PARENTS - TEACHERS - STUDENTS

School Committee visit leads to thought-provoking discussion

Questions from parents led to an interesting discussion at the May 15 PTSO meeting. The School Committee was represented by Geoff Epstein, Diana Fisher-Gomberg, Angela Pitter-Wright, and Jonathan Yeo; Superintendent David Fleishman also attended. Discussion topics included curriculum, facilities maintenance, technology, and teacher evaluation.

For links to the handouts brought by the School Committee, go to http://www3.newton.k12.ma.us/schoolcommittee/.

Openings for 2012-2013 School Council

The Newton North School Council is looking for two new parent members.  The Newton North School Council advises the principal on budget, school improvement plans, and other issues of general interest.  Parents/guardian members are expected to attend monthly 1 + 1/4 hour meetings once per month.  The term of office is three years.  Applicants should submit a short paragraph about themselves to the PTSO with information about qualities which the candidate would bring to School Council.  The paragraph could include particular interests, backgound, skills or expertise which have prepared the candidate for this role. 

The meeting schedule for the 2012-2013 school year is as follows (note the alternating PM/AM times):

October 1 - 7:00 PM
November  7 - 7:00 AM
December 3 - 7:00 PM
January 2 -  7:00 AM
February 4 - 7:00 PM
March 6 - 7:00 AM
April 1 - 7:00 PM
May 1 - 7:00 AM
June 3 - 7:00 PM

For a full description of School Council purpose and guidelines click here. 

Teacher Appreciation Retirement Tea

Teacher Appreciation Retirement Tea

Tuesday, May 22nd @ 2:45 pm in the Library.

PLEASE HELP US CREATE A DELIGHTFUL TEA to show our appreciation to NNHS FACULTY AND RETIRING STAFF.

Here are two ways to help:

Donate food or time (Set up, serve OR cleanup)

Too busy to do either???

Consider making a $10 donation to NNHS PTO.

Questions? Please contact Teacher Appreciation Event Co-Chairs: 

Sharon Diamond or Laurie Gershkowitz.  

Please indicate amount of food or beverages you will donate in the space next to the item.

Drinking hand sanitizer: why the behavior of adolescents actually makes sense

Anyone who has parented teenagers would agree that there is something, well, different about their brains. Just last week, there was a story about teens drinking hand sanitizer. Really? Hand sanitizer?

To read more about this story by Dr. Claire McCarthy click here.

Just Think in-school expo draws lots of students

The Just Think: Teens Making Smart Choices expo on May 3 attracted a great crowd of students. Special thanks are due to the exhibitors for being willing to spend time at Newton North in order to give teens a postive message. Exhbitors include American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (Boston Chapter), A Promise to Adam, In Control Crash Prevention Training, Middlesex District Attorney’s Office (cyber bullying), Mentors in Violence Prevention, Multiservice Eating Disorders Association, Newton ASC, Newton Health and Human Services Department, Newton Free Library, Newton Mentoring Alliance, Newton Police Department, Newton Teen Center at West Suburban YMCA, NNHS Prevention/Intervention Counselor and Services, Project INTERFACE Freedman Center/MSPP, Riverside Community Care, Samaritans, Inc., and TeenLife.

See a slide show of the Just Think in-school expo here.

See slides from Newton Serves April 29, 2012

To see a slide show of the Newton Serves "Operation Bold Color" click here. 

Thank you to Newton Serves volunteers Sherry Klein, Steven Sauro, Sally Brickell, Jinbin Wu, Conor Newman, Jesse Wint, Karen Axelrod, Lynn Chou, Shuling Chou, Robin Clemens, Chris Clemens, Beverly Donnellan, Liv Berlin, Barbara Levine, Ken King, Deb Putnoi, Daniel Gibson, Nathab Gibson, Sandy Simpson, Barbara Levine, Max Brandl, Susan Cassidy, Joey Coyle, Morgan Coyle-Howard, Zhuer Zhao, Ying Chen, Renato Spacek, Samin Akbari Panahi, Ellen Sheehy, Scott Aquilina, Eli Meang, Jiahua Liang, Tamara, Yuqing Ruan, Michelle Han, Michael Han, Yotam Gavish, Karin Gavish, Shari Tishman, Bob Sowa, Karen Axelrod, Melissa Chaikof, Jessica Chaikof, Steve Logowitz, Yuheng Wu, Bin Fan, Megan Sauro, Paulina Romero, Charlotte Levine, Katie Doran, Eyob Gizachew, Michael Duggan, Christina Helbert, Michaela O'Flaherty, Siobhan O'Flaherty, Michaela O'Flaherty, Paul Labovitch, Francesca Sands, Keegan Stricker.

