The latest announcements from the Principal, PTSO, and NPS...

Strength and Conditioning Clinic

Posted on September 25, 2020 by Manisha Kasana in Athletics

Strength and Conditioning Clinic is offered this Fall to our out of season athletes. The starting day is Thursday, Oct. 1st spanning 13 sessions until November 12.
The deadline to sign up is Wednesday, Sept. 30. A maximum of 30 participants per cohort will be allowed in line with MA EEA and BOH guidelines for the space provided.
Mr. Steven Matthews will be the trainer for the session. Coach Matthews is a certified Physical Education teacher at BPS and Boys Basketball coach at South.
The clinic will meet outside by the baseball cage. Wearing a fitted mask with loops behind the ears is required. Gaitors are not allowed. Social distance is also required.
The clinic will take place Mondays and Thursdays in two cohorts. The Blue group will start at 4:30 PM and the Orange group will start at 5:30 PM. We invite you to sign up for one of the two cohorts. You have to select which one works for you and you will be asked to stay on that cohort for the duration of the fall session. We will also ask you to sign in with your phone by using a QR reader in order to track daily participants as part of or COVID protocol
Athletes have to bring a “gym bag” with a spare mask, hand sanitizer, water bottle, a towel, and any other equipment they may need. The bag is their “locker”
The clinic is free of charge. Register by using the FamilyID button on our athletic page.

Guidelines for sports events regarding face covers

Posted on September 25, 2020 by Manisha Kasana in Athletics

The districts of each DCL member school have specific guidelines for their sports events regarding face covers. The majority of them, like Newton, require fans, officials and players to wear fitted face masks. Gaitors are not allowed in these communities. Below you will find the list of our member schools and their requirements. Please plan accordingly when visiting them:

 

School Mask Gaiter
AB Yes Not allowed
BED Yes Not allowed
BL Yes Not allowed
CRL Yes Yes
CC Yes NOt allowed
LS Yes Not allowed
NS Yes Not allowed
WAL Yes Yes
WAY Yes Not allowed
WA Yes 2-Ply Gaitor
WES Mask Not allowed

2020 Fall 1 Athletic season

Posted on September 25, 2020 by Manisha Kasana in Athletics

Welcome to our 2020 Fall 1 season! We are happy to see athletes and coaches in our campus enjoying each other and the sports they love!

Following COVID modifications the DCL has created an abridged schedule for the Fall. You can find your child playing schedule on our athletic page. You can add the google calendar to your phone by clicking the top corner of it and following the directions prepared by Google.

TODAY NSHS Club Fair 10-12PM and 1-3PM

Posted on September 24, 2020 by PTSO CoPresident in From the PTSO

Message from Vice Principal Hardiman.

2020 Newton South CLUB FAIR

Hi Newton South Students,

Attached is the list of clubs/links that will be featured in tomorrow’s Club Fair that will run “live” from 10am to noon, break for lunch, and then 1pm to 3pm. Enjoy scrolling through the pages and if you see any club you are interested in, click on the name of the club on the screen which will bring you to the zoom link to get into that club. *Hint…look for the password for ALL CLUB links on the first page.

Here are more details:

1. School spirit in the virtual world is alive and well! We have almost 70 clubs that have signed up to present!

2. Hours of the Virtual Club Fair: We have asked clubs to try to be “live” to welcome prospective students to their club presentations between 10am and 12 and then also between 1 and 3pm (with the exception of any clubs exclusively run by seniors who will be in guidance seminars from 10-11…those clubs will start at 11am)

3. Some clubs that couldn’t host tomorrow created 60 second videos that they have sent to me that will be shared with all students sometime in the next week. Similarly, I have also asked ALL other clubs to send me videos in the next week that I can post on our website and share out with students who are not able to attend the fair or for new students that enter the district throughout the year. We will reshare that information when I am able to organize the video links, again, sometime in the next week or so.

4. For written descriptions of clubs at South, please go to this this LINK. Note that only clubs highlighted in YELLOW are confirmed to be running this year. Also, there are a handful of clubs that have just formed in the last week that we have not had time to put onto the document yet…they will be added soon to both this document and to the South clubs webpage that also has a list of clubs organized by category.

5. To sign up for clubs, talk to the club student leaders and/or faculty advisors that will be hosting their club “tables” at the virtual fair about the method that the particular club uses to officially “sign up”. If you go to a couple of club meetings and it seems like a club that you will enjoy and want to stay with, the next step will be to sign up on Family ID. You can find out more information about Family ID at this LINK.  However, please note that Family ID is NOT activated yet as I will need to update the site to include new required waivers for students and parents to sign. I hope to be able to activate Family ID sometime in the next week or two. It is the responsibility of student leaders of clubs to remind any new members to sign up on Family ID. I will also send reminders to the leaders once Family ID is up and running.

