Brown MS Weekly Update
June 10, 2022
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Dear Brown MS Community,
We had a very successful Step Up Day today for our 5th and 8th graders. The 8th graders went bravely off to see what school will be like at the high school while we greeted the 5th graders here (6th and 7th got to leave a little early today). 8th Graders had the opportunity to meet their advisors, see the school and get some NSHS swag. They came back with smiles on their faces, ready to fly.
The 5th graders that visited us this afternoon were wonderful and so enthusiastic! They had a tour with 6th grade teachers, learned a bit about 6th grade expectations and also played a Brown MS trivia game. They were curious and engaging, and the 6th grade teachers truly enjoyed meeting them. I've included a few pictures here for you to see.
There is a lot in this update about end of year events. Please take a look so you don't miss anything! Enjoy the beautiful weather today and have a restful weekend!
Best,
Kim Lysaght, Principal
PTO - 6th grade Picnic - TONIGHT at Brown 5:30PM
Please join us for a 6th grade year-end celebration: bring dinner and a blanket, hang out with other families, let the kids play while parents relax and chat. If you have any questions, please contact Star Lew (pangxingxing@hotmail.com) and Asma Ali (ejaz.asma1@gmail.com). The weather looks great for a picnic!
End of Year Events
June 16 - No Place for Hate walk (3-4pm)
June 20 - Juneteenth (observed) - no school
June 22 - 7th grade trip to Castle Island
June 23 - 6th grade trip to Cove & 8th grade trip to Canobie
June 24 - lat day of school & 8th grade graduation at 10:00AM at NSHS football field (if rain, then in NSHS field house). Dismissal is at 11:20AM.
Please join us for a special event to demonstrate our unity against any and all acts of hate in our community and the country. In response to the swastikas drawn at Brown and Newton South and other instances of hate and violence in the world around us, we come together with one message. Newton is No Place for Hate!
The principals at all of the Newton secondary schools are planning a "No Place for Hate" March for Thursday, June 16 from 3:00-4:00. Middle schools on the south side of the city will march to Newton South where they will meet student leaders and faculty to march around the school. The middle schools on the north side of the city will be marching with Newton North at the same time. It is a chance for the whole community to come together to show solidarity and acknowledge that what is happening is not ok. Please join us!
"No Place for Hate" Sign-making party
Sunday, June 12 from 5:30-6:30
Pizza and art supplies will be provided!
Brown Middle School patio
Bring the whole family to eat pizza and make signs for the June 16 "No Place for Hate" March. If you plan to attend please RSVP so we can provide the right amount of supplies. If you do not RSVP and decide to come at the last minute, no problem! Please join us!
8th Grade Year End Events
- 8th grade Chromebook collection - Friday, June 17
- 8th grade graduation rehearsal & Yearbook distribution - June 21 - A block (2:00PM)
- 8th Grade Party - Tuesday, June 21 - 3:00PM at Brown
- Canobie Lake Park Trip - Thursday, June 23
The buses for Canobie Lake are scheduled to leave at 8:15AM on Thursday, June 23. Please help your child arrive by 8:05 so we can leave on time!
- Graduation - Friday, June 24 at 10:00AM
- Graduation will take place at the football stadium at Newton South High School weather permitting. In case of rain we will moved the event into the field house of Newton South. You may bring as many guests as you like. The 8th graders will be sitting in the bleachers and the audience will sit on the field. Please bring a chair or blanket to sit on for the ceremony which will take about 1 hour.
- Parking will be difficult, so please be prepared to park at a distance and walk to the field. Oak Hill has their graduation right before ours, so parking will be at a premium.
From the PTO regarding 8th grade End of Year Activities
We need your payments and permissions by midnight on Monday, June 13th!!
In order to pay the invoices for Canobie Lake Park and the graduation party we need everyone who is participating to submit their payment now*
We expect it to be a fun and exciting last week of school and we need everyone’s contribution to make that happen!!
**Click HERE to make a payment for Moving On activities. In case of financial hardship, please contact Principal Lysaght.
**Complete and turn in the Canobie Lake Permission Slip. Permission slips can be returned to your child's home base teacher.
Payment and permission slips are due by midnight, Monday, June 13th!
*If your child is not participating in moving on activities, kindly let us know ASAP.
Click HERE to be directed to the 8th grade Moving On Activities page on our website for full details on all upcoming activities.
Further Questions? Please contact either Alison Callahan or Sarah Housman.
Brown, Oak Hill, NSHS Band Collaboration!
This past week the 7th and 8th grade bands from Oak Hill, Brown and the Newton South High School Band met to do a fun collaboration. They each performed for each other and then worked on a piece all together. There were nearly 100 students on stage! To close out the celebration they ate 40 pizzas! This was a very successful event that we would like to continue in years to come. Special thanks to Devon Nelson, Brown MS Band Director, for her work to make this a reality!
Returning library books!
June is PRIDE month!
Our front lobby displays our PRIDE banner and lists names of influential people in the LGBTQ+ community. Our PRIDE club has been running strong all year with weekly meetings on Monday afternoons. A big thank you to the leadership team of Felicia Quesada Montville, school librarian and Sharon Finelli, school counselor for their hard work with PRIDE club!