Thank you, also, to any volunteers we may have missed - your efforts were greatly appreciated!  Here's what some of the teachers thought of your work:
 

"Many thanks for the blue paint job in room 312!"  David Bedar;

"Thank you so much to you and your crew for a wonderful paint job in my room--what a great treat to come back from our service trip to New Orleans and to see a bright, cheerful paint job (especially on a gray, rainy day!) I really appreciate your efforts, and my students have commented on how cheery the room is now." Michele Leong

"NN PTSO - Thank you so much for your organization and painting efforts last weekend! My office (Room 401) looks amazing..."  Darby Verre

"Please send a big THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the Community Service Project on Sunday. My room looks amazing. Thank you to... everyone... who was involved." Amie Harris

" Please pass along my "thank you" to the painting volunteers! The students loved it today when they walked into the room..."Liana Kish

"Thank you for my red wall! The students' response has been wonderfully positive. What a nice treat for everyone." Alicia Carrillo

"I appreciate the hard work that went into this, my room looks so much better as a result." Thanks!" Mary-Ellen Hurd

Take the School Council survey!

Make your voice count at Newton North!

Five years ago, when Jennifer Price became principal of Newton North, she surveyed the community to identify the strengths and needs of the school. To identify current strengths and needs--and to measure progress--the NNHS School Council invites you to complete a brief, new, anonymous survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FQW5ZYL.

Questions? Contact the School Council at nnhs.schoolcouncil@gmail.com.

Parent Ed event May 1, 2012

Talking to Your Child About Sexual Assault: What to Say, What Not to Say and How You Can Empower Your Child (for parents of elementary age children)
As a parent, do you know what to say - or not to say - to your child about sexual assault? How do we teach our kids about appropriate and inappropriate touching and, ultimately, how do we empower them to act when they feel uncomfortable? This workshop is geared for parents of elementary age children and will be presented by Gail Sommer, Director of Community Support and Prevention at Newton Community Service Center, and Jessica Hoguet, Coordinator of Needham CAP at the Needham Community Council. Note that a similar workshop will be taking place at Brown Middle School on the same evening for parents of teens. FREE. For more information go to www.thenewtonpartnership.org/attend-an-event/
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
7:00-8:30 p.m.
Mason Rice Elementary School Auditorium
149 Pleasant Street
Newton Centre, MA 02459


Talking to Your Child About Sexual Assault: What to Say, What Not to Say and How You Can Empower Your Child (for parents of teens)
Sexual assault is a difficult, but important topic, especially with teens. Learn how to talk to your child and how we, as parents can help our teens to establish appropriate boundaries with peers and others. Presented by Meg Bossong,Community Mobilization Project Manager at the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center (BARCC). Note that a similar workshop will be taking place at Mason Rice School on the same evening for parents of elementarty school students. FREE. For more information go to www.thenewtonpartnership.org/attend-an-event/
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
7:00-8:30 p.m.
Brown Middle School Library
125 Meadowbrook Road
Newton Centre, MA 02459
 

Theatre Ink presents "Twelfth Night"

Theatre Ink and South Stage Proudly Present
 
William Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night"
 
Newton North High School Little Theatre
 
May 10, 11, 12- 2012 7:30 p.m.
 
 
Tickets $8 at theatreink.net

or pick them up during all lunches outside the cafeteria at NNHS

 

Ed Ex Explained--informational coffee

Monday, May 7, 8:15 a.m.
International Cafe at NNHS

Join Ed Ex co-chairs Marion Golin and Anne Swager for a discussion of what the Educational Excellence Campaign  (annual Newton North PTSO fundraiser) is all about, the philosophy behind the fund, and a summary of accomplishments. All parents/guardians are invited to attend. Questions and suggestions are welcome!