NPS’s Interim Superintendent , Kathleen Smith, J.D. invites NPS Families to a forum on the 2023-24 (FY24) school year budget. This budget discussion will include information on the proposed operational override and its impact on the FY24 budget. Details are as follows:

Where: Newton North Auditorium (457 Walnut St.)
When: Wednesday, February 8, 2023
Time: 7p.m.

If you are unable to attend in person, the event will be live-streamed on NewTV. The evening will include a short presentation and then an opportunity for questions and answers. You may ask your question live during the forum or you can submit a question in advance using this Google Form:

NPS BUDGET QUESTIONS – GOOGLE FORM

For reference, below is a link to the presentation shared with the School Committee last week that provides a preview of next year’s budget.

FY24 BUDGET PREVIEW TO SCHOOL COMMITTEE – JANUARY 23

ELPAC (English Learner Parent Advisory Council) meets in person Thursday, February 9. ELPAC is for ELL and former ELL families districtwide. ELPAC collaborates with schools and the district to improve ELL programming and support bilingualism. You are welcome to join this community meeting!

Date: Thursday, February 9, 2023

Time: 6:30-8:00PM

Location: 100 Walnut Street, Newton (the Education Center for Newton Public Schools) Room 111

• A big parking lot is behind the building on Crafts Street
• Use the green door, at the top of the steps, near the right side of the parking lot

ELPAC Meeting Agenda will include:

• Presentations:
  • College Application Process, presenter: Jennifer Geraghty from Newton North High School
  • Parks and Rec Opportunities and Summer Camps
  • ELPAC Elections–Three candidates will be on the ballot: Li Yin (Current At-Large member who is nominated for chairperson), Wendy Wang (At-Large Member), and Zoe Shih (At-Large Member). ELPAC welcomes more nominations. ELPAC needs a treasurer and a secretary.

CLICK HERE TO RSVP: Interpretation and snacks will be provided with RSVP. Please note: no childcare will be provided for this meeting. However, children ages 5+ are welcome to join. ELPAC will include a children’s table of activities.

Please join Newton SEPAC and Mark Kelly and Karen Peirce from Newton Parks and Recreation/Athletes Unlimited for a virtual presentation on Athletes Unlimited, with Q&A to follow. The event will be recorded.

When: Tuesday, February 7, 7:30-8:30 p.m.
Where: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82027574465
Meeting ID: 820 2757 4465
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Newton Athletes Unlimited’s mission is to offer high quality recreational programs to encourage physical, social, emotional and intellectual development to individuals with disabilities.

Newton received a $627,000 Safe Routes to School Grant from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) to implement the much needed bike and pedestrian improvements at the Parker Street and Route 9 intersection to make it it safer for students.

Specifically, the upgrades will:
*   Enable drivers to see students in the crosswalk by improving sight lines from the realignment of curbs, utility poles and crosswalks.
*   Allow bicyclists to share space with pedestrians on a widened sidewalk on the east side of Parker Street.
*   Help students and other pedestrians cross Rt. 9 via improved signal timing made possible by upgraded signal equipment.
*   Provide a two-way protected bike lane on the eastbound onramp to connect to Sheldon Road

MassDOT will plan, design and construct the improvements with work expected to begin in June 2024.

If you are planning on doing some shopping on Amazon, consider using amazon smile to support Brown’s PTO. Just designate Charles E. Brown Middle School PTO as your charitable recipient. The AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of your purchase price for eligible purchases towards our PTO. Click the picture above for a direct link to the site.

For more information about how this works, click this link to the PTO website.

Brown Working Theatre is looking for some creative and hard-working parent volunteers to help out with our musical production of “Honk!”
We are in particular need of a costume coordinator to help us take charge of organizing costumes for the show. A crew of students and one of our teaching assistants is ready to help this person.

We are so excited for the show, but we need to fill a few more of the adult roles on our team so that we can give all of these students a great experience.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP.

• February 6 at 8 p.m., Brown PTO Board Meeting. Email the PTO for the Zoom link.
• February 14 & 15, evening: Brown MS Musical – “Honk, Jr.”
• February 18-26: School Vacation Week
• March 13, after school: Brown Faculty Foul-ups

We are excited to announce that Girls on the Run will be returning to Brown Middle School this spring. Girls on the Run inspires girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running. The season will begin Monday, March 27. 

A celebratory 5K takes place Saturday, June 10. 

The team will meet at Brown on Mondays and Thursdays 3-4:30. You can register and select our location (Brown Middle School) directly HERE on a lottery basis. If needed (i.e. too many participants) we will run a lottery at which time you will be notified by email of your registration status. Any program fees ($225) will be due at that time.

If you have any questions, please email Rachel Heep (heepr@newton.k12.ma.us).

VOLUNTEER The Brown PTO is an all-volunteer run group of engaged and supportive parents and caregivers.  Parent involvement is the single most important thing parent groups do. Schools with involved parents enjoy better morale among teachers, a strong community and enriching learning environment. It is also a great way to make new connections in this larger community!

Your help is needed & greatly appreciated whether it’s a little or a bit more.

The goal is to create a great relationship between the parents and staff at Brown that will benefit our children!

There are a lot of ways to get involved at Brown. CLICK HERE Here to Sign Up  for volunteer opportunities and community activities!

Learn more about events and activities the PTO sponsors. Click Here to Learn More.

The Brown-Helping-Brown Fund, established in Spring of 2020,  provides quick financial help to Brown Middle School families (usually within 24 hours) to address urgent and immediate needs.

Many thanks to our amazing community for your generous donations to this fund!

Brown’s administration facilitate these requests with support from the PTO when possible especially with the upcoming holiday season.  All communications are private and confidential. Our school’s administrators also help to connect families in need with additional outside resources.

If you need help, please reach out to your child’s school counselor.

If you are able, please consider a donation to Brown MS’s Fund.

DONATE HERE

Each year, the Newton Public Schools consider applications for Newton students to transfer to a school outside of their home (assigned) district. School Transfer placements are limited and made on a space available basis. Applications for the 2023-2024 school year can be submitted online between March 1 and May 1, 2023.

The online form will be available on our website at www.newton.k12.ma.us in the “Registration” section.

For more information about School Transfer requests, CLICK HERE.

The 18th annual Teen Summer Expo will be Monday, February 6, 5:30 – 8p.m. at Newton South High School in the cafeteria. Meet with directors of a curated group of meaningful summer enrichment programs for kids ages 12 – 18. Options for every interest and budget. FREE and OPEN TO ALL.  Pre-register and share with friends on Facebook.

Each year the Brown PTO publishes a digital directory for use by the Brown community. To make sure we have your correct contact information, please click the following link to review the steps to add or edit your information.

• Click Here to Add or Update your contact information
• Questions? Contact us at browndirectory@gmail.com 

  If your child will not be attending Brown this year, please email browndirectory@gmail.com so that we can remove you from the system. 

Calling all Newton middle schoolers! Come to a fun place for kids where they can exercise, socialize, and be safe and it’s completely free as well!

When:   Friday, February 10 from 6:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Where:  The Makenzie Center, 1337 Centre St., Newton Center
What:    We play basketball, dodgeball, ultimate frisbee, socialize, snacks etc.

Contact Jared Blake at jblake@sholnewton.org for additional information.