Category Archives: Education/Enrichment

Kesher Newton is now enrolling for January / Fall 2015!

Kesher Newton is a Jewish Community after-school program that offers a hands on and in-depth approach to Jewish learning for students in grades K-5. Located on Hammond Pond Parkway, Kesher’s warm and inviting 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 Newton is an independent pluralistic community that is welcoming to all. For more information visit keshernewton.org, or call Ilana 617-244-5390, or email il***@**********on.org

Piano Lessons

Bachelor of Music in Composition from Berklee College of Music, Master of Music in Jazz Studies from New England Conservatory. 30+ years teaching experience. Learn Jazz/Blues/Classical, theory, sightreading. Build a high quality musical foundation with a patient, upbeat, and caring instructor. Beginners especially welcome. Have a positive and successful learning experience. Phone Gloria Jasinski at 617-566-9704 or email pi******@*****st.net.

Talking To Your Child About Their Diagnoses/Disabilities

On January 8th, the Newton Parent Advisory Council for Special Education will host an evening meeting on the topic of Talking To Your Child About Their Diagnoses/Disabilities. Special guests will include Dot Lucci, M.Ed., C.A.G.S. Director of Consultation, MGH/YouthCare, Alison Mountford, Coordinator of Therapeutic Services, Andrew Aspel, School Psychologist, NSHS; Lynn Chachkes, School Psychologist, Countryside School; Victoria Vendola, Assistant Principal for Student Services, Day Middle School; and Dan Almeida, Supervisor of ABA Services

The decision about when and how to talk to a child about their differences can be a challenging one for parents and guardians. Please join us for a panel discussion on the subject, beginning at 7:30 pm with a discussion for parents of younger children who may be preparing to have their first conversations about disabilities or diagnoses. The second half of the program, starting about 8:15 pm, will be about having these conversations with older children, and about how, when and to whom they might want to disclose information about their disabilities. We encourage parents of kids of all ages to come at 7:30 if they can, to share their perspectives and experience with other families. There will be plenty of time for questions to the panel for both parts of the program.

The meeting will take place in Room 210 of the Education Center. Refreshments and networking begin at 7:15 pm and the meeting will start promptly at 7:30 pm. Thanks!

IRobot Company Presentation at the Waban Library Center

The WLC invites kids ages 6 – 11 to a presentation on January 10th from 1:30 -2:30 pm at the Waban Library Center. iRobot experts will explain how robots work and help people in real life. Come see the cool robots and learn about STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). All children must be accompanied by an adult.

Admission is free,  donations gladly accepted. For information about the WLC, please visit http://www.wabanlibrarycenter.org/

Waban Library Center
1608 Beacon Street, Waban

Second Annual Citywide Food Drive

The Second Annual Citywide Food Drive is well underway and, this year, we are expanding our efforts to help fight food insecurity in the City of Lawrence as well as Newton.  Through December 30th,  you can donate the following items at more than 40 drop-off locations throughout Newton: canned fruit and vegetables, jarred pasta sauce, peanut butter, jelly/jam, ground coffee, tea, cake and pie crust mixes, baby food, juice boxes and bottles, vegetable oil, bar soap, toilet paper, toothpaste, and children and adult diapers.  At each location, there will be two boxes – one for Newton and one for Lawrence.

Last year, the food drive collected more than 200 boxes of donated food and needed items for Newton’s food pantries, which serve more than 1,200 residents a month.  This year, we are hoping to surpass that number and support families in need – here in Newton as well as in Lawrence.   For more information and a list of drop-off locations, please visit www.newtonma.gov.

Thank you in advance for helping with this important initiative.

Train the brain

Neuroscience opens up powerful new possibilities to enable every student to become a more effective learner. Brain Excel offers programs designed to train and strengthen core cognitive skills like memory, attention, processing speed, logic and reasoning. Face-to-face and online one-on-one training sessions are fun, structured, challenging and interactive.

Brain Excel’s unparalleled, personalized and innovative training targets specific cognitive areas to empower each student to excel. For further information, please contact Patricia at Brain Excel by email: ma**@***xl.com or cell: 603-770-2186.

Actors needed for Watertown Children’s Theatre

Watertown Children’s Theatre is looking for actors for the world premiere of Reigning Cats and Dogs by local teacher and composer Steve Bergman.

The production is open to third through sixth graders and though orientation has already passed, we are still accepting registrations through January 2nd.

If cost is a deterrent, the WCT tuition assistance fund has been established and recently re-funded to help children to participate in arts programming who may not otherwise have the ability to pay. This fund could help families in full or partial tuition assistance.

Please pass this on to friends or colleagues who may also know of interested actors, so as many children can participate in this world premiere as possible.

To register and for more information please visit the WCT website.

