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Brown School News
IMPORTANT CORRECTION FOR THURSDAY, JAN. 10 2008 LATE SCHOOL START
School will start at 12pm on Thursday, January 10 and Thursday, March 6th. Be at bus stop at 11:15 am. Dismissal is at the regular time, 3pm. Release Please note these times on your calendars.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR HONK!
The Brown musical Honk! is in need of some talented individuals to help out with the following tasks:
• creating sets and scenery (a few Saturday mornings in January-February)
• contributing artwork for the playbill and posters
• finding playbill sponsors
• assembling the playbill
Please contact Amy McMahon, email: amymcm@rcn.com or 617-527-1404 for above tasks. Volunteers to sew costumes contact Charlie Roye at Charlie_Roye@newton.k12.ma.us
From the PTO
NOT TO BE MISSED!!!! PTO MATH MEETING – 7:30 PM, TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2008, BROWN SCHOOL LIBRARY
All parents interested in math in Newton, please join us for this informative evening as we hear from Mary Eich, K-8 Curriculum Coordinator for the City of Newton, Steven Rattendi, Newton South H.S. Mathematics Department Chair, Rebecca Fishbein and Kim Lysaght, Brown mathematics teachers and department co-chairs. We will learn about the Newton math curriculum and understand how the Middle School program transitions to the High School. Then our own Brown teachers will discuss the program here at Brown and how to help your student be successful in math. Following the presentation, there will be a Q&A time with all of our expert guests.
PTO BOARD MEETING, MONDAY, JANUARY 14, 7:30PM, MIMI’S HOUSE, ALL ARE WELCOME!
New spring event – book fair/movie night/cafe!! This will be the topic of discussion along with General Business and reports from Ladies Night Out. We will also be discussing positions for next year. Please join us for the second of four PTO Board Meetings. Please come if you are a chair of a committee or officer. We are also looking for 6th, 7th and 8th grade members at large. All are welcome to come by and share your opinions. RSVP brownpto@brownpto.org (Mimi’s house: 129 Hagen Rd., 02459, 617-964-2908)
BROWN LADIES’ NIGHT OUT - “Siete de Febrero”
Calling all women of the Brown community! Mark your calendars and come join us for the...Brown Ladies’ Night Out.
Thursday, February 7, 2008 7 to 10pm at KITCHEN VIEWS at 718 Beacon St., Newton Centre (next to Post Office)
MINGLE... in a great space with a cheerful vibe, not to mention beautiful custom kitchens! MUNCH... tasty hors d’oeuvres prepared and served by friends and neighbors! MARGARITAS—have one! or two! or some wine or Dos Equis! or a Coke!
Questions? Want to help out? Please contact Kathleen Hobson (617-964-5848 / kathleen.hobson@comcast.net ).
We hope to see you there!
The Committee: Lisa Cohen, Sue Hardy, Kathleen Hobson, Bryna Klevan, Betsy Silverman, Amy Stein
PTO WANTS YOU!
Looking to get involved? We’d love to get to know you better. There are opportunities to help with Ladies Night Out, Faculty Foul-Ups, the Book Fair and helping redesign our web-page. Please contact either Mimi Karys or Lucia Dolan at brownpto@brownpto.org
Please feel free to contact us with ideas, questions, anything!
Sincerely,
Mimi Karys (617-964-2908) and Lucia Dolan (617-332-1893), brownpto@brownpto.org
PTO Co-Presidents
From the Newton Public Schools
LONG RANGE FACILITIES FORUM RESCHEDULED
Cancelled due to snow in December, the long-anticipated facilities planning forum has been rescheduled to January. School officials invite members of the public to join them on Tuesday, January 8, at 7pm at the Oak Hill Middle School library. Community members will be asked to weigh in on several options for the renovation or construction of new elementary and middle schools.
