[CabotCommunity] Jabberwock - October Edition
auvpto at aol.com
auvpto at aol.com
Tue Oct 16 15:04:06 EDT 2007
Hello everyone, hope you enjoy this edition of Jabberwock. There is lot of important and useful information for all of us.
This newsletter will also be available as a word document on the website soon. Thanks to Liz Lehrer for helping us put together this edition.
Archana Vahalia
Cabot PTO Co-President
53 Sheffield Road,
Newtonville, MA 02460
617-244-1435
auvpto at aol.com
Respect for self and others
Lifelong learning
Commitment to school and community
Cabot School Contact Information
•
Main Office: 617-559-9400 • CASP: 617-964-2749
•
Gym: 617-559-9407 • Food Service: 617-559-9021 or
617-559-6315
•
Inclusion Facilitator: 617-559-9409 • Nurse: 617-559-9404
•
Library: 617-559-9406 • Psychologist & Social Worker: 617-559-9405
•
Call Back/Safe Arrival: 617-559-9390 Call by 8:20 a.m. to report tardiness
& absences
Cabot
School
website www.newton.k12.ma.us/cabot/
Cabot
School PTO www.cabotpto.org
Newton
Public Schools
www.newton.k12.ma.us/
Calendar
October 16, 2007
PTO Coffee
for all Grades & Meeting, 8:40 AM
October 16, 2007
PTO Gift Wrap
Orders Due - Date extended to October 16th
October 16, 2007
Jabberwock Publication
2007-08 Issue #2
October 17, 2007
Family
Preparedness Workshop 7:00 - 8:30pm Oak Hill Middle School Auditorium
October 18, 2007
Planning
meeting for 5th Grade activities (Grade 5 parents) 7:00 - 8:30pm
October 19, 2007
Grade 2
Pedestrian Safety Training Day
October 20, 2007
Coffee Pond
Family Photo Day (rain date 10/21)
October 22, 2007
Family
Preparedness Workshop 7:00 - 8:30pm Pierce Elementary School
Auditorium
October 22, 2007
School
Committee Meeting, 7:30 PM
October 23, 2007
Affinity
Group 12:30 pm
October 25, 2007
Early Release
Day, 12:30 PM Dismissal
October 25, 2007
Connecting with Core
Values Evening Workshop 6:30 - 8:30 PM
October 27, 2007
Coffee Pond
Family Photo Day (rain date 10/28)
October 30, 2007
Family
Preparedness Workshop 7:00 - 8:30pm Bigelow Middle School
Auditorium
October 31, 2007
Wellness Day
October 31, 2007
Cabot Community Park - Opening
Ceremony Celebration 9:00 -9:15 am
October 31, 2007
Halloween
UNICEF Collection
October 31, 2007
CASP Haunted
House 4 - 5:30PM Gym
November 1, 2007
PTO Launch
"Campaign for Cabot"
November 1, 2007
UNICEF
Collection and PTO Rosie's Candy
Drive
November 2, 2007
UNICEF
Collection and PTO Rosie's Candy
Drive
November 6, 2007
School
Council Meeting 5:00 - 6:45PM
November 6, 2007
Child Assault
Program (CAP) at Cabot 7:30 pm
November 8, 2007
Understanding
our Differences Grade 5 1:00 - 2:45 PM
November 8, 2007
Family
Preparedness Workshop 7:00 - 8:30pm Burr Elementary School
Auditorium
Please check the website www.cabotpto.org
for an updated calendar at anytime.
Marilynne’s Message
For your reference, I am forwarding an invitation from our Superintendent of Schools, Jeff Young, regarding Strategic Planning.
Dear Parents/Guardians,
This year's entering kindergartners will become Newton's high school graduating class of 2020.
What will the "real world" be like when they enter it after high school? What will they need to know
and be able to do in order to become happy, productive citizens? How can public schools best
educate students for a future we can only glimpse and guess at today?
This year, our school community will be considering these and other questions as we undertake a
strategic planning process designed to help us envision the future of education in Newton and make
plans to achieve the goals we articulate. (Let me forewarn you: at the end of this letter I am going to
ask you to participate in a survey.) "NPS 2020 Vision" is a broad-based exploration of greatness in
public education and of what our schools in Newton should be. We want to have a shared picture
of what the Year 2020 might look like and collaborate to describe the schools we need to serve that
graduating class. We are not trying to create wish lists or build "Taj Mahals"; the goal here is to
build widespread ownership of a shared vision. We should aim for "greatness," not "pie-in-the sky."
Faculty, staff, parents, students, and community members can all have a voice in this important
project. We have formed a Strategic Planning Team (see the SPT membership list below) to
undertake the first phase of the planning effort, including project design and data collection. I have
asked all administrators to read Thomas Friedman's "The World is Flat" to get one person's view of
the global future, and I invite anyone reading this message to do the same. It certainly opened my
eyes.
Soon, the SPT will be identifying strategic areas of focus, which will give rise to staff/community
"working groups." These teams will research best practice around the world, in the areas we have
identified as most important to Newton. With the support of our consultants, Interaction Institute
of Cambridge, the working groups will flesh out the big ideas and bring real-life experience to bear
on the design of steps NPS must take to achieve our goals. I hope you will consider serving on one
of these groups later this year.
There will be three opportunities for parents and guardians to get involved during this planning
process. First is the survey. Second, we welcome and need your voice in the "visioning" process,
which will take place in group forums in November (details to follow). Finally, you can join one of
the working groups (we will be announcing the formation of these in December).