S.M.ART School Private Tutoring, Classes

Since 2002, S.M.ART School has been offering a broad range of classes and private tutoring, from basic math and SAT I & II preparation to the advanced areas of mathematics that help develop analytical skills and important work habits.

S.M.ART offers a deep conceptual approach to math that leads to self-confidence and efficiency in solving problems. The program specializes in small class sizes (up to 4 students) and one-on-one tutoring, focusing on each child’s individual needs and talents while making room for peer learning and communication.

Classes include:

* Math for all ages and levels, including preparation for the SAT I & II, MCAS, SSAT, GMAT, GRE and other major standardized tests

* English: Reading and Writing skills, SAT prep

* Physics, Chemistry – help with schoolwork, SAT prep

* Chess (Branch of Gulko Chess Academy); “Chess and Math Together” Program

Contact Info: S.M.ART School; 1320 Centre Street, #201A, Newton Center, MA 02459
Website: www.smart-school.com

Physics tutor available

Newton resident and a high-school physics teacher; former US Physics Team coach; 20+ years of teaching experience, doctorate with a focus on problem-solving in physics; AP Physics Exam Reader, AP Physics College Board consultant.

Experience in teaching high-level problem-solving skills, preparation for standardized tests. Interactive approach, low stress, high efficiency. Sessions in Newton for all levels of high-school physics: general support, problem solving skills, preparation for SAT II, AP.

For more credentials, please click here:
http://www.weston.org/schools/hs/sci/apphy/korsunsky/documents/Korsunsky-CV-2011_000.pdf

For more information, please contact: ko******@**********rd.edu .

Upcoming Programs offered by Youth Services

Suicide Prevention Training (QPR) for Teens
January 6th, 4:00-6:00 pm, Newton Free Library

Our community has been affected by suicide. Newton Cares: Coalition for Suicide Prevention and Mental Health is working diligently to train as many people as possible in the suicide prevention technique called QPR – Question, Persuade, Refer. The more people who know how to act, the more lives may be saved. Please consider being trained. Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) teaches ordinary citizens how to recognize a mental health emergency and how to get a person at risk the help they need. Participants will learn how to: Recognize the warning signs of suicide, offer hope, and get help & refer. This upcoming training is specifically being held for teens and young adults. Poster is available for download here: QPRTeens_Jan2015. Please register by visiting www.newtonma.gov/youth.

Taking Care of Ourselves and Our Teens: Reducing Stress and Enhancing Resiliency January 27th, 6:00-7:30 pm, Newton Free Library.

Back by popular demand!! This four-session wellness program for parents of adolescents developed by the world-renowned Benson-Henry Institute of Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital teaches self-care skills to help cope with stresses of everyday life and aims to leave parents with a renewed sense of control and well-being. For all Newton residents or parents of teens attending school in Newton.

Topics will include:
* The physiology of stress and how it affects the body
* Self-care strategies to reduce stress and increase your resilience
* Relaxation techniques
* Easy ways to reduce or stop stress-inducing thoughts
* Tips for modeling these skills for your teens, help reduce their stress and build their resilience too

Sessions 2-4 will be held on February 3rd & 24th, and March 3rd from 6:00-7:30 pm. Must attend all four sessions. Space is limited, please register (required) at newtonma.gov/youth.  Poster is available for download here: TakingCareofOurselves_Jan2015

Stressed Teen? Learn some helpful and healthy ways to relax  January 27th, 4:00-5:30 pm, Newton Free Library

Branching off the parent program will be workshops pertaining to teens and teen stressors. The four sessions will be directed to teens and will help teach them to cope with stresses of everyday life coming from school, home, social media and other pressures. It will teach teens to have a better sense of control and well-being. During the course teens will learn what stress is, how it affects the body, strategies for self-care, relaxation techniques and easy ways to reduce or stop stress-inducing thoughts. Sessions 2-4 will be held on February 3rd& 24th, and March 3rd from 4:00-5:30 pm. Must attend all four sessions. Free. Space is limited. Registration is required. Visit www.newtonma.gov/youth to register. Poster is available for download here: StressedTeen_Jan2015

Improving Academic Effectiveness February 5th and April 9th, 6:00-7:30 pm, Newton Free Library

Engaging Minds Learning Center (a local learning and tutoring center) has been instrumental in providing tools for students in order to help them learn effectively. The basis of this program is to teach the idea of “executive function” and the skills which it embraces. Executive functions are the essential self-regulating skills that we all use every day. They help us plan, organize, make decisions, shift between situations or thoughts, control our emotions and impulsivity, and learn from past mistakes. This program is FREE and includes: an 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. Poster is available for download here: improving academic effectiveness 2

Free, drop-in, no registration required. Two separate sessions, do not need to attend both.