Category Archives: Elementary Schools

Interactive Media Use & Youth Mental Health: Guidance for Parents of Students Across the Developmental Span

Posted on January 24, 2022 by Newton PTO Council in Community Notes, Education/Enrichment, Elementary Schools, High Schools, Middle Schools, Other, Upcoming Events

Description. The Newton Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) is excited to partner with Boston Children’s Hospital’s Digital Wellness Lab to offer a comprehensive presentation on the relationship between children’s and teens’ media use and their mental health. 

The Digital Wellness Lab’s senior content strategist, Kristelle Lavallee Collins, will discuss the most recent research on the relationships between interactive media use and the well-being of children and adolescents. The presentation will also cover the latest science-based strategies parents and caregivers can employ to support children in developing a “healthy” relationship with technology and screen media. 

For questions, contact info@NewtonSEPAC.org. We hope you will join us!

Date/Time. Jan 27, 2022 07:00 PM


Register. https://bostonchildrens.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_jYYsTQrKQNq6Voan9rvqwA

Questions. Submit your questions in advance here:
https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/6642281/Newton-SEPAC-Digital-Wellness-Lab-Presentation

Centre Street Food Pantry Kids’ Club

Posted on January 20, 2022 by Newton PTO Council in Community Notes, Elementary Schools, High Schools, Middle Schools, Other, Upcoming Events

The Centre Street Food Pantry is introducing a new initiative to bolster our Kids Club program and we are hoping that the elementary schools in Newton can help make this program a success. Some of your schools have already contributed to this program and we really appreciate your participation!


As some of you know, we distribute around 100 Kids Club bags to families with children under 18 each time the Pantry is open. In an effort to better manage the influx of bags, we are recruiting schools, churches, temples and other local organizations to commit to contributing a minimum of 30 bags for a specific week. Your school can do this as often or a little as you choose. Some schools recruit a specific grade to participate; others make it a school-wide event.  It would be most helpful if bags could be dropped off on Mondays, as our distribution day is Tuesday. Of course, we can accommodate you any time if Mondays are not convenient.


The bags should be doubled bagged with handles and contain: 


1 jar jam/jelly
2 boxes mac n’ cheese
1 box of cereal
1 six-pack of applesauce or fruit cups
2 packs of cereal/granola bars 
1 large bag of pretzels/chips


The items are also listed on our website. If your school  is interested in participating in this great project, please sign up here.
Deborah Elliott will get back to you to confirm drop-off date and answer any questions. You can also contact her directly at kidsclub@centrestfoodpantry.org.

Repurpose Your Unwanted Home Goods

Posted on January 19, 2022 by Newton PTO Council in Community Notes, Elementary Schools, High Schools, Middle Schools, Other

Do you have gently used or new household items doing you no good?  Please consider donating blenders, toasters, queen and king bedding, pots, pans, dishes, cooking utensils, silverware, towels and other basic household necessities.  Welcome Home in Newton Centre collects home goods and redistributes them, at no cost, to people who need them.  Please be sure your items are clean and not rusty, torn, stained, chipped or broken before donation.


Please contact us to schedule a dropoff appointment or make a request for items at www.welcomehomemass.org.

English Language Parent Advisory Council (ELPAC) Meeting – February 3rd

Posted on January 12, 2022 by Newton PTO Council in Community Notes, Education/Enrichment, Elementary Schools, High Schools, Middle Schools, Newton Public Schools, Other

The English Language Parent Advisory Council will hold its next meeting on Thursday, February 3, 2022 at 6:30 p.m.

ELPAC supports ELL families districtwide and collaborates with schools and districts to improve the ELL programming. 

Meetings are held every other month. Interpreters and/or same language groups are provided with RSVP by January 31, 2022. The February 3, 2022 meeting topics are: Newton Free Library Resources & ACCESS Testing.

