Thanks in advance – Please respond to the NPS Survey by July 13th.
See details in the letter below from Superintendent David Fleishman on July 6, 2020.

Dear NPS Families,

I hope you had an enjoyable holiday weekend. On June 25th, I provided information on the state guidance for re-opening in the fall. As I noted, part of our success in re-opening will be dependent upon your feedback. Below you will find the first of several surveys you will receive this summer that will inform our work. Your feedback is essential given the health and safety requirements that must be in place to re-open our school buildings. As part of this process, we will also be surveying our faculty and staff this week.

The survey should take approximately five minutes and it would be most appreciated if you could complete it by July 13th. You will find the survey link here: https://forms.gle/PCFZGZArkMqAfAX77.

In addition, earlier this month we launched our online bus registration. While we do not yet know what transportation will look like in the fall, spacing and number of riders will be important. To that end, we ask that if you intend for your child to ride the bus in the fall, please register by July 15th. You may do so by visiting our transportation webpage here: www.newton.k12.ma.us/transportation.

We will provide information through the COVID-19 section on our website found here: www.newton.k12.ma.us/COVID19, as well as through our social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram). We will also continue to provide regular updates to you as we plan for a safe and healthy school opening in the fall. Thanks so much for your help with the survey.

Sincerely,

David Fleishman
Superintendent of Schools

Simplified Chinese

Spanish

Russian

Portuguese

Korean

Japanese                      

Vietnamese

Hebrew

Arabic

Persian

This message is for students who ordered yearbooks.  Please disregard if you didn’t order a yearbook.

Below are the details for picking up yearbooks.

Monday, July 13 — 1:30-4:30pm — Students from Wheeler and Cutler houses can pick up yearbooks in the athletic lobby outside of Gym B.

Wednesday, July 15 — 1:30-4:30pm –Students in Goldrick and Goodwin houses can pick up yearbooks in the athletic lobby outside of Gym B.

If you haven’t purchased a yearbook yet and would like to, there are a limited number available online at www.yearbookforever.com. There will also be a handful of books to sell in person at the times above for $100 — cash or check made out to Newton South.

If you are not sure if you’ve purchased a yearbook yet: check the list HERE.

A reminder that everyone must wear a face covering when they come to pick up their materials.

For any questions about yearbooks, please contact Mr. Baron: baronb@newton.k12.ma.us

Thanks.

Newton South High School plans to have a Diploma Ceremony on July 20 at our stadium.   Vice Principal Chris Hardiman is looking for parent volunteers who have A/V experience to help with set up on sound and staging for the event.

If you are interested in helping out, please contact Vice Principal Hardiman directly at hardimanc@newton.k12.ma.us

Message from Mr. Baron, NSHS English Dept  Head.

Yearbooks – Yearbooks have arrived at Newton South, and we’re planning to have them ready for pick up at school the week of July 13. Specific details to follow about when and where to go.

Still want to buy a book? We have 34 more to sell online at www.yearbookforever.com. That portal will be open while supplies last.

Not sure if you’ve purchased a book? Check this list of people who’ve ordered already.

June 25, 2020

Dear NPS Community,

As many of you know, today the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) released initial guidance for school re-opening in the fall. The guidance prioritizes the safe return to in-person school settings to address the academic, and social-emotional health of our students. I fully support this priority, as I shared in a piece that ran in the Boston Globe this morning. This return to in-person school will be accompanied by a comprehensive set of health and safety requirements to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 exposure or transmission.

The official news release can be found by following this link. The initial guidance can be found by following this link.

I am pleased that the guidance is firmly grounded in medical expertise and was developed in consultation with, and is supported by, the Massachusetts medical community, including the MA chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. The guidance was developed after thorough review of medical and scientific literature as well as an assessment of the current public health data and COVID-19 trends.

As educators and as parents, we know that there is no substitute for in-person school both for educational progress, as well as for the social and emotional health of our students. We have already begun planning to address the health and safety requirements necessary to bring our students back into our buildings where they learn best. The DESE guidance provides more specifics on the requirements, including physical distancing, classroom configuration, and use of face coverings, among others. I encourage you to read the guidance for the detailed information we will be utilizing to develop our plans.

