Category Archives: School Breaks

What’s Happening at the Y

National Police Week May 12th – 18th
In honor of National Police Week,  all area police officers are invited to try the Y for free during the week. Sign a waiver at the Welcome Center and show your badge or other proof you are law enforcement and try out the facilities free of charge. Please spread the word to your family and friends in law enforcement!

Family Fun Night May 14th,  6:00 – 7:00 pm
Bring the whole family to the Y for some family fun time. Featuring arts & crafts, bouncy house, gym games and more! Free and open to all. Family Fun Nights occur on the second Tuesday of every month.

Summer Camp Open Houses
Learn about the Y’s summer camps, meet the staff, take a tour, and discover which camp is right for your child.
YMCA Camp Pikati -Day camp at the West Suburban YMCA in Newton, MA for ages 3-15
May 11th, 2:00 – 4:00 pm and June 10th, 6:00 – 8:00pm
YMCA Camp Chickami – Day camp in Wayland, MA for grades 1-10
May 11th, 11:00 am – 1:00 pm and June 6th, 6:00 – 8:00 pm
YMCA Camp Frank A. Day – Overnight camp in East Brookfield, MA for ages 7-16
May 19th, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm and June 2nd, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm

Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner – May 16th,  6:00 – 8:00 pm
The West Suburban YMCA’s Annual Meeting & Awards Dinner celebrates the people who Continue reading →

Want something to do during April school vacation?

Stories! Movement! Art! will provide students in Grades 3 – 6 the opportunity to tell stories through their art! By using low-tech materials, they’ll create art that physically moves or uses optical illusion to showcase movement! This program runs April 15th – 19th, 1:00 – 3:30 pm in the Carriage House at Gore Place in Waltham . Fees are $20.00 for the whole week, or $5.00/day. Tickets available at https://art-workshop.bpt.me.

What’s Happening at the Y in April

Try the Y – Sundays in April are free! Present a valid ID at the welcome desk and the daily guest fee will be waived.

Go Lisa and Phil, West Suburban YMCA Boston Marathon Team! – Newton residents Lisa D’Agostino and Phil Stern are running the Boston Marathon for the West Suburban YMCA. Lisa and Phil have spent months training for the race while also raising funds for the West Suburban YMCA. Together they have raised over $27,500 for the Y’s Annual Fund! This will be Lisa’s first marathon and Phil’s 21st. The West Suburban YMCA was provided one official bib number from the City of Newton and one from an anonymous B.A.A. member and YMCA supporter, allowing the Y to have two runners for this year’s event. Go Lisa and Phil!

Kids Night Out –  April 5th, 6:00 – 10:00 pm – Parents, drop off your kids for a fun Friday night with the Y’s staff. They’ll order pizza for dinner and keep the children entertained with games, swimming, movies and sports. $25.00 per child for Y members and $30.00 for the community. A 20% discount is offered per child for those with two or more children. Go out for the night and take advantage of this low-cost alternative to hiring a babysitter.

Poetry Night – April 5th, 7:00 – 9:00 pm – celebrate National Poetry Month at the Y! Organized by Barbara Helfogtt-Hyett of Poemworks, the event features readings by two local poets, then guests are invited to participate in the open mic portion of evening to share their own written work. This event is free and Continue reading →

April Vacation at Newton Free Library

Chocolate Make & Take, April 13th, 11:00 am – 4:00 pm, Teen Area
Interested in learning how to make chocolate creations? Alongside Sadina Shawver, a former chocolatier, you’ll learn to make chocolate as well as take that chocolate home! Online registration (required) starts March 18th. There are four separate 1-hour sessions until 4:00 pm.

Teen MTG, April 16th, 3:00 – 4:00 pm, Teen Area
Meet up to play Magic: The Gathering after school. Moderated by a local Newton South student. Bring your decks or use the ones there!

Official Book Launch for Danielle: The Chronicles of a Superheroine by Ray Kurzweil, April 16th, 7:00 – 8:30 pm, Druker Auditorium
Join inventor, futurist Ray Kurzweil as we explore his vision of an extraordinary future where our brains are connected to the cloud, we have hybrid biological/nonbiological thinking, our human intelligence is enhanced a millionfold and everyone has the power of Continue reading →

Bidding for the NECP Online Auction begins March 28th

The Newton Early Childhood Program (NECP), Newton’s only public preschool, hosts its largest school fundraiser of the year starting March 28th.

Get ready to bid for great deals on restaurants, summer camps, birthday parties, gym memberships, and more! Over 100 amazing items from across Newton and the Boston area. Auction proceeds will fund education enrichment programs, community-building events, and classroom materials for our city’s youngest learners.

Visit NECPPTO Auction. Bidding ends April 6th at 9:00 pm. Good luck!

Plugged In’s April Vacation Camp

Plugged In’s April Vacation Camp is open to ages 11-18 of all skill levels. Students will get placed in a band with band members their age and skill level. Each band will write and record a song and make a music video. On the last day, bands will perform in a livestream performance from Plugged In for friends and family to watch online.

The Plugged In Band Program is a unique non-profit rock band program in Needham teaching kids of all skill levels and needs about using music to help others. Continue reading →

April break = Stories! Movement! Art!

Want something to do during April school vacation? Stories! Movement! Art! will provide students in grades 3-6 the opportunity to tell stories through their art! By using low-tech materials, they’ll create art that physically moves or uses optical illusion to showcase movement! See the flyer Stories!Movement!Art!

