[CabotCommunity] JABBERLITE FOR MARCH 13TH 2007

Tue Mar 13 07:56:12 EDT 2007

JABBERLITE TUESDAY MARCH 13TH, 2007

This Jabberlite contains the following items:

Cabot Book Fair this week!

Reverse 911 test call tonight at 8pm

Call for Volunteers - Clean up Cabot, Cabot Fair

Marilynne's Fireside chats

Allowing Childhood - An evening Discussion

Lost and Found

Newton Parent Advisory Council for Special Education meeting

Invention Invasion

Newton Unplugged

POLITICAL ISSUES UPDATE on Proposed School Budget Released -- $5 Million Gap

CALENDAR

Visit the Cabot PTO website to get an updated list of dates throughout the
school year at www.cabotpto.org <http://www.cabotpto.org/>  

March 14 to Mar 16 

Book Fair, Cabot Library

March 15, 2007

CA&S Program K-5, Charlotte Blake, Award Winning Story-teller , 1-3PM

March 15, 2007

Book Fair Evening Program, 6:30-8:30 PM, Cabot Gym & Library

March 19, 2007

MCAS, Grade 5

March 19, 2007

School Committee Straw Vote on FY08 Budget, Ed Ctr. 7:00 PM

March 20, 2007

MCAS, Grade 4

March 20, 2007

School Dismissal at 3:00PM due to MCAS testing

March 21, 2007

MCAS, Grade 5

March 21, 2007

Evening Neighborhood Meeting with Dr. Quarcoo - Claire Ryan-Robertson &
James Robertson's Home 7:00PM

March 21, 2007

School Dismissal at 12:30PM due to MCAS testing

March 22, 2007

MCAS, Grade 5

March 22, 2007

Musical at Bigelow for Grade 5, 9:00 - 11:00 AM

March 23, 2007

MCAS, Grade 3

March 26, 2007

MCAS, Grade 3

March 26, 2007

METCO Parents' Council Meeting 7:00 - 9:00 PM  Roxbury

March 26, 2007

School Committee Meeting, Final Volte on Budget 7:30 PM

March 27, 2007

Affinity Group 12:30 PM

March 27, 2007

MCAS, Grade 3

March 28, 2007

MCAS, Grade 4

March 28, 2007

Discussion for parents & teachers "Allowing Childhood", focusing on aspects
of the book "The Blessing of a Skinned Knee" by Wendy Mogel  7:00pm Cabot
Library

March 29, 2007

MCAS, Grade 4

March 29, 2007

EARLY RELEASE DAY, 12:30pm

March 30, 2007

MCAS, Grade 4

Book Fair Is this Week! 

The book fair runs from Monday March 12 - Thursday March 15th.  Bring the
family and join us for 'Bedtime at the Bookfair' on Thursday evening, from
6:30 - 8:30 in the Cabot Gym.  Come in your PJ's, peruse the books for sale,
enjoy cookies, milk & warm beverages and listen to some favorite bedtime
stories read to you by parents and faculty.  

We still need volunteer to sell used books in the Library on Wednesday March
14th from 1:00-2:15pm and on Thursday afternoon from 3-5pm (children
welcome) Interested, contact Kate Johnson at kate at textreviews.com
<javascript:parent.ComposeTo(%22kate%40textreviews.com%22,%20%22%22);> . 

Reverse 911 Test call TONIGHT at 8:00PM

Jeffery Young, Superintendent of Newton Public Schools, sent home a letter
March 1st introducing the Connect-EDR communication system which will allow
Dr. Young or a school principal to send periodic and personalized messages
by telephone.  Often referred to as "Reverse 911" this system is funded
through the Emergency Response and Crisis Management Grant recently awarded
to the Newton Public Schools. The Connect-EDR service will enable Newton
Public Schools to communicate with you about emergency situations, school
events and important issues impacting your child. The service enables one
phone call to reach the families of all students within minutes. 

To ensure that the system is working correctly, a district-wide message will
be sent on Tuesday evening, March 13, 2007, at 8:00 p.m.  For this test, the
first contact number that you indicated on the emergency card this past
September will be used.  If you do not get a phone call, please fill out the
form you received in the letter from Dr. Young and return it to Mrs.
Driscoll.  It is very important to ensure that this system is working
properly and we are able to contact everyone. Thank you.

Newton Serves - let's clean up cabot!