DESE also recognizes that this initial guidance is based upon the current positive public health metrics and we know that these could change. To that end, DESE is requiring that all districts develop three plans for the fall:

• In-person school with necessary health and safety accommodations
• A hybrid model of in-person and distance learning
• Full distance learning

Our planning teams in the Newton Public Schools have already begun working on these three plans. We also expect additional guidance in other areas of essential school operations, such as transportation, later this summer, as well as any adjustments to this initial guidance based upon public health data. We anticipate our plans for the fall will be finalized by the week of July 20.

Part of our success in re-opening school this fall will be dependent upon your feedback. To that end, in the next few days, and over the course of the summer, we will be sending you short, but very important surveys regarding your plan for your student(s) in the fall. We ask that you please take the time to complete these surveys so that we are developing plans that address areas such as transportation and classroom configuration. Please look for the subject line “NPS Re-opening” in your email for this very important information.

We know you have many questions and concerns and we will develop a range of communication tools to address them. I hope you have a safe and enjoyable start of summer.

Sincerely,

David Fleishman
Superintendent of Schools

Translated versions are provided through Google Translate and may contain awkward phrasing and structure.

DESE Guidance_Chinese Translation

DESE Guidance_Hebrew Translation

DESE Guidance_Japanese Translation

DESE Guidance_Korean Translation

DESE Guidance_Portuguese Translation

DESE Guidance_Russian Translation

DESE Guidance_Spanish Translation

Dear Newton South Families,

June 18, 2020 marked the end of NSHS 2019-20 school year – and what a year it’s been.  As we close our school year – marked by so many lost moments to COVID-19 – and the last 3 weeks – marked by the historic Black Lives Matter Movement in progress – we are also thankful that our community is safe, strong and vigilant against the COVID-19 pandemic, and is continuing to help our neighbors in need while fighting against systemic racial injustice.

The saying “It takes a village” has never been more meaningful. On behalf of our South Community, we thank our teachers, staff, administration, and coaches for their tireless energy in helping our children through this unprecedented time with distance learning, in talking through the historic movement happening in our country, in celebrating the year with virtual celebrations & videos, and in supporting our student’s social and emotional health.

Thank you to all the parent volunteers who helped out this year at PTSO, Athletics, school events and 2020 graduation events.

I am inspired by our current generation. It has been amazing watching our children – teens and young adults – actively participate in helping neighbors in need amidst COVID-19 and with the Black Lives Matter movement and climate change in order to bring about change in Newton and the world.

I wish everyone a safe and happy summer and hope for a return to campus in the Fall!

~ May Chiu, co-President NSHS PTSO

Over these past weeks, many parents have developed a deep appreciation for the job that our teachers do each day. Here is a way to say thank you.

By donating to Newton Schools Foundation’s Honor Thy Teacher program in the name of one or more teachers, you can show your appreciation for them AND support your children’s schools. In recent weeks, NSF directed its resources toward the challenges of COVID-19 with an $85,500 grant for the Newton Public Schools to purchase 300 Chromebooks for students needing access to online learning during school closures.

Dollars raised will go to funding grants for promising educational initiatives, professional development, and programs that close gaps in opportunity and achievement. NSF will notify each teacher honored of your gift and share their names with Principals and the Superintendent. A list of honored teachers will appear on the NSF website and in the Newton TAB.

It’s easy to donate online.

We’ve started some important conversations around race and justice in recent weeks, and we’re hoping to use our array of summer reading opportunities to keep the conversations going. All of the summer reading choices are voluntary online discussions with a faculty member (or members) who have picked a title by an author of color that they want to talk about with kids.

HERE are the details.

The first session is about Michelle Alexander’s The New Jim Crow with Mr. Lee on July 1 at 12:15.

Mr. Baron will host our group viewing of Hulu’s Little Fires Everywhere, starting with episode 1 on July 13 at 8 pm and continue for the next 7 Mondays.

Newton Youth – Let’s Get to Work

Are you in Grades 9 to 12? Interested in key work skills – resume writing, interviewing skills, workplace communication, and financial literacy? There’s a free online course, Newton Youth – Let’s Get to Work, created by the City of Newton’s Youth Services Department, in partnership with Newton Public Schools. It’s a self-directed workshop and includes a space for mindfulness, community building, and sharing experiences of our altered world.

Students will choose the level of engagement that works best for them. To learn more and to register, visit www.newtonma.gov/gettowork. Sign up by Friday, July 10th.