Metro Jazz Brunch - On Sunday, a collection of Newton and Boston families, several staff and spouses, and former Newton Superintendent Irwing Blumer all gathered for the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Metco Program. We got dressed up, had a terrific brunch, and shared a few stories and laughs. There was also a poignant speech from a former Metco graduate who talked about his experiences as a student in Wayland and later as an educator in a profoundly different district, where opportunity is far from guaranteed. My hope is that events like these (and other staff/family events) will help to build connections that support success and promote opportunities for our students.
Staff Appreciation Breakfast - A sincere and heartfelt thank you to all of the families who helped organize and contribute to our breakfast last week. The lovely and plentiful breakfast was a terrific way to start the day, and the gifts and supplies have helped to fuel our spirit as we head into the break. Thank you from all of the staff at HM.
Thank you to Assistants and BTs - This Tuesday, the HM staff will recognize and celebrate the efforts of our support staff, who come to school each day to fulfill a vital role in fostering an inclusive environment. On most days, they facilitate successful social interactions with peers, foster independence, and help students manage the social and academic environment in the classroom. They make countless decisions each day about when to ignore a behavior or intervene, when to use humor or encouragement, or when to deviate from a strategy that isn’t working. They take data, stay late to complete home logs, create and adapt materials, and do their best to support teachers. Thank you for your commitment and dedication.
Great Books to Inspire English Language Learners: Caught this on NPR this weekend…worth checking out. Here’s the link to the story:
http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/12/17/493948875/great-books-to-inspire-english-language-learners?utm_source=npr_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=20161217&utm_campaign=npr_email_a_friend&utm_term=storyshare
Blue Zone Pilot - Please be on the lookout for orange cones this week in the grassy area across from the blue zone. We are piloting an idea and would like to see how this impacts traffic. Please find parking on adjacent streets (Brookside Ave, Albemarle Rd - on the opposite side of Watertown St., Warwick, and Page Rd.)
Hour of Code - With the support of our tech and library team (Lauren Dietz and Patti Karam), all 19 of our classrooms are participating in the Hour of Code initiative, which aims to introduce and promote computer science concepts and programming techniques. Here’s a link to some resources if you want to try these activities at home: https://hourofcode.com/us/learn
New LED lighting - The City of Newton has been working to increase efficiency and lower energy costs at all of the district schools. Over the last few weeks, all fluorescent lighting on the first floor has been replaced with new LED lights. Crews will return to retrofit the second floor at some point after the break.
Best Wishes this Holiday Season!
Mark Nardelli
Principal