6. We are still working out times that clubs are going to meet this year…with possible options of before school, after school, and during a flex block. We hope to lay out final decisions of time options for clubs to choose from sometime next week and days and times that each club will meet along with permanent zoom links will eventually be updated on the website as well.

Whew…that’s a lot of information but in these virtual times, it is important to communicate as clearly and comprehensively as possible! If any of this is confusing or if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the club student leaders that you meet at the fair, or the faculty advisor for the club you are interested in (faculty advisors are listed under each club’s name on the website.

We hope you have a great time tomorrow, whether you are hosting, visiting or browsing the virtual club fair!

Mr. Hardiman

JOIN the Grade 9 Secret Student Game – Sign up by 9/30

Posted on September 24, 2020 by PTSO CoPresident in For Freshmen, From the PTSO

PTSO Secret Student Game for Freshman Students

WHEN: October 1, thru October 31, 2020
To sign up CLICK HERE. Provide your name, email address, cell phone number, mailing address, and any allergies. Sign up ends 9/30.

Participants will receive an email with contact information for one classmate by October 2.
Connect with other 9th grade students for some fun and friendship.

Here’s how it works… All who sign up will be assigned a classmate to be an anonymous
“Secret Student” to for one month. This role involves sending regular encouraging texts, memes, video links, emails, letters, or small gifts (under $5) and clues to your identity.

Simultaneously, every participant will also be on the receiving end of a Secret Student.
At the end of 4 weeks (on October 31) all identities should be revealed and a special Halloween Treat provided (think candy bar, silly photo, or fun meme).

Hopefully, some friendships will be sparked. At the very least, two connections will be made, and the previous 4 weeks will have included some mystery and fun to pass the
time.

Click to view details about the game – NSHS G9 Secret Student

Questions, please contact our parent coordinator Julia Hamilton

 

 

 

Confirm your School Directory Information by 10/1

Posted on September 24, 2020 by PTSO CoPresident in From the PTSO

The PTSO School Directory is an online and printed version of Newton South Students and their contact information.  You must confirm your information by 10/1/2020  in order for the PTSO to include your most up to date contact information in the printed and online directory. 

As of today, only 25% of our families have confirmed their information.   As part of the confirmation process, you can indicate any information you want to opt-out of releasing. The PTSO School Directory is only available to the current South community – enrolled families, teachers, and staff at Newton South High School.  Membership is required to gain access to the Directory. 

CLICK ON THIS LINK to CONFIRM your INFORMATION

The PTSO also relies on the Dues Campaign to raise the necessary funds this year to support our programs.  We are just over 50% of our goal of $44,000.  If you are able to contribute, please choose the option that best suits your family.  This can be done as you confirm your information or CLICK HERE to CONTRIBUTE to the PTSO.    Thank you.

If you have any questions relating to the information in your directory entry, please contact the Directory Committee at [email protected]. Please be sure to tell us your student’s name.

PTSO Mentoring/Family Connection Program

Posted on September 24, 2020 by PTSO CoPresident in From the PTSO

The PTSO is launching our Mentoring/Family Connection Program for Students and Families to help build new connections in our school community.  

A Student Mentor should be a Junior or Senior at South who is willing to be a resource and can offer their support, knowledge and skills to help a student Buddy, who is new to South, a Freshman or Sophomore.   A Mentor Family would be willing to be a resource to support  1 or 2 families who are new to South, to Newton, to the US.  

This is not a tutoring program.  It is a community building program to help form new connections.  There’s no structure to the connection – whatever works for the Mentor & Buddy.  Our South Community is vast and supportive. Please sign up by Friday, October 9th if you are interested in being a Mentor or Buddy.  After the sign up period, our coordinators will followup with an email to both Mentor/Buddy so they can connect.  We hope this program will help students find new connections and an opportunity for families to have local resources to navigate South and Newton.  

Click on the link below to sign up today! 
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfyJQ-YhGlEYlVIEgPeLijLOnfeFSKqN9Vcdj1jAGP9Er0ZPg/viewform?usp=sf_link

Questions?  Contact our coordinators, Tammy Tsikar and Rachel Zhang at connections@newtonsouthPTSO.org

Updating PTSO Newsletter Profile & Preference

Posted on September 24, 2020 by PTSO CoPresident in From the PTSO

There were many requests to update profiles.  Apologize to those who clicked on the link and didn’t receive a response.

To update, please just scroll to the bottom of this newsletter and click on the “Update your Profile”  

You should then receive an email and link to update your preferences.  Thank you!

NSHS PTSO Health & Safety Protocols

Posted on September 23, 2020 by PTSO CoPresident in From the PTSO

As we do our part to keep our community safe from exposure to COVID-19, please review our new Health and Safety Protocols for the 2020-21 school year.

