Zervas Elementary School PTO » Community Notes

July 4th Celebration in Newton

Newton PTO Council — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:48:50 +0000

Kids Morning: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 Noon
Newton Centre Playground at Tyler Terrace

Free event for children ages 3 – 12 years. Children and families are invited to join in the Grande Pet Parade, Decorated Doll Carriage Promenade, Teddy Bear Parade and Foot Races. Free ice cream, candy and drinks complete the morning celebration – courtesy of Cabot’s Ice Cream and Trader Joe’s.

Afternoon/Evening Events: 12:00 Noon – 10:00 p.m.
Albemarle Field

The fun continues with kiddie amusement rides (starting at 1:00 p.m.), craft vendor booths, food vendor booths, face painting and other childrens’ activities. There is free music and dancing all day: from 12:00 – 6:00 p.m. in the Gazebo, and 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. on the Main Stage.

At 9:00 p.m. don’t miss the grand finale…a fantastic fireworks display! Visit www.newtoncommunitypride.org for details.

Baby sitter available

zervaspto — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 15:35:50 +0000

Zervas alumnae Jenny Morris is available to provide summer childcare. She is 18 and has just graduated from Newton South High School. She drives and has her own car. She has worked all year at the Rec Place After School program in the Newton Lower Falls Community Center providing childcare for Angier and Williams elementary school children after school, and has babysat for many local families. She is First Aid and CPR certified, a good swimmer, and available until August 20. Please contact Jenny at jenny.morris13@gmail.com.

Volunteer with Newton’s Child Assault Prevention team

Newton PTO Council — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 15:34:44 +0000

Help keep Newton children SAFE, STRONG & FREE by volunteering with the Child Assault Prevention (CAP) program. Training for Volunteer Prevention Specialists for the 2013-2014 school year begins the week of October 20 — mark your calendar now.

The CAP Program relies on trained volunteers to teach elementary students simple strategies to reduce their vulnerability to verbal, physical and sexual assault. Volunteers work in teams, led by an experienced team captain. Training is provided. This year’s training begins the week of October 20. Volunteer commitment is 4-6 hours per month, for one school year. 16 Continuing Education Credits available for MSW.

For more information and to set up a screening interview please contact Gail Sommer, Director, by phone (617.969.5906 x 143) or by email. Visit the CAP website for more information.

Hunger never takes a vacation

Newton PTO Council — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 01:55:11 +0000

Summer donations are needed at the Centre Street Food Pantry on Homer Street. Please bring any unexpired shelf-stable canned goods, toiletries, and other items. And they are always in need of brown-handled grocery bags for our shoppers to use. Drop … Continue reading → Continue reading →

One-day auction of pre-school’s materials and furnishings

Newton PTO Council — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 01:50:27 +0000

Golden Days Children Center at 66 Needham Street in Newton is closing and will auction all of its materials and furnishings on Saturday, June 22. Preview at 9:00 a.m. Auction starts 10:00 a.m.

Everything will be sold to the highest bidder without minimum or reserve. Included in the sale will be wooden outdoor play equipment, a large storage shed, outdoor classroom materials, a “Nifty System” for toddlers, a fully equipped gym, approximately 4000 books, a collection of primary musical instruments, and a wide selection of building materials including 2000 wooden unit/blocks. For more info: http://bit.ly/11KHKfr

Best-selling author Andrew Solomon in Newton

Newton PTO Council — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 23:49:25 +0000

The Newton Partnership and Understanding Our Differences are honored to be hosting best-selling author Andrew Solomon in Newton on June 17th from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. at Newton North High School.

Solomon’s book Far From the Tree is a magnificent work about extraordinary families of individuals affected by cognitive, physical or psychological differences. Its focus is on parents who not only learn to cope with their exceptional children, but also find profound meaning in doing so. This thought-provoking book affirms the values of empathy and acceptance and is relevant for all kinds of parents and families. Books will be available for purchase and a book signing will follow the event.

Registration is required at http://understandingourdifferences.org/far-from-the-tree/.
Suggested donation is $5 at the door. For a preview, view this YouTube Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bWH0DD800I.

Attention 5th Grade Parents

zervaspto — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 23:47:33 +0000

Open Houses for Highlands After School Program: The Newton Highlands After-School Program, just for middle school children is hosting 2 Open Houses for interested families on: Saturday, June 15 from 5:00-6:00 P.M. and Monday, June 17 from 5:00-6:00 P.M. at Brigham House, 20 Hartford Street, Newton Highlands.

This is a terrific opportunity for parents of 5th graders to learn more about the program as they plan for the next school year. Please join us and see the wonderful space that is the home base of this terrific program. For more information please contact: Rochelle Acker at 617-999-4617 or highlandsafterschool@gmail.com or visit our website highlandsafterschool.org.

