It has been a great start to the school year! It’s hard to believe that we are already nearing the end of October.
October 25th marks the end of the first term. This year, the first term was shorter than usual and good teaching practice is to spend a good chunk of the first quarter fostering relationships among students and with their teacher. As a result, we should anticipate that there will be fewer grades in most classes than a typical quarter. As with any quarter, please do not consider your child’s quarter grade as a demonstration of what their grades will be for the rest of the year. Each quarter is a glimpse into the progress of your child’s growth as a student.
Having said that, if you have concerns about your child’s progress at this point in the year, there are many academic resources to consider, such as X block, Peer Tutoring, and the After School Program (for students with grades below a C-). Please reach out to your child's school counselor who can discuss the various options and make appropriate referrals.
Safety
You may have read in the Superintendent’s Newsletter that all Newton Public Schools are updating and enhancing our safety procedures. We have created a video that will be viewed by students on November 5th, during an extended homeroom. Safety Day will be held on November 21st and will be an opportunity for students and staff to go through all safety procedures. You can review the Superintendent’s Newsletter here.
Relief Sculpture in Honor of Long-Time Track Coach
In honor of long-time track coach Jim Blackburn, Evan Morse (class of '05) is working on a relief sculpture to be installed at NNHS. The sculpture will be a gift to the school from past-athletes and supporters of Coach Blackburn. To learn more about the project, visit https://www.gofundme.com/manage/hs6asg-test
Club Day 2019
All freshmen and new students were encouraged this year to sign up for one club. Thank you to Meghan Smith, our new Club Coordinator, for organizing this successful event this year. Also, thank you to all advisors for working with students in preparation.
Main St. Mural
Thank you to Sue Brooks and the students for displaying the 2D replica of the Main St public art project. We are hoping the final product will rest on Main Street by the end of the school year. A big thank you to the Production Center for producing the 2D print.
FORJ
Newton North FORJ (Families Organizing for Racial Justice) is a group that supports Newton North by engaging families around issues of race by providing the opportunity to learn, connect and take action together. Steadily they are trying to broaden the FORJ community and would like to include NNHS educators and students. All are welcome at their meetings. The first meeting of the school year will be held on Tuesday, October 29, 2019, from 6:30-8:30 pm in the International Cafe at NNHS. For those of you who don't know, the International Cafe is located on the first floor on Main Street, next to the cafeteria. Please use the Sign Up Genius to register for the pot-luck dinner
The topics of discussion at this meeting will be excerpt(s) from the book How to be an Anti-Racist by Ibram X. Kendi, followed by a brainstorm on what you would like to see at our NNHS meetings for the rest of this academic year.
Lawsuit Regarding NNHS and NSHS History Departments
This message was shared by the Superintendent’s Office this Summer:
Lawsuit Dismissed
On August 14th, the district was informed that the Plaintiffs in the lawsuit related to our history curriculum voluntarily withdrew their suit against the district. We view this as an acknowledgement on the Plaintiffs’ part that their claims have no merit – a position we have maintained all along in this matter.
Our history curriculum is a curriculum that teaches students to appreciate the historical, religious, political and cultural influences that shape the countries and the people of the world. Students not only learn factual information about specific historical events and details, but are also exposed to a range of perspectives on those particular events. Teaching with objectivity, respect, and intellectual rigor, our skilled faculty and administrators provide students with the skills to separate fact from opinion, challenge their own thinking, and develop opinions through the study and testing of ideas. As has always been our practice, we focus on teaching students how to think rather than what to think.
These legal proceedings created a very challenging environment for our faculty and staff, particularly our educators named in the lawsuit. We are grateful for their professionalism, patience, and cooperation throughout this process. We also are appreciative of the organizations that filed an amicus brief in support of the Newton Public Schools. The support from these organizations and from families, staff, and residents of Newton underscore this community’s deep commitment to ensuring that our students receive a first-rate education. With the lawsuit behind us, we are ready to move forward together and begin another successful school year.
World Language
The World Language department exchanges are well under way! The start of school coincided with the visit of an enthusiastic group of twenty-two students from Florence, Italy hosted by our students of Italian. Highlights of their visit were participating in the home life activities of their host families, an excursion to Newport, a special invitation to the Italian Consulate in Boston (and an incredible view atop the Federal Reserve building) and the many relationships formed during their stay.
