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Update from the School Committee

 

Dear Friends,

By now you’ve received loads of information from Superintendent David Fleishman, from the principals and the teachers regarding the NPS Distance Learning Plan. It’s a lot of information to process and we’ve heard from numerous parents and guardians who have shared feedback. During the Monday April 6th meeting, David Fleishman and the NPS administrative team offered us a “window into their thinking” for creating this plan and why the team believes it is the best solution for shifting instruction to an online model. We strongly encourage you to watch the recorded broadcast to hear directly from the team. Alternatively, you may review the Distance Learning Report to the School Committee.

The School Committee would like to provide you a window into our support for the district’s plan and will share some answers to commonly asked questions before we conclude the update with Monday’s Consent Agenda.

  • Why did NPS wait until April 6th to start distance learning? The district took a careful and thoughtful approach to readying our families for distance learning and supporting teachers and other learning specialists with the necessary planning time to create materials, curriculum, and weekly schedules. It was also important for Newton to obtain state guidance. On March 26th the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) established a number of guiding principles for distance learning and set equity as a top priority. To enable access and support equity, the district swiftly coordinated the distribution of over 900 Chromebooks to families and provided Grab N’ Go meals for all students.
  • Did the School Committee negotiate a Distance Learning Plan with the Newton Teachers Association? Yes, because distance learning is a significant change in working conditions, we had to discuss the terms of our new reality.  We were able to reach a mutually agreeable arrangement once our learning plans were created. On March 29th, the School Committee executed a Memorandum of Understanding with the NTA.
  • Why cancel April vacation? Simply put, now that the distance learning plan is in effect, cancelling vacation allows students to continue their learning without further interruption.
  • Will this school year be extended? That’s a great question and at this time one that is still being evaluated. We can share that the SC will meet in Executive Session on April 13th to discuss the last day of school.
  • Is summer school on the table to catch students up? We’ll follow guidance from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The NPS administrative team will conduct a thorough analysis of this option.
  • Why did other districts start distance learning earlier? It’s true that some area schools made early shifts to remote services, but these efforts largely suffered from a lack of coordination or didn’t provide technology assistance to families. Some districts were much smaller than Newton with fewer stakeholders to negotiate. Many districts have since revised and modified their plans in order to implement greater coordination. Newton has taken the time to benefit from state guidance, minimize student disruption and maximize our ability to provide a coordinated effort. Newton also prioritized providing basic services to students, such as meals and technology.
  • Why did we have to wait for students to get technology access? Newton’s values of equity and excellence demand that our district leave no student behind in our shift to remote learning. We are grateful to the Newton Schools Foundation for their generous grant to purchase an additional 300 Chromebooks.
  • How are we providing service to students with special needs? Supporting the needs of all learners required the district to craft a plan respecting students’ IEPs and 504 plans. NPS took the time to carefully plan our distance learning model so that students of all abilities feel connected to their teachers and can access materials.
  • Why are we only having 3 – 3.5 hours of learning a day? This was the guidance the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education provided to each school district in the state. It rests in the premise that remote learning is not synonymous with online learning. Remote learning promotes “balance between learning through technology and remote learning that happens offline to support students’ curiosity and understanding.”
  • Will there be opportunity for parent and student feedback?  The short answer is ABSOLUTELY!  Principals and senior administration will be working on a survey to go out to all parents (likely by level – elementary, middle, high) in the next week or two.  Additionally, teachers and principals will survey older students as well.  Parents are also encouraged to let their classroom teachers know how activities are working for their child/family – both what works well and what is missing the mark.
  • Why is the School Committee voting on the FY21 Budget before knowing the full financial impact of the school closure for next year?  The School Committee completed the budget cycle as set out because it is an important marker in planning for next year and while we suspect there will be new information in the coming months, we did not have that new information in hand.  Budgets often shift during the year in a “typical” situation.  However, we recognize that assumptions in the current FY21 budget have a great likelihood of changing and we have scheduled an updated review for the April 27th School Committee meeting and added an additional meeting on Thursday April 30th.

