Message from Newton South Director of Guidance, Dan Rubin.

If you register at the College Guidance Network site, you will receive notices for events and programs.  Click to view programs in September 2020.

August 31, 2020

Dear seniors and families of the Class of 2021 –

We welcome you back to what is undoubtedly the least-traditional senior year in generations. You have already faced disruptions to your expected routines, and now, you enter into the culminating year of your school experience with a blank canvas rather than a detailed road map. We imagine and expect that you are experiencing a wide range of feelings about this. None of you asked for this to be your experience. It’s likely not a stretch to say that few, if any, of you welcome it. Yet this is where we find ourselves, and as your counselors, we are committed to working with you to adapt to the circumstances and support you to have the best year possible. While we recognize that you are all unique individuals with unique plans and needs, the purpose of this communication is to share information about a few topics central to your post-secondary planning that affect the majority of members of the Class of 2021.

• The Massachusetts School Counselors Association (MASCA) has partnered with a newly formed organization called the College Guidance Network to provide free virtual expert post-secondary counseling advice through a series of video releases. The initiative brings former PBS Education content producers together with leading national experts on varied issues relating to applying to college during the time of COVID-19. A detailed schedule of their programming can be found here.
• As you all know, testing cancellations have disrupted most of the opportunities students have had to sit for SAT and ACT tests. At this time, NPS expects we will be able to conduct fall SAT (at NSHS) and ACT  (at NNHS) testing. We will be working in partnership with the City of Newton Department of Health & Human Services and the Newton Public Schools Facilities Department to make sure we adhere to the latest local guidelines. Should there be a change of circumstances that require us to cancel testing opportunities, we will notify students and families as soon as possible. If you should want to view a recent webinar led by Adam Ingersoll, a nationally known expert and founder of Compass Prep, here is a link to his webinar on the current state of college admissions testing.
• The joint Newton North/Newton South GPA committee will be finalizing its recommendations in the coming week. Once that recommendation is presented to the high school principals and Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Education, we expect the plan will either be approved or returned to the committee for further revision. In order to create a recommendation to best serve NPS seniors in the context of COVID, the committee surveyed peer school districts locally and nationally as well as over 100 colleges and universities that are the most applied-to schools for NPS seniors. As soon as the final decision is made regarding GPA, this will be communicated to all students and families at both high schools.

In these uncertain times, we know there is a great deal of anxiety for what is to come. We are looking forward to reconnecting with seniors and families to support you all through this process. Students should be on the lookout for communications from their counselors in the coming weeks with opportunities to connect prior to the first day of classes. We are all in this together, and we know that the coming months will bring questions, opportunities, and challenges. Together, we will grow and meet this challenge.

Best,

Dan Rubin, NSHS, Director of Guidance
Beth Swederskas, NNHS, Counseling Department Chair

Follow up on August 31st email from Dan Rubin, Director of Guidance.

Click to view webinar on the current state of college admissions testing  by Adam Ingersoll, a nationally known expert and founder of Compass Prep.

Click to view list of webinars in September from College Guidance Network.  

Dear Parents of Senior Spring Athletes:

The South Athletics Department has organized an opportunity for our 2020 Senior spring athletes to come to South and take their Senior Day pictures with their parents and coaches next to the new banner commemorating the athletes. The banner will be hanging on the tennis fence. To make this day possible and safe for all we are asking you to follow these directions carefully:

Senior Day photos will take place on Wednesday, June 17th. Teams are scheduled an exact time. The schedule is as follows:

• Unified Track 10:45am
• Girls Lacrosse 11:00am
• Softball 11:15am
• Girls Tennis 11:30am
• Baseball 12:00pm
• Boys Lacrosse 1:00pm
• Girls Track 2:00pm
• Boys Track 3:00pm
• Boys Tennis 4:00pm
• Boys Volleyball 4:45pm

Students and their families will arrive by car and enter the parking lot across from the courts. They will stay in their car and in line until it is their turn to come across the street and take the picture by the banner.

The idea is that your family will be on one side of the banner and the coach will stand on the other side to keep safe distance. Once your family takes their pictures you have to exit the area to allow for another student to do the same. After all pictures are taken we are asking that you exit the parking lot since there will be another team scheduled following yours. Please exit the parking lot by turning right onto Brandeis towards Greenfield Rd to help with the flow of traffic.

Thank you for helping us to honor your Senior’s athletic achievements at South.

Congratulations to you and your Senior(s)!

Thursday, June 11 from 2-4PM will be our last day for Senior T-Shirt pickup, and also for Seniors in Cutler for Cap/Gowns ordered on/before 5/8, Senior Folders, Senior Reflection Book and Senior Roar 2020 Edition.

T-Shirt pick up location – South main parking lot before main entrance.  Please go toward the back to lot toward the stadium/baseball field to meet the parent volunteers who will give you the shirt.  Seniors who submitted sizes will be given what they ordered.   We have extra S – XL that will be handed out on first come, first serve.  You are welcome to pick up shirts for others.  Thank you and Congratulations!

p.s 2020 Graduate Yard Signs will also be available for those that have not been able to pick up.

p.s.s. Local merchant owner of Nothing Bundt Cakes on 170 Needham St in Newton is offering a free Bundlet to every Senior Graduate through June 30th.  Just drop in to pick up your treat!

Local merchant owner of Nothing Bundt Cakes on 170 Needham St in Newton is offering a free Bundlet to every Senior Graduate through June 30th.  Just drop in to pick up your treat!

