Category Archives: Events

Newton Highlands Neighborhood Area Council Declares a Pumpkin War Contest!

The Newton Highlands Neighborhood Area Council is hosting a virtual pumpkin carving/decorating contest as a replacement for their usual “Halloween at the Hyde” Haunted House event. Gift cards to local sweet shop, Indulge!, will be awarded to top entries in each of three categories: Scariest – Funniest – Most Original.

Who’s got the scariest/funniest/most original pumpkin on the block? If you think your family does, prove it! Enter the Newton Highlands Area Council’s Pumpkin War Contest.

All photos will be shared on Instagram at @NewtonHighlandsAreaCouncil. Winners will be announced at the Newton Highlands Neighborhood Area Council’s November 5th meeting.

Entering is easy as pumpkin pie! Once you’ve created your pumpkin masterpiece, take a picture and email it, along with your name and address (names and addresses will not be shared on Instagram) to HighlandsPumpkinWar@gmail.com

Pumpkin photos only! No human, zombie, or ghost photos permitted. Entries must be received by November 2nd and limited to one per family. Participants must be Newton residents or own/work at a business in Newton. Contest details and rules are posted online at http://www.newtonma.gov/gov/neighborhood/highlands/default.asp.

Diversity in STEM series

The MetroWest STEM Education Network (MSEN) is introducing a new speaker series focused on diversity in STEM. The series aims to highlight the need for diversity of identities and expertise in all STEM fields and to showcase the diversity and breadth of the sectors and occupations that require STEM skills. The series opens during Mass STEM Week 2020 (October 19th – 23rd) and will continue for the rest of the school year.

All of these talks are geared toward high school and college students, but educators and other adults are welcome. Please contact Suzanne Wright with any questions at swright4@framingham.edu. For more information about the Speaker Series https://www.metroweststem.com/2020-metrowest-events.

October 21st, 4:30 pm
Technology, Seems Neutral, But Is It? – Assimilationism vs. Intersectional Antiracism in Technology Design
Speaker: Dr. Katlyn Turner, Research Scientist at Space Enabled, MIT Media Lab
Registration Link https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_su1M0COuSriMHrWl3RqfYA

Human biases about things like race, gender, class, or sexuality are easily encoded into technology design. Technology isn’t quite neutral: it takes our biased inputs and produces biased outputs. This has real consequences for real people. In order to design better technologies that are helpful and beneficial for all, Continue reading →

NPS Student Services Team will host a family Q&A

Questions have been submitted in advance to help the Student Services Team to adequately prepare for good answers and make the session is as informative as possible. Having deep respect for privacy, student-specific questions will not be answered during this session. Before October 14th, NPS will send zoom access information via email, and publish on NPS webpage.

Student Service Leadership Team is:

Elizabeth Fitzmaurice, Assistant Superintendent of Student Services
Paula Black, Assistant Director of Student Services
Maura Tynes, Director of Elementary Special Education (PK-5)
Lisa Langone, Director of Secondary Special Education (6-12)

The goal is for this Q&A is to provide clarity on current SPED issues and common questions.

October 14th,  6:00 – 7:30 pm via zoom

Dine Local: Keep Making Memories Contest

The Newton-Needham Dining Collaborative has devised a fun and tasty way for you to support local restaurants.

Whether it’s take out, delivery, outdoor dining , socially distanced inside seating, or a gift card for a friend, the Dine Local: Keep Making Memories Contest encourages you to find more time in your week to support our local restaurants.

Each week from October 15th to November 15th they’ll be awarding restaurant gift cards or restaurant themed prizes to entrants who dine inside, outside, enjoy take out or delivery, or even just visit any participating restaurant in Newton and Needham. There will be a random drawing from all entries each week, as well as special prize drawings for those who submit 7 entries in 7 consecutive days (or 30 entries in all 30 days).

Help us support our restaurants by dining locally. Learn more at Keep Making Memories Contest. 

West Suburban YMCA reimagines annual fundraiser event

A Fall season without the YMCA Fundraiser would be  ‘Inconceivable’ so the West Suburban YMCA will host a reimagined version of their signature fall fundraiser event, inviting the community to enjoy a drive-in movie in the Y’s parking lot and field.

Traditionally, the Y hosts over 200 guests at their November gala, raising money for the Y’s Annual Fund which allows hundreds of families, individuals, and children to access programs and membership at the Y regardless of financial circumstances. With restrictions on gatherings in place due to COVID-19, the West Suburban YMCA is offering a whole new event this fall – Double Feature: A Mission & A Movie – highlighted by a drive-in showing of The Princess Bride.