For now, we are into surveys. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey by clicking on:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=LIz8I%2fLmwR5g4bm3RcVwXA%3d%3d. Access to
the survey will be available between now and October 22nd. We are very interested in naming the
things that make Newton special today so we can be sure to let those enduring strengths be a driving
force in any future decision-making. This is what is called an "appreciative" approach to inquiry,
which emphasizes building upon the system's existing and enduring strengths. We want you to tell
us what works, what makes a difference for kids, what is special about Newton, what we should
strive for. Your responses will be aggregated and I will report the results to you.
If you have gotten this far down the page, then I hope you are intrigued enough to join with us in
this 2020 Vision project. Thank you in advance for your commitment to greatness in the Newton
Public Schools.
Jeff Young
Superintendent of Schools
Strategic Planning
Committee
Please be sure to follow the progress of how Superintendent
Jeff Young is approaching constructing a dialogue and approach for considering
how we do schooling in Newton.
This dialogue will include considerations for next year’s school budget as well
as the nature of schooling in Newton
into the future. Cabot parent Lisa prior is one a few select parents to be
invited to serve on this committee. A complete list of community members,
school administrators, and parents who make up the Strategic Planning Team can
be found if you go to the Newton Public schools web site where you will get
regular updates. Bookmark http://www.newton.k12.ma.us/
Core Values: Get
connected with the 3 core values of the Cabot School.
See if you can find them in this issue of the jabberwock, on the blue sheet and
several locations in the school. What is the importance of core values? In
schools core values shape the work the school and community are engaged in.
Core values serves as the mirrors for our decisions and help inform our
behavior. Each core value requires specific actions and beliefs on the part of
the adults as well as children in a community. The language we use to describe
learning, smartness, intelligence are all influenced by our belief that all
children can learn; smart is something you get not something you are; learning is
not a fixed genetic trait rather learning is malleable and can be shaped.
Our notions of respect require a belief in inclusive diverse
schools. It means that we accept that all members bring culture and diversity
to the school. We believe that all children have the right to access to school
and its services. We believe that our differences are as valuable as our
likenesses and that when we embrace both we are a stronger connected community.
We encourage a curiosity about those who are different. We allow children and
adults to ask questions to get a better understanding of the experiences and
perspectives of others.
When we show a commitment to community, as adults we
identify those places and time when it is best to think about All children and
just not MY children. Our actions are driven by what is good for the school and
not a few. When we have a commitment to school and community we hold a standard
for behavior to include politeness, acceptable conduct, and respectful
disagreement. We expect students to report dangerous behavior, not just
physically dangerous but more importantly the emotional and socially dangerous
behaviors of teasing, joking and isolating other peers. Acts of bullying are
rare and children and adults use proactive skills to resolve conflict.
When a school is organized around a deeply held set of
beliefs about people and their capacities to learn and develop and contribute,
the progress we can make can be immeasurable and sustainable for years to come.
JOIN ME, THE TEACHERS
AND PARENTS AS WE GET CONNECTED TO THRE
CABOT SCHOOL
CORE VALUES! SEE HOW YOUR CHILD AND OTHERS GET TURNED ON FOR BEING A PART OF A
COMMUNITY THAT SUPPORTS EVERYONE’S SUCCESS!
YOU CAN MAKE THESE
VALUES REAL BY DOING YOUR PART TO UPHOLD THEM!
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25TH
…check the backpack for a flyer and menu for the evening!
Fall
Parent/Teacher Conferences...earlier reporting period. Parent/Teacher conferences are upon
us! During most of November parents/guardians are expected to sit with teachers
to discuss your child’s progress. This year to be consistent across the city
our first conference time occurs earlier. In the past Cabot teachers meet with
the parents in late November through
late December. I would welcome feedback after this first formal conference regarding
your experience. Teachers are encouraged to be well prepared and share samples
of student work. They should be able to identify specific goals they have for
your child as they work collaboratively with you. Families that need
interpreters or other advocates at these meetings, we only ask for some
advanced notice if we are not already aware of any needs.
Together we build the partnership for the success of all
children.
“Whether your student is in elementary, middle, or secondary
school, parent-teacher conferences are important. It is a chance for you to ask
questions about classes or your student's progress. It is also a time for you
and the teacher to work together as a team to discuss ways you both can help
your son or daughter. If your school does not schedule regular conferences, you
can request them.
Getting Ready
There are a couple of things you can do ahead of time that
will help lay a foundation with the teacher for helping your student:
* Set up
an appointment. If you are going to a meeting that was scheduled by the teacher
or school, ask beforehand how much time you will have. If you need more time or
an additional appointment, let the teacher know up front. If you need to
initiate a meeting with the teacher, make a phone call or write a quick note to
let the teacher know the purpose of the meeting. If you can't meet with
teachers during school hours, then set up a time and location that is good for
both you and the teacher.
* Talk to your
child. Find out what he thinks are his best subjects and what subjects he likes
the least. Ask why. Also, ask your student if there is anything he would like
you to talk about with his teacher. Make sure your child doesn't worry about
the meeting. Help him understand that you and his teacher are meeting to help
him. If your student is in middle or high school, you may want to include him
in the conference.
* Make a list.
