Bulldog Bulletin!
Week of 12/13-12/17
December 12, 2021
We Stand Together.
Greetings, Bigelow families & students. Many are aware that I, along with Bigelow as a whole, was criticized in recent media & news for our Thursday, 12/2 Advisory activities, allowing students an opportunity to debrief or learn more about the Rittenhouse & Arbery cases. The racist responses & attacks we received for such a culturally-responsive & real-world learning opportunity is, precisely, the evidence as to why this work needs to be done.
Nonetheless, I am beyond thankful for the overwhelming display of support generated from the larger Bigelow community. You all have outpoured positive e-mails, phone calls, treats, and more that have completely overpowered the negativity and, for that, I am grateful.
Additionally, the Bigelow faculty & staff truly united together as a school family through this, as pictured above. In solidarity, we wore our Bigelow t-shirts this past Friday, and I received signs, cards, and an overflow of love & support. I feel completely blessed for such a supportive Bigelow community - families, students, and staff alike. I appreciate you all for standing with me during this time.
To continue in support & advocacy of current events, we acknowledge the recent tragedy at Oxford High School in Oxford, Michigan. Whenever we hear about school violence, our hearts go out to the families and communities involved, and we can not help but think of our own school community and our own safety. As you may know, Newton recently updated safety procedures across the district, with an emphasis on preventative work; more information can be found here. We will be reviewing our safety procedures as a staff in early January, and we will be practicing these procedures with students later in January (credit to our School Psychologist, Dr. L'Esperance, for this statement).
A LOOK AT THIS WEEK: Tomorrow marks the beginning of Term 2. Also tomorrow, from 7:40-8:00am, our Bigelow FORJ will host an equity rally at the Vernon/Park intersection crosswalk island; more details within this bulletin. Lastly, Wednesday is our usual short day, with a 1:50pm dismissal.
There is lots of information & updates within this bulletin, so please read & review carefully! Feel free to contact me, any other member of Bigelow Leadership, or the Executive Admin. Asst., Kersten Raso, with questions, comments, or concerns. Thank you, and have a great week!
-Chassity Coston, Principal
~MONDAY, 12/13:
- Day 5 of the cycle
- Advisory
- Term 2 begins
- Bigelow FORJ Equity Rally, 7:40-8:00am; more info below
~TUESDAY, 12/14:
- Day 6 of the cycle
- Principal Office Hours, 3-4pm (by appointment only; see info below)
- ELPAC Meeting (English Language Parent Advisory Council), 6:30pm; flyer & RSVP below
~WEDNESDAY, 12/15:
- Day 1 of the cycle
- Dismissal at 1:50pm
- Virtual Tour of METCO HQs & Nubian Square, 6pm; RSVP below
~THURSDAY, 12/16:
- Day 2 of the cycle
- Advisory
~Friday, 12/17:
- Day 3 of the cycle
- 6th Grade ELA Virtual author visit; info below
- COVID testing for staff & 6th grade students
- T-shirt Fridays! Rock your Bigelow, college, athletic, educational, or favorite t-shirt/gear!
Principal Coston has several convenient ways to chat:
· Principal Office Hours | Every Tuesday, Principal Coston offers 10-minute time slots from 3-4pm if you have a quick topic to speak with her about.
· Principal Coston's Calendar | this method offers 30-minute slots for more time to discuss in-depth topics with Principal Coston.
· E-mail or call 617-559-6811 to directly contact Exec. Admin. Asst. Kersten Raso, and she will be able to assist in finding you a more convenient time to meet with Principal Coston.
6th Grade ELA | Virtual Author Visit this Friday, 12/17!
Christine Day will be zooming in with English classes. She is Native American (Upper Skagit) and is the author of "I Can Make This Promise" and "The Sea in Winter", which are popular middle-grade books celebrating connecting with one's culture and identity.
*NOTE*: Bigelow 6th Grade will continue to participate in COVID testing every Friday.
Upcoming Important Dates:
- Wednesday, December 22: Parent Conferences
- Friday, December 24 - Friday, December 31: No School | December Recess
- Monday, January 3: Return from December Recess | Happy New Year!
Quote of the Week!
Contact Principal Coston!
Please know that I am committed to the continued excellence of Bigelow Middle School and its families, faculty/staff, & surrounding Newton community. I look forward to an amazing, progressive, and world-changing school year as we work together to #GrowBigelow.
Please feel free to contact me as needed. In the meantime, stay safe & well.
Email: costonc@newton.k12.ma.us
Website: newton.k12.ma.us/bigelow
Phone: 617-559-6800
Twitter: @ChassityCoston