5/6/24 - 5/10/24 Weekly Update

May marks Jewish American Heritage Month and Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. During this month, we honor and recognize the many contributions that they have made to our society. We pledge to continue to celebrate and uplift their achievements and ensure that Newton is a vibrant and welcoming community for all.

This week is Teacher Appreciation Week! We want to give a special thanks to all the educators at Newton South who make a difference in our students' lives each and every day. We are lucky to have such an amazing faculty who help support our students both inside and outside the classroom, and we hope you will join us in celebrating them this week!

Additionally, Wednesday is National School Nurse Day. We give thanks to our school nurses Ms. Kramer and Ms. Kiritsy for all the hard work they do to make sure we are safe and healthy every day!

Dear NSHS Community,

The global political climate and the ongoing war in the Middle East have deeply impacted students across the country, as evidenced by the conflicts, protests, and at times the violence, we have witnessed on college campuses large and small. We are all grappling with the shocking rise in antisemitism and Islamophobia, which has threatened the safety and security of many, including those in our own South community. While I am proud of our students and staff for their often thoughtful and respectful dialogue around these challenging topics, we unfortunately are not immune to hurtful and hateful acts.

This past week, a statement was found written in a stall inside a girls’ bathroom at NSHS that stated, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” As with any graffiti, it was immediately removed. We are grateful to the student who reported it and we are using our established protocols to determine who is responsible.

In the age of social media, our opinions and thoughts are often reduced to slogans that can fit in a single post; this may result in students engaging in simplistic political dialogue in inappropriate ways. Use of harmful and hurtful language leaves no space or desire for rich discussions of complicated issues such as this. While we continue to support and educate every student who is grappling with navigating this complexity, what I do know is that South is a diverse educational institution and it is this diversity that will continue to help us thrive.

We remain steadfast in our core values of choosing kindness, listening first, showing respect and taking responsibility, and unequivocally condemning hate in all forms. As a school, we commit to creating an inclusive and supportive environment for all students, free of hate and prejudice. To show our strength as a community, I invite you to join me as I walk with all Southside middle and high school students in the Walk for Unity (formerly No Place for Hate) on Thursday 5/23 at 2:55 p.m at Winkler Stadium.

Thank you, as always, for your partnership and thoughtful engagement in our school community.

Sincerely,

Tamara (Tamii) Stras

We have the following additional updates for you:

Monday, May 6 marks the beginning of AP Exams. Students will be taking these exams from a variety of subjects the week of May 6 and 13. If you are taking at least one AP exam, you should have received an email from Mr. Johnson, the AP Coordinator.

See here for what to bring on exam day.

Note that bells will be turned off during this two-week period. Good luck to students who will be taking exams!

Questions regarding AP exams should be sent to Mr. Johnson at johnsonbra@newton.k12.ma.us.

Midterm comments are due from teachers on Wednesday, May 8. We expect to post midterm progress reports on Aspen by the end of this week.

We have updated the Finals FAQ to include more information regarding the last two days of school.

Specifically, June 25 and June 26 will follow a special will follow a special attendance policy. Reported absences during these last two days will not count towards the attendance standard and will be considered excused in alignment with the NPS School Committee Policy on Absences.

We have updated the Graduation FAQ to include the following:

• Senior Family and Student Information Sessions
• Students: Completing Name Recording
• Students: Cap Decorations
• Students: Chromebook Returns

You can find the full Graduation FAQ below:

Here's to another week at South!

Sincerely,

Jason Williams (he/him)
Vice Principal

Tuesday, May 7, 6:30pm: Senior Family Webinar (Virtual, Zoom link coming soon)

Wednesday, May 8: Q4 Midterm Comments (reports by the end of the week)

Saturday, May 11, 7 - 11pm: Junior Semi

Here are all the remaining final schedules for the year:

May 21 and 22 - Math MCAS

Late arrival for students not taking tests on Tuesday, May 21 and Wednesday, May 22

Week of June 3 - Science MCAS, Graduation, & Step Up Day

Late arrival for students not taking MCAS on Tuesday, June 4 and Wednesday, June 5

Early dismissal on Thursday, June 6 (No late bus)

Early dismissal on Friday, June 7

Beginning June 17: Finals

Special schedules June 17 - 26

Final FAQ is here

Additionally, here is the term 4 calendar with all dates.