5th Grade Information
- Thursday, Sept. 1 from 9:00-9:45AM - incoming 6th grade visiting We will welcome all incoming 6th graders into the building, to receive a map and find their homebase. (You will get an email the third week of August telling them which team and homebase they will be in.). This is an exciting and informal tradition that we are happy to bring back this September!
Additional 5th grade information:
PTO information: click here for their website
5th grade parent night: click here for the slide deck
World language selection: click here (The form also gives you an opportunity to sign your child up for our optional band, orchestra or chorus electives.)
Summer Reading
The selections for this summer's reading for middle schoolers are below. Consider reading one of these with your child. It makes for a terrific way to connect over the summer!
Incoming 6th Graders: Frazzled by Booki Vivant and another book of their choosing
Incoming 7th Graders: When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead and another book of their choosing.
Incoming 8th Graders: Select 1 book from this list and another book of their choosing.
NSHS incoming 9th Graders: Read one book on this list. Students will be expected to complete an assignment based on their reading in English classes in the fall.
Click here to link to the Brown Library website for more suggestions.
Covid Update
This week there were 6 individuals that reported testing positive for Covid this week. Newton Public Schools still STRONGLY recommends students and staff wear a mask indoors. A well-fitting mask is very effective in reducing the transmission of COVID.
Please have your child continue to follow the daily health assessment guidelines above each morning. Students enrolled in our testing program should all take their tests on Tuesday morning as usual.
To “opt-in” to the testing program.
Access the Opt-in form through Aspen parent/guardian account: Aspen
Follow these instructions (link) once you are logged into Aspen
Only positive results need to be reported by completing this Form - Positive Result from At-Home Rapid Antigen Test - State Program. Nurses will provide follow up information to families, including the date for return to school, following a positive test.
The data dashboard can be found here: COVID Testing Data Dashboard and on our website here: COVID Testing Webpage. For information on COVID cases and vaccination rates in the Newton Public Schools, please visit this page on the City of Newton Website: Newton HHS COVID Data.
Bus registration 2022-2023
Bus registration for the 2022-23 school year opened on Wednesday, June 1, 2022. Please watch your email for instructions on how to register your student(s) for the bus. NPS strongly recommends that you complete your registration prior to the end of this school year. As always, please visit the NPS Transportation website for more information.
Food Services for 2022-2023
As Newton plans to return to the National School Lunch Program for the 2022-23 school year, pricing needs to be set for lunches at the elementary and middle/high schools. The School Committee reviewed paid-meal recommendations during their 5/23 meeting. Please review that presentation on the Food Services/Updates/Meal Pricing tab on the NPS website.
Please note that families eligible for free or reduced-price lunch will still receive financial support based upon the federal guidelines. Please check eligibility on the NPS website under the Food Services/How to Pay for Meals/Financial Assistance tab
Please send questions or comments to Amy Mistrot, Director of Business Operations - mistrota@newton.k12.ma.us. All comments will be shared with the School Committee for their review prior to voting on 2022/23 prices during either their 6/6 or 6/20 meeting, agenda to be confirmed.
Financial Assistance and Waiver Application
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:
Log into the Aspen Parent Portal. If you do not remember your Aspen login, please email aspen@newton.k12.ma.us
Follow instructions to complete the form: Instruction to Complete Financial Assistance and Fee Waiver form.
Complete one form for each student.
You will receive a response to your application in 24-28 hours or 1-2 business days.
Upon approval, register for the activity or service. Select the assistance/waiver option.
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.
How to report an instance of harassment, discrimination or retaliation.
NPS has recently updated their non-discrimination protocol and reporting process. Here is a link to a document that gives an overview of the process and how to report incidents. If you experience an incident that you feel needs to be reported, you can contact the school directly or you can fill out this Online reporting form.
Discrimination includes, but is not limited to, excluding from participation, denying the benefits of, or otherwise discriminating against individuals on the basis of a Protected Class, or any other category protected by state or federal law.
Harassment includes, but is not limited to, unwelcome, inappropriate, or illegal physical, verbal, written, graphic, or electronic conduct that relates to an individual’s actual or perceived Protected Class, that has the purpose or effect of creating a hostile education or work environment. Examples of harassment include, but are not limited to, conduct that denigrates, demeans, or stereotypes a person and/or group based upon disability, gender identity, national origin, ethnic background, ancestry, race, color, religion, or sexual orientation. Sexual harassment is also included in this category.
Retaliation includes, but is not limited to, coercion, intimidation, interference, punishment, discrimination, or harassment against any member of the school community in response to that member’s oral, written, formal or informal reporting or filing a complaint, cooperating in an investigation, aiding or encouraging another member to report or file a complaint.
Need to update your information in Aspen?
The Annual Student Information Update is available on Aspen. Please update your information. Directions for families can be found here.
Calendar and School Hours
School Hours:
8:20AM - 2:50PM - Mon., Tues., Thurs., Fri.
8:20 AM - 2:05PM - Wed.
Click here for the NPS 2021-2022 school calendar.
Click here for the NPS 2022-2023 school calendar.
Click here for the Brown Middle School 6-day rotation calendar 2021-2022 with early release days and days of the cycle.
Click here for the Brown Middle School 6-day rotation calendar for 2022-2023 with early release days and days of the cycle.
Absentee Line:
To report a student absence call: 617-559-6980
Brown Middle School
125 Meadowbrook Road
Newton, MA 02459
617-559-6900