#GrowBigelow
Greetings from Principal Coston! Summer Update, Vol. 3
September 3, 2021
WELCOME BACK! A note from Principal Coston:
I trust that each of you have enjoyed a restful & much-needed summer break! Bigelow faculty & staff have been hard at work, excitedly preparing to welcome back students on Thursday, September 9th.
In the meantime, there is plenty of information included within this newsletter for you to digest. Please read and complete action items as needed. Feel free to contact me or my Exec. Admin. Asst., Kersten Raso, with questions, comments, or concerns as necessary.
As we prepare to return for an exciting & hopeful school year, I trust we all can find something to look forward to. Even as we are still in the midst of uncertain times, I hope we all are able to use what we've learned through these times to create & establish conditions to meet the needs of students. Let's take the successes of what we learned last year, and determine how we can apply them as we move forward—while still being healthy, conscious, and safe through it all.
Here are a few photos of faculty/staff during "our" first day back to school this week!
Faculty/staff engaged in meaningful team building, professional development sessions, and instructional planning meetings to prepare for the school year.
Shoutout to our amazing Bigelow PTO for providing breakfast & lunch for us!
Free and Reduced Meal Program
While all students in the Newton Public Schools will continue to receive school meals free of charge for the 2021-22 school year, it is still important for qualified families to complete the Free and Reduced Meal Application. By completing the application, your student and family may be eligible to receive additional benefits beyond the free and reduced meal program.
A few important notes:
If you have had a change in job status or income, you may now be eligible for the free and reduced meal program. We encourage you to complete the application by September 5.
If your student was enrolled in the Newton Public Schools last year and you are now eligible for the free and reduced meals program (but have not yet completed the application), you can receive a summer P-EBT card. To receive the card, you must complete the application. A P-EBT card is a debit card with funds already loaded onto it that can be used to purchase food items at your local grocery store.
To receive the P-EBT card benefit, you MUST complete the free and reduced meal application by September 5.
If you are already enrolled in the free and reduced meal program and received a P-EBT card last year, you do NOT need to reapply. You will remain enrolled in the free and reduced meal program this year.
***One Additional School Supply Needed***
We will be using our lockers again this year! All students will need 2 locks; one for their main locker & the other for their PE locker. (Master Lock type padlocks with a numeric combination dial fit best and are most secure.)
Homebase & cluster assignments are now accessible via ASPEN
To view Home-base and cluster assignments: click on Family tab at the top, and then click the name of your child if prompted. Homeroom and Team will be listed under the Demographics"
The previous message said to click on the "My Info" tab which is what students see.
If you are using mobile: to get to the Family tab, click on the Menu icon first
UNIVERSAL MASKING:*ALL* school personnel, visitors, and students, regardless of age or vaccination status, are required to wear masks covering their nose and mouth at all times while on campus and when riding on school buses. No exceptions.
Please complete the form below to opt-in or out of First Day Selfies with Principal Coston!
Join Jazz Band!
Jazz Band will be a place where students can improve on their instruments by playing Jazz, Funk and other big band sounds. Rehearsals will be held before school; days currently TBA. Questions? Contact Mr. Ed Harlow at harlowe@newton.k12.ma.us. See flyer below for more details.
U P C O M I N G ∙ E V E N T S !
General Bigelow Feedback Survey
Fun fact: During the interview process for this position, candidates were tasked with composing a letter to the Bigelow community as if we had already completed our first year as principal. If you're interested, you may access my letter here.
But more importantly, please use the button below to complete the anonymous survey I created to go along with this letter. This survey feedback will be used to assess the well-being of the school during remote learning, in order to guide the process of moving Bigelow forward.
Biking and walking encouraged!
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, enjoy a restful, relaxed, & much-needed summer break! Stay safe & well.
Email: costonc@newton.k12.ma.us
Website: https://www.newton.k12.ma.us/bigelow
Phone: (617) 559-6800 (617) 485-7478
Twitter: @ChassityCoston