Category Archives: Other

South Stage Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough fundraiser

South Stage Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough fundraiser is running now through December 6th! Order a delicious holiday gift for yourself or someone else!

South Stage is selling refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough (yields 20-22 cookies) by the quart for $15.00. Dough is made fresh by fabulous local caterer/restaurant VineRipe Grill.

Place your online order at southstage.org by December 6th, and choose your pickup time of either December 12th (2:00 – 3:00 pm) or December 16th (10:00 – 11:00 am). Pickup will be at the Newton South High School front entrance or just inside in the auditorium foyer.

Other pickup arrangements can be made if needed — email LaurenLookner@gmail.com. All orders must be made in advance, thank you!

For other South Stage holiday gift ideas, please visit https://www.southstage.org/merch.html

Gap Program Information Session

COVID-19 has turned our lives upside down. In response, many students are asking if this pandemic presents the opportunity to pursue a different avenue instead of the direct transition into higher learning. A gap year – a break from traditional academics – is a chance to explore, pause, and reflect before entering the next step of academia. Students use this time to gain a better understanding of themselves and the type of impact they want to have on the world.

TeenLife’s Virtual Gap Program Information Session will allow parents, students, and educators to learn about a variety of gap programs in a short amount of time. There will be three sessions each with six different organizations presenting. You can sign up for one or all sessions!

The event is free, but registration is required. Hosted by TeenLife and The Gap Year Association. Register here: Gap Year Program. Please email margaret@teenlife.com if you have any questions.

December 10th, 5 – 8 pm

Visual Scavenger Hunt

A group of eight Newton South 9th graders – Zoe Hong, Ellie Gish, Naomi Weitzman, Elliot Heywood, Edward Macklin, Sylvia Jacobs, Seth Korn, Josh Wolf just put together this great outdoor activity in Cold Spring Park. It’s a purely visual scavenger hunt that works as well for a 4 year old as an adult.

Bring up this document on your cell phone and follow the photos – they will lead you in a (roughly) hour long trip around Cold Spring Park with various surprise along the way.

Pie in the Sky time!

Newton Rotary is again partnering with The Presti Group to support Community Servings!

Order pies for yourself, your friends, and your colleagues…AND/OR make a donation to help Community Servings deliver medically tailored, nutritious, scratch-made meals to chronically and critically ill individuals and their families.

It’s easy to do:
Click HERE to order (or donate).
Choose which pies you’d like to order or to donate
Select ‘Presti Marie’ as your seller in the drop-down list
Select your pick-up location by entering your zip code to see the options. Pick up is Tuesday, November 24th.
Make an additional donation, if you wish
Enter your payment info
Order soon as only a limited number of pies will be available at most locations.

Presto! On November 24th you’ll get to pick up some delicious, handmade pies AND get some delicious food to struggling families.

Conversations About Transition: A Webinar Series to Prepare LD Students for College, Career and More

Schools for Children is presenting a free three-part webinar series on the transition to college, career and more for high school students with learning differences and other social-emotional challenges.

Session 1: Who Will I Become?
November 17th, 7:00 – 8:00 pm
Register: bit.ly/SFCTransitionSeries

Session 2: College Bound with Challenges
December 3rd,  7:00 – 8:00 pm
Register: bit.ly/SFCTransitionSeriesCollege

Session Three: Learning & Doing: When College Isn’t Your First Next Step
January 12th, 7:00 – 8:00 pm
Register: bit.ly/SFCTransitionSeriesCareer

Learn more at bit.ly/HSTransitionSeries

Holiday Gift Drive Kicks Off!

The Rotary Club of Newton is so happy to be partnering this year with The Village Bank to help ensure that every kiddo in Newton has a special winter holiday this year!

Can you help with a donation of a new, unwrapped toy (for a child age newborn to 10 years), a cash donation, or a gift card so that our Rotary elves can gather up some goodies?

