SAVE THE DATE:
Monday, September 25, 2023: Yom Kippur Holiday - No School
Thursday, September 28, 2023: Early Release Day
Thursday, October 5, 2023: Community Mental Health Resource Fair at 6:00 p.m. (prior to Back to School Night)
Thursday, October 5, 2023: Back to School Night at 6:30 p.m.
Monday, October 9, 2023: Indigenous Peoples Day - No School
Monday, October 16, 2023: Term 1 Progress Report Week
Tuesday, October 17, 2023: Day School Council 3:00 - 4:00 p.m.
A Note from the Principal . . . .
As part of our launch of Away for the Day at Day initiative on October 12, 2023, I will be sharing some of the education and research in support of creating a cell phone free school community and its impact on the learning and mental health of our middle school students.
At our parent information session this past Monday, I received a few questions about why “off and away” in student backpacks or even less restrictive methods of securing cell phones would not suffice as intermediate interventions to interrupt student cell phone usage. There was also some parent concern about children needing access to a phone during a school emergency. To help address some of these concerns, I am sharing with you some articles that address these questions and discuss the increasingly negative impact of cell phones on our children's learning and mental health.
As you will learn from the recording of our information session linked below, over the past two years, the Day Staff has used various forms of intervention to allay the impact of cell phones and social media on our school community and has tracked the hundreds of disciplinary incidents over just the past year that have had a negative impact on how we connect and interact with each other. We are engaging in this new pilot program knowing that we have exhausted all other strategies, and that our school community is well poised to make this shift.
Essentially the Away for the Day at Day Program does not in any way alter our expectations around student cell phone use. Phones will continue to be "off and away". With this program, however, we will be using the Yondr Pouches (pictured below) to support students in this meeting this expectation.
I am very proud to be the school community piloting this initiative and proud of the work that prepared us for this. It is grounded in our belief that our community engagement and connection and our students' mental health and learning are our top priority. This stance, particularly in our post-pandemic society, is one that supports the children in our care and is critical to both their learning and social emotional well being.
It is important to take some time to watch the orientation video linked below. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions. Your partnership in making this program a success is critical.
Below is a summary of the “Away for the Day at Day” Program that includes answers to some important questions that have been raised by parents: (Please also read through the articles linked below and listen to the recorded information session).
Screen time has increased dramatically for middle school students post COVID, and has interrupted the healthy development of social skills and negatively impacted students' mental health.
Research suggests that cell phones will continue to be a distraction to students unless they are secured and not accessible. See the article: “There’s a Cellphone in Your Students’ Head.” linked below.
The “shoe tree” or other approaches to securing cell phones still allow students to remove their phones and use them in bathrooms and hallways, which has proven to be problematic.
According to many emergency response officials, student cell phone use is NOT considered safe in an emergency as it draws the attention of a potential intruder and also raises anxiety and confusion with parents who are receiving phone calls from their children. The school has a system for centralized communication in the event of an emergency. Most public safety officials and our emergency protocols call for silencing of phones. In an urgent situation, pouches can be cut open with scissors.
Students who need access to their cell phones for a medical need will be granted an exception.
Students will given pouches on the first day of the program. They will write their name on them and take them back and forth to school.
When students arrive at school, we will supervise them as they place their phones, ear buds and Apple Watches in the pouch and lock it.
Pouches can only be unlocked by use of bases that will be available at the front and back entrances to the school, the main office and health office.
Resources:
Four Educators Detail Why Their Schools Are Banning Cell Phones (K-12 Dive)
Students Can't Get Off their Phones and Schools Have Had Enough - Washington Post
LandMark Report on Cell Phone Use - Common Sense Media
There's a Cell Phone in Your Student's Head - Edutopia
AWAY FOR THE DAY AT DAY PROGRAM- TOMORROW EVENING!
This past Monday, Matt Army from the Yondr company joined us for a virtual presentation on the use of Yondr Pouches to support our "Away for the Day at Day" Program. While we had over 60 parents in attendance, I realize that many were not able to attend, so I have attached several resources for your review including the slide decks and recording of the presentations.
SAFETY DAY THIS THURSDAY
This Thursday, September 28, 2023 the Day Community will engage in its annual practice of emergency response drills including the evacuation drill, shelter in place drill and lockdown drill.
In preparation for these drills, students will engage in advisory lessons on Tuesday and Thursday reviewing the emergency protocols and the scenarios in which we might use those protocols. The Day Staff engaged in a review of these protocols this past Wednesday in preparation for our work with students.
The theme of our conversations with students is "Safety Through Preparation" as we remind students that while emergencies do happen, we are all safer through preparation and awarness.
Please see the parent information letter linked below with more details about our safety protocols as well as a link to the NPS Safety site.
If you have any concerns about the upcoming Safety Day or your child's response to it, please reach out to your child's counselor so that we can offer the appropriate level of support.
BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT - SAVE THE DATE
Back to School Night is an opportunity for Day parents and caregivers to meet with the teachers and staff working with their children this year and learn more about the expectations, curriculum and how we will partner together this year in support of your child's learning and growth. More details to follow, but for now, please save the date (details below)
Date: Thursday, October 5, 2023
Time:
6:00 - 6:30 p.m. - Community Mental Health Resource Fair
6:30 - 8:35 p.m. - Classroom Visits
MORE DETAILS WILL BE INCLUDED IN NEXT WEEK'S NEWSLETTER
MORNING BREAKFAST
We are thrilled that so many Day students are taking advantage of the free morning breakfast being served in the cafeteria before school each day. Below are just a few reminders:
- Only students eating breakfast may stay in the cafeteria before school due to space limitations.
- It is recommended that students eating breakfast arrive by 7:40 a.m. in order to have time to eat breakfast before the bell dismissing them to class at 7:50 a.m.
- Other morning options in the building instead of the cafeteria are:
- The library - 60 passes are available every morning at the mural entrance.
- Morning Basketball (see sign up information under "Clubs" below.
- Other morning clubs such as GSA. (see 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:
September 15, 2023 with Guest Visitor Dr. Anna Nolin
November 17, 2023
January 12, 2024
March 15, 2024
May 17, 2024
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.
FALL MUSICAL
The Fall 2023 Musical will be Mean Girls.
Casting for Mean Girls will be announced by the end of September
Tech Training will begin by the end of September for those interested.
Students should visit the Day Drama Schoology group or email Mrs. McGettrick mcgettrickj@newton.k12.ma.us to be added to the Day Drama Schoology group.
FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THE FALL MUSICAL, CLICK ON THE DAY DRAMA WEBSITE BELOW.
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
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
FEE INCREASES, FEE WAIVERS AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
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
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.
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.