Newton South Families of Seniors,

We invite you to a virtual presentation to learn more about end of year events such as graduation and senior checkout. We will be holding this presentation via Zoom on Tuesday, May 7 from 6:30 - 7:30pm. The presentation will be recorded for those who are not able to attend, and will be added to this FAQ for easy reference.

We will send an email to families of seniors by Tuesday morning with a link to the Zoom webinar.

We held a similar event for students during WIN on Friday, May 3.

The Lion's Roar is organizing our annual graduation issue and we would love to include tribute ads to as many seniors as possible! Our special section devoted to the Class of 2024 will be distributed to everyone who attends the graduation ceremony on Thursday, June 6th. Our staff will design the ad for you at no additional cost. Photos and all details about the ad can be emailed to The Roar’s adviser, Ashley Chapman (chapmana@newton.k12.ma.us) and Volume 41’s Editor-in-Chief (ss.lionsroar@gmail.com). To see what last year’s section looked like, go to this link! If you have any additional questions, please email Ashley Chapman and the Editor-in-Chief.

See here for the form.

The next School Council meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 14 from 5:00 - 6:00 PM. A full agenda can be found here. If you would like to attend for public comment, please email strast@newton.k12.ma.us directly.

Newton South will soon be switching to using ParentSquare instead of Smore/SchoolMessenger to send out communications like this one! There have been many updates regarding ParentSquare posted in the district newsletter, and all schools will be moving to ParentSquare to begin the 2024-2025 school year. South is aiming to pilot the use of ParentSquare in May and June to ease the transition.

Instructions for registering for ParentSquare can be found below. Additionally, here is an introduction video.

We did not get a chance to send out invite letters last week, but plan to do so this week. We additionally recommend you get registered (see button below) and download the app on either the App Store or Google Play!

Students will be holding a sports equipment drive April 29th to May 10th to support underprivileged student-athletes across Massachusetts. Any brand-new or lightly used sports equipment would be a huge help! Drop-off bins can be found at the school's front entrance.

See the flyer for the QR code and more information.

Dear NPS Families,

As you may know, each year, parents, guardians, and students are able to nominate NPS and Out of District teachers and staff for a Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) Award. A SEPAC Award recognizes exceptional NPS and Out of District teachers, aides, behavior therapists, psychologists, bus drivers, crossing guards, administrators, and other staff for the role they played in a student’s special education journey this past academic year. Interested in nominating an exceptional NPS or Out of District teacher and/or staff member? The deadline for nominations is Monday, May 13th. Here’s how the process works:

• Submit a nomination through the nomination form

• All celebratory nominations will be recognized

• On Monday, June 3rd, your nominee will receive an email with the kind words you wrote about your nominee, including a short slideshow of anonymized nominations lifting up the good work taking place across the district. Each principal will receive a list of nominees from their school.

• On Monday, June 10th from 5-6:30pm at Newton North High School Cafeteria, the SEPAC Board and Community will be hosting a SEPAC Awards Reception for nominees and their communities, and the families who nominated them. Please kindly save the date! Nominees either will receive a printed SEPAC Award at the reception or it will be delivered after to their home school.

Do you need to nominate everyone from your student’s team? Please only nominate the teachers and staff members who you feel have been exceptional!

Questions? Reach out to: newtonspecialeducationawards@gmail.com

Thank you so much for your participation recognizing the exceptional NPS and Out of District teachers and staff who work so hard to support special education students. Please help us share this message as widely as possible so the SEPAC Awards can reach all corners of our community!

Warmly,

2023-2024 SEPAC Board

We are excited to announce a new update for the South community: our @south.learns Instagram page! This account will showcase all the amazing activities and events that occur every week at South, from performing arts to athletics to school focused events. Feel free to give us a follow on Instagram! In the bio, there is a link for a Google Form. If you are part of an exciting event that you want to be featured on the page, fill it out. Please let us know if you have any questions!

