2 Parsons Street

Northampton, Massachusetts 01060

413-587-1460 (phone) 413-587-1484 (fax)

Beth N. Choquette, Principal bchoquette@northamtpon-k12.us

Elizabeth Peterson, Administrative Assistant epeterson@northampton-k12.us

Nicole Soutra, Senior Clerk nsoutra@northampton-k12.us

Nora DeJasu, Head Teacher ndejasu@northampton-k12.us

Just a reminder that the website I use to create my weekly newsletters, now has translation in many different languages. Here are the steps to have it translated:

At the top of the weekly email, there's a link that reads "View it in your browser," click that and it takes you to the post on a webpage.

Scroll to the bottom where there's a black menu bar and pick the option that says "Translate."

Select the language you would like it translated in and it will then translate it on the webpage.

Solo un recordatorio de que el sitio web que uso para crear mis boletines semanales, ahora tiene traducción en muchos idiomas diferentes. Aquí están los pasos para traducirlo:

En la parte superior del correo electrónico semanal, hay un enlace que dice "Verlo en su navegador", haga clic en eso y lo llevará a la publicación en una página web.

Desplázate hacia la parte inferior donde hay una barra de menú negra y elige la opción que dice "Traducir".

Seleccione el idioma en el que desea traducirlo y luego lo traducirá en la página web.

Dear families,

Good afternoon. Let me start by wishing you all a wonderful spring recess next week. I spoke to the students at celebration yesterday regarding the new Gaga Pit. As you can imagine, they were all very excited. We reviewed the rules together, and are looking forward to seeing it when we arrive back to school on the 22nd. I'd like to send out a huge thank you to the PTO and the parents who have helped to build and support this project. Our students will have a blast using it. THANK YOU!!!

Please see the following message from the Northampton Arts Council:

The Northampton Arts Council is excited to present our First Annual Northampton Public Arts Festival. The festival will take place on Saturday May 11, 2019 and Sunday May 12, 2019 in the plaza behind Thornes Market at 99 Armory Street in Northampton.

The Northampton Public Arts Festival is a unique 2-day event aimed at promoting public arts through live mural painting and workshops for young artists and youth interested in the arts. The festival will bring local and nationally recognized street artists and muralists to convene and create beautiful public art for the city of Northampton and the Pioneer Valley. Local Djays will be spinning vinyl from noon-5pm, Laughing Tomato Pizza will be on hand as well as, 10 curated locally based art vendors.

On Saturday, May 11 from 9am to 7pm, our team will run an open painting session to paint four mural cubes with eight selected artists, with two artists painting each cube. The fifth cube will be painted in collaboration between Jonathan Neville of Dripped On Productions and the public in attendance. This day of collaborative art making will include three scheduled workshops at 10:00am, 12:00pm, and 3:00pm. The workshops offer a hands-on opportunity for youth and adults to work directly with street artists to learn how to use spray paint to create art under professional guidance. The workshops break down barriers and pre-existing notions about spray paint and street art, and gives the public a chance to become their own artist! All the aerosol used is kid friendly and paints are water based non toxic.

We would like to invite your students to participate in one of the three workshops held on Saturday. These workshops are a great opportunity for young artists to explore a new medium and learn hands on, alongside an artist, how to work with new tools in new ways. Please be in touch via email, arts@northamptonma.gov to let us know which workshop your students would like to attend and how many participants you anticipate.

Thank you for your continued support of the arts.

In addition to the above, the Northampton Public Schools will be holding their annual K-8 art show from May 10th-31st. The opening of the art show will be held on May 10th from 4:00-6:00 p.m. at JFK Middle School. Light refreshments will be served by the Jackson Street PTO. This is always an amazing event, I hope to see you all there.

I hope you all have a wonderful week next week.

The good news is that the bookcases arrived! The bad news is that the circulation desk came damaged and we had to send it back. Mrs. Richards will let me know when she's ready for volunteers to load the shelves.

Our next celebration will be for all K-2 students on April 25th. Mrs. Nagle and Mrs. Demerath's 2nd graders will be presenting. All are welcome to attend.

4/15-4/19/19 No School, Spring Recess

4/23/19 K-2 Spring Concert 9:30 a.m. BSS Cafeteria

6/7/19 Field Day

6/10/19 5th Grade Graduation 9:15 a.m. BSS Gym