Before you go to the meeting, it might help to write down the list of things
you want to talk about with the teacher. For example:
o Questions
about your student's progress
o How you,
the teacher, and the school can work together to help your child
o Questions
about the school's programs or policies
o Your
student's home life, personality, concerns, habits and hobbies, and other
things you feel the teacher should know about that might help in working with
the student (e.g., religious holidays, music lessons, part-time jobs, a sick
relative)
The Conference
The questions you ask during the conference can help you
express your hopes for the student's success in class and for the teacher. It's
a good idea to ask the important questions first, in case time runs out. The
teacher's answers should help you and the teacher work together to help your
student. Following are some questions you may want to ask:
* Questions
regarding your child
o What
subject does my child seem to like most? Least?
o What can I
do to help my child with subjects he finds difficult? How can I help him study?
Prepare for class? Improve his work?
o Is my
child trying as hard as he can?
o Does he
participate in class discussions and activities?
o Is my
child in different classes or groups for different subjects? Which ones? How
are the groups determined?
o How well
does my child get along with others?
o Has my
child missed classes?
o Have you
noticed changes in the way my child acts? For example, have you noticed
squinting, tiredness, or moodiness that might be a sign of physical or other
problems?
* Questions
regarding the teacher's methods
o How are
you measuring my child's progress? Through homework assignments? Tests?
Portfolios? Class participation? Projects?
o What kinds
of tests do you give? What do the tests show about my child's progress? How
does my child handle taking tests?
o How often
do you usually assign homework? What types of homework assignments can I expect
to see?
o What can I
be doing at home with my child to reinforce what you're teaching in class?
o How can we
work together to help my student?
You should
expect the teacher to show you samples of your son's or daughter's work. The
teacher should also suggest ways in which you can work together to help your
student do better in school.
If a student is
having problems, it's easy for parents and teachers to get upset during a
meeting. To avoid this situation, focus the conversation on what can be done
for your son or daughter immediately. Ask the teacher to work with you on
finding a solution and developing an action plan.
Develop an Action Plan
Before you leave, you and the teacher should agree on
specific plans--that you both will work on--to help your child do better. This
is the most important part of the meeting. It will become your and the
teacher's action plan.
* Be sure you
understand what the teacher suggests. If it's not clear, ask him or her to
explain.
* Set up a way to
check on your child's progress. You and the teacher can decide how best to stay
in touch, such as through phone calls, notes, or additional meetings.
* It's a good idea
to end the conference by reviewing what you discussed and restating your action
plan. This is also a good time to set up your next meeting.
After the Conference
* Start on the
action plan you and the teacher created.
* Talk about the
plan with your child. Make sure your child knows that you and the teacher care.
* To see if the
action plan is working, watch your child's behavior and check on classwork and
homework. Ask how your child feels about school.
* Stay in touch
with the teacher to discuss your child's progress.
* Express your
appreciation to your child and the teacher as progress is made.
In summary, meeting with your child's teachers can and
should build strong parent-teacher partnerships. By participating in
conferences and establishing a good relationship with teachers, you can help
your child have a great school year.”
Copyright 1996 by The National PTA® and NEA.
PTO
Pen
It is hard to believe that we
have been back to school for only over a month and everyone has settled in
their routine, including the kindergarteners who are settling in full day
schedules.
We hope you got a chance to see
the wonderful display of pinwheels to celebrate the World Peace Day. Most of the students got a chance to make
pinwheels with Ms. Conroy, the new art teacher. Thanks to all who
participated in the 2007 Pinwheels for Peace project! It is estimated that over
1.2 MILLION pinwheels were spinning in more than 3,000 locations around the
world on Sept. 21, 2007.
You might have noticed that the school store has moved to a more convenient new location. It is now in the corridor leading up to the brand new Arts area in the modular classrooms. The school store remains open through out the school year. We are having robust sales of pencils, erasers, folders, etc. Please help your child with planning with their purchases so that if they have lot of things to buy or need more time to make selections, that they have enough time and are not late for class. We will be increasing the time the store is open so that students do get extra time to make their purchase. Please look for more information in future Jabbers
The Cabot School Picture day on October 5th turned out to be a very beautiful day. Most of the students were able to get their class and individual pictures taken in a very orderly fashion. It was only possible because of the help from so many parents that came to help with this event. The make up date is this Friday, October 19th. Thanks to all the volunteers who helped in making this day run so smoothly!!
Parents will go to any length to help Cabot’s cause. One great example – Kate Johnson. You must have seen Kate Johnson encouraging
families to participate in Cabot’s annual Sally Foster Gift Wrap fundraiser. She wore a wrapped gift box and greeted
parents to promote the sales. She has
also wrapped several gift boxes and displayed them at various places on the
school fence. We hope you had a chance
to participate in this worthy effort.
As you are aware, we are making
every effort to encourage walking or taking bus to school to alleviate the
problem of parking around the school. It was so nice to see many more walkers
to the school on the International Walk to School Day on October 3rd. We are fortunate to have the support of
Massachusetts Safe Routes to Schools to help us in our efforts.
On October 31st, the
whole school will be celebrating being safe and healthy on Halloween day. Kids are encouraged to wear autumn colored
clothes – NO MASKS and NO COSTUMES, please.
We will also be having a very special grand opening ceremony of the Cabot Community
Park that morning. Thanks to Margaret Wazuka and Chris Kjellson
for planning this wonderful event.
Cabot is a better place for our
children because of tireless dedication and effort of the parent community and
the staff. There is so much going on and
so many people involved to make all these things run smoothly. It is
always inspiring to us to see the dedicated efforts of so many volunteers.
Thanks to all the chairs of various committees that were able to attend the
kick off meeting on October 2nd all those who are constantly working
to raise funds, bring new activities to school or help the school in so many different
ways.
