Category Archives: From the Vice Principal

NSHS Weekly Update 11/1 – 11/5

Posted on October 31, 2021 by Michelle Wetlaufer in From the Vice Principal

Newton South Students and Families:

Here is a link to the Weekly Update for 11/1 – 11/5.

Here’s to another great week at NSHS! Please let us know if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Jason Williams (he/him/his)
Vice Principal
Newton South High School
140 Brandeis Road
Newton, MA 02459
617-559-6700

NSHS Weekly Update 10/25 – 10/29

Posted on October 25, 2021 by Michelle Wetlaufer in From the Vice Principal

Newton South Students and Families:

Here is a link to the Weekly Update for 10/25 – 10/29. Note that this is an BLUE week, which affects Lion block and clubs.

Here’s to another great week at NSHS! Please let us know if you have any questions.

Weekly Update 9/27 – 10/1

Posted on September 27, 2021 by Michelle Wetlaufer in From the PTSO, From the Vice Principal

Newton South students and families,

We hope you had a great first full week of school last week!

Here is a link to the Weekly Update for 9/27 – 10/1. Note that this is an BLUE week – this affects club meetings during Lion block on Tuesday.

Here’s to another great week at NSHS! Please let us know if you have any questions.

Newton South Principal and Vice Principal Meet and Greet Link (6 PM Tonight)

Posted on September 21, 2021 by Michelle Wetlaufer in From the Vice Principal

Newton South Families:

Here is the link to tonight’s Zoom for the meet and greet with Principal Tamii Stras and Vice Principal Jason Williams. This webinar will run from 6 PM – 7 PM tonight.

As a reminder, you can use this form to ask a question in advance of tonight’s meet and greet. We will answer as many of these questions as we can!

We look forward to seeing those of you who can make it tonight!

Jason Williams (he/him/his)
Vice Principal
Newton South High School
140 Brandeis Road
Newton, MA 02459
617-559-6700

Weekly Update for 9/20 – 9/24

Posted on September 20, 2021 by Michelle Wetlaufer in From the Vice Principal

Newton South students and families,

We hope you had a great week last week and look forward to another week of school!

Here is a link to the Weekly Update for 9/20 – 9/24. Note that this is an ORANGE week – this affects club meetings during Lion block on Tuesday.

Here’s to another great week at NSHS! Please let us know if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Sports and COVID-19 Testing

Posted on September 18, 2021 by Michelle Wetlaufer in From the Vice Principal

Newton South students and families,

If you are participating in NPS secondary interscholastic athletics or extended theater productions, you will have to participate in weekly COVID-19 testing unless you provide confirmation of vaccination. To provide confirmation, you can complete this form. If the hyperlink does not work, this is the direct link to the form:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdpga65xm-Sd6rDOCdnM2_Z6Fcp6VjOBw9QV1gBpDby6kaUOA/viewform?usp=sf_link

This form is for students participating in NPS secondary interscholastic athletics or extended theatre productions. You will be asked to submit a photo of your vaccination card, so please take a picture of it, rename it with your last name if possible, and save it where it can be uploaded to this form before proceeding.

Students must be logged into their NPS google account to use this form, allowing us to easily connect your response with your name.  Please have each student in a family log in separately or on their school assigned device to complete the form.

Vaccination records will be kept confidential, and only used by school administration for purposes of determining which students are required to participate in weekly testing.  This form is voluntary, though vaccination is encouraged for all eligible students. This information will be maintained only for the 21-22 school year.

Participants in athletics or theatre who do not submit confirmation of vaccination will be required to participate in weekly COVID-19 testing in order to continue to participate.  Vaccinated students are welcome and encouraged to continue to participate in weekly testing as well.

Please let us know if you have any questions about this form.

