Author Archives: caroline-w

Nursery School Openings for 2014-15 in Newton

The nonsectarian Second Church Nursery School  at 60 Highland St., West Newton has a limited number of openings for 2014-15. The school has been operating continuously since 1934 and currently offers both morning preschool classes and extended afternoon sessions. Children are grouped developmentally to promote growth and enhance social, cognitive and motor skills to help them become happy and independent people.

Interested parents should contact Director Susan Benes at617-527-4770 or email her at se***********************@*****st.net. For more info about the school and Ms. Benes, visit www.2ndchurch.org.

Kesher Newton after-school program open house, Mar. 23

Are you looking for Jewish learning for your child? Kesher Newton now enrolling for Fall, 2014.

Open House, Sunday, March 23th, 10:00 am – noon.

Kesher Newton is an after-school program that offers a hands on and in-depth approach to Jewish learning for students in grades K-11.

Kesher Newton is now located on Hammond Pond Parkway, convenient to Newton, Brookline, and the surrounding communities. Housed inside the building of Congregation Mishkan Tefila, Kesher’s warm and inviting new space accommodates its expanding student base and its many family activities.

Kesher Newton is a nationally-recognized alternative to traditional Hebrew School, where children learn Jewish culture and Hebrew language in a spirited, camp-like environment.  Kesher’s innovative curriculum challenges students intellectually, while fostering Jewish commitment, joy of learning, and active community participation.

Kesher Newton is an independent pluralistic community that is welcoming to all.

For more information and to schedule a tour, contact Kesher Newton at 617-244-5390 or via email.

Summer Learning Camps and Classes

The Chyten Center in Newton is offering a series of hands-on, real-life learning camps and classes for elementary and middle-school this summer.

Younger programs (Grades 2-5) include:
Shark Tank Jr. (Create your own business, just like on the TV show!)
Imagination Authors (Write your own novel and have it fully published)
Team Titans (Run your own baseball team and learn math in the process!)
The Literature Circle (Learn how to comprehend and analyze great children’s literature)
Discover My World (Do online research, learn Google Earth and design a “World’s Fair” with Legos)
Kids Career Time (Study, roleplay and experience five adult professions: Doctor, lawyer, architect, journalist and mayor)

Older programs (ages 11-14) include:
Writing Masters: The Muckrakers (Be part of a real newsroom and publish an online and print newspaper)
Vocabulary Masters: Drama Dictionary (Create an online video dictionary of advanced English vocabulary)

For more information visit TheChytenCenter.com/esteem or call 617-559-9936.
Now Enrolling for Summer Classes, Space is Limited

Food Service Training Session

Many PTOs are planning end of year celebrations and fundraisers which will involve the preparation and handling of food. All food that is offered to the general public is required to meet specific quality and handling standards. Therefore, to ensure that food is served safely, it has been generally required that events at which food is served have a designated person-in charge, who is responsible for ensuring that food is stored, prepared, displayed and served in keeping with safe food practices.

A Food Service training session geared towards providing PTO representatives with the information that they need to satisfy these requirements has been scheduled for Tuesday, March 18th, from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm in the Newton City Hall cafeteria. The Health Department will conduct the training session, and will provide you with training aids and handouts so that you can pass along information to other volunteers at a later date.

We hope that many of you will be able to receive training. The person (or persons) attending do not need to be PTO presidents, however please send a quick email to the Co-Presidents here if you will be coming so we can advise the Health Department of the number of people to expect.

School Committee Budget Meetings schedule

The School Committee meetings for FY2015 Budget presentation and discussions are scheduled as follows:

Thursday, March 13 – Superintendent’s Budget Presentation (part of a regular meeting)

Monday, March 17 – Budget discussion of regular education, teaching and learning, professional development and technology

Thursday, March 20 – Budget discussion of student services, ELL, Career and Tech Ed and all non-instructional areas

Monday, March 24 – Continued budget discussion and straw vote

Monday, March 31 – Public hearing on the budget

Monday, April 7 – Final vote (part of regular meeting)

Meetings convene at 7:00 pm in Room 210, Education Center, 100 Walnut St.  For additional information, please visit the School Committee website.

