to apply, click on the link below or scan the QR code.

Apply to be a School Nurse

Please join the Planning and Development Department for November 30 online public meeting to learn about the Washington Street Pilot Project. We will present alternative concepts for the mile-long section between Chestnut and Lowell, and launch a survey to get your feedback. Details at NewtonMA.gov/WashingtonStreet.

Join the Newton Coalition for Community Wellness for an overdose training including FREE Narcan and Fentanyl Test Strips, connection to local support and substance use resources, and to honor those we’ve lost.

Wednesday November 29th

7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

St. Mary’s Episcopal Church (258 Concord Street, Newton, MA 02462)

Newton City Hall is being transformed into an 18-hole mini golf course complete with greens

and holes winding through the secret staircase in the Mayor’s Office, City Council Chambers,

and War Memorial. Here are the dates and times:

Friday, December 1 st 5p - 9p.

Saturday, December 2nd 10a – 7p.

Sunday, December 3rd 10a – 3p.

Register in advance using this registration link: Mayor’s Mini-Golf Registration Form