NEWTON COMMUNITY ED CLASSES FOR MIDDLE SCHOOLERS
Registration is now underway for winter classes through Newton Community Education. Coming up for middle schoolers we have Fencing at Bigelow on Mondays, Chess at Day on Tuesdays, Sewing and Yoga at North on Tuesdays, Create a TV Show at NewTV on Fridays, and Babysitting at North on Saturdays and during both February and April vacations. And if there's a high schooler in your family, we now offer Fencing for high school kids. Call our office at 617-559-6999 for more information or to register, or visit our website at www.newtoncommunityed.org. Newton Community Ed is part of the Newton Public Schools. When you support our program, you support our schools.
PRESENTATION ON BENEFITS OF METCO PROGRAM
Susan Eaton, author of The Other Boston Busing Story and Dismantling Segregation will be speaking about the benefits of the Metco program for urban and suburban students at Mason Rice School on Tuesday, February 26. The program is co-sponsored by Angier, Mason Rice, Brown and other Newton elementary and middle schools. Ms. Eaton is the Research Director at the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute on Race and Justice at Harvard University.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE DRAFTS FY '09 BUDGET
The School Committee will be deciding how to fund the school district and what programs to keep if an override should be rejected. Because of the upcoming override vote, the School Committee will be reviewing and debating two budgets for FY09:
Override Budget - This budget will reflect what the school department programs and services will look like with the additional funds available if the override passes.
Allocation Budget - This budget will reflect what it will look like without a tax override. Click on to the School Committee website to see the guidelines for the both budgets. www.newton.k12.ma.us/schoolcommittee/budget/budget09.html
On January 14, the Superintendent will present the override budget (7:30pm, Day Middle School), the committee will continue discussion on the override budget on January 15 and Thursday, January 17 (both at 7pm, Education Center).
Beginning on January 28 at the regularly scheduled School Committee meeting (7:30pm, Day Middle School), members will begin to discuss the allocation budget. On February 6, the School Committee will host a public hearing on both budgets (7pm at Day Middle School), followed by a School Committee vote on the final budgets on Monday, February 11 (7pm, Education Center). The School Committee appreciates the participation of residents and the school community.
SUMMARY OF RECENT SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEETINGS
The School Committee publishes a summary of recent meetings on its website by the Friday after each meeting. This document is meant to give a timely update on issues before the School Committee before the detailed minutes are approved and archived. www.newton.k12.ma.us/schoolcommittee/
NEWTON’S TECHNOLOGY ADVISORY COMMITTEE (TAC) UPDATE
Newton’s Technology Advisory Committee (TAC) was formed in November 2006. The goal of the advisory committee is to provide a vehicle for community input into the design and implementation of an updated Three-Year Technology Plan for the schools. The research and subsequent recommendations done last year by 6 TAC subcommittees serve as the basis of Newton’s Three-Year Technology Plan, 2008-2011. (Final report and recommendations are posted at www.newton.k12.ma.us/Technology/TAC/YearOne.html ) The new Three-Year Plan will be presented to the Newton School Committee in late January or early February and will be posted on the NPS website.
This year volunteer members of Newton’s TAC are working in 4 project teams lead by these project leaders:
- Course Management System (Missy Costello, missy_costello@newton.k12.ma.us)
- School Portal Design (Erik Britt-Webb, ebrittwebb@concoursgroup.com)
- 1-1 Learning Initiative (Bob Zuckernik, bob@zuckernik.com)
- Project-Based Learning (Andy Liu, amliu@MIT.EDU)
If you would like to work with one of these project teams, public relations, or fundraising, please contact the team leader listed above or Shelley Chamberlain, Director of Information Technology at shelley_chamberlain@newton.k12.ma.us. For more detailed information, please visit the TAC website at www.newton.k12.ma.us/Technology/TAC/index.html.