Finally, we hope you were able
to join us at PTO meeting this morning! We had a good turn out of about
15 people, many new parents have started to join these meeting, which is very
encouraging. We discussed many of the issues facing our school this year
and upcoming events. Please join us for the next meeting on November 13th,
in the library. As always, minutes of
the PTO meeting will be posted on the website shortly.
Mary Kathryn Fallon Archana Vahalia
PTO co-President PTO co-President
Upcoming Events at cabot
Pedestrian Safety Training for Grade 2 - Friday October 19, 2007
The Massachusetts Safe Routes to Schools (SRTS) program and WalkBoston will be
providing Cabot School with a Pedestrian Safety Training
for students in the 2nd grade on Friday October 19, 2007. This program is
committed to preparing children to be safety smart wherever they are walking,
including when they are accompanied by an adult. The training will take place during the
Physical Education block, outdoors on the streets near the school. We will be working in small groups — one
adult for every two – three students for maximum safety and individual
attention to children. Children and adults will wear safety vests to increase
visibility to motorists. The safety
training will be supervised by expert staff from WalkBoston – with assistance
from trained teachers and parent volunteers.
We are
looking for 2nd grade parents to volunteer for this event. So if you can join from 9:30 to 12:50, please
contact Jennifer Borhegyi at jborhegyi at alum.wpi.edu
or 617-558-1219.
Connecting with Core Values -
October 25, 6:30-8:30 p.m
Join Cabot School faculty
and staff, students, and their parents/guardians for an evening of hands-on
activities illuminating Cabot’s core values. Learn about Open Circle, solve problems through
teamwork, and explore Cabot’s ties to the wider world. If you can volunteer a
half-hour of time that evening, please email Sally Brickell at
brickland6 at rcn.com.
Eeeks………If it's October 31st it must be... WELLNESS DAY!!!
We are pleased to announce the 4th Annual Cabot School Wellness
Day, on Wednesday, October 31. It's a wonderful way to expend some of that
"special day" energy, have a spooky amount of fun, and learn about
some wellness issues too.
Activity/learning stations will be set up around Cabot Field
(weather permitting) and the kids and their buddies will all get a chance to
try everything. Some activities already planned are: Yoga with Prana Power
Yoga, Halloween Safety with Officer Marini, Karate with Steve Giroux from
Giroux Martial Arts, The Cabot Community Park (aka "outdoor
classroom") presentation, "Know Your Buddies" with Mrs. Pollock,
and MORE!
We are looking for approximately 20 volunteers to help that
morning. We are also looking for any dentists/dental professionals, doctors,
fitness folks (e.g. Step aerobics, Pilates, dance professionals, nutrition
experts, or especially interested in wellness education). Even if you can't
help on that day, your input and ideas would be very valuable.
Karen Kerrigan, RN, our school nurse is looking for an interested
parent in the medical field: pediatrician, dentist or nurse, that would like to help her present a
health/medical topic to the students on wellness day, Oct 31. Please stop by her office or call her at 617-
559-9404.
To help or ask any questions, please contact Daphne Potter, dfpotter at rcn.com,
617-795-0540, Suzanne Sagan, suzanne.sagan at ssa.gov, 617-965-6417, or Dana
Bennett, Wellness guru extraordinaire and P.E.
teacher,Dana_Bennett at newton.k12.ma.us.
Directory Update
Final edits on the 2007-2008 Cabot PTO Directory are underway and
printing should be done by the end of October. If you haven't already checked your entry for
accuracy, please do so! Any
changes/edits can be emailed to Jenny Gamson at jenny at seckler.com. Note that we only order a limited number of
extra Directories each year, so if you haven't paid your PTO dues (which
entitles you to one copy of the Directory) you should act quickly. If you would like to order additional copies
($7) or if you need a PTO dues form, please contact one of the PTO co-chairs,
Mary Kathryn Fallon or Archana Vahalia.
Don't miss out on this valuable Cabot School
resource!
CABOT
BROADCAST
Jabberwock – Student Submissions!
We are initiating a new and exciting part of the Jabberwock. We invite Cabot students to submit original
poems, haikus or short paragraphs with a focus on Cabot’s core values, which
are:
* Lifelong learning
* Respect for self and
others
* Commitment to school
and community
Each month the students and faculty are focusing on a word that
relates to the core values. The words so far this year have been:
September – Routines
October – Advocacy
Students may use these words to inspire a poem, haiku or short
story to be published in the Jabberwock.
Students may work alone, as part of a group, with their family or as a
class. This is a completely voluntary
effort. All submissions should be sent
to jabbereditor at gmail.com to be considered for inclusion in the
Jabberwock. Submissions received by
November 13, 2007, will be considered for inclusion in the November issue. We will continue to add more words as the
year progresses and would like to make student work part of the monthly
publication. We look forward to reading all your wonderful stories and
ideas!
Program Enrichment Grants Are Available!!!
Money is available from the PTO for Program Enrichment grants to
enhance our Cabot students’ experience.
Last year Program Enrichment funds were used for a variety of projects
including: circus equipment, instructional
tools and supplies, educational posters, laptop microphones and many other new
resources for the children at Cabot
School. Teachers, staff and parents are invited to
apply. The application is a simple, one
page form. Application forms are available in the main office, and on-line at
the PTO web site.
Applications are due NOVEMBER 9th!! Get your requests in early!