The October 17th event will take place outdoors in the Y parking lot and field and will feature a brief presentation from Y President & CEO Jack Fucci and a few laughs from comedian Nick “Fitzy” Stevens. The short program will summarize the past seven months at the Y, celebrating the Y’s resilience and looking forward to the future. Following the presentation, attendees will be treated to popcorn from West Newton Cinema and a viewing of the 1987 family favorite, The Princess Bride.

Families can purchase a ticket for an outdoor seating area for up to 4 people or a drive-in parking spot. Admission price for both ticket types is $100.00, and all proceeds support Y programming that addresses the community’s most pressing needs.

This summer, the Y invested over $100,000 to modify their facilities, hire additional staff, and increase supplies, equipment, and PPE, all to ensure families could safely send their kids to camp. These investments proved meaningful, as the Y had up to 300 children per day attending their two summer day camps – Camp Pikati in Newton and Camp Chickami in Wayland – and completed the season with zero COVID-19 outbreaks.

Now, the West Suburban YMCA is helping families navigate a new and challenging school year by offering a full day Out of School Time program to support remote learning for K-8 students.

These programs, and the financial assistance provided to many families in need of these programs, do not come without a cost. The West Suburban YMCA hopes their new fall fundraiser will help raise the critical funds necessary to sustain their programming and ensure continued access and support for the community’s children and families.

Support the Y: Purchase Tickets to ‘A Mission & A Movie’

Attend the Presentation Virtually: Register for Free to Access the Livestream

For more information or to inquire about sponsoring the event, please contact Andrea Newman at andrean@wsymca.org.

October 17th, 6:00 – 9:00 pm

About the West Suburban YMCA
The West Suburban YMCA is a charitable non-profit organization that has been a fixture in the Newton community for over 140 years. The Y is committed to strengthening the foundations of the community by supporting youth development, healthy living and social responsibility for all.

Halloween Window Decorating Event

The 2020 Newton Halloween Window Decorating Event, now in its 21st year, will look a little different this fall but still remains a wonderful tradition in Newton, providing a safe and fun opportunity for Newton area students, as well as their friends and family, to celebrate Halloween and express their artistic side.

The event is open to Newton kids in Grades 3-8 and registration is only $10.00. This year in order to follow Covid-19 guidelines, students will make their artwork at home
and deliver on October 23rd and 24th to a participating merchant. Each artist will be assigned a merchants’ window in Newton’s participating villages on which to put up their masterpiece.

The subject matter ranges from jack o’ lanterns, ghosts, goblins, witches, owls, to black cats and more, and each artist has their own particular take on the haunted holiday.

Registrations must be submitted by October 10th. You will be notified of your window location by October 21st.

Thanks to Learning Express for offering a 20% discount on supplies and to John T. Burns Insurance, McGovern Automotive Group, Greentail Table and Angelo’s Barbershop for their donations.

Newton SEPAC Open Board Meetings

Please note below the dates for Newton SEPAC Open Board Meetings for the 2020/21 school year. Meetings will be held via zoom, at 7:00pm on the following dates.
Meeting reminders, including zoom info and agenda will be announced and posted prior to each meeting. Please visit newtonpac.org for more information about Newton SEPAC.

October 6th
November 17th
December 15th
January 12th
February 23rd
March 16th
April 13th
May 18th
June 15th

7th annual Newton Turkey Trot 5K Virtual Edition

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s race will support the Newton Turkey Trot mission while at the same time adhering to local and federal guidelines around social distancing. There will not be a traditional race day, runners will run their own virtual race in their own time the week of November 21st – 29th. Run this race when you want, where you want! All of the race proceeds will go to the Newton Food Pantry and the Travis Roy Foundation’s Ethan Wang Fund. Both of these amazing organizations need our support more than ever.

The Newton Food Pantry is seeing an unprecedented increase in new clients during the current health crisis. We are standing by our commitment to raise $10,000 to support these families over the Thanksgiving holiday.

The Travis Roy Foundation’s Ethan Wang Fund provides funding for spinal cord research, medical and rehabilitative therapies and adaptive equipment. This special fund reflects the mission of the Travis Roy Foundation to help victims of spinal cord injuries achieve independence and to enjoy lives as full and complete as possible.

Get your turkeys in a row and trot on! Register or donate at www.newtonturkeytrot.org.
Newton Turkey Trot 5K November 2020 Virtual Edition – We Will Trot On Together, Apart!

Historic Newton’s Homestead Hayfest Goes Online!

The annual Homestead Hayfest, a FREE family-friendly day of 19th century activities and crafts will go online this year! Visit Homestead Hayfest anytime during the week of October 7th – 14th for online exhibits about what life was like in Newton in the 1800s with activities you can try at home. Topics will include butter churning, a special Hayfest Storytime, weaving with Beth Guertin of A Place to Weave, Native American baskets, 19th century fun and games, and much more.