Category Archives: Community Notes

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.

2020 Newton SEPAC Special Educator awards

Nominations are now open for the 2020 Newton SEPAC Special Educator Awards. Although the ceremony will be held virtually this year, it is still a great opportunity to thank all the special educators in your student’s life!

The SEPAC Special Educator Awards are presented to Newton faculty and staff members who have done exceptional work with students receiving special education services. Parents, guardians, and students may nominate any NPS staff member who they believe has gone above and beyond in their work with special education students (i.e.: special ed staff, general ed staff, principals, aides, BT’s, administrative staff, custodians, crossing guards, etc).

All nominations must be received by June 17, 2020. Click HERE  to submit your nomination.

2020 Newton Schools Foundation Honor Thy Teacher

If you are looking for a way to say “Thank You!” to your child’s teacher or other school support person as this extremely unusual school year comes to a close, please consider Newton Schools Foundations’ Honor Thy Teacher campaign. This program provides an opportunity for families to thank school personnel by giving a gift to the Newton Schools Foundation in their honor, while also complying with the Newton Public Schools’ teacher gift policy.

Newton Schools Foundation (NSF) is a non-profit organization that raises funds to enhance educational excellence throughout Newton’s public schools. Your gift will support NSF grants that go towards promising educational initiatives, professional development, and programs that close gaps in opportunity and achievement.

After receiving each donation, NSF will notify the honored teachers and staff of your gift, share the honoree names with the Superintendent and Principals, and list each of those honored on the NSF website and in the Newton TAB.

If you have an elementary school child, look for a postcard arriving in your mail for NSF donation information. You can also always make your tax-deductible donation on-line at www.newtonschoolsfoundation.org, or mail it to Newton Schools Foundation, P.O. Box 590020, Newton Centre, MA 02459. Please be sure to include the names of the teachers and/or staff that you are honoring.

Launch of Library To-Go!

Do you miss borrowing physical books, movies, music and more from Newton’s library? The wait is nearly over. The Newton Free Library is launching “Library To-Go,” a new contactless hold and pickup service this week. This service will be available on an appointment only basis.

Now is a great time to place holds on library items through the online catalog so you are ready to take advantage of this new service.  Library staff will soon be contacting residents who already have items ready for pickup and sharing instructions on how to schedule a pickup reservation.

Have a book or movie to return? The Library is accepting returns via the book drop near the Library’s Homer Street entrance. (Returned materials will be held for a few days before they are checked in and readied for the next borrower, out of an abundance of caution.)

Virtual Library programming will continue for some time, and their talented team has prepared a dynamic week of programmings to keep you engaged and connected. Registration is required for all virtual events, please visit the Library website for a full listing of options and click the title to view full program descriptions and registration informations.

S.P.A.C.E. Camp 2020 Summer Program for Academic & Creative Endeavors

Virtual SPACE is a four week enrichment program specifically designed to enable campers to explore, learn, and connect with their peers under the guidance of highly qualified educators. The staff is excited and motivated to be working with small groups of campers and provide them with engaging and enriching activities.

SPACE has a long history of providing creative, fun, and engaging experiences for campers in Newton.  Virtual SPACE will continue to provide excellent and engaging programming for their campers and also hopes that Virtual SPACE can provide families with structure and stability for the month of July.

Lower Camp Programming 
Lower campers (campers entering kindergarten to 3rd grade) will explore and thrive in a small group setting. Lower camp will offer small group breakout rooms to facilitate authentic connections with staff and other campers. Campers will also engage in daily activities such as read aloud, arts and crafts, yoga and meditation, and Boxygen. Supply kits will be included for arts and crafts.

Upper Camp Programming
Upper Campers (campers entering 4th to 9th grades) will choose from a selection of electives to design their own schedule. These virtual electives will run for the entire four week program enabling in-depth study, project-based learning, and skill development. All electives were specifically chosen based on their capacity to continue to be engaging for campers in a virtual setting. The daily schedule will consist of three 45 minute electives (chosen by the camper) with two 15 minute independent breaks. Campers will have the opportunity to change their schedule during the first week of SPACE if they want, but their day to day routine will remain the same after that. Campers will be in small groups to enable connection with staff and campers, in addition to support and instruction from the highly qualified staff.

Early Registration for Virtual SPACE is $500.00 for the month. Families sending multiple campers will receive a $50.00 discount per camper. Registration will increase $50.00 per camper after June 12th.

Checks can be mailed to SPACE Camp:
100 Walnut St, Room 218, Newtonville, MA 02460

Session runs Monday July 6th- Thursday, July 30th
9:00 – 11:45 am

Learn more on the website https://sites.google.com/abschools.org/space-camp/home and register electronically here.

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