Category Archives: Events

Indigenous Peoples Day Celebration!

Join fellow Newtonians for the first ever Indigenous Peoples Day Newton Celebration!
We live on the homelands of the Massachusett Tribe. Today, Massachusett people live throughout the state, country and world.

Indigenous Peoples Day is a great chance to learn more about the Massachusett and their history in the place we call Newton! A family-friendly, socially-distant scavenger hunt encourages kids and adults to learn some of the Indigenous place names in Newton and to dig into the history of our region.

The Indigenous Peoples Day Newton celebration was created in collaboration with the Massachusett Tribe at Ponakapog and Historic Newton. Visit the Facebook page Indigenous Peoples Day Newton or click on this Google Doc to learn how to participate!

October 12th

Fundraiser for Horizons for Homeless Children

Please join Horizons for Homeless Children at their annual fall event which will be hosted virtually. Horizons’ mission is to alleviate the stress and trauma of homelessness on children and families by providing access to early education, opportunities for play, and support for parents.

Participants will hear from members of the Horizons family, including a mother who has overcome homelessness with Horizons’ support, and listen to a fabulous keynote speaker.

This year the keynote will be given by Angie Thomas, author of the NYTimes best-seller The Hate You Give; a poignant young adult book (and movie) about racial inequity in America.

To purchase individual tickets of $50.00/person and/or make a donation, please visit the Horizons website where you will also find descriptions of the impact that your gift will have on families experiencing homelessness.

For more information, please contact Zervas Parent, Kate Cox, at katescox@gmail.com.

October 29th,  7:00 pm on-line

Youth Races to Support Newton Athletes Unlimited

The virtual edition of the annual Paddy’s Road Race will take place from October 16th – 18th this year. This great race benefits Newton Athletes Unlimited, a non-profit that provides therapeutic recreation opportunities for children and adults with disabilities.

In addition to the 3 mile race, this year’s virtual event offers a 1K Youth and All Abilities Race, as well as, Youth Field Races. All participants will receive a t-shirt, bib and medal. To learn more and to register please visit www.paddysroadrace.com.

New Kid Author Jerry Craft!

Newbery Award and Coretta Scott King Award-winning author/illustrator Jerry Craft takes us behind the scenes of his bestselling graphic novel New Kid and the upcoming Class Act. Join in on Zoom as Jerry gives tweens and their families a look into his writing and drawing process.

This event will be moderated by Morgan Harper, a Library Teacher at Peirce and Williams Elementary Schools and is intended for 5th to 8th-graders and their families. Please use this google form to register for this event. They will send regsitered participants the Zoom link on the day of the event.

This program is part of Overdue: Confronting Race and Racism in Newton, a city-wide read and series of events and conversations on race and racism.

October 28th at 7:00 pm

Events leading up to award-winning author/illustrator Jerry Craft’s Virtual Visit

Newton Free Library will provide lead-up events to the virtual visit from the Newbery and Coretta Scott King Award-winning author/illustrator Jerry Craft which include book clubs, a comic workshop, and a New Kid Trivia Night for grades 5 to 8.

New Kid Book Clubs
Take part in a lively conversation about Jerry Craft’s Newbery Award-winning New Kid. Participants in this book club will help brainstorm questions to ask Jerry Craft during his visit. Registration required to receive the zoom link. New Kid is available on Hoopla. Grades 5 – 8. October 7th, 8th, and 13th,  7:00 pm

Draw Your Own Comics!
Come have fun while drawing your own comics! In this workshop, students will play drawing games, generate ideas for their own characters, and start to write their own comic book stories. All levels of experience welcome! Workshop is run by Cathy G. Johnson, Providence-based writer and author of the graphic novel The Breakaways! Registration required to receive the zoom link. Grades 5 to 8. October 14th,  7:00 pm

New Kid Trivia Night
Use your New Kid knowledge to challenge your friends and family in a fun evening of trivia. Library staff will challenge players with questions taken from the pages of New Kid on Zoom. No restrictions on team size. One registration per team. The Zoom link will be sent out the day of the event. This event is kids, tweens, and their families. October 21st,  7:00 pm

Newtones (an award-winning a capella group at Newton South) Informational Meetings

Are you interested in singing? Looking for an a cappella group? Seeking new members from all grades to join the Newton South Newtones!

To learn about their social-distanced auditions, make sure you come to an information meeting for audition details and info on all other things Newtones! The meetings are no commitment so no worries if you end up deciding this isn’t the group for you. They’re simply an easy way to get info and to meet/see the group!

You don’t have to come to both meetings; they will have the same info. If you can’t make it to either session, don’t worry because they’ll post the recorded webinar on YouTube and likely IGTV as well following the zoom.

If you know anyone at Newton South who may be interested in auditioning for this award-winning, fun group, please spread the word! Email thenshsnewtones@gmail.com or dm us on Instagram with any questions.

Information meetings:

September 30th,  6:15pm at the Brown/Oak Hill field. If you plan on coming to the in person session please come wearing a mask!

October 1st,  8:00 pm via Zoom. The link for the webinar is http://bit.ly/Newts21

Newton Mustangs Youth Football and Cheer 1st On-line Auction

Mustangs Nation wasn’t able to have their Annual Golf Tournament, but still have some excellent prizes that were donated. They are going to auction them off during the 1st Ever Newton Mustangs On-line Auction.

Log on, take a look and bid on some great items including Southwick Zoo passes, New England Aquarium passes, gift cards and certificates from Fiorella’s in Newton, Boston Crawling Pub Tours, Let’s Roam Scavenger Hunts, Watson Adventures Scavenger Hunts, Roche Brothers, A 90 Minute Birthday Party from Energy Fitness, and even a Weekend Away at the Fabulous Bayside Resort in West Yarmouth, MA.Plus a lot more!!

Bid today, get some awesome stuff and help us keep kids safe!! Auction runs from September 22nd through October 6th at 8:00 pm.

Auction site: https://nmyfc.betterworld.org/auctions/newton-mustangs-online-auction-2

Join Debate Spaces Academy

The 2020-2021 Debate Spaces Academy schedule is now available! Debate Spaces uses debate to foster civic engagement while connecting students and imparting real-world skills. On September 26th they’re bringing students together for a day of debate games, learning from advocates, and a debate focusing on the ever-urgent climate crisis.

No prior debate, public speaking, or social-change experience is necessary. Debate Spaces Academy convenes once a month on Saturday throughout the school year over Zoom. Register for one or multiple sessions at a time. See flyer here: Debate.

Learn more and register at www.debatespaces.org.

Does your child have an IEP or 504 Plan?

Then check out the Newton SEPAC (Special Education Parent Advisory Council) at newtonpac.org.

Newton SEPAC is a volunteer organization of parents of children with special needs from preschool through high school. They run an online Google Group – Newton SEPAC – where parents can ask other parents about special education programs, issues, policies, and resources, sponsor monthly informational meetings and work directly with the school administration regarding our children’s education. The group is in need of a parent representative for the following schools. If you are interested in the position or would like more information about the SEPAC in general, please contact Liaison Coordinator Kim Gallaugher at momofiggy@hotmail.com

Cabot Elementary School
Franklin Elementary School
Mason Rice Elementary School
Memorial Spaulding Elementary School
Zervas Elementary School
Bigelow Middle School
Day Middle School
NECP – Newton Preschool