ASA Hoops is now offering virtual training 4 days per week: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday. Training is for boys and girls ages 7-14, prices just $10.00 per session. This is a great way to stay fit and active during this time.
To register please visit https://www.asahoops.com/training and if you have any questions please email Coachb@asahoops.com.
Over these past weeks, many parents have developed a deep appreciation for the job that our teachers do each day. If you are looking for a way to express that appreciation during Teacher Appreciation Week or after, here is a way to say thank you.
By donating to Newton Schools Foundation’s Honor Thy Teacher program in the name of one or more of your children’s teachers, you can show your appreciation for them AND support your children’s schools. NSF will notify each teacher honored of your gift and share their names with Principals and the Superintendent. A list of honored teachers will appear on the NSF website and in the Newton TAB.
Your tax-deductible donation will go towards funding NSF grants for promising educational initiatives, professional development, and programs that close gaps in opportunity and achievement. In furtherance of those goals, in recent weeks NSF directed its resources toward the challenges of COVID-19 with a $85,500 grant for the Newton Public Schools to purchase 300 Chromebooks for students needing access to online learning during school closures.
It’s easy to donate online at http://www.newtonschoolsfoundation.org/honor-thy-teacher or you can mail your donation to Newton Schools Foundation, P.O. Box 590020, Newton Centre, MA 02459. Please be sure to include the names of the teachers and/or staff that you are honoring.
To find out more about the programs NSF funds, visit their website at http://www.newtonschoolsfoundation.org/programs-we-fund.
Next week we celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week! Please join us to say thank you to all NPS teachers by submitting a thank you card, photo or video. Use this form to submit your creation and look for it on our social media channels next week!
https://forms.gle/65Wao2kNJHcShX6F7
The Newton Food Pantry would like to extend a huge thank you to the community for the incredible support over the last 6 weeks. COVID-19 has brought about a challenging and uncertain time for many in our community but our hearts are full from your overwhelming love and support.
Because of your generosity, the Newton Food Pantry is able to continue its commitment to help those in need across Newton by offering:
HOW CAN YOU HELP? Aside from donating double-bagged grocery bags and egg cartons (please drop off at 61 Ballard Street or 36 Metacomet Road ONLY), please consider a financial donation at www.newtonfoodpantry.org/donate/
Check out this little jingle https://bit.ly/NFP-DBS) just to show you how serious they are about double-bagging.
In the last two weeks Newton Neighbors Helping Neighbors has focused on supporting local organizations that serve some of our most vulnerable community members. Neighbors gathered food and collected thousands of dollars for Coleman House, a elderly housing facility in Newton that lost much of their food supply due to a power failure after the storm on the 13th. Neighbors also donated enough funds to the Arabic Baptist Church Food Pantry in Newton Corner to buy food supplies the next two months, and helped deliver food from Newton Food Pantry and Centre St Food Pantry to neighbors in need. Huge thanks to everyone who has contributed and volunteered for these efforts and others!!
As you can imagine, the need does not end here – in our conversations with partners who work closely with community members deeply affected by COVID-19, we are hearing about the many ways in which families are profoundly struggling during this time. We believe that our community extends beyond the Newton city limits and that it is critical to consider how we can support our neighbors both within and outside of Newton. Many of you have reached out asking for ways to help and we have organized a large, 4-part donation drive this week which will benefit several organizations and communities that are heavily burdened by this crisis. You can contribute any time between now and May 2nd. The houses gathering items for the drives below are all in Newton Centre.
How you can help
Porch Drive #1: Donate non-perishable food Continue reading
Looking for a way to engage your young explorer at home and outdoors?
Sign up for a virtual PUDDLESTOMPERS Nature Exploration class! Each weekly class consists of a pre-recorded lesson with three fabulous naturalists teachers who will lead the children through a virtual circle time about a springtime topic. Then head outside for an interactive outdoor experience where the children can follow along, either with the video or in their own explorations. Afterwards, one of the teachers will read a story based on a springtime topic.
Every participant will get:
* a STEM activity sheet
* an outdoor activity or scavenger hunt
* a handout to extend the learning into the home
* a coloring sheet
Topics so far include “Signs of Spring,” “Birds:Nesting,” “Soil,” and “Seed Growth.” Up next:”Worms!” The beauty of these classes is that they are pre-recorded and can be watched at any time! Price: $15.00 per lesson.
Additional details are available at https://www.puddlestompers.com/virtual-classes or www.puddlestompers.com. As always, your teachers are here for you! If you have any questions, email info@puddlestompers.com and a teacher naturalist will be in touch!
Dear Friends,
This update is for the 4/27/2020 and 4/30/2020 Newton School Committee meetings. We have combined these two meetings into one newsletter as they both examined the significant impacts COVID-19 will have on our proposed 2020-2021 Annual Budget. During the 4/27/2020 meeting, Mayor Fuller and Maureen Lemieux, Newton’s Chief Financial Officer addressed the Committee to describe the “deep changes in revenue assumptions,” to ask the district to reduce its FY21 budget by $1,500,000, and to plan accordingly for even greater reductions in FY22. Superintendent Fleishman and Chief Financial Officer, Liam Hurley, recommended a number of adjustments to immediately ddress this request and begin the process of carrying funds forward.
Superintendent’s Update:
Discussions/Update:
Newton Community Farm is opening their online Seedling Sale on April 27th. Order through May 13th, then schedule your curbside pickup date and time in mid-May. There are over 80 varieties of vegetable, fruit, herb, and flower seedlings plus soil for sale.
Thank you for supporting the Farm and happy gardening! https://newtoncommunityfarm.org/news-events/2020-seedling-sale/
Mayor Fuller has requested that the Economic Development Commission (EDC) provide her with ideas on a recovery plan focusing particularly on steps that can be taken to assist Newton businesses in regaining their footing post Covid-19. As part of the EDC’s development of these ideas, they are surveying Newton businesses.
This survey is open to the Newton business community and will be open through May 4th www.surveymonkey.com/Newton_EDC_Business_Survey If you have questions, please contact Devra G. Bailin, Director of Economic Development for the City of Newton at dbailin@newtonma.gov.
If everyone in Newton buys just one book through the Bookshop.org page, it would greatly reduce the financial burden facing Newtonville Books. If you start your browsing on the landing page https://bookshop.org/shop/Newtonvillebooks the site tracks all your purchases and the bookstore receives 30% of all sales. Please help spread the word about this challenge and thank you if you can help Newtonville Books and Jaime and Mary (parents of a Cabot student).