Email messages sent to sc*************@***********ma.us will be forwarded to the entire School Committee. To reach individual members, find their individual email addresses here.

The committee can also be contacted by mail at: Chair, Newton School Committee, 100 Walnut Street, Newton MA 02460. Telephone messages can be taken at 617-559-6110.

Youth Services Updates/Info/Opportunities

Many of you have already heard about the Executive Function workshop for parents and teachers run by Engaging Minds Learning and Tutoring Center. This is completely FREE and several schools have already booked dates for the program. If your school PTO has not yet scheduled pleased consider helping to pick dates, times and locations as well as help advertise to parents. Please let Youth Services know if your school is interested in hosting a workshop by contacting 617-796-1436 or jo*****@******ma.gov.

The 60 minute workshop includes:

  • Explanation of the term “executive function” and why these skills are important in school and in other aspects of education in today’s fast paced world.
  • Tips and strategies geared towards parents and teachers in order to help strengthen students’ skills.
  • Real life applications and take home toolkits to maintain effective learning

Openings on the Youth Commission: the Newton Youth Commission is a volunteer body of high school students and adults working together to empower youth. The commission is made up of a group of seven voting members ages 13-19 from all over the city who are appointed by the Mayor with the approval of the Board of Aldermen. Commissioners learn about civic engagement and connect with city officials.

The Newton Youth Commission has current openings for young adults interested in getting involved in their community. Please visit www.newtonma.gov/youth for an application or contact the Director of Youth Services at 617-796-1436 or jo*****@******ma.gov.

An Advisory Board to the Youth Commission is also appointed by the Mayor, with the advice of the youth commission. The advisory board is a group of twenty youth and adults selected to represent youth agencies, police, schools, health, recreation and other public or private organizations concerned with youth. Adults interested in applying for the Advisory Board should submit a resume and youth interested in applying should submit an application but specify on the application that they would like to be considered for the Advisory Board. Applications can be found at www.newtonma.gov/youth .

Dining-Skills Workshop for Tweens & Teens

Do you try to teach your children table manners and feel as if you’re talking to a brick wall?

Young people ages 11–15 will savor a delicious meal while learning how to be comfortable and considerate dining at home and away. Peppered with historical trivia, intriguing props and tales of real-life rudeness/dining faux pas, this workshop will address why manners matter, basics such as posture and mouth closed when chewing; setting the table; napkin handling; silverware positioning and cutting technique; common dining dilemmas; restaurant etiquette; host and guest etiquette and more.

Information and registration visit http://EtiquetteForToday.net/etiquette-classes/dining-skills-workshop-for-teens-tweens/ or www.EtiquetteForToday.net and click on the sidebar “Tween/Teen Workshop” button. For additional information, please call Office: 866-376-1110; Mobile: 508-566-3203.

March 30th, 3:00 – 5:00 pm
Bertucci’s, 275 Centre Street, Newton
Cost: (including meal) $89 for the first family member; $79 for each sibling

Looking for Lego ambassadors

Think your child has what it takes to become one of Boston’s inaugural Lego ambassadors?
From now until March 14th, LEGOLAND Discovery Center Boston will be accepting applications from children ages 5 to 12 to participate on a team to help LEGOLAND become the best attraction of its kind. As part of the application, children must include a video or photo and written response explaining what makes them the biggest Lego fan and why they should be part of the panel. They should also show something they built with Lego bricks. LEGOLAND Discovery Center Boston will be accepting applications for its junior construction panel from now until March 14th. The 12 winners will be announced on their Facebook page on March 17th. For contest rules and to apply, visit the LEGOLAND’s website.