Completed applications can be e-mailed to Amit Nisenbaum at
nisenbaum.amit at gmail.com or dropped in the PTO Program Enrichment mailbox. Grants will be awarded in late November. If you have any questions, please feel free
to email any or all of us: Cindy Callaway at CallawayC at dnb.com, Amit
Nisenbaum at Nisenbaum.amit at gmail.com, or Heather Mehra at mehra217 at comcast.net
Instrumental and Vocal Music Lessons for Fifth Graders
The Fine Arts Dept. of Newton Public Schools offers students the opportunity
for private instrumental and vocal music lesson study for students in grades 5
- 12 through the Music Lesson Extension Program. If your 5th grader is interested in the
program, please stop into the office and pick up additional information.
Parent Advisory Council for Special Education Meeting and Handout
Available
Newton Parent Advisory Council for Special Education had its first
meeting on October 3rd. The DOE Audit was summarized by Stephanie Powers,
Interim Co-Director for Pupil Services. Parent and PAC concerns and suggestions
were discussed at the meeting. The hand out from this meeting will be in the
binder in the office labeled “PAC”. The next PAC meeting will be held Thursday,
November 15. Stephanie Powers and Mozelle Berkowitz will present a summary of Newton’s services for
students with special needs. All meetings are in Room 210 at the Education Center, 100 Walnut Street, Newton
at 7:30 pm.
The October Menu has changed!
Please note that the Early Release Day in October is Thursday Oct.
25, NOT Thursday Oct. 18.
On October 18th we will be offering a Hot Dog and Veggie Wrap.
Wellness Policy update
This year we will fully implement the Wellness Policy adopted by
the School Committee in May of 2006. Over the past school year students have
seen the elimination of sugared and carbonated soft drinks and move towards
baked products in our snack bars. As we start this school year the student will
be offered a variety of whole wheat and whole grain products, as well as
organic apples. I am also pleased to announce that we are taking steps to
eliminate trans fats in our menus. To do this we are reviewing all of our
products and seeking out manufacturers that carry items containing 0 trans
fat. Students can already reap the
benefits of 0 trans fat through our current menu options; for example chicken
nuggets, patties and fries. One of the areas we are going to explore is seeking
out a pizza that is whole grain and contains 0 trans fat. To help us in the
effort we have hired an executive chef that will concentrate on nutrition, food
quality, and presentation. One of the first tasks for the executive chef will
be to standardize our recipes so that we can give you information about the
nutritional content of our menus which will be available on our website.
Tackling the Tradeoffs: Conversations about Newton’s Future
The first “Tackling the Tradeoffs” forum will be held on Tuesday,
October 16th at 7:30 p.m.
at the NewTV studios on Needham
Street. The panel for the first forum will
include Paul Levy, Chair of the Blue Ribbon Commission; Phil Herr, Chair of the
Newton Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee; and John Stewart, former
Alderman. Brooke Lipsitt, former President of the Board of Aldermen, will serve
as moderator. These meetings are conceived as a response to two recent
and important documents--the report of the Blue Ribbon
Commission and Newton’s
first Comprehensive Plan--and aim to engage the rest of the community in this
important work.
How
will we shape our city’s future? Newton’s
diverse and passionate citizenry make discussion and debate essential: what
matters deserve priority in a city in which there are many priorities? What
compromises are reasonable? Which are too costly? Public input is essential to a successful
conversation: Please submit questions and concerns in advance for the panelists
online through the TAB’s dedicated page (see
http://blogs.townonline.com/newton/?p=11122 for details). If you prefer, you can contact Lisa Mirabile
at (617) 332-5374 or Sue Flicop at (617) 232-2310. “Tackling the Tradeoffs: Conversations about
Newton’s Future,” is a series of public forums sponsored by the League of
Women Voters, the Newton Schools Foundation, Newton Council on Aging, the
Newton PTO Council, the Newton TAB, and NewTV.
FUNDRAISING
Box Tops for Education
We are doing great collecting Box Tops this year! At this point last year, we had collected
1280 Box Tops. This year we’ve collected
2310!!! Keep bringing them in!!!
And this time last year 20 people had signed up to shop at Box
Tops Marketplace. This year 31 more people have. That’s a good start, and I think that there
are more on-line shoppers than 51 in the Cabot Community, so please remember to
start your shopping at: http://cabotpto.org/shop/index.html
If you have any questions, feel free to contact me:
Isabelle Thacker, isabelle at thackers.net, 617/795-2332
FIFTH GRADE ACTIVITIES
Calling All Fifth Grade Parents!
Please join us this Thursday, October 18, from 7-8:30pm, to
discuss plans for our children's final year at Cabot. We would like to share information about some
traditional 5th grade events, discuss some new ideas that are percolating, and
get input from you about creative, meaningful and fun projects for the year
ahead. From social action, to the
transition ceremony, to "Class of 2007" t-shirts, there will be a
place for everyone to share their talents and help make special memories for
our children.
Child care, limited to a movie and quiet games in a classroom,
will be available.
Join us!
~ Karen Clay, Alice
Cunningham, Andrea Plotkin and Kim Spencer
“Funtastic Fridays” for all Newton
5th graders Oct 19th:
A great way to meet kids from the “feeder” elementary schools, as
our 5th graders get ready to move up to Bigelow. Here are the monthly dates for the rest of
the year to put into your calendars: 10/19, 11/16, 12/14, 1/4, 2/1, 3/7, 4/4,
5/2, 6/13. All are 7-9 pm. at the Hyde
Community Center 90 Lincoln Street. $6 admission for Music, games and more.
