Category Archives: Education/Enrichment

Incoming Brown Parents Special Education Meeting

Kim Gallaugher, SEPAC (Special Education Parent Advisory Council) Liaison for Brown Middle School, is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting! She and three other parents whose children are receiving special education services at Brown Middle School will informally share information and personal experiences with incoming parents.

If your child has an IEP, 504 plan or other accommodations or if you are considering special education services for your child next year, bring your questions and drop in anytime!

Email Kim Gallaugher at momofiggy@hotmail.com to request the Zoom link information. If  you cannot attend the zoom just let her know as it will be recorded.

Brown Parents Special Education Meeting
June 15th,  07:00 pm via Zoom

Two ways to help the Newton Food Pantry

1. Volunteer in July and August to distribute senior groceries at Newton Housing Authority.

Interested individuals (between the ages of 18-60) will need to commit to every Wednesday in July and August from 9:45 – 11:45 and have their own car. The volunteer will meet at an NHA Housing Complex and be given bags of groceries to carry and drop at residents’ doors. Delivery is contactless. Each week will involve driving to 3 or 4 complexes. Please email Cat Strahan at catstrahan@gmail.com by June 17th if interested in this role.

2. Apply to be one of two Development/ Management interns

The internship would be for a duration of 6 weeks, and would be largely conducted virtually; with certain important aspects of the work to be conducted on site at the NFP.

The main areas of work will be to assist with the preparation of the needs assessment report to aid with the strategic planning process to be undertaken by the NFP Board. The Interns will be given the training and tools needed to complete this work; no previous direct experience is needed. The Interns will assist with: data gathering, data analysis, report writing, document preparation; and other research and writing tasks as needed. To provide essential context for this important work, the Interns will be required to assist with food pantry operations work (sorting or distribution) at least twice a month, the type and details of this hands-on work will be decided with the volunteer coordinator.

The Interns will be supervised by NFP Development Coordinator and Board Members as needed, and will have regular (at least weekly) interaction via phone/ video/ in person meetings as needed.

Qualifications:
– Current college student or college graduate.
– Current Newton residents preferred.
– Required skills: good writing and communication skills, basic research skills, task management and project management skills, open & friendly attitude.
– Ability to work independently and problem solve.
– Interested in learning about food insecurity and social issues in our community
– Must have their own computer and internet access; NFP is unable to provide equipment to interns.

Please direct all questions and applications for this role to  development@newtonfoodpantry.org by June 17th.

Bike Safety

Have you heard of the ABCs? Not those ABCs, but the ones that have to do with bicycling? Join our friends from the Massachusetts Safe Routes to School for a virtual bike session. You will learn some tips to make sure you and your bike are ready for a full summer of biking in your neighborhood. This program is geared towards children in grades 3-6, but since it’s virtual, invite your family members of all ages to join in! Bring your helmet.

Brought to you in partnership with Newton Safe Routes to School, especially for the 4th/5th graders whose bike safety training was canceled this spring due to COVID-19.

Pre-registration is necessary for this event. One registration per zoom account. The day before the program you will receive a reminder email with the zoom link along with any further instructions.

Here’s the direct link to register https://newtonfreelibrary.libcal.com/event/6788542

June 16th, 4:30 -5:15 pm via Zoom

Summer dance class

Still looking for a fun and energetic activity for your child this summer? All That Jazz Dance Studio has limited space still available for their online summer dance classes and camps. Classes are Monday-Thursday starting June 22nd and weekly dance camps are in July.  Register Now!

For additional information, please contact Deb Vogel at missdeb@allthatjazznewton.com
or 617-641-0784.

Drop-In Running Clinic for kids

Two rising high school sophomores on the Cross Country and Track teams at Newton South High School are eager to share their knowledge and love for the sport, and help provide guidance and support for the next generation of young distance runners (ages 8-12) in the Newton community.

Sessions will meet from 8:00 – 9:30 am on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays each week, from June 22nd – July 31st, at the Newton South High School track. The group will do some running (of course!) and also learn about proper stretching and other drills and exercises to enhance fitness and speed. They’ll also play get-to-know-you games and other group activities, while keeping proper social distancing at all times.

Masks will be required for all participants, and may – if allowed by the then-applicable guidelines – be set aside for activities where proper social distancing can be maintained. Instructors Felix Rogovin and Ben Pistiner will also cover training advice (including cross-training, such as biking and swimming), and discuss good habits for athletes – eating well, sleeping well, etc. They’ll talk about running as a team sport and the importance of supporting each other.

Flyer can be viewed here: Running camp. You can sign up for as many days as you’d like, but they need to know you’re coming, so if you’re interested, please sign up at https://forms.gle/TxvSHWwnWsLK5WsH7

The suggested (optional) participation fee is: $5.00 – $10.00 per session, or $20.00 per week. If you have any questions, please email, text or call Rogovin2@gmail.com or 617-821-3375.

