Author Archives: lisa-m

Highlands After-School Program for Middle Schoolers

The Newton Highlands After School Program just for middle school kids has openings.

Activities include sports, arts, cooking, science & exploration, homework, field trips, community service and team building. It’s a place to go and hang out with friends, enjoy activities, and get a head start on homework.

Arrange for a visit or come for a trial day.

To learn more visit the website or contact director Rochelle Acker by email or phone: 617-999-4617.

Theatre at Newton North

We take it for granted, but for some the ability to speak the language we know and love is not always an option. Brian Friel’s drama Translations strikes at the heart of this concern as he looks back on 1833 Ireland and the decisions the Irish were forced to make under British Imperial rule. His characters are as real as they are timeless; their stories of struggling to survive in an oppressed state teach the true power and price of resistance.

Newton North’s presentation is directed by Mr. Tim Finnegan. Tickets are $7.00 and are available at www.theatreink.net or through Adam_Brown@Newton.k12.ma.us  or 617-559-6306.

February 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th  at 7:30 pm
The Little Theatre, Newton North High School
457 Walnut Street
Newtonville

Think Spring — ignore the cold — Register for spring softball

Register by January 31st and save $15.

Softball Registration Dates:

• January 31st:  Deadline to register without paying a late fee

• February 28th:  Deadline to register with guaranteed placement, pair-me-with rights, and a $15 late fee.

• February 28th:  Last day to withdraw and receive a full refund. Sorry, no refunds after this date.

• March 1st – April 15th:  Placed on the wait list, no pair-me-with rights, and a $15 late fee.  Openings filled on a first come, first served basis.

Newton Unplugged

Newton Unplugged and Connected 2013 reminds us that there is more to life than what is on the other side of a plug. This year’s March calendar of suggested activities and events is now being constructed. We welcome ideas for activities and/or events (that are open to the public) and that are appropriate for children, youth, and their caring adults. Please send your ideas to gsommer@ncscweb.org. Newton Unplugged is sponsored by the Newton Child Assault Prevention Program (CAP), the Newton Community Service Center (NCSC), the Newton School Department, and the City of Newton.

Virtual Tour of Angier, Cabot and Zervas Elementary Schools

Dear Community Members,

Over the past few months, Newton Public Schools has received a number of questions about the state of our elementary school facilities. We hope the video below, which offers a virtual tour of the Angier, Cabot and Zervas Elementary Schools, provides some helpful information.

If you have further questions, please feel free to attend one of the town meetings listed below. School facilities will be one of the topics that Mayor Warren and I will discuss.

Town meetings will take place on:

  • Sunday, Jan 27 at 1 pm, Hawthorn Playground/Pellegrini Park Rec. Center, Nonantum
  • Thursday, Jan. 31 at 7 pm, Scandanavian Living Center, West Newton
  • Sunday, Feb. 10 at 1 pm, Ward Elementary School gym, Newton Centre
  • Sunday Feb. 10 at 3:30 pm, Oak Hill Middle School, Newton Centre
  • Tuesday Feb. 19 at 1:30 pm, Scandanavian Living Center, Seniors Town Hall with Newton at Home
  • Tuesday, Feb. 26 at 7 pm, Greater Boston Interfaith Organization Town Hall, Temple Shalom, West Newton
  • Thursday Mar. 7 at 7 pm, Mason Rice Elementary School, Newton Centre

Sincerely,
David Fleishman

Newton Community Farm offers exciting programs for children in February!

Early Release Day Class, February 6th, 1:00 – 2:30 pm, $25 general public, $20 Friends of the Farm

Dress warmly and come and spend an afternoon on the Farm as we look at ways plants, animals and even people adapt to the colder weather. Look for evidence of animal activity despite the colder weather and enjoy some fun games to keep us warm! Instructor: Alison Wilson Location: Newton Community Farm.

