SAVE THE DATE:
Monday, April 29th - Boys’ and Girls’ Lacrosse Home vs. Bigelow at 4:30 p.m.
Monday, April 29th - Track and Field at NNHS at 3:45 p.m.
Tuesday, April 30th - Emerald Team to the Kennedy Institute
Tuesday, April 30th - Day Baseball and Softball Home vs. Brown at 3:30 p.m.
Wednesday, May 1, 2024- Girls’ Empowerment Conference - City Hall
Thursday, May 2nd - Evergreen Team to the Kennedy Institute
Thursday, May 2nd: Day Baseball Away vs. Pollard at 3:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 2nd - Spring Play and Art Show
Friday, May 3rd - 7th/8th Grade Band, Orchestra and Chorus to Six Flags
Saturday, May 4th -Spring Play at 7 p.m.
Sunday, May 5th - Drama Competition
A Note From the Principal...
May begins Mental Health Awareness Month. While this month we ask the world around us to focus on the importance of mental health, at the middle school level, mental health awareness and check ins are a weekly if not daily focus.
Showing up every day can be an act of courage for today's adolescents who struggle more than previous generations with self-esteem, anxiety, isolation and depression. In 2024, being "ready to learn" means looking at factors that far exceed academic preparedness and necessitate our ability to address our children's mental health readiness. If a child feels anxious, isolated or unsafe, not even our most skilled educator can overcome what Zaretta Hammond would refer to as the "amygdala hijack", which is a brain so focused on psychological safety that it is incapable of accessing learning.
As a result what used to rather dismissively be known as the "soft skills", social emotional learning and mental health supports, are now center stage and foundational in a middle school curriculum. We have created a daily advisory class to support belonging and connections as your children start their day; there are universal mental health check ins through the online Sown to Grow, Connectedness Surveys, Youth Risk Surveys and Signs of Suicide Screening, along with school wide community day and small group interventions.
All of these programs and tools are critical components to addressing what is evolving to be an adolescent mental health crisis, but they are also what Jonathan Haidt, author of The Anxious Generation, would refer to as "minnows". Despite the implementation of these research-based mental health programs and screening tools, what we have learned this year, is that we have in fact been missing the "whale" that we were standing on all along. While we are healing the symptoms, we need to address the causes of this mental health crisis, which according to Haidt are unlimited access to cell phones and social media and the absence of free play.
While I won't summarize the work of Haidt here, I will encourage you to read his book, The Anxious Generation. It is both alarming and affirming at the same time. At Day we noticed that in an attempt to police the "no cell phone" policy, there were hundreds of negative interactions with students over the course of just a few months... and children were still distracted and anxious. With the rollout of the Yondr pouch program the staff has reported almost no negative interactions, decreases in bullying around social media and more student focus in the classrooms. While "taking away" phones, we also added 90 more minutes of outdoor free play every week based upon student feedback. Three times a week, entire grades are outdoors playing basketball, pick-up games or just walking and talking with friends. It is almost impossible to believe, but at Day we have truly discovered the "whale", and while all of the other programs are important, we know we are beginning to get to the root causes of just some of our students' mental health issues.
As the calendar turns to Mental Health Awareness, my ask then, for all of you, is to consider supporting our ability to remain a cell phone free school:
- If you or your child has had a positive experience in a cell phone free school this year, please email me your story.
- Tune in on May 6th as I share some of the powerful data with the NPS School Committee around our cell phone free pilot this year at Day.
- Mirror similar approaches at home - limit and monitor social media and cell phone use and make an effort to support your child's access to unstructured free time with peers. I recommend the book, First Phone by Dr. Catherine Pearlman.
- Most importantly, partner with us if you are concerned about your child's mental health. We know that not all mental health struggles are derived from cell phone usage or a lack of free play. We can support you in accessing community resources and offering school-based support.
We are in a battle together for the mental well being of our children, and it is one we simply cannot afford to lose.
HONOR THY TEACHER - NEWTON SCHOOLS FOUNDATION
Dear Parents,
As Teacher Appreciation Week and the end of the school year approaches, you may be wondering how best to thank the special teachers and staff who have taught and nurtured your children since September.
Please consider participating in Newton Schools Foundation’s (NSF) Honor Thy Teacher program, which provides a way to simultaneously recognize our faculty and support our schools while complying with the Newton Public Schools Gift Policy.