Tutor available

zervaspto — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 23:38:48 +0000

Former Brookline and Concord elementary, middle and high school teacher available to help students (K-12) with academic subjects, writing, study and organizational skills. SAT / ACT / ISEE prep. College essay and application support. Post-grad degrees, excellent parent and professional … Continue reading →

Extended Day Program for the Garden City Sports Camps

Newton PTO Council — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 17:44:51 +0000

This new program is officially named “The Hawkes Nest” and it will be run by the Assistant Athletic Director at Newton North High School, Eric Hawkes.

The Hawkes Nest, is a dedicated Extended Day Program that is designed to provide the families of the Garden City Summer Camps a stress relief option and a safe environment for their kids.

It will be run Monday-Friday from July 1st through August 16th (excepting July 4th). The Extended Day is run in 3 sessions that are $50 each. Tuition will be collected at time of sign-up/No Refunds. If interested please sign-up here on Garden City Sports Camps Website: http://www.newtonsummerschool.com/garden-city-sports-camps/ or reach out to the Administrative Offices of the Summer School by visiting them in Room 125 at Newton North High School or by phone at (617) 559-6264.

Registration is Open for Newton SouthEast Little League’s Summer 2013 Sandlot Season

Newton PTO Council — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 17:05:04 +0000

Following the tremendous success of the Sandlot program last year, NSELL is pleased to announce that registration for the Summer 2013 Sandlot Program is open for eligible 9-12 year olds. Instead of forming teams with set rosters and coaching staffs they will conduct “Sandlot Baseball Nights” on two weeknights per week from the last week of June through the middle of August.

They’ll provide shirts, hats, umpires, coaches and other game-related logistics. The objective is to give everyone a chance to have fun playing competitive baseball in a well organized environment. The cost is $75 and limited to 75 participants on a first come, first serve basis. Please visit www.newtonsoutheastll.org for more details and to register.

Summer Camp: The Engineering of Energy

Newton PTO Council — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 18:02:54 +0000

Students from Olin College of Engineering are holding two summer camps, for grades 2-6, on “The Engineering of Energy” this summer.

Campers will learn about engineering of energy systems, building a sustainable city with solar panels, wind turbines, Legos, and more!

The one-week sessions are held at MIT on July 29-Aug. 2 and Aug. 12-Aug 16.
Cost: $750 per camper; scholarships are available

For more information about the camp, contact Dr. Abigail Mechtenberg by email. To learn more about the Engineering of Energy project, visit its website.

The majority of the program fee serves to support a development work trip to Uganda by Olin students.

Boston Tutoring Services, in-home instruction

Newton PTO Council — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 17:52:25 +0000

Boston Tutoring Services, LLC offers one-on-one in-home instruction for K-12 students throughout Massachusetts.

Services include Private School Admission Test Preparation (ISEE/SSAT), SAT Test Prep, and Academic Subject Tutoring for students in grades K-12. Experienced tutors are largely Massachusetts Certified Teachers with Master’s Degrees or higher. Tutors have been trained to deliver instruction customized to each student’s needs.

More information is available online or by calling (781) 248-4558

Watertown Children’s Theatre presents Disney’s Aladdin Jr

Newton PTO Council — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 14:00:04 +0000

Agrabah, City of Enchantment, where every beggar has a story and every camel has a tail! Filled with magic, mayhem, flying carpet rides, and award-winning songs including “A Whole New World” and “Friend Like Me!” A cast of students in grades K-9 brings this Disney favorite to life. WCT’s Producing Director, Meghan Kenny, who directs this production, says “Exciting, Energetic, and Magical are three great words to describe this production. This cast really embodies their characters to bring the enchanting city of Agrabah to life and send the story of Aladdin soaring through the theatre.”

Tickets are $12 and are available now through WCT’s website at www.watertownchildrenstheatre.org or by calling 1-800-838-3006. For more information, visit WCT’s website or call 617-926-ARTS.

June 14 at 7:00 p.m.
June 15 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
June 16 at 2:00 p.m.

Charles Mosesian Theater
Arsenal Center for the Arts, Watertown

Newton Beijing Jingshan School exchange seeks host families

Newton PTO Council — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 13:53:57 +0000

If you and your family have ever wanted to know more about China, this is an extraordinary opportunity for you! The Newton Beijing Jingshan School Exchange Program is seeking families to host students and teachers during the fall semester of the 2013-2014 school year. This is a great chance to learn about Chinese culture while sharing your own family’s culture and traditions. Participants all speak English and are eager to learn about and take part in American family life. Beijing Jingshan exchange students and teachers arrive mid-September and depart mid-January. Students attend regular classes at the high schools. Teachers teach in our schools.

To explore this unique opportunity, please check out the website http://www3.newton.k12.ma.us/jingshanexchange/hosting or contact: Michael_Kozuch@newton.k12.ma.us .

Call for Local Artists!

Newton PTO Council — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 13:51:01 +0000

Newton Community Education would like to invite all Newton artists to apply for a display spot at this year’s Celebrate Newton crafts fair, to be held on December 8, 2013 at Newton South High School.