Last, we understand your anxiety and concern. We share your fears, your frustrations, and that sense of loss for our normal routines and traditional activities. We need your help to make this work because what the students need now, more than anything, is to maintain connection with each other and their teachers. We appreciate your help making this distance learning plan work for our children in a way that faithfully upholds our values of excellence and equity.

Consent Agenda

  1. Unanimously approved 3/16/20 Draft Minutes.
  2. Approved FY21 Proposed Annual Budget pending an updated financial forecast on April 29th to consider the impact of our current school closure on the budget.

We hope you found this guide useful. You can access all SC meeting documents via the NPS website (www.newton.k12.ma.us/schoolcommittee). As always, we are very happy to answer any questions and listen to your feedback. Please feel free to contact us via the email address below.

Sincerely,
The Newton School Committee

#NewtonTogether has launched!

Let’s stay connected as a community in the face of COVID-19! On April 20th, Patriots’ Day/Marathon Monday, we invite all Newtonians to make handmade #NewtonTogether signs and display them in your windows. Get creative–make paper signs, use sidewalk chalk, whatever inspires you–and share the incredible joy, strength, and resiliency of Newton. Just because we can’t gather for the Marathon this year, doesn’t mean we can’t connect! Tag your creations in the Facebook event or on social media with #NewtonTogether. For more information, click HERE.

Some Newton villages are also choosing to stand outside at noon on April 20th to clap/bang pots in recognition and gratitude for all the hometown heroes (medical personnel, pharmacists, grocery workers, teachers, etc.) who are working the front lines to keep us all safe. Feel free to recognize your favorite hometown hero in your #NewtonTogether social media posts.

The idea came to the Mayor’s Office from Newton resident Rakashi Chand:

Let us bring our community together in a shared message of perseverance and pride. Let us inspire one another as we are and always have been an unwavering city, that has stood tall and united in the face of adversity and overcome again and again, every challenge, hardship, tragedy and crisis. We will persevere, we will fight in every way we can, we will unite and we will see the dawning of a brave new day. This epidemic will make each day harder than the last, but we will persevere, we will face the challenges that present themselves, because we are strong.

Let’s find a way to inspire our citizens, and remind them that we, like our forefathers and foremothers, will overcome this, and find ways to raise each other up with hope.

In addition, for those of you who are big fans of the Boston Marathon, the Newton, Wellesley and Natick Historical Societies will be showing vintage photos of the Boston Marathon on their websites on April 20th. You are welcome to share your marathon thoughts, memories, and photos of your favorite site on the route using #VirtualMarathon.

Thanks so much for being a part of #NewtonTogether on April 20th! Click here for the flyer with information.

Newton Community Ed offers enrichment online

 

Here at NCE Kids, we’re working to bring you enrichment classes online. We’ve converted most of our ongoing winter Kids classes to Zoom, and will be offering new classes throughout this spring. See below for our current online offerings and check here regularly for updates. If you have questions, contact us at staff@newtoncommunityed.org.
Grades 4-5: 7 Tuesdays, April 21 – June 2, 3-4pm
Grades 6-8: 7 Thursdays, April 23-June 4, 3-4pm
Make big money fast (virtually, that is). Play The Stock Market GameTM and you’ll learn about the real world of investing, which incorporates academic concepts that relate to what you learn at school. In this fun and high-spirited setting, you’ll try to grow a virtual $100,000 cash account into a top-performing portfolio, and learn how daily events that shape our world affect our finances. Working individually and in teams, you’ll compete against your classmates and other schools across the state, applying your leadership, negotiation, and cooperation skills.