The special energy and unique impact brought to the community by our exchange students continue strong this month as we welcome twenty-four students from Burgos, Spain. In the meantime, we are getting organized for the French exchange, and new this year, a ten-day trip to China in April for students of Chinese.
Fine & Performing Arts
In early September, Jazz Ensemble 1 and the Advanced Jazz Combos performed at Newtonville Village Days. Additionally, members of these combos performed at the first Mature Luncheon hosted by the Tiger's Bistro.
This current week, the Theatre Department opened their season with a student directed, staged reading of "The Big Meal." Later in the month the Theatre Department travels to Babson College for a performance and workshop where they will work with a NNHS Theatre alumna central to the Babson performance.
Wednesday, Oct. 23 at 4pm a North / South art exhibit featuring prints from both schools opens in the recently renovated Young Adult Area at the Newton Free Library. Music at the opening will be provided by North's String Ensemble and art will be on display through the winter.
Raising Awareness and Movember
For the past few years, a “growing” group of NNHS faculty and staff has raised both money and awareness of men’s health issues through Movember. This charity encourages men to grow mustaches from scratch in the month of November, and then justify this decision by having conversations with people about the impact of testicular and prostate cancers, depression and anxiety, substance abuse, and other issues that affect men’s health, and collecting donations to combat these issues. If you’re interested in participating this year or donating, check out https://moteam.co/nnhs or contact Rick Michalka.
Dismissals at NNHS
Grade 9 / Class of 2023 - Beals House - 617-559-6330
Grade 10 / Class of 2022 - Riley House - 617-559-6340
Grade 11 / Class of 2021 - Barry House - 617-559-6320
Grade 12 / Class of 2020 - Adams House - 617-559-6310
1.) Communicate the dismissal/pick up time and location to your student.
On August 14th, the district was informed that the Plaintiffs in the lawsuit related to our history curriculum voluntarily withdrew their suit against the district. We view this as an acknowledgement on the Plaintiffs’ part that their claims have no merit – a position we have maintained all along in this matter.
Our history curriculum is a curriculum that teaches students to appreciate the historical, religious, political and cultural influences that shape the countries and the people of the world. Students not only learn factual information about specific historical events and details, but are also exposed to a range of perspectives on those particular events. Teaching with objectivity, respect, and intellectual rigor, our skilled faculty and administrators provide students with the skills to separate fact from opinion, challenge their own thinking, and develop opinions through the study and testing of ideas. As has always been our practice, we focus on teaching students how to think rather than what to think.
These legal proceedings created a very challenging environment for our faculty and staff, particularly our educators named in the lawsuit. We are grateful for their professionalism, patience, and cooperation throughout this process. We also are appreciative of the organizations that filed an amicus brief in support of the Newton Public Schools. The support from these organizations and from families, staff, and residents of Newton underscore this community’s deep commitment to ensuring that our students receive a first-rate education. With the lawsuit behind us, we are ready to move forward together and begin another successful school year.
World Language
The World Language department exchanges are well under way! The start of school coincided with the visit of an enthusiastic group of twenty-two students from Florence, Italy hosted by our students of Italian. Highlights of their visit were participating in the home life activities of their host families, an excursion to Newport, a special invitation to the Italian Consulate in Boston (and an incredible view atop the Federal Reserve building) and the many relationships formed during their stay.
The special energy and unique impact brought to the community by our exchange students continue strong this month as we welcome twenty-four students from Burgos, Spain. In the meantime, we are getting organized for the French exchange, and new this year, a ten-day trip to China in April for students of Chinese.
Fine & Performing Arts
In early September, Jazz Ensemble 1 and the Advanced Jazz Combos performed at Newtonville Village Days. Additionally, members of these combos performed at the first Mature Luncheon hosted by the Tiger's Bistro.
This current week, the Theatre Department opened their season with a student directed, staged reading of "The Big Meal." Later in the month the Theatre Department travels to Babson College for a performance and workshop where they will work with a NNHS Theatre alumna central to the Babson performance.