Celebrate Newton is an annual juried arts and crafts fair that honors the work of outstanding artisans who are residents of Newton or are in some other way connected to the city. Over 50 artisans display and sell their work at the fair; they include weavers, jewelers, quilters, potters, printers, photographers and more. Live music, food, and crafts activities for kids make the fair a wonderful, warm family event. Applications are available on our website www.celebratenewton.com.

This citywide event is sponsored by Newton Community Education, a self-sustaining arm of Newton Public Schools that offers a large variety of classes for both children and adults. Proceeds will benefit our scholarship fund and will help us to grow our program of course offerings.

Freelance Players Launches Theatre Troupe in Newton Corner

Newton PTO Council — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 13:49:41 +0000

The Freelance Players, a theater company dedicated to the production of original musical theater by young people for audiences of all ages, is launching a Newton Troupe this fall. The program is for children ages 8 to 12. Children with little or no acting experience are encouraged to audition. Vocal and acting technique, movement and dance training, improvisation and character development are all part of the rehearsal process. The Troupe will produce an original musical each session, with a production in January and one in May.

The Freelance Players, Inc. was founded by its current Executive Director Kippy Dewey in 1974, when she was directing theater at the Charles River Creative Arts Program in Dover. Freelance programs use theater to foster trust, imagination and self-esteem in young people. The ensemble approach nurtures risk-taking, mutual respect, and cooperation among students. One of the organization’s greatest achievements is the sense of confidence and accomplishment that each young actor gains from belonging to Freelance and performing publically. The Freelance Players, Inc. runs Troupes in Dover (Mondays), Jamaica Plain and Cambridge (Tuesdays), Needham (Fridays) and Brookline (Fridays).

The Freelance Players Troupe also meets in Brookline, on Wednesdays and is for young people ages 12 to 16 who have had previous experience in theater. The Players also produce two shows a year (December and May). Professional directors, musical directors, and choreographers staff all of the companies.

The Newton Troupe will meet on Mondays, 3:30 to 5:45, at the Grace Church, 76 Eldredge Street, Newton MA 02458 Children of all acting/singing abilities are encouraged to participate. Auditions will be held by appointment on September 9th at the church. To schedule an audition call Kippy Dewey, 617-232-1175. For more information visit www.freelanceplayers.org .

Not Your Average After School Program

Newton PTO Council — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 13:10:50 +0000

Christine MacInally, founder of The Performance Factory and graduate of The Boston Conservatory, is offering a new and exciting program, “Broadway After School.” This high energy class will focus on musical theater and acting technique. Students will learn basic acting vocabulary while executing through skits, songs, improvisation and choreography. Students will have the opportunity to perform in a professional show at the end of the year.

SESSION 1: September 10 to December 17
SESSION 2: January 7 to April 22
TIME: Tuesdays, 12:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Jackson Rd. (old Rashi school, right beside the Jackson School)
FEE (per session) $550.00 (Includes registration fee)

For more information, please go to http://www.performancef.com/ or contact Christine at 617.470.2937.

Engine 6 informational meeting

zervaspto — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 20:02:01 +0000

Metro West Collaborative Development invites you to an informational meeting to learn about the Redevelopment of Engine 6 (2042-2044 Beacon Street)

Metro West CD is a private non-profit community development corporation that creates and operates affordable housing. We respond to over 1,000 calls for assistance annually and provide landlord, tenant, first time home buyer and financial literacy training.
For more information please visit our website at www.metrowestcd.org or contact Steve Laferriere at steve@metrowestcd.org

June 10th, 6:00 p.m.
Waban Library Center
1608 Beacon Street

Sunday School

Newton PTO Council — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 19:42:25 +0000

The Sunday School for Jewish Studies is now accepting registrations for grades K-7 for the 2013-2014 school year. The Sunday School is an independent school offering a once-a-week program for children in the greater Boston area. Located at the Oak Hill Middle School in Newton, the school is committed to providing a Jewish education that fosters a strong sense of Jewish identity for children and families with diverse traditions of Jewish observance.

Bar/Bat Mitzvah preparation is available but not required, and students may enter in any grade. Interfaith and nontraditional families are welcome. For additional information, please visit the website at www.SundaySchoolForJewishStudies.org or call 617-264-8855.

Kesher Newton accepting students in grades K-11

zervaspto — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 16:54:16 +0000

Kesher Newton is an after-school program that offers a hands on and in-depth approach to Jewish learning for students in grades K-11.

Kesher Newton is a nationally-recognized alternative to traditional Hebrew School, where children learn Jewish culture and Hebrew language in a spirited, camp-like environment. Kesher’s innovative curriculum challenges students intellectually, while fostering Jewish commitment, joy of learning, and active community participation.

In September 2013, Kesher Newton will be welcoming its students to an exciting new space on Hammond Pond Parkway, convenient to Newton, Brookline, and the surrounding communities. Housed inside the building of Congregation Mishkan Tefila, Kesher’s warm and inviting new space will accommodate its expanding student base and its many family activities.

Kesher Newton is an independent pluralistic community that is welcoming to all.
For more information, contact Pam Pistiner at 617-244-5390 and ask for a tour now!
http://keshernewton.org/