SAVE THE DATE:
Monday, January 15, 2024: No School-MLK Day
Monday, January 15, 2024: Newton MLK Celebration at NNHS at 9:30 a.m.
Tuesday, January 16, 2024: 8th Gr. Student Advisory Council
Monday, January 22, 2024: Day Winter Choral Concert at F.A. Day Auditorium 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, January 23, 2024: Day School Council at 3:00 p.m.
Wednesday, January 24, 2024: Day Band Concert NNHS at 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, January 25, 2024: Day Orchestra Concert at NNHS at 7:00 p.m.
Friday, January 26, 2024 - Term 2 Ends
Monday, January 29, 2024: Term 3 Begins
Tuesday, February 27, 2024 - Superintendent and School Committee Coffee 8:30 a.m.
A Note from the Principal
As we prepare to honor Dr. King’s legacy this week, I am struck by how daunting at times the struggle seems. I am proud that we continue to strive toward creating an anti-racist community and a school where all students and their families feel seen, heard, connected and cared for. Despite this important work, every day we are confronted with incidents that give us pause and make us feel that we are somehow falling short of living up to Dr. King’s legacy. This year I discovered this quote by Dr. King that I had not honestly seen before. It highlights the importance of the daily, small acts that make a difference in creating a more just, inclusive and equitable community.
In thinking about “small acts” that make a tremendous difference, I am reminded again of the importance of names. A few days ago a student stopped me to ask if I knew his name. Despite my best efforts and good intentions I do not in fact know the name of each one of our students. It was a difficult moment. For full disclosure, I often help with the register in the cafeteria just to learn the names of more students. I am just not there yet. Another student shared that she had chosen to no longer use a name in school that was connected to her family's proud heritage to avoid it being mispronounced or worse yet, made fun of. So hard to hear.....
These students' stories were just two of many who may feel less connected because their names are mispronounced, changed or simply not known. Knowing and using someone’s name is most certainly a small act that can be done in a “great way.” Dr. King’s legacy and profound wisdom continues to guide us forward, so many years later…
Linked below is a story that highlights the powerful impact of knowing a child’s name, and what happens when we don’t. Knowing a child’s name may take very little effort, but has an enduring impact.
I struggled with My Korean Name (Boston Globe Magazine)
NPS PORTRAIT OF A GRADUATE
The district has made a decision to move the formal Portrait of a Graduate development process to later this spring.
However, we are excited to offer TWO options in January for the community to learn about why we want to create a Portrait of a Graduate for our district. Come learn how the world has changed and why our schools must change with it. You will also have the chance to provide input on what our Portrait will look like once the design team process starts.
Ultimately, the work you help with now will set the stage for developing a shared community vision in our Portrait of a Graduate. The session dates and locations are as follows:
Wednesday, January 17th at 6:00 p.m - 8:00 p.m. at Newton North
Thursday, January 18th at 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. at Newton South
Please consider attending one of the sessions! You can RSVP using this Google Form:
POG January Community Session RSVP
The sessions will explore the following questions:
What are the hopes, dreams, and aspirations that our community has for our young people?
What are the skills and mindsets that our children need for success in this rapidly changing and complex world?
What are the implications for the design of the learning experiences—and equitable access to those experiences—we provide in our school systems?
Your voice and input is critical to creating a portrait that reflects our community and the skills our students should have when they graduate. Please join us in January for a terrific interactive and informative session!
DAY PTO FUNDRAISER AT CHIPOTLE THIS WEDNESDAY!
What's for Dinner This Wednesday?
How about....Chipotle?
Plan to order from Chipotle on Wednesday 1/17/24 between 5-9pm and the restaurant on Washington St. will give a portion of proceeds to the Day PTO, supporting programs for teachers, staff and students. Just use the code QGR3RFX on the app or online. And thank you!
I-READY MIDYEAR ASSESSMENT
This coming week every student in grades 6-8 at Day will take the midyear i-Ready Literacy Assessment. I-Ready is the online universal screening tool that the district uses to measure student progress in reading over the course of the school year and to inform teacher's whole group instruction and individual student interventions, with the goal of supporting literacy growth for all students. Each student will take this online assessment three times, in the fall, winter and spring.
I-Ready also has an individualized instruction component known as "personalized instruction" or "My Path" that is available to teachers as one of many literacy supports and strategies in working with students testing below grade level. Teachers have the option to use this strategy to supplement a robust literacy curriculum and literacy support across all disciplines. I-Ready Personalized instruction allows us to customize reading support to meet the needs of individual students while offering additional comprehension practice. Teachers will reach out to parents following the midyear i-Ready assessment if their child is reading below grade level expectations.
Students reading below grade level are not "pulled out" of their classes to use i-Ready personalized instruction, but are often assigned time once in a six day cycle to practice reading using i-Ready personalized instruction during our team extension block in one of their team classrooms. Each team structures that literacy support time differently, but additional literacy intervention such a personalized instruction is often used during a time which we have designated for independent reading as a general education strategy to support students' literacy progress.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to Ms. Mann with any questions about i-Ready.
WINTER CONCERTS: DAY BAND, ORCHESTRA AND CHORUS
Please join us for our Winter Concerts. See the dates below:
(This year's instrumental concerts will be held at Newton North while our chorus concert will take place in the Day auditorium)
Monday, January 22, 2024: Day Winter Choral Concert at F.A. Day Auditorium
Wednesday, January 24, 2024: Day Band Concert NNHS at 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, January 25, 2024: Day Orchestra Concert at NNHS at 7:00 p.m.