Wednesday, Oct. 23 at 4pm a North / South art exhibit featuring prints from both schools opens in the recently renovated Young Adult Area at the Newton Free Library. Music at the opening will be provided by North's String Ensemble and art will be on display through the winter.
Raising Awareness and Movember
For the past few years, a “growing” group of NNHS faculty and staff has raised both money and awareness of men’s health issues through Movember. This charity encourages men to grow mustaches from scratch in the month of November, and then justify this decision by having conversations with people about the impact of testicular and prostate cancers, depression and anxiety, substance abuse, and other issues that affect men’s health, and collecting donations to combat these issues. If you’re interested in participating this year or donating, check out https://moteam.co/nnhs or contact Rick Michalka.
Dismissals at NNHS
Grade 9 / Class of 2023 - Beals House - 617-559-6330
Grade 10 / Class of 2022 - Riley House - 617-559-6340
Grade 11 / Class of 2021 - Barry House - 617-559-6320
Grade 12 / Class of 2020 - Adams House - 617-559-6310
1.) Communicate the dismissal/pick up time and location to your student.
You do not need to enter the building to pick up your student.
2.) Call the House Office or have the student bring a note to the House Office by 10 am. Please be sure to include the date, time and brief reasoning of the dismissal.
3.) Instruct your student to visit the House Office in the morning to pick up their dismissal pass. If the door to the House Office is locked, please follow the instructions posted on the door. If the student does not get a dismissal slip prior to leaving the school, the absence(s) will be considered unexcused. If a dismissal is reported after the student has already left, it will not be excused.
4.) At the correct time, your student hands the dismissal pass to their teacher and leaves class/school to meet you outside.
5.) If the student returns to school later that day, they should report to the House Office to check back in before proceeding to class. If the door to the House Office is locked, please follow the instructions posted on the door.
Notes/Reminders:
Students who become ill during the school day should be dismissed by the School Nurse. If the student goes home sick without first visiting the Nurse’s Office or House Office, the absence will be unexcused.
2.) Call the House Office or have the student bring a note to the House Office by 10 am. Please be sure to include the date, time and brief reasoning of the dismissal.
3.) Instruct your student to visit the House Office in the morning to pick up their dismissal pass. If the door to the House Office is locked, please follow the instructions posted on the door. If the student does not get a dismissal slip prior to leaving the school, the absence(s) will be considered unexcused. If a dismissal is reported after the student has already left, it will not be excused.
4.) At the correct time, your student hands the dismissal pass to their teacher and leaves class/school to meet you outside.
5.) If the student returns to school later that day, they should report to the House Office to check back in before proceeding to class. If the door to the House Office is locked, please follow the instructions posted on the door.
Notes/Reminders:
Students who become ill during the school day should be dismissed by the School Nurse. If the student goes home sick without first visiting the Nurse’s Office or House Office, the absence will be unexcused.
Students who are dismissed may not be on school property.
We do not:
If you tell your student that you are going to try to get an appointment, but are unsure about time, you can ask your student to check in with the house office after first block and you can leave a message for the student about a last minute appointment with the house secretary. But the student must check in with the secretary, the secretary can not find the student to deliver the message.
Single block absences during the school day (not first or last block) require a doctor's note upon return to school in addition to following proper dismissal procedures.
If you need to drop off something for your student at North, you must sign-in in the main office and then deliver it to their HOUSE office. Your student must pick it up from the house office. We do not notify students about deliveries and we do not deliver items.
We do not:
- use the intercom to find students who are being dismissed
- call students out of class to be dismissed
- send parents to a classroom to find their child.
If you tell your student that you are going to try to get an appointment, but are unsure about time, you can ask your student to check in with the house office after first block and you can leave a message for the student about a last minute appointment with the house secretary. But the student must check in with the secretary, the secretary can not find the student to deliver the message.
Single block absences during the school day (not first or last block) require a doctor's note upon return to school in addition to following proper dismissal procedures.
If you need to drop off something for your student at North, you must sign-in in the main office and then deliver it to their HOUSE office. Your student must pick it up from the house office. We do not notify students about deliveries and we do not deliver items.