We still need more volunteers for our Cabot work weekend on April 28th &
29th. We hope as many of you as possible will come out to help spruce up our
school!  We will be spreading mulch, painting, hanging shelves and cleaning
out areas of Cabot.  The teachers and the committee are busy putting
together their wish lists of projects, but of course all this depends on
your help - the more volunteers we have, the more we can make a difference!
Please let us know if you have any handy skills, such as carpentry or
painting, or if you are just willing to come and work.  If you and your
family are able to come lend a hand, please contact Jo Doherty at
jcdoherty11 at comcast.net or Mary Kathryn Fallon at MaryKathF at aol.com .  

Marilynne's Fireside Chats 

The dates for the 2 remaining are below. Come out and enjoy an evening with
Dr. Quarcoo and your neighbors.  Ask all those questions you've been
wondering about, or just get to know your school Principal a bit better in
these series of informal get-togethers.  Dr. Quarcoo apologises for not
being able to attend the chat scheduled for Monday March 12th at Janet &
Daniel Hart's house and hopes to reschedule another time. 

Check your Cabot directory to discover the fireside chat happening nearest
to your house and RSVP to the host! 

* March 21st,        7:00pm        Claire Ryan-Robertson & James Robertson

* April 24th,          6:30pm        Monalisa & Donald Neville 

Thanks to Virginia Dean & Raoul Choos, Kate Dulit & Josh Greenberg, Vicki &
Bud Gartland & Janet & Daniel Hart for hosting already and to all of you who
have attended the meetings and made them so successful, and thanks to
Marilynne for organizing the meetings and coming out after a long day at
school!

Allowing Childhood -An Evening Discussion

Wednesday, March 28, 2007 -7:00-9:00 P.M. -Cabot School

It's tough being a parent and a kid in 2007.  Join us for a facilitated
discussion with Cabot parents and teachers.  We will use Wendy Mogel's Book
"The Blessing of a Skinned Knee: Using Jewish Teachings to Raise
Self-Reliant Children", as a launching point for our conversation.  We will
begin with a general discussion on determining realistic expectations for
each child and resisting over-scheduling.  Breakout groups will follow the
discussion.The objective for the evening is to start a dialogue about how to
reduce the stress and pressure on students, parents and teachers in the
Cabot community. Planning Group:  Anya Bassett, Emily Hess, Lani Gerson, and
Margaret Hannah. 

Not got a copy of the book yet? Go to Newtonville Books, mention the book
and Cabot School. A number of copies have been put aside.

Lost & Found 

Have you noticed our lost and found bin is overflowing?  Are you missing
those fancy ski gloves or hat, that new sweat-shirt or jacket?  There are
even lunch boxes and a pair of boots in there.  Please check it out and make
sure you claim all your belongings!  We will be emptying the bin in the next
2 weeks and donating all unclaimed items to The Second Step.  Thanks to
Eileen Morrison for lugging everything home, washing the items and
delivering them to The Second Step.

Newton Parent Advisory Council for Special Education

The Newton Parent Advisory Council for Special Education invites you to our
March & April meetings.  All meetings are at 7:30PM at the Education Center,
100 Walnut St.

Wednesday, April 4    "Fiddle and Focus:  Sensory Integration Strategies for
School Success" by Jane Koomar, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA,Executive Director and
Founder of Occupational Therapy Associates-Watertown, MA. Learn how to help
children access their abilities by enhancing their focus with sensory
activities that help keep their bodies calmed or busy while their minds
learn.  Discussion will include the impact of sensory processing issues on
learning motor skills, behavior, coordination and social relationships.
Home and school accommodations and strategies will be shared.  We will
discuss children with a range of diagnoses, including ADD, PDD, Aspergers,
NVLD, PTSD.  Dr. Koomar, is the board president of the SPIRAL Foundation
(SensoryProcessing Institute for Research and Learning) and has taught over
one hundred courses on sensory integration theory, assessment, and
intervention throughout the United States and Canada. 

For more information, contact Leslie Lockhart at newtonspedpac at yahoo.com or
617-527-5046.

Invention Invasion

It's Invention Invasion (II) time again! This fun, whole school, optional
event is help on Tuesday, April 10th from 5:30-7pm. Entry forms need to be
returned by March 30th. The II team will be visiting your children's
classroom this week to hand out event information and the entry form. They
will also talk about simple inventions that have changed our lives as well
as some amazing inventions that will be part of our future.

We will again have a scientist affiliated with High Touch High Tech, a
national organization, who will conduct hands-on science experiments during
Invention Invasion. This year we are also pleased to have David Gullette, a
Simmons professor, who has developed technology such as a simple water
purifier for Newton's sister city, San Juan del Mar in Nicaragua.

