Bulldog Bulletin!
Week of 9/12-9/16
September 11, 2022
Photos from the first week of school!
Week 1 down!
Greetings, Bigelow families & students! We trust you all have experienced a smooth start to the school year. We hope that each student felt welcome walking through the Bigelow doors to start another school year.
With today being the 21st anniversary of the September 11th attacks, we would like to take a moment to acknowledge all those impacted by this horrific tragedy. Tomorrow, we will observe a moment of silence in memoriam for those who lost their lives and their families that were affected.
There is plenty of information included within this newsletter for your family to digest. Feel free to contact me, any other member of Bigelow leadership, or the Executive Admin. Asst., Kersten Raso, with questions, comments, or concerns.
-Chassity K. Coston, Principal
ALERT: The Back-to-School Starter Kit is REQUIRED for each Bigelow student.
With these, we aim to provide continuity for student organization, as well as safety for protecting chromebooks. You may contact Principal Coston directly (costonc@newton.k12.ma.us) if you have questions, comments, or concerns regarding this requirement.
***One Additional School Supply Needed***
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.
~MONDAY, 9/12:
- Day 5 of the cycle
~TUESDAY, 9/13:
- Day 6 of the cycle
- 6B Field Trip to Treetops
~WEDNESDAY, 9/14:
- Day 1 of the cycle
- Dismissal at 1:50pm
~THURSDAY, 9/15:
- Day 2 of the cycle
- 6A Field Trip to Treetops
- Hispanic Heritage Month begins
~FRIDAY, 9/16:
- Day 3 of the cycle
- Thursday, 9/22: PTO Meeting/Meet & Greet with Principal Coston, 6pm
- Monday, 9/26: No School • Rosh Hashanah
- Thursday, 9/29: Early Release • dismissal at 11:20am
- Monday, 10/3: PTO Annual Appeal begins
- Wednesday, 10/5: No School • Yom Kippur
- Thursday, 10/6: Bigelow Back-to-School Night • in-person, time TBA
- Monday, 10/10: No School • Indigenous Peoples' Holiday
- Saturday, 10/15: PTO "Ten Tables" Night, more info TBA
- Wednesday, 10/26: NPS Middle Schools Family & Community event, more info TBA
BIGELOW LEADERSHIP EXPECTATIONS ASSEMBLY
Last week, Bigelow Leadership met with each grade level to introduce themselves and discuss/review Bigelow Expectations. Please review these expectations at home with your child(ren). The topics and expectations we covered are as follows:
LEADERSHIP: The principal's office should not be perceived as a place where students only go if they're in trouble. Bigelow Leadership's desire is to proactively build relationships with and support students in making positive decisions, and to help students learn from not-so-positive decisions.
RESPECT: Students should respect themselves, other students, staff, and the school building/environment. Be kind, be an upstander, clean up after yourself, respect school property, etc.. Students also completed Respect Agreements in their classes last week.
HALLWAY EXPECTATIONS: NO running! Walk in the halls to keep yourself and others safe. Walk on the right side of the hallway to ensure safety and prevent traffic jams.
- DRESS CODE: Hats & head coverings are permitted; hoodies are permitted as long as face & ears are visible. Personal/private parts should be covered, and shirt & short lengths should reflect this. Articles of clothing bearing offensive language, illegal substances, or inappropriate graphics are prohibited. Students will be asked to change, if needed.
ELECTRONICS: Cell phones are allowed until 7:55am and after dismissal. During the school day, cell phones should be powered off or silenced, and secured in student lockers. Airpods/earbuds are prohibited during the school day. If students are found carrying/using cell phones and airpods/earbuds during the school day, they will be taken & returned at the end of the day. Students are allowed to have/use their Chromebook throughout the day. Teachers will usually inform students in advance if they will need earbuds or headphones for Chromebooks during class, for instructional purposes.
STARTER KIT: All students are expected to utilize their starter kit, to keep their Chromebooks safe, to help with organization, and to alleviate students carrying many items throughout the day. Backpacks are required to be stored in lockers during the school day.
- CAFETERIA EXPECTATIONS: Lunch will be in only one location this year; outside mostly when weather permits. Students should either bring their lunch or remember their LASID # to receive one free lunch. If students desire more than one lunch, they will have to pay. Students should sit and eat quietly, and clean up after themselves.
PLEASE COMPLETE • Annual Student Information Update in Aspen
Every year, you are required to update student information in Aspen, our student information system. It is very important that families update addresses, emergency contacts, health records, and permissions so that schools have the most accurate and up-to-date information for students.
This system is also used to determine student information that can be released. Please note that we do have new Opt-Out Permissions for the 2022-2023 school year that need your review and preference selections.
Families must update their students’ records by Friday, September 30th. Please use the following instructions to access the information and forms in Aspen: Student Information Update Instructions.
Free and Reduced Meal Program
All students in the Newton Public Schools will continue to receive school meals free of charge for the 2022-23 school year. Below are the guidelines students must follow to obtain a free meal:
- Every student may have one free breakfast and one free lunch each day
- All second meals will need to be paid for by the student
- In order for a student's meal to be free, they must have the following portions:
- Breakfast (3 portions): a fruit, a grain, and a milk.
- Lunch (5 portions): a milk, a fruit, a vegetable, a grain, and a meat (or an approved meat alternate like beans, yogurt or cheese),
- Students must choose three of the five portions for their lunch to be free, with at least one choice being a fruit or vegetable.
- All students must go through the lunch line to type in their LASID number, or scan their bar-coded ID card
- Students may purchase a la carte/individual items at their convenience
FROM THE DESK OF BIGELOW PTO:
PTO Newsletter Subscription and Updates
The Bigelow PTO sends out weekly newsletters on Thursdays as well as other important communications throughout the school year. Please subscribe to the newsletter or update your communication preferences to stay up to date.
New to Bigelow? If you are not already receiving the PTO newsletter, please subscribe to stay informed via the PTO website or this direct link.
Help spread the word! If you know new members of the Bigelow community, please encourage them to subscribe to the PTO Newsletter via the PTO website or this direct link.
Already subscribed? Stay current! As we start a new school year, please take a moment to review and update your newsletter communication preferences, including subscribing to grade-specific and staff communications, through the update subscription preferences link at the very bottom of Bigelow PTO newsletters and emails.
Need to unsubscribe? If you are no longer affiliated with Bigelow and want to be removed from the list, you can unsubscribe at the very bottom of Bigelow PTO newsletters and emails.
Questions? email BigelowBulldog@gmail.com
WALKING TOUR OF METCO HQ & NUBIAN SQUARE!
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 exciting school year!
Email: costonc@newton.k12.ma.us
Website: newton.k12.ma.us/bigelow
Phone: 617-559-6800
Twitter: @ChassityCoston