Snacks and drinks available for purchase. Sign up for a “Fast Pass”
card to speed entry by emailing your name, phone number and school to
fevercoach at aol.com. Sponsored in part by
Parks and Rec. Questions? Call Judy Dore: 617-796-1525.
School Council
About the Cabot School
Council
The Cabot School Council assists and consults
to the Principal in establishing education goals for the school within the
parameters laid out by the Superintendent, identifying educational needs for
our students, reviewing and providing input to Cabot’s annual budget and
assisting with the development of the annual school-improvement plan. Comprised
of parents, teachers, community members and school administrators, the Council
is a state-mandated venue for site-based decision-making. We hope that you find
these pages useful in understanding the important role that the Council plays
in our schools governance, and identifying ways to become involved.
Want to learn more about the Council?
Visit the Cabot School
web page: www.newton.k12.ma.us/cabot/cabot_school_council/cabot_school_council.htm
Part of our role is to represent our community and we can
only do that if we know your concerns. If you have questions or ideas
specifically about the plan for academics and needs, the annual budget, or
school improvement plan please reach out to a council member. We are in
the process of creating a email box for our community for submitting questions,
and we are going to post pictures of the council members on our website so you
will know who we all are.
School Council Members: Dr. Marilynne Quarcoo, Carly Johanson, Marty Magid, Virginia
Dean, Liz Haas, Leslie Roberts, Jim Robertson, Jay Schwartz, Heidi Lucas, Mary
Kathryn Fallon, Archana Vahalia,
SOCIAL ACTION
Help UNICEF at Halloween
Halloween is approaching and with it comes our annual UNICEF
fundraiser. Each year, the children at Cabot School
are asked to collect money for UNICEF while out trick-or-treating. Please look
for collection boxes and more information about the collection process in your
childs backpack soon.
Candy Drive for Pine Street Inn November 1, 2
Each year after Halloween, members of Cabot's Social Action
Committee collect candy to be donated to The Pine Street Inn, a homeless shelter
in Boston. The
Pine Street Inn freezes the candy and hands it out throughout the year at
special occasions such as residents' birthdays and holidays. If you would like
to donate, please bring in candy on November 1 and 2 to the main lobby.
COMMUNITY PARK
Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
The Cabot PTO is proud to host a Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting
Ceremony for the Cabot
Community Garden,
on Wednesday, October 31st from 9:00 - 9:15 am.
This will be a wonderful opportunity to acknowledge the many dedicated
folks who helped bring the Community
Park to
"life". Many members of the Newton community have
been invited, and parents are welcome to attend. Chris Kjellson (chrisk729 at yahoo.com)
FROM THE NURSE
Request for Hand Sanitizer Bottle donations and free flu shots for Newton residents 50 and
older
The Newton Health and Human Services Department will be offering
free flu shots on Wednesday, November 14, 2007, from 10 am- 2pm at the American
Legion Post 440, 295 California
Street, Newton. For
Newton
residents aged 50 and older, or those with a chronic illness. Bring your
medicare or insurance card if you have one.
Wheelchair accessible. Call 617-796-1426 for more info...
Once again, I am asking for donations of hand sanitizers (
example:Purell), 8 oz. size is good,
that I will keep in the health office and distribute to classrooms as
needed. Thank you....... Karen Kerrigan,
RN
CASP
Haunted House, Improved Website, Art Show, and Special Thanks
Are you looking to reconnect with a movie star from the past? Well wait no longer as CASP is about to draw
you in with this years haunted house theme.
You are invited to come to "Haunted Hollywood" on Wednesday,
October 31, 2007 from 4:00-5:30 P.M. in the Cabot Gym. Once inside you will encounter stars from Hollywood's Golden
ERA! Donations are accepted at the door
to benefit the fifth grade end of year trip or activity. Lights will be left on for our pre-school and
kindergarten visitors who should plan to arrive at 4 P.M. Refreshments will be available for purchase
in the lobby after your tour.
If you want to know what's going on at CASP please look at our new
and improved website for information.
You can reach the site directly by going to www.cabotafterschool.org or
logging into the Cabot
School and link up to the
site by clicking on the fish tile.
Save the date for our second annual art show to be held on Friday,
February 7, 2008 from 7-9 P.M. at the New Art Center, 61 Washington Park in
Newtonville. This year the event will be
considered one of several fund raising opportunities to increase our level of
scholarship giving.
Special thanks to Stephanie Zelman, CASP parent for the time she
spent working on our behalf. Last spring
Stephanie offered to design the layout for the CASP brochure, letter head,
envelopes and business cards using our new logo designed by Cheryl Lubin and
her daughter Annie.
COMMUNITY
NEWS
Halloween Party
Halloween Party at Hyde
Community Center on
Sunday, October 28. There will be games,
crafts, goodies and a haunted house.
Children’s party (ages 0-8) is from 5-6pm. Join us in costume from 6-6:30pm for the
Parade of the Horribles. The Haunted
House will open at 6:30 until 8pm (recommend for age 8-11). Please bring a tasty treat to share.
Debate Between Ward 5 Alderman Candidates
The Windsor Club, 1601
Beacon Street, Waban, is sponsoring a debate
between the Ward 5 Alderman candidates, Christine Snow Samuelson and Bill
Brandel. The debate will be moderated by Gail Spector, editor of the TAB, on
Tuesday, October 23 at 7:30pm. All residents of Ward 5 are invited.
