July 28, 2022

Please excuse the interruption to your summer break! Below please find a few important announcements and details about the upcoming school year.

Bus registration is open now for the 2022-23 school year. Bus registration will close on Monday, August 8, 2022 to allow time for NPS staff to process registrations, assess ridership numbers, and plan bus routes.

You MUST register by August 8th to secure your student’s seat on the bus for the 2022-23 school year. Bus registration is online. Please visit this webpage to register your student(s) for the bus:

NPS Online Bus Registration

The district has moved all middle and high school athletic payments to MySchoolBucks.com (MSB.) Unipay will no longer be utilized.

Athletic registration will still be completed on FamilyID first, before payment is to be made. Please reach out to your school’s athletic/activity department for any questions about registration.

Click here for directions on how to make athletic payments in MSB. MSB is already used to pay for lunch and other activity fees throughout the district. It is important to note that current lunch balances cannot be transferred/used to pay for athletic or other fees.

Financial waivers for athletic fees and other payments are available and can be found in Aspen. Please complete a financial waiver before paying for your registration. If approved for a waiver, you will select the athletics waiver product on MySchoolBucks.

Please see below for specific information on completing the application for a fee waiver or financial assistance. For questions, please reach out to the business office at 617-559-9025 or feepayments@newton.k12.ma.us.

Be sure to download the 2022-23 school year calendar. Here is the link:

2022-23 School Year Calendar

Need a reminder on school hours? Here is the link:

2022-23 School Hours (by level)

Please note that the application for financial assistance and fee waivers is now available through the Aspen Parent Portal. Below is the process and timeline:

1. Log into the Aspen Parent Portal. If you do not remember your Aspen login, please email aspen@newton.k12.ma.us

2. Follow instructions to complete the form: Instruction to Complete Financial Assistance and Fee Waiver form.

3. Complete one form for each student.

4. You will receive a response to your application in 24-28 hours or 1-2 business days.

5. Upon approval, register for the activity or service. Select the assistance/waiver option.

6. The necessary staff will be informed of the approval to facilitate participation in the activity or service. Confidentiality will be maintained.

Once approved, your approval is good for one year. You must reapply each year. Please visit our Financial Assistance and Waiver webpage for more information.

NECP has just a few spots left for fall! Find the application here on our website: NECP application.

NECP will be moving to its new site at 687 Watertown Street during the 2022-2023 school year! Perhaps this location is closer to your neighborhood and would be a convenient location for you and your family? You can learn more about the new building here: NECP Building Project. NECP would love for your family to be a part of this exciting new phase!

Newton Public Schools (NPS) recently signed an agreement with Helpsy (https://www.helpsy.co/), a for-profit B Corp committed to changing the way people think about clothing donation. Helpsy collects unwanted textiles, including shoes, for reuse and recycling. In Newton, using HELPSY bins to collect unwanted textiles will help Newton to do the following:

1. Keep textiles out of the waste stream

2. Meet environmental and waste reduction goals

3. Generate a modest amount of revenue to support ongoing sustainability initiatives

Importantly, the use of Helpsy bins will give Newton a head start in complying with the Massachusetts ban on disposal of textiles in the wastestream, which goes into effect in November 2022.

To make donations easy and convenient for Newton residents, Helpsy textile collection bins are now being placed at several school buildings throughout the city. Bin locations have been planned in coordination with school principals, the Parks and Recreation department, and the school district facilities department. The locations were selected to ensure the bins were easy to access, service, and clear, but would not interfere with school operations or block visibility for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers. NPS will be reviewing bin locations over the summer to ensure they meet the identified criteria. If you have questions or concerns, please email: community@newton.k12.ma.us

Helpsy will empty the bins regularly and remove the donated materials. They are responsible for ensuring that the bins are in good condition and serviced regularly. To view a list of acceptable items that may be placed in the bins, please visit this link: Acceptable textiles for Helpsy bins. The NPS Facilities Department will be the primary point of contact for questions related to the bins.

We are excited to be implementing this important sustainability initiative and look forward to offering this service to Newton residents. More information can be found on our website at www.newton.k12.ma.us/sustainability.

The Newton Police Department has an immediate need for crossing guards for the 2022-23 school year. Hours are as follows:

Mon./Tues./Thurs./Fri.

• Arrival: 7:45 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.

• Dismissal: 2:50 p.m. - 3:35 p.m.

Wed. (early release)

• Arrival: 7:45 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.

• Dismissal: 12:20 p.m. - 1:05 p.m.

To apply, email trafficbureau@newtonma.gov or call 617-796-2106. Please consider helping our students to get to and from school safely and encouraging more students to walk and bike to school!