Inclusive Online Summer Music camp and Band class programs

Virtual Band Class: Students will be grouped in bands by age, skill level and preferred music genre. Each session will offer two 1.5 hour rock band classes per week

Virtual Summer Camp: Students will be grouped in bands by age, skill level and preferred music genre. Each band will

  • Write an original song
  • Record an original song
  • Create a music video for original song
  • Create a video for end of session concert of performance of set of songs (recording and video)
  • Community Engage
  • Open Mic
  • Music Business
  • Online Benefit Concert Streamed on YouTube
  • Concert Naming and Logo Design
  • Potential Live Performance Opportunities

Plugged In will offer 2 four-week sessions of each program. Sign up for one or both. For more information and/or to register, please go to www.pluggedinband.org.

Online Kids & Artemis Girls Summer Camps

Online Kids Yoga Camp with Tracy Affonso for Grades K – 4

Each day of camp will begin with breathing/mindfulness exercises designed to help children focus on the present moment. Following the warm-up, they’ll have a fun-filled, active yoga class culminating with a guided relaxation. Kids love yoga with Tracy!

Camp fee is $75.00, registration available here. This is not a drop-in class.
June 22nd – June 26th, 10:00 – 11:00 am via Zoom

Online Summer Camp for Artemis Girls – Stand Strong, Stand Tall! with Tracy Affonso for girls Grades 5 -8, approximately age 10 -14

This week-long, online, summer camp program is based on the popular Girls Empowerment Program for middle school girls! This innovative program led by popular middle school yoga instructor, Tracy Affonso, helps girls to seek their own true voice with yoga, mindfulness, breath work, creative expression and self-reflection.

Camp fee is $85.00, registration available here. This is not a drop-in class.
June 22nd – June 26th, 4:00 – 5:30 pm via Zoom*

Tutoring available

Would your rising senior benefit from help with their college essays this summer? Jane Hirschhorn and her expert team at JBH Tutoring have more than 50 years of combined experience working with students on college essays, academic and creative writing. JBH Tutoring students have been accepted to a wide range of public and private universities across the United States, Canada and Europe.

In light of the unique circumstances surrounding applicants for the 2020-21 admission cycle, they are offering a discount on their Common Application Essay Package. To learn more, please click here.

Tutoring available

Maria Koutsouris, a Newton Public Schools and NNHS Alumni,is entering her PhD program at Boston University where she’ll be student teaching. COVID-19 has brought a tremendous amount of change and uncertainty to children’s education. Maria is reaching out to offer private online tutoring to students who might need the extra help over the summer and throughout the 2020/21 school year.

Trained as a writing and ELL tutor through the University of Vermont, she’s been tutoring for six years, specializing in English, history, and social studies. She can also help students work on their writing, language, research, and task management skills.

For additional information, you can reach her at mkoutsou@bu.edu.

Creative writing program

Educator and journalist Dale Norman is offering “Journeys in Writing”, a creative writing program which will explore a range of places on our planet using Google Earth as its GPS and the world as its map. Dale privately tutors students and is presently utilizing this method of learning and imaginative writing with them.

Dale, who was born in South Africa and emigrated to the U.S. at the age of 18, is uniquely qualified to develop and teach this program. Her background includes certification as a middle school language arts teacher; she also previously taught in the 5th grade at The Rashi School in the Boston area, where she produced unique and creative writing projects with students and has created newspapers and poetry books with seventh grade students at for more than 15 years. Most recently, Dale was educational director at two afternoon programs in the Greater Boston area.

If you know a student who may be looking for supplemental quality programming this summer,  you should seriously consider this one-off option.

Home location is not a determining factor for “Journeys in Writing”, given its virtual nature and Dale encourages friendship/family groupings to consider joining together. Groups are limited to a maximum of 12 age and grade-appropriate students. Presently, Dale has the schedule set up for 2 different sessions over the course of the summer. If there is enough interest, Dale will open the program for additional groups. Cost is $420, for 14 classes, with a reduction of $30 for a second sibling, or for larger groups (i.e.: 6 + students who sign up together). Should there be a need, scholarships are available.

A wider range of students age-wise than expected has expressed interest in this program. It is possible there will be more groups than anticipated and some of the groups will be smaller than expected. If this is the case, then pricing for 1:1 Journey explorations, or dyads and triads will be fully reviewed with you, with a withdrawal option. Dale is open to discussing options which best fit family need

Some examples of “Journeys” may include:
-Antelope Canyon, Nevada: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOLdOvpx-CU
-Paris, France: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roDY-cVHEAs (younger example)
-Older group of teens: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADrIrx2vFts

Each program will be geared toward the particular students in the group, their age and developmental level. Students will brainstorm, write and submit two written pieces per week to Dale for her review. At the end of the summer a book (at the cost of $50 per student) will be produced, with two submissions per student.

For more information, please email journeysinwriting1@gmail.com or visit www.facebook.com/creativity36.