Category Archives: Events

Newton Community Preservation Cmte. funding deadline

Projects for affordable housing, historic resources, open space, or recreation land that would like to be considered for a grant in the fall of 2015 must contact Newton Community Preservation Committee staff by February 1st, 2015, to request the required in-person orientation meeting.

Funding guidelines are available on the Newton CPC website. Please note that online forms are just samples; we create a customized, fillable form for each proposal. Contact program manager Alice Ingerson at 617.796.1144 or aingerson <at> newtonma <dot>gov.

Just Think: Teens Making Smart Choices

  • Not sure what to say to your teen about dating safety?
  • Want your teen to be a safer pedestrian, biker, and driver?
  • Looking for ways to encourage your teen’s positive self image?
  • Wondering what resources Newton offers for teens and families?

ALL parents/guardians and teens are invited to the Just Think: Teens Making Smart Choices expo. Discover community resources promoting positive decision making for teens. Enjoy refreshments and student performances as you browse the exhibits. The first 50 teens who bring a parent will receive a treat bag.

Raffle grand prize: iPad mini
“American Ninja Warrior” live demo!

January 22nd, 5:00 to 7:30 pm.
Newton North High School
Walnut and Lowell Street lots and Hull Street will be available for parking. Please observe neighborhood signs and restrictions.

Camp Fair

​Join Newton Parks and Recreation and Newton Public Schools for their Camp Fair on January 25th from 12:00 – 4:00 pm in the cafeteria at the Newton North High School. Come see what is being offered in Newton for the summer of 2015!

Newton Parks and Recreation – www.newtonma.gov/gov/parks
Space Camp – www3.newton.k12.ma.us/spacecamp
Community Education – www.newtoncommunityed.org
Garden City Sports – http://www.FamilyID.com

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.

Mayor’s New Years Open House and Food Drive

On December 31st, begin the New Year Celebrations at 10:00 am at Newton City Hall, by helping to sort food donations for Newton’s four food pantries, plus a food donation for our sister City of Lawrence. Children are welcome.

Please bring a non-perishable food item for the Newton Food Pantries, as well as an item to contribute to the Soldier’s Care packages. Please visit www.newtoncommunitypride.org for donation details.

Then come back to Newton City Hall to celebrate the incoming New Year with Mayor Setti Warren from 1:30 – 3:30 with an afternoon of fun and activities that the whole family can enjoy. There are three outstanding family entertainers, and the good news is that you don’t have to pick one, as they repeat their performances three times!

  • Karen K & the Jitterbugs is an national award-winning band known for their upbeat tunes that keep hands clapping and feet jumping at their rockin’, crowd-engaging shows performed across the country.
  • Newton’s favorite Davey the Clown can often be found at rubber chicken farms scouting new talent for his show. Kids and parents alike love his juggling, amazing magic, incredible unicycle tricks, hilarious antics, balloon sculpture and accordion playing.
  • Hailed as “One of the best in the business” by the Boston Globe, Big Joe the Storyteller has been delighting children and families for many years with his exciting storytelling show – with a huge collection of original and classic tales as well as a box filled with puppets, props, and surprises.

Two fabulous face painters will be on hand to decorate little faces for the festivities, and don’t miss the great arts & crafts project offered by our own Time for Partners art teacher, Terry Curtin!

The Mayor’s Open House is free to the public, and sponsored by Newton Community Pride and the Mayor’s Office for Cultural Affairs.

Newton Inspires: An Evening of Ideas & Community, Jan. 21

Newton Schools Foundation kicks off their 50th anniversary year on January 21 with the fourth annual Newton Inspires: An Evening of Ideas and Community. Since 2011, Newton Inspires has been uniting Newton residents for an evening of discussion with some of Newton’s brightest, most accomplished, and most interesting community members.

This year’s program features headliners:

  • Olympic gold medalist and physician Dr. Tenley Albright
  • MIT professor, engineer and inventor Dr. Robert Langer
  • former White House staffer &Huffington Post Chief of Staff Herbie Ziskend, NNHS ’03
  • New York Times bestselling author and journalist Mitchell Zuckoff,
  • along with 16 other inspirational Newtonites.

    Space is limited, so advance registration is highly recommended. Click here to register

Wednesday, January 21st, 7:00 – 9:30 pm
Newton South High School
Cost is $10 for Newton residents, $15 for non-residents

Newton Inspires January 21st

Newton Schools Foundation kicks off their 50th anniversary year on January 21st with the fourth annual Newton Inspires: An Evening of Ideas and Community. Since 2011, Newton Inspires has been uniting Newton residents for an evening of discussion with some of Newton’s brightest, most accomplished and most interesting community members.

This year’s program features headliners Olympic gold medalist and physician Dr. Tenley Albright; MIT professor, engineer and inventor Dr. Robert Langer; former White House staffer and Huffington Post Chief of Staff Herbie Ziskend NNHS ’03; and New York Times bestselling author and journalist Mitchell Zuckoff along with 16 other inspirational Newtonites. Space is limited, so advance registration is highly recommended.

Wednesday, January 21st, 7:00 – 9:30 pm
Cost is $10 for Newton residents, $15 for non-residents
Click here to register

Boston Marathon opportunity

Understanding Our Differences is pleased to announce that they have been awarded an official B.A.A. invitational entry application to the 2015 Boston Marathon on April 20, 2015.

They are looking for runners to apply for this spot in order to run the Marathon and raise money for Understanding Our Differences – applications due December 23, 2014! For more information and to download an application please visit the website at www.understandingourdifferences.org.