PTSO Health and Safety Protocols – effective 9/22/20

  • All events will be held outdoors on school grounds, not to exceed 50 people or current State & City guidelines at that time.
  • Every participant and volunteer must wear a mask when they are on school property.
  • Social distancing protocol will be all individuals will be wearing masks and stay a minimum of  3ft to 6ft apart at all times between family cohorts.
  • All events will have sign-ups for students and for volunteers to support contact tracing if needed.
  • All events will have sign-ups to ensure we manage the maximum size of groups in the designated area to not exceed 50 people and/or State and City gathering protocols at that time.  Events will minimize exposure by having family cohorts and physical distancing of 6ft between cohorts.  Any student activity will require up 3-6ft distancing between students, and limit students to one group during the event.
  • All events will ensure we manage the maximum size of groups in the designated area to not exceed 50 people and/or State and City gathering protocols at that time.
  • All events will have a volunteer to ensure social distancing protocols in waiting areas or lines.
  • All student events will have a parent/guardian (adult) supervision.
  • Any event that requires equipment will specify that volunteers bring and dispose of their own supplies.
  • Event co-chairs will remind all participants and volunteers of social distancing and hand hygiene protocols at the start of the event.
  • Any volunteer or participant who is not feeling well needs to stay home. Any volunteer or participant who is in quarantine must not participate until the 14-day quarantine is complete and show no symptoms.
  • Any volunteer who participated in an event and subsequently tests positive for COVID-19 must notify the event organizer and the co-Presidents immediately.   The co-presidents will notify South Administration as soon as they are notified of a positive case, and share list of participants.

How Parents/Student Can Help Keep Our Community Safe:
As COVID-19 continues to be present in our community, we all need to do our part to minimize the spread of COVID-19.  By staying vigilant, parents/guardians and students can practice and self-enforce social distance protocols.

  • If you or your child(ren) haven’t worn a mask for 2-3 hours a day, start practicing now at home – in and out of the house so you and your child(ren) are ready to be at in-person events. Wear it watching TV, playing video game, or hanging outside.
  • Reinforce frequently hand washing, not touch surfaces unnecessarily, staying 6ft from people outside of your home environment.
  • Respect the virus, respect our community, respect your family and stay safe

Please keep yourself and your child(ren) at home if you are not feeling well.  There’s no guarantee we can have zero cases of COVID-19 as we begin in-person events,  so we must continue to be vigilant with social distancing protocols.   NPS, City and South have established health and safety protocols in the event someone at South tests positive. Thank you.

NSHS Athletics Update

Posted on September 23, 2020 by PTSO CoPresident in From the PTSO

Please see the update from Pat Gonzalez, Athletic Director

Please scroll to the bottom of this newsletter to Update your Profile to subscribe to “Athletics.”  Separate Athletics Newsletters are posted periodically.  Thank you.

Protocols for athletic events   

NSHS COVID coach is Mr. Ted Dalicandro. You can reach him at [email protected] if you have a COVID-19 related question.

  • Coaches will use screening questions before EACH practice and game. They record the students’ answers in the given spreadsheet and report it to the COVID coach.
  • Coaches will follow this protocol: In case a student responds affirmatively to any of these questions they will contact the COVIS-19 coach immediately and they will also call/text the Athletic Director. The student will not be allowed to participate. City Board of Health protocols for schools are activated.
  • Each student will be given an identification provided by the DCL to allow one family member to attend games home or away. Without this identification, access will not be granted at any field.
  •  NS will use QR code signing in at each home game.
  • Players, coaches, and fans are required to wear fitted masks with ear loops by BOH requirements. Gaitors are NOT permitted.

NSHS-Specific Guidance

  • Sport Specific Guidelines-The MIAA sports have been modified to keep athletes safe and all the modifications to the specific sports are listed on the MIAA COVID Taskforce site.
  • Our remote learning classes finish at 3:55 pm. Practices will not start before 4:30 PM due to transportation issues.
  • Restrooms. We will be using Porta-Potties facilities in each field. These are not changing rooms or to be used in such a manner.
  • Physical. You must have an updated and in-person physical (within 13 months), per Massachusetts law, and there are no exceptions to this. You can mail physicals to the Athletic Department at 140 Brandeis Road, Newton MA 02459 or email them to Gail Kramer  [email protected].us or to Kristen Hoffman at [email protected]
  • Transportation. Coaches will be in touch with their team around transportation. We are asking that whenever possible, students/their families provide their own transportation to practices and/or games. Please let your coach know if transportation is a concern for you and we will work to provide accommodations on an individual basis but may be limited by available resources.
  • Transportation Waiver.  Parents must complete this NPS Transportation Waiver in order to transport their child to games. Please notice that we need the note three days in advance in order to secure a bus. Please send the Waiver form to David Pagett at [email protected].

DCL school protocols will be shared ahead of our traveling to their sites. Schools will connect before the first day of competition to check the last health reports for their respective districts.

The State of MA 50 people in attendance rule is in place at each venue.

Thank you for your help in making this season possible for our athletes.