This is a great event where your child has the opportunity on April 10th to
show off their invention & explain it. It should be a fun event for every
one. Hope to see you there!

For additional information please contact the II co-chairs: Karen Jauregui,
617-527-3154 kjauregui at repligen.com  Karen Clay 617-323-9336 kclay at rcn.com
or Vicki Gartland 617-244-9415 vgartland at comcast.net 

The Cabot Fair is May 5 - Half the fun is volunteering!
In the next month you will be receiving a call from a room parent, asking
you to volunteer for one or more time slots at the Cabot Fair.  But why
wait!  Early-bird volunteers help out our planning enormously.   Choose your
preferred time slot: 9:30-11:00, 11:00-12:30, 12:30-2:00, or 2:00-3:30
.and contact Volunteer Central at politicalresources at hotmail.com or call at
(617) 527-4188

Newton Unplugged - No Homework or Meeting night - check out a copy of the
citywide Newton Unplugged Calendar, Unplug and get connected!
http://www.newtonptocouncil.org/Notices/UnPluggedCalendar.2007.pdf 

POLITICAL ISSUES UPDATE  - Proposed School Budget Released -- $5 Million Gap

Superintendent Jeff Young presented his proposed budget for the 2007-2008
school year on Monday night.  The big news is that the proposal contains no
cuts, restores some programs and includes about $1 million in new
initiatives -- BUT -- it is $4.8 million short of the funding Mayor David
Cohen has allocated for the schools next year.

Last month members of the School Committee indicated that, after four years
of budget cuts, they were not interested in proposing any more reductions.
The Committee directed Young to prepare a "maintenance of effort" budget and
acknowledged that the bottom line of such a budget would exceed the Mayor's
allocation.  The Mayor pledged to work with the Committee to bridge this
gap.  It is not clear whether funding will come from additional City funds,
State aid, and/or a property tax over-ride.  It is also possible that
reductions will still be required.

Implications for Cabot School

With respect to elementary schools, the proposed budget funds 263
classrooms, maintaining the 2006 average class size of 21 students.  The
budget includes funding to equip and staff eight modular classrooms
(including two at Cabot).  The proposal also restores reductions made this
year to the elementary art and music programs.  Art instruction will
increase from 45 minutes to one hour per week and the full third grade
recorder music program will be restored.

Taking Action

For the first time in several years we are not in a situation where we are
asking parents to come out and protest proposed cuts to programs and
teachers - at least not yet.  It is not clear how the budget balancing
process is going to play out this year.  The best advice is to stay tuned
and be ready to weigh in with your opinion when the choices do become clear.

Newspaper coverage by the Newton Tab and Boston Globe has been very good so
far.  One of the best ways for parents to get involved is simply by staying
informed of the budget deliberations at they evolve this month.  The
following articles and editorials are a good place to start. 

Newton Tab:

http://www.townonline.com/newton/homepage/x500085704

http://www.townonline.com/newton/homepage/x2132816565

http://www.townonline.com/newton/opinion/x202241921

Boston Globe West: 

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/03/08/schools_request_116m_in
crease/

Public Hearings

The $155.5 million budget proposal represents an $11.6 million increase over
this year.  It accommodates an enrollment increase of 231 students and funds
salary and benefit increases for all employees. It also funds $1 million in
School Committee priorities, including: new initiatives in elementary math
curriculum; creation of a more interdisciplinary middle school curriculum;
and additional funds for technology and building maintenance.

Details of the budget will be the subject of several meetings this month,
culminating with a public hearing on March 22 and a final vote by the School
Committee on March 26.

Schedule of meetings and topics:
http://www.newton.k12.ma.us/schoolcommittee/budget/budget08.html

For complete budget documents, visit:
http://www.newton.k12.ma.us/schoolcommittee/budget/budget08.html

Sue Covitz and Sarah Ecker, co-chairs of the Cabot PTO Political Issues
Committee, will be attending many of the meetings this month and will report
on developments.  Don't hesitate to contact them if you've got questions
about the process and/or want to get involved.

This has been compiled for you by the Cabot PTO

Jo Doherty

Cabot PTO Co-President

11 Leonard Avenue,

West Newton, MA 02465

617-332-1530

jcdoherty11 at comcast.net

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://cabotpto.org/mailman/private/cabotcommunity_cabotpto.org/attachments/20070313/aed29748/attachment.html 