THIS FRIDAY COFFEE WITH THE PRINCIPAL
The next Coffee and Tour will the Principal is on Friday, March 15th!! Thank you to those who attended this past Friday. Please note that the tours are open to all Day parents and caregivers regardless of the grade level of their child. Each event will feature a different department or grade. In March we will feature our multi-team classes such as world language, arts rotation, health and PE.
COFFEE AND TOURS WITH THE PRINCIPAL
This school year I will be hosting a morning coffee accompanied by a walkthrough our school so caregivers can see our building in action. Each month we will feature a different subject and grade.
These events will be scheduled every other month on Friday mornings from 8:15 - 9:00 a.m.
Save the dates below:
SAVE THE DATE:
March 15, 2024
May 17, 2024
DAY DRAGON BASKETBALL SEASON
The Day Dragon Basketball Season has begun!!
We encourage our students to attend home games to cheer on their Day Dragons. The dates for all home games are listed below:
Monday, January 8, 2024
Thursday, January 25, 2024 (The Banner Ceremony)
Monday, February 5, 2024
Thursday, February 8, 202 (End of Season Pep Rally)
Below are a few important reminders about fan expectations that will also be shared with your children on Monday:
- There are two games : 3:30 and 4:30 p.m.
- Students staying after school to watch the game must either: report to the cafeteria after school where they will be supervised and then escorted to the games at 3:20 p.m. OR leave the building and return ONLY at 3:20 p.m. entering through Door #11 by the gym.
- Students may not remain after school anywhere else in the building unless they are attending another club under faculty supervision.
- Students watching the game may not leave and then return to the game.
- Students watching the game must be respectful, remain in seats and leave the gym only to use the bathroom.
- Students relying on the late bus to get home must leave by 4:00 p.m.
- Students must engage in positive cheering and refrain from any taunting, name calling or negative comments toward any of the players, refs or coaches.
We look forward to an exciting season cheering on our Day Dragons!
NEWTON COMMUNITY EDUCATION AFTER SCHOOL ENRICHMENT AT DAY
Pictured below are the incredibly diverse offering of winter after school enrichment programs being offered at Day Middle School through the winter months. For more information, feel free to call Newton Community Education at 617-559-9999
Scholarships are available for ALL PROGRAMS.
STEM FOR ALL AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM
At Day we are partnering with a program created by students at Boston College known as STEM for ALL Program. It is our hope to be able to offer an after school STEM club beginning in February. The club will likely meet once every other week after school from 2:30 - 4:00 p.m. The day of the week is yet to be determined.
The focus of the program is to expose students to various aspects of STEM and form connections between our students and college aged students around a shared interest in STEM fields. The STEM for All Program will explore topics from scientific process and engineering to coding and biology in order to expose students to the many topics covered in the STEM fields.
Below is a description of the program from the student leaders overseeing its implementation:
The STEM For All Program is a biweekly, after-school Science program for kids in elementary and middle school. Each program is run by a team of 2 college students who attend Boston College. Each program we introduce a sub-discipline of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and maths) through an engaging presentation and a related activity. After asking many current students at BC why they’re pursuing a career in STEM, we noticed that most of them were influenced from a young age by either family members or other adults. However, not all students have these influences in their lives to explore Science as a possible interest and career path, and we have made it our mission to expose more students to the possibilities of STEM and hopefully inspire them to pursue a career in STEM
We are using this survey to just gauge interest in the program. If you believe your child might be interested, please complete this very brief form. This is NOT a formal registration. This is just to determine general interest for planning purposes.
This program is ONLY for Day Middle School Students.
PARENT CONFERENCES
We are entering the fourth week of parent conferences. Some reminders are below:
For your conference, please click on the Google Meet link provided to you at your designated conference time. If you are not let into the conference at exactly the time of the conference please know that often conferences run a little bit behind schedule. The teachers will admit you to the conference once they are available.
If you are having difficulty logging in for your conference, please call Jennifer Murphy at : 617-559-9142 or call the front office at Day: 617-559-9100. If you have a question that is not urgent, please email her at the address below:
Jennifer Murphy at murphyj@newton.k12.ma.us
We have added one more conference day to accommodate parent requests, Parents on the waiting list have already been notified and schedule.
Day Parent Conferences will be held on Wednesdays from 1:50 - 3:05 p.m.
December 13, 2023
December 20, 2023
January 3, 2024
January 10, 2024
January 17, 2024
January 24, 2024
Important Things to Note:
- If you need to reschedule your conference to another time, you must email Jennifer Murphy directly at the email above.
- Please log in 2 minutes in advance of your conference time to ensure a successful connection.
- Your partnership in the progress of your children is greatly valued. Every parent requesting a conference will receive one.
DAY PTO
We hope you will consider joining the Day PTO. This is a wonderful way to get involved in supporting your child at the middle level. There are volunteer opportunities from being a Team Parent to sponsoring Teacher Appreciation Events to chaperoning the Fall Fest Dances.
Please reach out to the Day PTO a the contact information below.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT DAY
Linked below is an important list of common questions that families often ask about our school. Included is information about the first day of school as well as information about who to call with specific questions. This is a great reference guide that will support your family throughout the school year.
