Newton South Weekly Update
5/23/22 - 5/27/22
ORANGE WEEK
This Week’s Updates and Reminders
COVID Test Kits Will Be Distributed This Week
Seniors: Chromebook Return Opportunity on Tuesday, May 24 during Lion Block
Seniors: Checkout Is Right Around the Corner!
Graduation & End of Year for Seniors Document
Let’s Get to Work: Employment Prep Workshops
Mental Health: Supporting Our Community Event May 25th 6-8pm
ELPAC Meeting Thursday, June 2 at 6:30pm
Night at the Beach Dance for Class of 2025 June 4, 2022
Additional End of Year Schedules
Host Families Needed for Educatius
Hiring Committee Interest Form for Families
District Newsletter Recommendations
Instructions for Using At-Home COVID Tests
23 Advisory Grade 9, 10, 11 Virtual Assembly | 24 Lion Chromebook Return for Seniors, Auditorium Lobby 3:45pm Equity & Excellence at South | 25 | 26 All Day Aware Day, Lecture Hall 7:00pm Pops (Auditorium) | 27 |
Here is this week’s list of WIN offerings.
This newsletter was sent to all NPS families on Wednesday, May 18.
We will distribute COVID tests this week on Monday and Tuesday.
Kits will be available in the Faculty Dining Room between 11:30am - 1:30pm on Monday, and 11:30am - 1:30pm and 2:30pm - 3:30pm on Tuesday. The Faculty Dining Room is at the back of the cafeteria, at the left when facing the courtyard.
For a student to receive a test kit, they must have consent in Aspen by the Sunday night before at 11:59 PM. Families can opt in their children through Aspen using these instructions.
Newton South Seniors:
If you no longer have need for your school-issued Chromebook and charger, you will have an opportunity to return them next week during Lion block on Tuesday, May 24 in the auditorium lobby. IT staff will be available during this time window (2:35 - 3:25) to collect your Chromebook and charger. Please note the following:
This email was sent to all seniors on Friday afternoon:
Newton South Seniors:
The finish line is right around the corner! Friday, June 3, from 11am – 1pm is Senior Check Out Day! This will be your chance to check off all the administrative to-dos so you can pick up your cap and gown for graduation.
To make your experience through checkout as smooth as possible, please complete all the following tasks BEFORE Senior Check Out Day:
All of these tasks must be completed in order to pick up your cap and gown. There are no exceptions to this rule.
If you have any questions regarding obligations and senior checkout, please contact your house secretary:
Here is a link to the graduation & end of year document for seniors.
Newton Youth Services will be hosting a virtual workshop, “Let’s Get to Work,” in preparation for summer employment and internship opportunities. The workshop will be held on Monday, May 23 from 6:00-7:00 p.m. via Zoom. Young people do not need to attend both workshops and they will be recorded.
To register: CLICK HERE
The 7th annual Aware Day will be held on Thursday, May 26. The students of Aware are thrilled to host a day of presentations focused on promoting emotional wellness, raising awareness about mental health, and combating the stigma that so often surrounds conversations about mental illness and mental health.
Here is a link to all the events.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and the City of Newton Health & Human Services Department is hosting three programs to support the mental health of our community.
Attached is a flyer for the first program on Wednesday, May 25th, 6:00pm-8:00pm at Newton North High School. We are partnering with Samaritans Inc., Riverside Community Care, The Resilience Project at Newton-Wellesley Hospital, and Families for Depression Awareness to provide information about mental health and mental illness, resources on how to respond and support our families and neighbors, and an opportunity to connect directly with local mental health agencies.
Here is a link to the flyer for May 25.
Additionally, save the date for two additional programs coming soon:
ELPAC, the English Language Parent Advisory Council, will have its next meeting on Thursday, June 2 from 6:30pm - 8:00pm
Here is a link to the flyer. If you have any questions, contact NPSELPAC@gmail.com or visit www.newtonelpac.org.
All NSHS 9th graders are invited to the "Night at the Beach" dance, held in the Newton South Student Center on Saturday, June 4th, 2022 from 7:00pm - 10:00pm. Tickets will be on sale near the art hallway by the entrance to the cafeteria beginning on Monday, May 23 and ending on June 3rd for $15 and for $20 at the door! Dress code is "tropical business casual" so bring out any floral patterned and bright colored clothing (dresses, button downs, slacks) or accessories! Contact any of the class officers or the staff advisors (Ms. Michaels or Ms. Gallagher) with any questions! Students that would like financial assistance should contact their dean.
Check out this document for more information.
We have two additional end of year schedules we are ready to share:
June 6 - 10 (Science MCAS, Graduation, Step-Up Day)
June 24 (last day of school for students, added to our Final Events Schedule)
Please see the following message from Educatius:
Every year, as part of our efforts to encourage intercultural learning, we invite twenty international students to join us at Newton South. This is our eighth year running this program, and we've hosted students from all over the globe. Next year, our students will come from a variety of countries including Italy, Spain, Germany, France, Austria, and Thailand. We've had a blast getting to know these students and they've added so much to our community.
I am writing to you because our wonderful south side families are an important part of this program. Families who open their homes and hearts to these students make this intercultural learning experience possible. Past families have told us how much they have gotten out of the experience. Connections are made that last well beyond the duration of the visit.
We are already starting to think about Fall 2022. We have wonderful families who have hosted in the past returning and we are looking for a few new families as well. In our effort to attract great families, we are working with a company called Educatius International.
If you would like to learn more about being a host parent, you can contact Jodi Del Razo jodi.delrazo@educatius.org from Educatius or call 508-246-7028. If you would like to know more about the visiting international student program at Newton South, you can contact me.
Please consider hosting an international student! You'll be supporting this great program and past host families will tell you what a wonderful experience hosting an international student can be for everybody involved.
We believe that the community is an integral part of the hiring process for Newton South. As we look to next school year and begin to fill anticipated vacancies, we would like to gauge interest in the community to see if any parents or guardians are interested in participating in the hiring process this spring for next school year.
If you are interested, please fill out this form.
If you are needed, we will be sure to contact you. Thank you in advance for your time and consideration!
This past week, NSHS recorded 61 COVID cases where the individual was at school during their infectious period. Information on districtwide COVID cases and vaccination rates can be found on the Newton Health and Human Services website here: NPS COVID Case Count and Vaccination Rates.
The most recent district newsletter was published on Wednesday, May 11 and can be accessed here. Please note the following important information regarding cases:
Given the increase in cases in our community, the Newton Public Schools STRONGLY recommends students and staff wear a mask. A well-fitting mask is very effective in reducing the transmission of COVID.
For reference, when a community level is “high,” the CDC recommends the following:
Newton Public Schools will continue to notify families of COVID cases using our regular frequency of notification (based upon grade levels.) Families should use this data to assess their own level of risk based upon their family’s circumstances.
Here is a video tutorial on how to use the tests.
Students who are within 90 days of a COVID infection should NOT test.
Printed instructions are available in the following languages:
English | Arabic: عربى | Simplified Chinese: 简体中文 | Japanese: 日本人 | Portuguese: Português | Russian: русский | Spanish: | Vietnamese: Tiếng Việt
Only positive results need to be reported. Please email positive results to the school nurses. They can be emailed at kramerg@newton.k12.ma.us and kiritsyk@newton.k12.ma.us or called at 617-559-6575.
June 2: Last Day of Classes for Seniors
June 3: Last Day for Seniors
June 7 & June 8: Science MCAS
June 7: Senior Prom, 7-11pm
June 9: Graduation, 5pm
June 10: Step Up Day
June 24: Last Day of School for Students
Looking for past weekly updates? View them here.