Bulldog Bulletin!
Week of 01/03-01/07
January 2, 2022
Hello, 2022!
Happy New Year, Bigelow families & students! I trust each of you had a restful & relaxing break. We welcome 2022 much like we welcomed the start of this school year; Delta variant during Summer '21 & Omicron variant over December recess. That said, there are several updates & changes to our health & safety practices to take note of below:
- N95, KN95, or surgical masks are encouraged.
- No large student gatherings or assemblies (with the exception of lunch). We will continue to utilize our current safety protocols while eating, and will provide greater distancing & outside options whenever & wherever possible.
- Only NPS employees and students will be permitted in NPS buildings. There will be no visitors, with the exception of approved contractors and other essential workers.
- To note the above, parent/guardian meetings, including IEP meetings, should be held virtually.
- INDOOR field trips are not permitted until further notice.
- Athletic events are allowed only 2 parent/guardian spectators per student athlete.
- Similar to above—for music, theater, and fine arts performances, only parents/guardians will be permitted in the audience.
Additionally, we will continue our current pooled testing plan with 6th grade & staff only. We hope to include 7th & 8th grade in the near future.
Many of these updates may feel familiar, as they are the same guidances we followed in the fall. Let's be sure to remain diligent about following these guidances, monitoring symptoms consistently, and encouraging our students to practice proper mask wearing. Lastly, please be sure to thoroughly check your e-mail inbox & review all communications sent from Supt. Fleishman over December recess.
Lastly, in our final Bulldog Bulletin of 2021, it was shared that beginning Monday, January 3rd, students should only bring & utilize their NPS-issued Chromebook at school. Please reserve personal laptops & other devices for home usage. Our NPS IT Department has generated a list of reasons why this is an optimal decision; click here to review it.
A LOOK AT THIS WEEK: Wednesday is our usual short day, with a 1:50pm dismissal. The rest of the week is pretty standard; be sure to stay abreast of your Parent Conference appointment dates & times this week; confirmation should be in your e-mail inbox.
Feel free to contact me, any other member of Bigelow Leadership, or the Executive Admin. Asst., Kersten Raso, with questions, comments, or concerns. Thank you, and have a great & safe week!
-Chassity Coston, Principal
~MONDAY, 01/03:
- Day 2 of the cycle
- Advisory
~TUESDAY, 01/04:
- Day 3 of the cycle
- 8E Parent Conferences
- Principal Coston Office Hours; see scheduling information below
~WEDNESDAY, 01/05:
- Day 4 of the cycle
- Dismissal at 1:50pm
~THURSDAY, 01/06:
- Day 5 of the cycle
- Advisory
- 7D Parent Conferences
~FRIDAY, 01/07:
- Day 6 of the cycle
- COVID testing for staff & 6th grade students
- T-shirt Fridays! Rock your Bigelow, college, athletic, educational, or favorite t-shirt/gear!
Principal Coston has several convenient ways to chat:
· Principal Office Hours | Every Tuesday, Principal Coston offers 10-minute time slots from 3-4pm if you have a quick topic to speak with her about.
· Principal Coston's Calendar | this method offers 30-minute slots for more time to discuss in-depth topics with Principal Coston.
· E-mail or call 617-559-6811 to directly contact Exec. Admin. Asst. Kersten Raso, and she will be able to assist in finding you a more convenient time to meet with Principal Coston.
*NOTE*: Bigelow 6th Grade will continue to participate in COVID testing every Friday.
Newton's 54th Annual Community Celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. **SEE FLYER BELOW**
As many of you may realize, Newton's annual celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. is just around the corner.
Event details are available at newtonma.gov/mlk22.
Registration is required for all program attendees (bit.ly/newtonmlk22), and we hope to see you there!
This year, the program will be inspired by Dr. King's final work, "Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?"
The Harmony Foundation and event planning committee are encouraging our community to read this book prior to the event. (More information here)
Monday, Jan 17, 2022, 09:30 AM
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Upcoming Important Dates:
- Wednesday, January 12: Parent Conferences
- Monday, January 17: No School | Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
- Tuesday, January 18: 8F Parent Conferences
- Wednesday, January 19: i-Ready (7th Grade)
- Thursday, January 20: 7C Parent Conferences
- Thursday, January 20: i-Ready (6th Grade)
- Friday, January 21: i-Ready (8th Grade)
- Thursday, January 27: 6A Parent Conferences
- Friday, January 28: Quarter 2 ends
- Monday, January 31: Quarter 3 begins
- Tuesday, February 1: 6B Parent Conferences
- Thursday, February 3: Early Release | Dismissal at 11:20am
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, stay safe & well.
Email: costonc@newton.k12.ma.us
Website: newton.k12.ma.us/bigelow
Phone: 617-559-6800
Twitter: @ChassityCoston