Jason Williams (he/him/his)
Vice Principal
Newton South High School
140 Brandeis Road
Newton, MA 02459
617-559-6700

Letter from the Vice Principal

Posted on August 29, 2021 by Michelle Wetlaufer in From the Vice Principal

Hello Newton South Families,

Over the past eight weeks, Principal Stras and I have had the pleasure of interacting with many of the stakeholders in the Newton South community through meet and greets, community events, and meetings with the administrative team and staff. We have sought to learn all we can about what makes Newton great while determining how we can best help service you to begin the 2021-2022 school year.

That said, we greatly appreciate your patience and understanding as we have worked towards putting together key dates and planning the important first days of school. We want to ensure that your child is ready and excited to enter our doors to embark on a new journey, some coming in person for the first time in over a year, and some for the first time ever. I speak for Principal Stras, myself, and the entire Newton South community in expressing our elation to see you in just a few weeks on Thursday, September 9!

This letter contains several important sections:

  • –  Upcoming Events for Students and Families
  • –  First Day of School
  • –  Second Day of School
  • –  District Newsletter
  • –  Free & Reduced Meal Program UpdatesUpcoming EventsIn anticipation of the beginning of the school year, there are various dates that we wanted to send your way so you can mark your calendars.Student Events (for students only)
    • –  Thursday, September 2, 3:30 – 4:30 PM: New to South Day for 9th grade and transferstudents
    • –  Tuesday, September 14, during school: Student Photo Day for Grades 9, 10, 11Family Events for parents and guardians
    • –  Tuesday, September 14, 6:30 – 8:00 PM: Virtual 9th Grade/New to South Parent Night
    • –  Wednesday, September 15: Virtual Parent Meet & Greet was scheduled in error – thiswill be rescheduled at a future date
    • –  Tuesday, September 21, 6:00 – 7:00 PM: Virtual Parent Meet & Greet with Principaland Vice Principal
    • –  Thursday, September 23, 6:30 – 8:00 PM: Virtual Senior Parent Night
    • –  Thursday, September 30, 6:00 – 7:00 PM: Virtual Parent Meet & Greet with Principaland Vice Principal
    • –  Thursday, October 7: Back to School Night (details TBA)

First Day of School: Thursday, September 9

We are excited to welcome students to Newton South on our first day of school, Thursday, September 9. School runs from 9 AM – 3:45 PM. Grade 9 students will arrive at 9 AM following the bus schedule, while students in grades 10 through 12 will begin at 1 PM. Details for the upperclassmen bus schedule will be released closer to the start of school. The schedule for the first day of school is attached here. Please note that lunch will only be provided for the 9th graders. Details for the bus schedule will be released shortly.

For our grade 9 Boston students, see the bus schedule here. For our grades 10 through 12 Boston students, the bus schedule will be released closer to the start of school.

Second Day of School: Friday, September 10

The schedule for the second day of school is attached here. All students will follow the same bus schedule on this date, attached here for your convenience. The schedule for Boston students is attached here.

From 2:25 PM – 3:45 PM, students will have the opportunity to attend an Arena Scheduling block in order to fix any errors in their schedule. For a list of scheduling issues that can be addressed during Arena Scheduling, please see here.

District Newsletter

The last newsletter from Superintendent Fleishman was posted on Wednesday, August 18, 2021. You can view this newsletter here.

Please also see the attached flyer regarding vaccination dates in Newton.

Free and Reduced Meal Program Updates

While all students in the Newton Public Schools will continue to receive school meals free of charge for the 2021-22 school year, it is still important for qualified families to complete the Free and Reduced Meal Application. By completing the application, your student and family may be eligible to receive additional benefits beyond the free and reduced meal program.

A few important notes:

  • ?  If you have had a change in job status or income, you may now be eligible for the free and reduced meal program. We encourage you to complete the application by September 5.
  • ?  If your student was enrolled in the Newton Public Schools last year and you are now eligible for the free and reduced meals program (but have not yet completed the application), you can receive a summer P-EBT card. To receive the card, you must complete the application. A P-EBT card is a debit card with funds already loaded onto it that can be used to purchase food items at your local grocery store.

