Category Archives: Education/Enrichment

Fall programs at Newton Community Farm

Indulge your senses in a multitude of colors, sounds, sights and smells as Newton Community Farm transitions into the fall season. Embrace the new season and register today for Kids at the Farm: Fall Fun.

New for Fall 2016!

  • Farm Sprouts: Saturday Specials (September 10th and October 22nd)
  • Farm Tuesdays (Grades 3-5), including a 5 week cooking session with Kids Cooking Green starting September 13th.

For more information and to register, click here: Fall Fun

Newton Community Education offers classes for Middle Schoolers

This fall Newton Community Education is offering the following classes for Middle Schoolers. All of the programs are open to all middle schoolers (in grades 6-8), regardless of where they attend school.

To be held at at Brown, Oak Hill, and Newton South:

Archery (Tuesdays, 2:30-4:00 pm at Oak Hill)
Fencing (Fridays, 3:30-4:30 pm at Brown)
Flag Football (Fridays, 2:30-3:30 pm at Brown)
Speech Team (Mondays, 3:30-5:00 pm at South)
Glass Art (Tuesdays, 4:30-5:30 pm at South)
Babysitting & Safety Training (September 29th and December 8th at South)
Pediatric First Aid & CPR (November 3rd at South)
Intro to Debate (Tuesdays, 2:30-4:30 pm at South)

To be held at Day Middle School:

3-D Printing & Design (Tuesdays, 2:00-3:20 pm)
Chess (Tuesdays, 2:15-3:15 pm)
Yoga (Wednesdays, 2:45-3:45 pm)
Code Camp Kidz: HTML & CSS Essentials (Fridays, 2:45-3:45 pm)
The Stock Market Game for Girls (Tuesdays, 2:00-3:00 pm)

Visit newtoncommunityed.org for a complete listing of the kids and adult fall classes. You can register for classes online or by phone at 617-559-6999.

Newton Community Education Fall Registration is Open

Sign up today for Newton Community Education’s fall programs. They offer programs in arts, sports, science, programming, theatre, and more for kids of all ages, pre-school through high school.

New classes include 3-D Printing & Design, Intro to Debate, Next Gen Lego Robotics, Hands-On Electronics, Animation Lab and more. Also offered are old favorites like Chess, Soccer, Language Clubs, and Pottery. Visit newtoncommunityed.org to see all of the fall classes.

Music Lessons and Birthday Parties at The Conservatory at Highlands!

The Conservatory at Highlands http://www.highlandsconservatory.com/ is now registering students of all ages for private music lessons in more than 15 instruments. For more information and to sign up, visit highlandsconservatory.com or call 617-903-0944.

Have an awesome birthday party at The Conservatory! Play in a rock band with your friends, sing karaoke, jam, or perform in a music video. A rockin’ good time for up to 12 kids (ages 7+). Book your party now at highlandsconservatory.com or call 617-903-0944.

The Conservatory offers a 21st century music education style that is equally inclusive and challenging taught by the best musicians in Boston. Locally owned and operated, conveniently located at 51 Winchester Street in Newton Highlands (next door to Create a Cook). They have an outstanding facility that is equal parts private lesson space and performance venue, with an innovative recording studio and ample parking.

The Conservatory at Highlands is your community music school, where all can learn and develop the craft of music together. Come see for yourself!

YMCA’s Camp Frank A. Day to Celebrate 100 Year Anniversary

It was 100 years ago when the Y’s residential camp, Camp Frank A. Day, opened for its first season thanks to a $5,000 gift from one of its greatest benefactors, and one of Newton’s most well-known citizens at the turn of the last century, Frank Ashley Day.

Frank A. Day spent his boyhood in Newton, was educated in the city schools and made his mark as a Boston financier. He served as alderman for the city from 1903 to 1909 and as the first Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the YMCA. Following his death in 1914, Mrs. Day felt that it was fitting that the camp property which was so beautifully situated on Lake Quacumquasit in East Brookfield, MA and so well adapted for camp purposes should be a memorial to her husband who was always ministering to the needs of others and yet loved nature and all her beauty.

At first, nine boys lived in tents, which were erected among the pines in the same spot that houses senior boy campers today. Campers filled their summer with activities such as baseball, tennis, woodcraft and nature studies. By 1966, the camp was in its 50th year of operation and was one of the larger and better known camps in New England. In 1979, Dick and Sonia McKnight began a 25-year stint as the camp’s directors, helping to build the camp up to where it stands today.

On September 10th and 11th, Camp Frank A. Day will celebrate its centennial anniversary with a two-day reunion. Current and past campers, staff and alumni are invited to attend the celebration which will feature a line-up of traditional camp activities such as flagpole, color war (green versus grey), campfires, waterfront activities, and more.

To find out more about how to register for the celebration, visit www.cfad100.com.

Want to learn to code?

CodeCampKidz is sponsoring “an introduction to coding apps” class that will introduce you to coding pages in a fun and achievable way. No experience is required. You will use a student-friendly learning platform to code your projects, and step by step, produce completed app pages, building skills and self-confidence along the way.