Help your teen grow and explore this summer with NCE's fun and educational programming for teens! Visit and tour local colleges, get a headstart on college applications, prepare for SATs, or even tour the vibrant and historical city of Boston. Led by experienced instructors, our programs provide invaluable insights, skills, and experiences to help students navigate the exciting journey ahead. From SAT prep to babysitting/CPR, we ensure each student is equipped with the tools they need to thrive. Visit our website to view our full lineup of programming and join us this summer!

This information is now additionally a pinned post on ParentSquare for easy access.

Use this form to report an absence:

• Cutler

• Goldrick

• Goodwin

• Wheeler

Attendance Standard for the 2023-2024 School Year

Attendance Standard FAQs

District Procedures Regarding Attendance

We will excuse up to two college visits per term in term 3 and 4 for juniors, and anytime during the year for seniors.

Our academic honesty protocol can be found here. This protocol is taken directly from the district's Rights & Responsibilities Handbook.

Bus Schedules

Boston Bus Schedules

Cell phones should not be seen or heard in class, and should be in a student's pocket, backpack, or door holder in the classroom. Consequences include a verbal warning, the teacher temporarily taking the phone, etc. If you need to contact your student during school, you should go through the house office, as students will not be able to check their messages during class.

We aware aware and mindful that students may need a cell phone for vital functions such as glucose monitoring. If you have any concerns, please reach out to your house office and work with them to find a solution that works best for both parties.

Please see the following letter from the Newton South Faculty Council regarding cell phone use.

• Year at a Glance: Overview of the 2023-2024 school year
• Term 4 Calendar
• Lunch Schedule for Semester 2. Classes are assigned lunches based on what wing of the building they are in.
• Public Calendar of Events: We keep an updated calendar of events on the school website - this is a combination of events from the NPS calendar and our individual school's calendar.

Math Center Schedule – Located in 4201 (except for WIN 1, in 4216)

Writing Center Schedule – Located in Library, first door on your right

Play basketball, badminton, or pickleball OR create with pastels and watercolors! After school. evenings, and weekends, NCE offers enriching programs for all interests with scholarships so everyone can participate. Explore our offerings for grades 6-12 and register here. Ignite curiosity and build friendships right here at school.

SAT Coordinator: Namal Sadiq (sadiqn@newton.k12.ma.us)

AP Coordinator: Brandon Johnson (johnsonbra@newton.k12.ma.us)

Did you know that you can scan a barcode on your phone during lunch to save time in the line? You can do so using the Stocard app and following these instructions.

The South store is centrally located right next to the Student Center and is open several blocks throughout the week.

Come check out our different selections of Seltzer, Snacks, and South gear - or just come by to say hi! We accept cash, debit/credit cards, and Apple Pay. We can’t wait to see you there!

See below for the schedule:

Attached please find the School Transfer information for the 24-25 school year. The Instructions, Policy and link to the request form are located on the NPS website under the Registration Tab.

Access the instructions here.

Students use MyFlexLearning to sign up for WIN blocks.

All students are assigned to a space.

• If you do not sign up for a WIN by the day before that WIN occurs, you will be pushed to a teacher's WIN based on available space. You will be pushed to a Wednesday WIN on Tuesday afternoon, a Thursday WIN on Wednesday afternoon, etc. If you continuously do not sign up for WIN block, we will follow up with you and determine a strategy to make sure you are making the most of this important time on learning period.
• If your teacher is absent the day of your WIN, you will be unscheduled from that WIN and pushed to another space.
• You have up until an hour before a WIN block starts to reschedule; after this, your WIN assignment is locked.

The library is not freely open during WIN block. To be in the library during this block, you must be signed up with a teacher who is assigned to this space. We will ask teachers to not send you to the library, as the library will send you back to the class from which you came.

List of Clubs & Activities at Newton South

Athletic Calendar