Congratulations to the Class of 2020!

Mayor Fuller and Superintendent Fleishman have invited the senior class and families to parade down Brandeis Road (from Parker, by the school, exiting onto Greenwood) through a celebration lane of NSHS Faculty and Staff, on Sunday, June 7, starting at noon, with the following schedule:

Celebration Lane is June 7, 2020 from 12-2PM.  

• Last names A – I    12:00 noon – 12:30 pm
• Last names J – R   12:30 pm – 1:00 pm
• Last names S – Z   1:00pm – 1:30 pm

Newton South Behavioral and Health Guidelines for Mayor’s Celebration Lane.  We look forward to seeing graduates and their loved ones at the Mayor’s parade on June 7th.  Below are some necessary behavioral expectations which will help  create a safe and celebratory environment for all in attendance.  The Newton Police Department will be providing coordination and security during the event.

• Seniors should be passengers rather than drivers unless there is prior approval
  from their dean.
• All participants, including cyclists, vehicle drivers, vehicle passengers, and pedestrians, must follow police directives;
  • Remain socially distanced from one another (at least 6 feet apart);
  • Not approach faculty/staff; and
  • Wear masks.
• Those parading in cars should stay in their vehicles.
• Drivers will:
  – Not stop along the route, or leave the route, unless specifically directed by police or in the event of a medical emergency; and
  – Adhere to all motor vehicle laws of the Commonwealth.
• No objects should be thrown from or passed between vehicles.
• Any banners, posters or displays should be aligned with NSHS Core Values
  (Choose Kindness, Listen First, Show Respect, Take Responsibility) and follow
  the rules outlined in the Newton Rights and Responsibilities handbook.
• Given the current health restrictions, individuals with any of the following health
  symptoms or restrictions may not participate in the parade:
  – Signs of a fever or a measured temperature of 100 degrees or greater;
  A cough;
  – People who have been instructed to self-isolate or quarantine by their
  doctor or a local public health official.
  – People who have been in recent contact with people who have been
  diagnosed with COVID-19 individuals.

Dear Newton South Senior Families,

Congratulations to your senior and your family.  What a year it has been.  Hope all of you are doing well!

The PTSO ordered 2020 t-shirts for ALL SENIORS and will be distributing them at South from June 8 – June 11 from 2 – 4PM.    These dates and times coincide with cap & gown pick up for families that placed order on or before May 8th.  However, feel free to come any day to pick up the t-shirt.

Shout out to senior Izzy Karen for the t-shirt design!

– 6/8 Monday 2-4PM: Wheeler

WCVB Senior Shout Outs: Recognizing the Class of 2020

https://www.wcvb.com/article/wcvb-senior-shout-outs-recognizing-the-class-of-2020/32145752  

 NewsCenter 5 is celebrating the Class of 2020, which may never get to graduate in front of family and friends amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. WCVB wants to give this year’s graduates the recognition they deserve. Share with us a photo of your favorite graduate, and make sure to include some information about them. Be sure to include the name of the graduate (including pronunciation), their school and their town. Feel free to add any honors earned or extracurricular activities participated in.

Please note that copyrighted photos will not be accepted or used on-air or online.   Please post your submissions on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter with the hashtag #WCVBSeniorShoutouts

Dear Senior Parent/Guardian,

Congratulations Class of 2020 signs for your senior(s) can be picked up at South on Friday, May 29th from 8:30am – 12:30pm.   

Sign pick-up will coincide with the senior book return for Goodwin House on Friday from 8:30 am – 12:30 pm. Students coming on those days will be asked to complete their business inside the school during their scheduled time, get back into their vehicles, and then drive to the circle (bordering the baseball field at the end of the parking lot)  for curbside sign pick up.  If you are just picking up a sign, proceed to the parking lot directly.

Volunteers will take the names of each person picking up a sign and place the sign or signs in the trunk or through a car window. People can pick up multiple signs but will be asked to tell the volunteer the names of all students they are picking up for. Feel free to organize with neighbors/friends if you want to offer to pick-up and deliver to others. After sign pick up, cars should keeping moving safely through and off of the school grounds.

The PTSO will be making arrangements for delivery to those unable to pick up from South. Details will be forthcoming.

Dear Newton South Senior Families,

Sorry about the typo’s in the last email.  The deadline for name verification is Thursday, May 28th at 3PM. Please click on link below for your Senior’s House and hear if your Senior’s name is pronounced correctly and respond, if change is needed. Please see message from Vice Principal Chris Hardiman below.

Hope you also had a chance to pick up the graduate yard signs today.   Next schedule is Friday, May 29th from 8:15am – 12:30pm.  Thank you!

T-Shirts were also ordered and will be in by Friday, June 5th.  Pick up details will be announced shortly.

——————————

Virtual Ceremony Name Verification. The deadline for students to fill out the form is 3:00PM tomorrow.   Thank you!

The graduation readers are trying to get feedback via a google form from students on whether their name was read properly for the June 11th ceremony. Only 123 students have responded via the form so far after listening to the audio file so we need many more to fill it out: Google Form

Cutler Audio Names

Goldrick Audio Names

Goodwin Audio Names

Wheeler Audio Names

Thanks,
Chris

Chris Hardiman
Interim Vice Principal
Goldrick House Counselor
Club/Activity Coordinator
Newton South High School
https://hardimanc.youcanbook.me/