By the end, you will have developed a coding space in which to work, and if you so choose, host pages for public display. Whether you are interested in being a programmer or just want to know how things work, you can take advantage of these field-tested and proven learning techniques ONLY available on CodeCampKidz and they are there to support you every step of the way! For Grades 6, 7, and 8. See Flyer: Intro to Coding Apps.

Try the Y this Summer

Try the Y this Summer
Discover all you can do at the Y. They’re opening the doors every Saturday this summer for  FREE, through September 3rd. You’re invited to enjoy the pools, state-of-the art fitness center, gymnasium, cycle studio, group exercises and more! It’s absolutely FREE. There’s no obligation to join. No fees to pay. Enjoy fun and healthy activities, make new friendships and discover ALL that the Y offers.

Late Summer Camp Specials
The Y’s camp programs inspire kids to work and play together, create friendships that can last a lifetime, and we make sure all kids feel welcome and comfortable being themselves. They’re currently offering Late Summer Specials for Camp Pikati at the Y (ages 3 to 15), Camp Chickami in Wayland (ages 6 to 15) and our overnight camp in East Brookfield, Camp Frank A. Day (ages 7 to 15). Sign up for a week at Camp Chickami or Camp Pikati between August 8th and September 2nd and receive a $50 discount per session. Or, sign up for Camp Frank A. Day’s Session 3B, 4 or Adventure Week and receive $100 off the regular fee AND a pair of camp flannels.

For more information, visit wsymca.org/camps or contact Camping Services at ca******@****ca.org or 617-244-6050 x 3008.

Preschool and After-School Care at the Y
The Y is currently enrolling children in the brand new Preschool Center for Child Development and After-School programs (children in grades K-8) for the 2016-2017 School Year. For more information on preschool and out-of-school time programs, please contact Brenda Banks at br*****@****ca.org or 617-244-6050 x3022.

Fall Programs
Registration for Early Fall Programs at the Y opens on August 15th for YMCA members and August 19th for nonmembers. Early Fall Programs begin on September 6th.

· Learn to swim – swimming lessons for all ages including Parent & Child classes
· Youth Sports Leagues & Classes – YBA, Soccer, NFL Flag Football and more
· Karate
· LIVESTRONG at the YMCA
· Music & Creative Arts
· Personal Training and Small Group Training

Visit wsymca.org to register online or stop by the Y’s Welcome Center.

Work at the Y
The West Suburban YMCA is hiring! Join a dynamic and fun team that is dedicated to strengthening the community:

– Lifeguards, Swim Instructors and Swim Coaches
– Fitness Center Staff
– Group Exercise Instructors
– Child Care Program Staff

Please contact Laura Snow for more information at la****@****ca.org or 617-244-6050, ext. 3030.

Financial Assistance is always available for Y Memberships, Programs
and Summer Camp
The West Suburban YMCA is a non-profit charitable organization whose mission is to never turn anyone away due to their inability to pay. Please contact the Membership Department at 617-244-6050 x 3653 for financial assistance with membership or program participation.

LIVESTRONG program offered at the Y

The WEST SUBURBAN YMCA is one of more than 144 Ys across the nation that offers LIVESTRONG at the YMCA, a free 12-week health and well-being program designed to help adult cancer survivors achieve their holistic health goals. Since 2007, LIVESTRONG at the YMCA has helped more than 13,000 cancer survivors and their families nationwide. The WEST SUBURBAN YMCA launched their pilot program this February with 14 participants and start-up funding from the Belmont Savings Bank Foundation. The program will be offered several more times before the end of the year.

LIVESTRONG at the YMCA is proven to help people affected by cancer reclaim their health. The research-based program offers those living with, through and beyond cancer a safe, empowering environment to participate in activities focused on strengthening the whole person. Participants work with specially trained Y staff and volunteers to achieve goals such as building muscle mass and strength, increasing flexibility and endurance and improving confidence and self-esteem. In addition to physical benefits, Continue reading

Want to contribute to a youth study?

Harvard team seeking youths in grades 6 – 8 and their parent/caregiver to participate in Project CARY (Cognitions, Affect, and Regulation in Youths).

The researchers are looking at past life experiences, the development of youths’ emotions and self-regulation, and the role these things play in how youths cope with and respond to typical types of stress experienced in daily life.

Your participation in this project may help them to better understand how youths’ emotional and cognitive development and their life experiences influence one other and, in turn, help understand what factors promote youths’ positive emotional health and cognitive development.

What does your participation involve? You and your child will be asked to visit the laboratory at Harvard University for a session that will last up to two hours. You and your child will fill out some forms, and your child will participate in a number of activities, some of which are on the computer. You will be compensated $50 and your child will be compensated $30. Travel reimbursement may be available.

For more information, contact:
Rachel Vaughn-Coaxum, M.A. at Harvard University
33 Kirkland Street, Cambridge
Phone: 857-600-2503 or email: pr*****************@***il.com