Community News
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES' FORUM WARD 6 DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE OF NEWTON
We are inviting representatives of the eight Democratic Presidential Candidates to come to our Ward Committee Meeting to answer any questions you might have about the candidates in this most exciting election. Come with your written questions! This event held on January 6 at noon at The Women's Workshop, 72 Columbus Avenue, Newton Highlands. Everyone is welcome. For more information, contact Barbara John at 617-965-6875 or barbaraj.massed1@rcn.com
NCSC FEBRUARY VACATION WINTER SKILLS PROGRAM
The Newton Community Service Center is offering a Winter Skills Program during February Vacation for 3rd through 6th grade students. We will be heading to Hale Reservation to learn essential winter skills in the areas of fire building, ice rescue, and stretcher building. Additional activities include Big Box Hockey, Archery, team sledding, and more. For information or to register, please call Jennifer Capello McAuliffe at 617-969-5906, ext. 224 or visit www.ncscweb.org and click on Recreational Programs.
A SPECIAL PROGRAM FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH FEB 2008 AT THE NEWTON FREE LIBRARY
The Underground Railroad, from Newton to the End of the Line: The Newton Free Library will present this three-part program on Thursday, February 21 at 7pm. Sheila Sibley, Education Manager at the Newton History Museum, will give a talk on Newton’s connection to the Underground Railroad. A quartet of Berklee College of Music voice students will sing Walter Robinson’s song about Harriet Tubman. Jacqueline Tobin, author of the new book From Midnight to Dawn, will speak about its story of fugitive ex-slaves on the last leg of the Underground Railroad from Detroit to free black settlements in Canada. The talk will be followed by a book signing with books provided by the New England Mobile Book Fair. Free admission; for information, call the Newton Free Library at 617-796-1360.
ANNUAL CAMP FAIR
Tuesday, February 5, 2-7pm at the War Memorial Hall in Newton City Hall, snow date 2/7/08. Come meet the Camp Directors learn more about the various camps & clinics and swimming facilities.
ICE SKATING THROUGH NEWTON PARKS & RECREATION
Registration is open for the winter session classes start January 18 at local MDC Ice Skating Rinks. For more information, see http://www.activityreg.com/, click on “Mass” and then “Newton Parks & Recreation” then click Programs. From the drop menu select skating lessons or call NPRD 617-796-1500 for ages 4 ½ through Adults
ALTERNATIVE BASKETBALL CLASS FOR GIRLS
For grades 4 - 6 who like a quieter pace. Fun, upbeat class for those girls who need support on motor-planning or who have been too timid to try regular basketball. Mondays 5:30 - 6:30pm at the Hyde Community Center beginning January 7. Call Susan immediately at 617-527-0663.
A PRESENTATION OF "DADDY KING", THE STORY OF MARTIN LUTHER KING
"Daddy King" as told by storyteller Sumner McClain, will be presented on Sunday, January 20 at 1pm at the Newton Cultural Center, 225 Nevada Street, Newtonville. The journey from childhood to adulthood as only a father (Martin Luther King Sr.) could see it, brings a living, breathing Martin Luther King Jr. to life. His feeling, hopes and dreams infuse a new meaning of the man and his work. Fee: $5.00. Call 617-527-8283 for more information.
BROOKLINE SMART SUMMERS THEATER ARTS PROGRAM
Be a summer star! a fun experience in the arts for children ages 7-13. Students take classes in acting, music, dance, and art. At the end of each session, students perform an original musical. The program runs at the Lincoln school in Brookline, Monday-Friday, 8:30am-4pm, June 25 - July 11 & July 14 - 25. For more information, email theaterartscamp@aol.com. To register, contact Brookline adult & community education at 617-730-2700.
