The recording for the Grade 9 Family Night on Thursday, February 2 is now available and can be accessed here.

Additionally, Newton South High School cordially invites you to our annual Grade 10 Family Information Night Webinar. This event will be online and held on Thursday, February 9 at 6:30pm. At this event, you will have an opportunity to hear from Guidance Department Chair Dan Rubin, as well as Principal Tamii Stras and Vice Principal Jason Williams. You will additionally get a chance to ask general questions about the transition to grade 11.

This event will be recorded and published to the NSHS YouTube channel after the presentation. We hope to see you there! Here is the join information for this event:

https://newton-k12-ma-us.zoom.us/j/84778538630

Passcode: 2025

On Monday, February 6, will we be administering the Youth Risk Behavior Survey during an extended advisory. This survey is anonymous, and we administer it to help better understand and address the health-related challenges affecting students. The survey is part of a larger effort to help increase the resiliency of young people by reducing high-risk behaviors and promoting healthy behaviors.

For more information, please see the letter that was sent home to families by the district.

See below for the schedule:

Here’s to another week at South! Let us know if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Jason Williams (he/him/his)

Vice Principal

Newton South High School

Dear NPS Families,

I write to invite you to an important forum on the 2023-24 (FY24) school year budget. This budget discussion will include information on the proposed operational override and its impact on the FY24 budget. Details are as follows:

Where: Newton North Auditorium (457 Walnut St.)

When: Wednesday, February 8, 2023

Time: 7:00 p.m.

If you are unable to attend in person, the event will be live-streamed on NewTV.

The evening will include a short presentation and then an opportunity for questions and answers. You may ask your question live during the forum or you can submit a question in advance using this Google Form.

NPS Budget Questions – Google Form

For reference, below is a link to the presentation shared with the School Committee last week that provides a preview of next year’s budget.

FY24 Budget Preview to School Committee – January 23, 2023

I look forward to seeing you next Wednesday night. As always, I welcome your questions and thank you for your feedback.

Sincerely,

Kathleen Smith, J.D.

Interim Superintendent

The Newton South Library is excited to release its Term 2 newsletter! You can access it here: https://www.smore.com/z8ubs

You can access the Newton South Library website here: https://nshslibrary.newton.k12.ma.us/home

Students in grades 9 and 10 have been prescheduled for a WIN block to meet with their dean during a house assembly. These assemblies will take place in the following locations:

WIN 1 on Wednesday 2/8: Cutler Grade 9 to Lecture Hall, Wheeler Grade 9 to Auditorium

WIN 3 on Friday 2/10: Goldrick Grade 10 to Lecture Hall, Goodwin Grade 10 to Auditorium

WIN 1 on Wednesday 2/15: Cutler Grade 10 to Lecture Hall, Wheeler Grade 10 to Auditorium

The 18th annual Teen Summer Expo will be Monday, February 6 at Newton South High School, 5:30-8:00pm in the cafeteria. Meet with directors of a wide variety of top summer enrichment programs, locally and abroad and at all budgets, for kids ages 12-18. FREE and OPEN TO ALL. Pre-Register to by-pass the line at check-in. Please contact Teen Summer Expos with any questions.

Circle Mirror Transformation by Annie Baker

directed by Willa Foster and Audrey Jung

Horse Girls by Jenny Rachel Weiner

directed by Naomi Metcalf

Thursday, Friday, & Saturday, February 9-11, in the Newton South Lab Theater

Tickets at SouthStage.org.

In Circle Mirror Transformation, four lost New Englanders begin a six-week-long community-center drama class with harmless games. Then, hearts are quietly torn apart, and tiny wars of epic proportions are waged and won. In Horse Girls, twelve-year-old Ashleigh rules the Lady Jean Ladies, South Florida’s most exclusive horse club. News that her family’s stables are being sold and their horses killed for meat throws the Ladies into crisis in this dark comedy of middle school deception and lies. NOTE: Contains adult language, violence, and the use of stage blood. PG-13

ELPAC (English Learner Parent Advisory Council) meets in person Thursday, February 9. ELPAC is for ELL and former ELL families districtwide. ELPAC collaborates with schools and the district to improve ELL programming and support bilingualism. You are welcome to join this community meeting!

Date: Thursday, February 9, 2023

Time: 6:30-8:00PM

Location: 100 Walnut Street, Newton (the Education Center for Newton Public Schools) Room 111

• A big parking lot is behind the building on Crafts Street
• Use the green door, at the top of the steps, near the right side of the parking lot

ELPAC Meeting Agenda will include:

• Presentations:
  • College Application Process, presenter: Jennifer Geraghty from Newton North High School
  • Parks and Rec Opportunities and Summer Camps
  • ELPAC Elections–Three candidates will be on the ballot: Li Yin (Current At-Large member who is nominated for chairperson), Wendy Wang (At-Large Member), and Zoe Shih (At-Large Member). ELPAC welcomes more nominations. ELPAC needs a treasurer and a secretary.

RSVP: Interpretation and snacks will be provided with RSVP. Please note: no childcare will be provided for this meeting. However, children ages 5+ are welcome to join. ELPAC will include a children’s table of activities.

https://forms.gle/23tyb8qFuHzt53gPA

Newton South High School is seeking proctors for the 2023 AP Exams. Exams will be administered in person at Newton South High School May 1-5 and May 8-12. Morning exam sessions begin at 8AM; Afternoon exam sessions begin at 12PM. Exam sessions are generally between 3-4 hours, with the exception of students testing with accommodations. Exam sessions will be assigned based on the proctor’s availability. Payment rates are below:

• Standard Time: $125
• Extended Time (+50%): $185
• Extended Time (+100%): $250

AP Proctors must be responsible adults who can guard against attempts at cheating. Responsibilities include:

• Reading the exam administration script
• Distributing and collecting exams materials
• Familiarizing themselves ahead of time with the administration and exam security procedures
• Reading all of the general and appropriate subject-specific exam administration instructions to understand the flow of the administration
• Supervising the testing room at all times

Please note, an individual may not proctor an AP Exam in the year in which an immediate family or household member may be taking that exam. Proctors may not be employed at a test preparation company.

Interested candidates should contact the Newton South AP Coordinator Paige Perkinson at perkinsonv@newton.k12.ma.us

Think Globally, Act Locally

Are you passionate about international travel and global understanding? Do you believe in making a difference right here in your hometown? Help open international doors for our students by getting involved with the Global Education Leadership Fund (GELF). GELF will have a dinner fundraiser on Saturday, April 29 at 7 PM. Formal invitation to follow. Reach out to Star Lew (lewy@newton.k12.ma.us) if you would like to help plan, organize and get to know more families who share the same passion!