Newton Learn To Skate The Perfect Program For Kids Who¹ve Never Been On
The Ice
Welcome to a great program for all kids to learn the basics of
ice-skating. Why limit winter fun to
sledding? Any child from 4 to 10 is welcome, no skating experience necessary.
And if your son or daughter has been on the ice a few times, there is also an
Advanced Learn To Skate program as well.
It¹s all run by Newton Youth Hockey and meets Saturdays at noon for
beginners, and at 1 for more advanced skaters. Program starts Saturday,
November 10th. Go to www.newtonyouthhockey.com <http://www.newtonyouthhockey.com/> and click on Learn To Skate to find out more
and how to sign up. Or contact the director of Learn to Skate, Bob Daly at
learntoskate at newtonyouthhockey.com. If you need equipment, the Open House and
Used Equipment Sale is on Saturday, 11/3 from 10am to noon at the Fessenden Ice
Rink.
Welcome To A Fun, Non-Competitive Introduction To Ice Hockey
The Newton Youth Hockey Intramural Program exposes kids to hockey
in a fun, non-competitive learning environment. For any boy or girl up to age
10 with basic skating ability, they¹ll learn basic hockey skills that they can
then try out in half and cross-ice games. The program meets on Saturday
mornings (no, not the crack of dawn) for skills, and Sunday afternoons for
games, all starting on November 10th. To
find out more, including how to sign up, visit www.newtonyouthhockey.com
<http://www.newtonyouthhockey.com/> . Or if you have specific questions,
email the Intramural Program Director, Drew McAuliffe at
IntramuralVP at NewtonYouthHockey.com. If you need equipment, the Open House and
Used Equipment Sale is on Saturday, 11/3 from 10am to noon at the Fessenden Ice
Rink.
Third Annual Angier Fall Festival on Saturday, October 20, 11am –
3pm (rain or shine)
Angier School’s Festival has everything for the season– a bouncy
wizard’s castle, games with lots of pumpkins, scarecrows and some ghouls too,
delicious food, face painting, fake tattoos, caramel apple making, donuts on a
string, surprise grams an obstacle course, lots of prizes to win, pretend casts
and more! Also don’t miss the cakewalk
and the opportunity to win a beautiful cake. Dance and have fun with the music
and entertainment provided by Siagel Productions with special events throughout
the day. All are welcome! 1697
Beacon St., Waban, MA.
All proceeds go to the school's PTO.
Benefit Performance by Lucia Lin from the Boston Symphony Orchestra
Lucia Lin, the world renowned violin soloist and Boston Symphony
Orchestra member, is coming to Newton
as a featured performer in a chamber music recital Sunday November 4th at 3 pm at
the Trinity Episcopal Church, 11
Homer Street in Newton Centre. The performance has been slightly shortened
to appeal to a young audience. The
program features the Brahms Sonata in G, Op. 78 for violin and piano with pianist
Sergey Schepkin; the Martinu Duo no. 1 for violin and cello with BSO colleague,
cellist Owen Young; and the Beethoven Piano Trio in B-flat, opus 97 known as
the "Archduke", featuring all three of these prominent
musicians. A reception will follow to
allow the audience to meet the musicians.
Tickets: $10 for students/seniors, $20 for adults, $35 for patrons with
proceeds benefitting a music scholarship fund.
For tickets call the Suzuki School of Newton at 617-964-4522. Handicap accessible.
Volleyball---Calling all Moms and other women over 18
The Newton Women’s Twilight League, sponsored by Parks and Rec, is
recruiting players and teams 18 and over.
League play starts November 5th.
Come to a free clinic Monday Oct 22 and 29, 7-9pm at the Jewish
Community Center on Nahanton Street,
Newton Centre. Featuring clinician Richard Barton, the 2006
Massachusetts Coaches Hall of fame Inductee. Info: Judy Dore or Judith Slamin
at 617-796-1500
Big Brother/Sister:
Could your child, age 6-11, benefit from the consistent, caring
friendship of a Newton Teenager? Newton’s one-to-one
program has an enthusiastic new group of high school seniors from Newton North
and South. If you would like to have
your child matched this academic year with a “Big Brother/Sister”, please call
Program Director Nancy Holczer at 617-559-6590 by October 20th. Leave a message with your name and contact
information. Optionally, email your
contact information to Nancy_Holczer at Newton.k12.ma.us. A project of the Newton
Schools since 1972.
Registration is now open for the NAA Basketball League 2007-2008
season
The NAA (Newton Athletic Association) has leagues for Grades 3-9.
The season runs from mid-November through March. Players of all skill levels
are welcome and the emphasis is on having fun, learning to play basketball, and
being part of a team. Teams have one game and one practice per week through
most of the season.
This year all registrations will be on-line at the NAA web site:
http://www.naabasketball.org/.
Registration is open through October 15.
Additional information is available for players and coaches at the web
site.
KIDS' KARATE. Free Trial Class
Friday, November 2, 4:45-5:45, or Saturday, November 3,
10:00-11:00 a.m. For girls and boys. Entry ages -- first through fifth grades.
$79 per 7-Week Session. No uniforms are worn for 7-Week Beginners Session
(first 7-Week Session). Beautiful rental space at Trinity
High School, Newton. (Formerly at Newton YMCA, 1982-2002.)
For more information, please leave message for Rich Jacobs, KIDS' KARATE
Director, (617) 527-8052. Also, please see www.kids-karate.org
After school program at the Oak Square YMCA
Oak Square YMCA, 615
Washington Street, Brighton, has been serving Newton families for years
and has a few openings left. This very
affordable 5-day program costs just $98/week.