When you donate to Honor Thy Teacher, NSF will:
● Notify honored teachers and staff of your gift
● Share honoree names with the Superintendent’s office and individual school principals ● List all honored teachers and staff on the NPS website
● Deliver to all honored staff a Certificate of Honor and Honoree commemorative magnet
By donating to NSF, you are not only acknowledging teachers on a personal level but also providing rich professional development opportunities for them, and supplementing the existing enrichment opportunities that the district provides. The funds raised through Honor Thy Teacher fund new approaches in the classroom, professional development for teachers, and programs that promote equity for all students, which collectively impact schoolchildren across all grade levels. Read about the programs NSF funds.
Find more information about Newton Schools Foundation, and the Honor Thy Teacher program by using the QR Code below.
Thank you for considering this opportunity to support Newton’s teachers.
DAY MATHLETES EARN TOP HONORS IN THE PURPLE COMET INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
Two groups of six Day Middle School students competed in an international math competition three weeks ago, with one team correctly answering 17 out of 20 tough math questions in one hour.
In the "large middle school" category, with nearly 1,000 teams competing from 25 different countries, the Day Middle School Dragons Team B placed in the top 5%. There were only 5 teams that scored better (one scored 19 out of 20, four scored 18 out of 20), and 51 others that scored 17 out of 20.
Please join me in congratulation all of our Day Mathletes:
Team A: Kevin Ni, Ryan Li, Weijie Hu, Ian Oh, Raj Chawla, Jerry Tao
Team B: Vivian Chen, Jate Greene, Ranbeer Ummat, Taka Higuchi, Grace Zhuo, Daniel Ramakrishna
Proud moment at Day Middle School.
NO PLACE FOR HATE WALK AND RALLY 2024
As part of our journey to create a more inclusive community, we have to create opportunities for students, staff and parents to lift their voices. We have begun planning for our No Place for Hate Walk 2024 in collaboration with the students and faculty at Newton North.
This year’s event will take place on Thursday, May 23, 2024 from 2:30 - 4:00 p.m.
Every year we have parents and staff supervise students walking from Day at dismissal to Newton North to participate in the rally as we stand as a community against acts of hatred and bias in our community and world.
If you are able to help up on in any way, please sign up using the Google form below:
5th GRADE TRANSITION EVENTS
May 3 Cabot Elementary Visit
May 6 Horace Mann Elementary Visit
May 15 Burr Elementary Visit
May 20 Peirce Elementary Visit
May 31 Franklin Elementary Visit (new date)
If your 6th grade student is interested in being an ambassador to their elementary school, please have them reach out to their guidance counselor.
8th GRADE END OF YEAR EVENTS- SAVE THE DATE
Below is a list of the end of year events we have scheduled to celebrate our 8th grade students:
- This is not a school-sponsored event. It is being organized by the Day PTO. Questions about the event should be directed to the PTO at: fadaydragons@gmail.com
- cost- $100. Registration forms went home on Tuesday. You can also register online:
- Click here to register for dance tickets
- DEADLINE IS TUESDAY 4/23
- *click here to volunteer as a chaperone or help at the dance
- Any extra contribution will go towards scholarships.
Thursday, June 20, 2024: Spirt of Boston DJ Lunch Cruise (during the school day)
(estimated cost: $125) - Permission Slips will be send home in May 2024.
Yearbooks on sale now (see information below)
(estimated cost: $35)
Friday, June 21, 2024: 8th Grade Moving on Ceremony 9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Note: There is no cost for the Moving On Ceremony, but donations to the 8th grade end of year fund are welcome.
Email: fadaydragons@gmail.com
Financial Assistance:
The costs for the 8th grade end of year events are listed above. If your family is in need of financial assistance for any or all of the 8th grade events or yearbook, please complete the financial aid request form linked below.
Natalie Saintil: saintiln@newton.k12.ma.us
Max Xu: xum@newton.k12.ma.us
Diversity Club's Annual Potluck Dinner
Student Poets
Preparations for Opening Night
7th Grade Mathematicians in a Thinking Session
NEWTON COMMUNITY EDUCATION AFTER SCHOOL ENRICHMENT AT DAY
Pictured below are the incredibly diverse offering of winter after school enrichment programs being offered at Day Middle School through the winter months. For more information, feel free to call Newton Community Education at 617-559-9999
Community Education is offering fun and exciting programming for students during the upcoming April Vacation.
Scholarships are available for ALL PROGRAMS.
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.
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.