 
Grades 3-5
Thursday, May 7, 3:15-4:30pm
Take the first steps towards independence. Learn about Internet safety, phone and door-answering techniques, accident and fire protection, and first aid. We’ll watch an instructional video, discuss how to manage your time when you’re home alone for short periods, and explore scenarios through role-playing.
Grades 3-5
8 classes, Mondays & Thursdays,
April 27-May 21, 2:45-3:30 pm
Flex your math muscles and have some fun while you’re at it. Join us to explore a variety of different games, puzzles, and creative problem-solving activities. We’ll investigate the world of numbers in new and exciting ways that will make math feel cooler than you ever thought it could be. Learn to break big problems into small ones, find patterns, create step-by-step plans, and think outside the box. Complete this class and you’ll be well prepared to apply your new math skills to the ever-changing world around you.
Grades 2-5: 6 Wednesdays, April 22 – May 27, 2:30-4pm
Grades 2-5: 6 Thursdays, April 23 – May 28, 2:30-4pm
Create a city within a virtual Minecraft world. Learn all about what it takes to make a great city and answer important questions such as: What will you name your city? How many structures can you afford to build? Will you allow gas-powered cars, electric cars—no cars? Use Minecraft to design and build your buildings, use Powerpoint to create a compelling presentation to sell your city, and apply your math skills to make sure you come in on budget! Join us to test the limits of your Minecraft skills.

Safe Routes to School yard sign contest – deadline extended!

Massachusetts Safe Routes to School has extended their deadline to May 1st for their annual yard sign design contest. This year’s theme is eliminating distracted driving, especially in and around school zones. The contest is a way for students to use their creativity to help promote safe routes for cyclists and pedestrians in their communities. Winning entries will be made into yard signs – signs from prior years are on display around Newton.

Signs may be hand drawn or created digitally. Either way, please submit them digitally; also, a school signature is no longer needed unless your student’s design is selected as a winner.

The contest is open to students in grades 2-8. Guidelines and more details here: https://www.mass.gov/doc/yard-sign-design-contest-signups-and-guidelines-2020/download. Direct questions to NewtonSafeRoutes@gmail.com.

Newton Schools Foundation grants $85,500 to NPS for student access to online learning

Newton Schools Foundation this week approved a grant of up to $85,500 for the Newton Public Schools to purchase 300 Chromebooks for students who need access to online learning during school closures. NSF is committed to closing gaps in achievement and opportunity as part of its mission to advance educational excellence and equity in the Newton Public Schools. When the schools closed unexpectedly, NSF committed to working with school administrators to make available the balance of unrestricted NSF grant funds for this year for emerging system needs due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The district has already distributed more than 400 Chromebooks to families. As additional requests for Chromebooks continue to come in, this NSF grant will help the Newton Public Schools fulfill the need to support remote learning for students who otherwise wouldn’t have access to educational opportunities online. For more information or to donate click www.newtonschoolsfoundation.org.

Student Volunteer Group for COVID-19

Learn about the Greater Boston hub of Students Against Corona, a worldwide student volunteer organization. This organization works to connect low-risk volunteers to at-risk people to help them with everyday tasks such as grocery shopping, walking the dog, etc.

Recently, the worldwide organization has been getting media attention such as the Oxford branch appearing on a BBC News article. Let’s help to spread awareness to better help our community during this crisis. Please click here to see the flyer with additional information.

Feedthefight

In partnership with the Rotary Club of Newton, FeedthefightBoston was founded to support local restaurants by feeding healthcare workers on the frontlines of COVID-19. Within the first week of operation, FeedthefightBoston raised enough to feed more than 1,000 healthcare workers in 4 major hospitals with healthy meals purchased from local Newton restaurants.

Donations of $500.00 or greater allow donors to select a favorite restaurant for a meal delivery donation.

Please visit www.feedthefightbos.com  or Facebook at FeedthefightBoston or Instagram at FeedthefightBoston

Virtual Guitar Teacher for Beginners

Check out a great opportunity for kids/parents sheltering at home. You just need a guitar and desire to have fun and learn some chords and songs. Half hour lessons. Max Greenberg can get you started and advance your level.

It’s lots of fun. Mandolin beginners too. Please contact him at Max_Greenberg@yahoo.com for more information.

Bidding for the NECP Online Auction is ALMOST OVER!

First off, THANK YOU for everyone who has supported the auction so far! The NECP is thankful to our Newton community and the support it has shown for our city’s youngest learners.

TIME IS RUNNING OUT! The auction ends this coming weekend – April 4th at 9:00 pm. So don’t wait until the last minute (unless that’s part of your strategy)!

Visit https://32auctions.com/necp

Don’t miss out on the hundreds of prizes still available, including spas, gyms, summer camps, restaurants, and so much more. Thank you again for your strong showing of support, and good luck!