Click HERE for details on how to:
Drop off a new, unwrapped toy or gift card at any Village Bank branch
Choose a toy to donate using this Amazon Wish List
Make a cash donation through the Newton Rotary Foundation

Click here for flyer: Gift Drive

What’s Happening at the West Suburban YMCA

Virtual Ugly Sweater 5K
Wear an ugly sweater and run or walk a 5k between November 29th and December 6th. Participants can do the race on their own time and on a route of their choosing. All proceeds go to the Annual Fund, which supports the Y’s commitment to keep the facility open to all, regardless of ability to pay. This event is an opportunity to support the Y in a social distant way, exercise, and receive prizes. Registration fees are $10 for youth, $15 for adults, or $40 for a family. Register online: https://donate.wsymca.org/UglySweater5k

Fall Program Mini Sessions
Late Fall Program Session Starts November 16th
The Y is helping families have an active, engaging, and safe fall! The Y’s Late Fall Session runs from November 16th to December 19th (no classes the week of Thanksgiving). Register now for swimming, sports, music, and fitness programs!

Create A Class
The Y is also offering the opportunity to “create a class,” by putting together a custom group such as a school cohort, a family bubble, or any group of your choosing. Most Y programs – such as basketball classes, swim lessons, fitness training groups, and more – can be created for your specific group. Staff will work with you to set up a day and time for your participant group and the program of your choosing.

Out of School Time Community Connections
Remote Learning Support and Enrichment for Grades K-8. This fall the Y’s Out of School Time (OST) program is offering a full day program from 7:45 am – 5:00 pm to support distance learning and complement the Newton Public Schools schedule. Families have the option to enroll their child for 5 days, 3 days, or 2 days per week. The EEC-certified Out of School Time program provides academic support, structured routine, and opportunities for physical activities and enrichment activities. Learn more at www.wsymca.org/OST.

YBA Returns to the Y
YMCA’s YBA league is returning this November. The youth basketball league will run from November 14th to February 7th. YBA offers children a safe and positive environment, an opportunity to work as a team, and enjoy physical activity. YBA programming will follow all youth sports health and safety guidelines as determined by the state of Massachusetts. For more information contact Chris Ellison at chrise@wsymca.org or 617-244-6050 ext. 3806.

Personal Training – Outdoors, Indoors, or Virtual Training
Personal training is available for members either outside, in a private studio, or virtually. For more information or to set up a training session, please email Jenni at jennip@wsymca.org or call 617-244-6050 ext. 3034. Continue reading →

Newton City Seal

Mayor Fuller has convened an ad hoc Working Group to consider the design of the Newton City Seal. As they embark on their journey, they are looking for feedback from the community. Click here to read Historic Newton’s brief history of the seal.

There are three ways to provide input to the Working Group.

Want to learn more about the seal’s history? Historic Newton will present a program entitled “A Closer Look at Newton’s City Seal” on Thursday, Nov. 12 at 5:00 p.m. Why did city leaders in 1865 choose an image of Christian missionary John Eliot proselytizing to Waban and other native people in the 1640s? What does the image convey? Register here.

Family advocate available

Looking for help advocating for your children’s special needs during this unprecedented time? Or maybe you need help navigating state and local systems of care for your child with complex needs? Lani, a 20 year veteran educator as well as a Newton-based special needs single mom of 2 exceptional teens, can help.

Contact her for a free consultation at FamilyvoiceAdvocates@gmail.com or visit www.familyvoiceadvocates.com. Sliding scale fee structure based on household income.

Special Educational Advocate Available

COVID-19 has caused changes throughout public education and will continue to for some time. You may be noticing that your child is experiencing new or different social, emotional, and learning challenges. Your child may already be on an IEP or 504 plan and you are concerned about the services they are receiving.  Sumner Saitz, an experienced education advocate, works with parents, children and school officials to ensure that their child receives the education that will meet their unique learning needs and that they are entitled to under the law. Please visit the website to learn more www.sumnersaitz.com or email smsaitz@gmail.com.