REGISTRATION FOR THE 2008 NEWTON EAST LITTLE LEAGUE SPRING SEASON IS NOW OPEN
Newton East Little League (NELL) serves eligible boys and girls aged 5 to 12 who were born on or between May 1, 1995 - April 30, 2003. All new applicants to NELL, must reside in, or attend the public schools in, the school districts of the Memorial-Spaulding, Bowen or Mason-Rice Elementary Schools. Please note the T-Ball program is open to all children who reside in any Newton school district or attend any school in Newton. The season begins in early April and runs through the middle of June. All registrations will be on-line at our web site: www.newtoneastll.org. Sponsorship and coaching information is also available on-line. In the event you are not able to register on-line using a credit card, you may use a paper application form with a personal check for payment. These forms are available by email request to nellbaseball@aol.com or by phone request at 617-332-8062. The registration deadline is February 10. Please see http://spring.newtoneastll.org for more information.
TEEN SUMMER PROGRAM EXPO
Come to the 4th annual Teen Summer Program Expo, Monday, February 4, 5:30-8pm at Newton South High School, 140 Brandeis Road, in the cafeteria. FREE ADMISSION. Learn about the many options available for teens' summer experiences. Meet personally with directors from more than 50 programs such as Teen Camps, Teen Travel, Sport Specialty, Adventure, Community Service, Cultural Immersion, Arts and Theatre, Music, Academic, Non-Profit, Internship and College/SAT Prep. Sponsored by CampSource/TeenSource and NSHS PTSO. Refreshments will be sold. For more information visit www.CampSourceNetwork.com, call 617-244-3316 or email laura@CampSourceNetwork.com. Snow date will be Tuesday, February 5.
NCSC SUMMER DAY CAMP REGISTRATION IS UNDERWAY
Come join us at Hale Reservation in Westwood where campers enjoy fun-filled days of boating, Red Cross swim lessons and free swim, arts and crafts, fishing, archery, ropes challenge course, nature activities, athletics, cookouts, special events, overnights and more. Camp begins on June 23 and runs through August 22. Camp begins at 8am and the bus leaves at 8:30am for Hale Reservation and returns to the Newton Community Service Center at 4:30pm. Extended Camp is available until 6pm. The cost for a two-week session is $540. For information or to register, please call Jennifer Capello McAuliffe at 617-969-5906, ext. 224 or visit www.ncscweb.org and click on summer Camp.
Classifed
PIANO INSTRUCTION
Berklee & New England Conservatory graduate with 25+ years teaching experience has several openings in studio. Beginners Welcome. Learn Jazz/Blues/Classical, theory, sightreading from a patient, caring teacher. Gloria Jasinski, 617-566-9704 or piano566@comcast.net
KIDS' KARATE
Free trial beginners class Friday, Jan. 18, 4:45-5:45pm, or Sat., Jan. 19, 10-11am for girls and boys in elementary and Middle schools. $79 per 7-Week Session. No uniform worn for 7-Week Beginners course. Class is held in a beautiful rental space at Trinity High School. For more information, please leave message for Rich Jacobs, KIDS' KARATE Director, at 617-527-8052. Also, see www.kids-karate.org
CALL Y3K TUTOR IN YOUR HOME TODAY
When schoolwork goes the wrong way! Our many years of experience in teaching and educational consulting has developed the right way to motivate, the right way to teach, be understood, and be remembered. We tutor special ed. such as ADD, ADHD, Asperger’s, Autism, Emotional/Behavioral, and gifted. We also tutor regular ed. and test preparation. All subjects and ages are taught. Parents can now receive 25% off the first lesson. Call 781-492-8700 or www.Y3KTutorInYourHome.com
Brown PTO Newsletter
The newsletter will publish, at the sole discretion of the PTO, articles and other information of interest to the Brown Middle School Community.SUBMISSIONS: by email to editor@brownpto.org,by US mail to Brown Middle School PTO, Newsletter Editor, 125 Meadowbrook Road, Newton, MA 02459, or by drop off in the Brown Office Mailroom. Deadline Saturday evenings.
Important Email Addresses
PTO President - brownpto@brownpto.org
Newsletter Editor - editor@brownpto.org
Webmaster - webmaster@brownpto.org