Fewer days are an option.
Homework help, arts and crafts, sports, healthy snacks and lots of
social interaction. A diverse
environment optimizes personal growth.
Licensed through the Dept of Early Education and Care. Scholarships available. Contact Program
Director Steve Pecci 617-787-8675. www.ymcaboston.org.
Eliot Church Fall Fair:
October 20, 9am - 3pm. Huge
Flea Market, Live music with dancing, Children's Games, Food. 474
Centre Street, Newton
Corner.
WARNING from the NAA:
An organization identifying itself as the NAA is soliciting funds
in Newton,
primarily by phone. This organization is
NOT affiliated with NAA basketball. NAA
basketball has never solicited by phone and has no plans to do so. The legitimate NAA only asks for donations
during its registration process.
TEEN DATING – KEEPING IT SAFE
Tuesday, November 13 - 7:30-9:00 PM at the Newton South
High School Auditorium
Featuring: Kim Coney,
Newton Police Department, Katie Doyle, Newton Police Department, Nancy Beardall,
NNHS MVP Coordinator, and Jo Patterson, REACH Beyond Domestic Violence
Does your child date? Can
you recognize the signs of an unhealthy relationship? Are you concerned about peer pressure in
social situations? Do you know what to
do if your child is in an abusive relationship?
If these questions are of
concern, this evening is for you! Learn
how to spot an unhealthy relationship and what to do about it. Find out how to empower your children, and
how to help them physically, mentally, socially and legally should they find
themselves in a bad relationship.
Dating violence can happen
to anyone - knowledge can help prevent it!
The Teen Link Campaign
(TLC) is a collaborative effort among all organizations in Newton to bring students, parents, schools
and community members together to encourage open, honest conversations and
actions that will help all teens succeed in school and in life. The Newton North and Newton South PTSOs are
active members of TLC.
Stop Bullying Now!
Wednesday, November 7 , 6:30-8 pm.
NPS Education Center, Room
210, 100 Walnut St.,
Newtonville.
Let’s Stop Bullying Now! Anti-Bullying Program for Parents.
Everything you wanted to know about bullying and teasing …and more! • What is
the difference between bullying and teasing? • What is an active bystander? •
What to do about cyber bullying? • What can you do to help your child? • Work
with your child’s school • Learn the same language • Get involved! A
comprehensive anti-bullying program designed by the Massachusetts Aggression
Reduction Center (MARC) at Bridgewater State College. Sponsored by the Massachusetts School
of Professional Psychology and Project INTERFACE.
TACKLING THE TRADEOFFS: A Forum on Newton’s Future
How should we set priorities in Newton? What can we afford? What are our
values? Join panelists Paul Levy, Phil
Herr and John Stewart with moderator Brooke Lipsitt for a discussion on
Tuesday, October 16, 2007, 7:30 p.m. at NewTV Studios. Seating is on a first come basis. Submit your concern or question in advance by
posting to the TAB blog at:
http://blogs.townonline.com/newton/?p=11122.
CLASSIFIEDS
COMPUTER QUESTIONS OR ISSUES?
WANT YOUR OWN WEBSITE?
Experienced, enthusiastic, and patient computer consultant is
available to help you. Want to get your
computer questions answered, your wireless network installed, or your website
up and running?
No matter what computer issues are bugging you, I will work hard
to help you fix them.
Fees are $50 per hour.
Contact Liz Lehrer at LizLehrer at gmail.com or (617) 599-2595.
Check out a website I built and maintain for Codman Community
Farms at www.codmanfarm.org.
KEYS FOR KIDS PIANO LESSONS
Small groups organized by age (4-11). Outstanding methodology. Experienced, certified instructor. Proven success. Keys for Kids goes beyond ordinary piano
lessons: it teaches well-rounded musicianship.
Free sample lesson.
Contact Marina Gorny: MDGorny at comcast.net or (617) 527-4942
www.NewtonKidsLoveMusic.com
Classified Items Policy
We welcome items from and for all current and former parents,
students, teachers and administrators (aka "the Cabot Community") for
goods, services, events and other items of potential interest to the Cabot
Community on a space available basis. We
reserve the exclusive right of last refusal, without explanation, for items
deemed unacceptable, a judgment made solely by the Classified editor. The Classified editor reserves the right to
classify the category and rate table of the items placed and to edit for
space. We comply with Newton's non-discrimination policies. Appeals to decisions made by the Classified
editor may be brought to the Classified Editorial committee. Acceptance of an item in no way implies an
endorsement for what is offered. These
items are not vetted. It is up to the
reader to check references and verify legitimacy. In other words: Buyer Beware.
The ad rate for all items is 20 cents per word. All ad copy and payment
must be received by the submission deadline.
Please note that all ads are pre-paid.
All ads must be submitted to jabbereditor at gmail.com as text-only
with Classified Ad in your subject heading. Before your ad will appear, a check
payable to "Cabot PTO" with a hard copy of your ad must be sent to
the "Cabot Newsletter eJabberwock" mailbox located at Cabot
Elementary School, 229 Cabot Street, Newtonville, MA 02460. If your ad must
appear in a specific month, please indicate that month in your email and in
your hard copy communication to us. If
we are not able to include your ad in the month requested, we will void your
check.
________________________________________________________________________
Email and AIM finally together. You've gotta check out free AOL Mail! - http://mail.aol.com
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