The program will take place inside the Carriage House at Gore Place in Waltham (the large building next to the parking lot). This program is $20.00 for the whole week, or $5.00/day. Tickets: https://art-workshop.bpt.me

April 15th – April 19th, 1:00 – 3:30 pm

April Vacation Public Speaking Workshop

Public Speaking and Critical Thinking Skills For Your Child!

Lumos is offering 2-day Public Speaking workshops during April break. Your child will love Lumos’s friendly instructors and fun activities as they learn about:

  • Speaking Confidence
  • Impromptu Speaking
  • Debate Fundamentals
  • Argumentation and Reasoning

Right now you can use the code COMMUNITY to get $20.00 off. To register, go to lumosdebate.com/vaca-workshop. Email info@lumosdebate.com or call 781-474-3359 with any questions.

April 15th-16th, April 17th-18th, or April 19th-20th

New April Break Program for 8th and 9th Graders

Are you looking for a fun, affordable, hands-on, and valuable learning experience for your 8th or 9th grader during April break?

Has your 8th or 9th grader expressed an interest in looking for a summer or after school job but isn’t sure where to start or has been turned down because of their age or lack of experience? This program might be for them!

The City of Newton’s Youth Services department is offering a four day half-day workshop at Newton North High School for 8th and 9th graders – When I Grow Up: Discovering Strengths, Passions, and Career Pathways. This week- long, half day workshop will:

– Help students discover personality strengths and build skills in fun, hands-on, team focused games and activities

– Teach 14 and 15-year-olds about where to look for first jobs and what they need to apply

– Discuss and practice how to prepare for first time interviews

– Introduce students to different career pathways during daily visits from local entrepreneurs, business owners, city officials, and even the mayor!

– Give students the opportunity to learn and practice real-life workplace skills with new friends to prepare for first time jobs

Register online at https://www.activityreg.com/selectactivity_t2.wcs?leaguesid=320

For more information, please contact Quinn Etchie at qetchie@newtonma.gov or 617-796-1436.

What’s Happening at the Y

West Suburban YMCA’s Super Bowl Raffle! The West Suburban YMCA raffled off a Super Bowl trip package, and Newton resident Assunta (Sue) Calcagni was selected as the winner! Sue received 2 tickets to Super Bowl LIII along with airfare, lodging and ground transportation provided by New England Sports Tours. The raffle netted over $20,000 for the Y’s annual fund, which provides financial assistance for programs, services and scholarships at the Y.

Try the Y: Fridays in February are free! Present a valid ID at the welcome desk and use the facilities for the day.

Early Spring Program Registration: Registration is open for early spring session programs. Early spring session runs February 25th – April 14th. Sign up for swim lessons, youth basketball, floor hockey, fitness classes, kids yoga, tai chi, tumbling, music lessons and more.

Pickle Ball – Tuesdays & Thursdays: The West Suburban YMCA hosts drop-in pickle ball on both Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 – 11:30 am in the gymnasium. Pickle ball is free for West Suburban YMCA members and $5.00 drop-in fee for non-members.

Guided Meditation: Take a moment out of your day for this short, guided meditation that will leave you feeling relaxed, grounded and rejuvenated. Free for West Suburban YMCA members. Led by Jenni Plym in Studio A. February 9th, 9:00 – 9:30 am

Lifeguard Training and Certification Course:Become an American Red Cross certified lifeguard this February. Learn the practical skills necessary to recognize a critical situation and provide lifesaving care to individuals in the water. CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer and First Aid certifications are included in the course.

Weekend course: February 9th, 16th, 17th and 23rd, 11:00 am – 7:00 pm each day.
School vacation week course: February 18th, 19th, 20th, and 21st, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm each day. Students must be present for ALL days of their chosen course. Visit wsymca.org to register or call 617-244-6050.

Family Fun Night: Bring the whole family to the Y for some family fun time. Featuring arts & crafts, bouncy house, games and more! FREE and open to all. Family Fun Nights are generously sponsored by the Belmont Savings Bank Foundation and occur on the second Tuesday of every month. February 12th, 6:00 – 7:00 pm

February Vacation Programs: Do your kids need something to do while they are off from school for February vacation? The West Suburban YMCA is offering full day and half day program options February 19th – February 22nd. Call 617-244-6050 for more information or visit www.wsymca.org.

Spring YBA (Youth Basketball Association) League: Registration is open for the Y’s spring YBA league which runs March 2nd – April 14th. YBA is a fun league for boys and girls ages 4-12 to learn and play basketball. The league is separated into four age groups: Mini (ages 4-5), Biddy (ages 6-7), Rookie (ages 8-9) and Collegiate (ages 10-12). All leagues are co-ed, and volunteer coaches are encouraged. For more information and to register visit www.wsymca.org or call 617-244-6050.

Summer Camp Registration is Open! The West Suburban YMCA offers three summer camps: Camp Pikati at the Y, Camp Chickami in Wayland, MA and Camp Frank A. Day in East Brookfield, MA. Each camp offers children a unique and engaging summer experience. Attend one of the Y’s upcoming camp info sessions to learn more about summer camp.

Upcoming Camp Info Sessions at the Y:

February 6th, 9:00 – 11:00 am
February 11th, 3:00 – 5:00 pm
February 20th, 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
March 2nd, 2:00 – 4:00 pm

Work at the Y: The West Suburban YMCA is hiring for a variety of full-time and part-time positions. Great benefits, FREE membership and professional development opportunities. Please contact Laura Snow at lauras@wsymca.org or visit wsymca.org/careers.