Kids on the Farm-Then and Now, Vacation Week Program February 21st, 2:00 – 4:00 pm. Co-sponsor: Jackson Homestead, Cost Per Family (4 people maximum, 1 adult required) $30 general public, $20 Friend of Farm or Historic Newton member

Want to know what life on a farm would have been like for kids in Newton in past centuries? Using real artifacts from the Museum’s collection and real stories from the Angino family who lived on what is now the Newton Community Farm, we will explore how kids would have helped on the farm. Participants will also plant some seeds which will then be transplanted into our garden in the spring. Location: Jackson Homestead, 527 Washington Street, Newton MA 02458

Go to www.newtoncommunityfarm.org for more information and to register.

Winter Concert & Festival featuring Wayne Potash

Get the whole family dancing! Join Burr Cooperative Nursery School for a fun-filled morning of live music from fabulous singer-songwriter Wayne Potash, along with various activities, crafts, a bake sale, and fantastic raffle prizes. 

Tickets: $8 per person in advance (children under 1 free), $10 per person at the door (based on availability). Advanced tickets are available for purchase until February 1st at www.burrcoop.org/concert or tickets@burrcoop.org.  All proceeds to benefit Burr Cooperative Nursery School, a non-profit organization.

Saturday, February 2nd, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Newton Cultural Center
225 Nevada Street, Newton

Celebrate an Early Chinese New Year

LEARN ABOUT CHINA FROM THE INSIDE: Education, Politics, Economics 
from teachers and students who have seen it as participants in The Newton- Jingshan Exchange Program. For Interested Parents, Teachers, and Students. Sponsored by the Newton-Beijing Jingshan School Exchange Program. 

RSVP: Nancy Fenstemacher <nancyfenstemacher@comcast.net>

Presentations 4:00 – 5:00 pm : Film Lecture Hall
Dinner & Conversation 5:00 – 6:00 pm: International Café

February 6th
Newton North High School

 

Learn to Fence Classes at The Hut

Learn the basics of fencing: stance, on guard position, attack, and defense for girls and boys, ages 8-14

Dates: Feb. 27 – April 3 OR April 24 – May 29
Location: Jeannette West Recreation Center (The Hut), 69 Tyler Terrace, Newton Centre
Time: 6:15pm-7:15pm
Cost: $98 per session

Download an application online or call Judy Dore at Newton Parks & Recreation Department at 617- 796-1500.

Belmont World Film Celebrates the Full Moon Jan. 26

Belmont World Film’s Family Film Festival will hold a “Full Moon Festival” for families on Saturday, January 26, the day of the full moon, at the Studio Cinema in Belmont (376 Trapelo Road).

It features two films about the moon:
“Lotte and the Moonstone Secret” at 10:30 AM and
“Moon Man” at 1:00 PM, which will be followed by a discussion of the phases of the moon led by Amanda Thompson, school and education coordinator for the Hayden Planetarium at the Museum of Science.

Half-moon cookies, courtesy of Whole Foods Market Fresh Pond, will be given out at each screening.

“Lotte and the Moonstone Secret” is a beautifully drawn animated film that is part of a series created by animators in Estonia and Latvia. The film features a very inventive cartoon dog named Lotte, the Mickey Mouse of Estonia, who experiences a wide variety of fascinating and highly imaginative encounters, that encourage flexibility, exploration, and adventure, as well as wonder, curiosity, and eagerness to learn about other kinds of people and places. The film takes place in a friendly world that is free of violence and is suitable for children 3-8.

Adapted from the worldwide best-selling children’s book written and illustrated by Tomi Ungerer, “Moon Man” examines themes of loneliness, difference, understanding and acceptance with a story about how the man in the moon, bored of sitting in his silvery cage all the time, hitches a ride to earth on a shooting star. It is recommended for children ages 7 and up.

Giveaways during the festival include a gift certificate from the family-friendly Full Moon Restaurant in Cambridge, passes to the Museum of Science’s planetarium, a bicycle helmet from Belmont Wheelworks, and a light-up full moon clock.

Tickets are $5 for children, $8 for adults, and $7 for seniors, students, and Belmont World Film members, or both films for $8 for children and $12 for adults. Purchase tickets online or in person at the Studio Cinema box office. For more information, visit the Belmont World Film online or call 617-484-3980.