RSVP to the meeting here:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdjxQInxlKSYX_TVwVp5Dr6B4jKC0BBOqXxixNPI91VayV5pw/viewform

Once you RSVP, you will be sent a Zoom link to attend the meeting virtually.

Attached please find translated invitations. Email invitations have also been sent to ELL families from the district ELL office.

WinterFEST this February 12-13

Posted on January 7, 2022 by Newton PTO Council in Community Notes, Elementary Schools, Events, From The City of Newton, High Schools, Middle Schools, Upcoming Events

WinterFEST this February 12-13.  All events are family friendly, free and open to all.

Newton Girls Softball Registration is OPEN for K-8th Grades

Posted on January 2, 2022 by Newton PTO Council in Community Notes, Elementary Schools, Middle Schools, Sports

Newton Girls Softball Rec League registration is open for girls in kindergarten through 8th grade.  Come be part of a team! Supportive coaches teach the fundamentals of softball and help build confidence, determination, and resiliency. There is a place for girls of all ability levels. http://newtongirlssoftball.org/


Early-bird discount for sign-ups before Feb. 1. Please email info@newtongirlssoftball.org if you have any questions. 
Hope to see you in spring! 

Little League Registration Open

Posted on December 26, 2021 by Newton PTO Council in Community Notes, Elementary Schools, Middle Schools, Sports

Newton SouthEast Little League Spring Registration Now Open

NSELL offers fun and exciting baseball programs for players in grade K through 6. Rising kindergarteners are welcome in our T-ball program. The season runs from late April through the end of the school year and the league serves players who reside or attend schools within district boundaries of Memorial-Spaulding, Mason-Rice, Bowen, Angier, Countryside and Zervas.
Register by February 4th to ensure your child’s space.

Click here to register. Questions? Contact the league by Email or check out our Website.

Adaptive Dance Program – Dance Academy in Newton

Posted on December 13, 2021 by Newton PTO Council in Community Notes, Education/Enrichment, Elementary Schools, Middle Schools, NSHS Music, Other, Sports

The Dance Academy in Newton has recently launched an amazing new adaptive dance program for kids with developmental delays, ASD, Down Syndrome, Sensory Processing Disorder, and other learning disabilities. We have a class for ages 1.5-5 and a class for ages 6-10 starting this January! Attached is a flyer about the program and there is more info on our websitehere. Contact holly@siagel.com to learn more.

Adaptive Dance Program – Dance Academy in Newton

Posted on December 13, 2021 by Newton PTO Council in Community Notes, Education/Enrichment, Elementary Schools, Middle Schools, NSHS Music, Other, Sports

The Dance Academy in Newton has recently launched an amazing new adaptive dance program for kids with developmental delays, ASD, Down Syndrome, Sensory Processing Disorder, and other learning disabilities. We have a class for ages 1.5-5 and a class for ages 6-10 starting this January! Attached is a flyer about the program and there is more info on our websitehere. Contact holly@siagel.com to learn more.

Ski Vermont Fifth Grade Passport

Posted on December 13, 2021 by Newton PTO Council in Community Notes, Elementary Schools, Middle Schools, Sports

Ski Vermont is a program provided by the Vermont Ski Areas Association that enables 5th graders to get free lift tickets to Vermont ski resorts is being expanded this year to 6th graders, as well.

Ski Vermont 5th Grade Passport for the 21/22 season is now available for purchase. Ski Vermont will be extending the Fifth Grade Passport for the 2021-2022 season to Sixth Graders since we were unable to offer the program last winter due to COVID restrictions. Proof of grade is required for all participants. 

Starting this year all Ski Vermont Fifth Grade Passports will be issued digitally and sold through Ski Vermont’s Pass Portal. No physical product will be mailed. All applications will be reviewed and approved before a passport can be issued. Approval takes approximately 2-3 business days (processing M-F).

Purchase online https://skivermont.com/fifth-grade-passport   or at skivermont.com under our programs.