? To receive the P-EBT card benefit, you MUST complete the free and reduced meal application by September 5.

If you are already enrolled in the free and reduced meal program and received a P-EBT card last year, you do NOT need to reapply. You will remain enrolled in the free and reduced meal program this year.

We look forward to the start of this upcoming school year and are excited to meet the students and families that make up this wonderful community. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions about the contents of this letter.

Go Lions! Sincerely,

Jason Williams
Vice Principal
Newton South High School 140 Brandeis Road
Newton, MA 02469 [email protected] 617-559-6700

Hello Newton South Seniors!

Posted on August 2, 2021 by Michelle Wetlaufer in For Seniors, From Newton Public Schools, From the Vice Principal

Senior Parking

If you would like to park on campus Semester One, you must enter the Senior Parking Lottery following the directions listed below.

 

Before applying for the Parking Lottery, please read directions below:

  • You MUST use your NSHS student email address to submit the lottery form.
  • Deadline to enter the Semester 1 Parking Lottery is Tuesday, August 17 at 11:59pm. NO EXCEPTIONS!
  • Your lottery submission will NOT BE ACCEPTED if you submit any INCOMPLETE or INCORRECT information or documentation.
  • All successfully entered Seniors will be notified via email by end-of-day, Friday, August 20th. Email will specify if you have received a spot or if you are on the Waitlist.
  • Deadline for parking spot recipients to pick up Parking Tag will be Friday, Aug. 27 at 2:30pm to pay for their spot.
  • Access the Senior Parking Lottery Form HERE. 

 

PLEASE NOTE, if you are selected to receive a parking spot at NSHS: 

  • You will need to come to NSHS in person and pay the $175 parking fee.
    • ONLY Checks or Money Orders made payable to the ‘City of Newton’ will be accepted.
    • This fee mirrors that of the bus transportation fee.
  • You will be issued a Parking Tag and Student Parking Sticker that must be displayed in the approved vehicle at all times when parked on campus.
  • Your approved vehicle(s) is the ONLY vehicle(s) allowed to park in your assigned parking spot.
  • Parking Tags are only valid for the duration of Semester One. A Semester Two lottery will be released to all Seniors at the end of Semester One.

From Vice Principal: March Schedule Updates

Posted on February 21, 2021 by Michelle Wetlaufer in From the PTSO, From the Vice Principal

Hello South Students and Families,

Some reminders for the upcoming weeks:

1. Special Election on Tuesday, March 16: Even though K-8 schools in Newton are adjusting their schedules to accommodate polling stations, Newton South schedules will remain the same this week, with Cohort A and C students attending school as usual on 3/16.

2. Wednesday, March 24: There will be NO SCHOOL for ALL students (including students that usually come to the building on Wednesdays) as it will be the final Professional Development Day for South staff.

3. Course Registration for next school year: More info to follow but, for now, please be aware that the process will begin a bit later than in previous years–with teachers beginning course recommendation conversations during the first two weeks of March with final course verifications happening before April vacation.

4. COVID Pool Testing on March 1st: The school committee has approved a COVID pool testing program to begin at both high schools on March 1st. You will be receiving communication from NPS over the next 10 days with information about the program, eligibility criteria, opting in procedures, etc.

Chris Hardiman
NSHS Interim Vice Principal

HyFlex Change Request Due Jan 25th & HyFlex Semester Schedules Posted

Posted on January 23, 2021 by Michelle Wetlaufer in From the PTSO, From the Vice Principal

Hello Students and Families,

Please see this important letter regarding second semester (term 3 and term 4) schedules posted on Aspen, and the form to fill out if you are requesting a move to distance learning as we begin the hyflex model on 1/28.

The change request form is due Mon. Jan 25th.

Any updates to schedules & classrooms will be posted on Aspen on Wed. Jan 27th.

Thanks,
Chris Hardiman
NSHS Interim Vice Principal