4/22/24 - 4/26/24 Weekly Update

Newton South Students and Families:

Welcome back! We hope that you had a restful break with a change to recharge and reenergize. Now, it's time for the home stretch!

As a reminder, report cards were posted on Thursday, April 11. The message sent home to families can be found here.

We have a few other important updates this week:

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 will be sending invite letters via ParentSquare later this week. For now, we recommend you get registered (see button below) and download the app on either the App Store or Google Play!

We hope that you can join us this coming Tuesday April 23rd between Lion's Block to 5pm in Gym B. We recognize that this falls during Passover but this was the only time available to host this event given the limitations of our school's calendar and the admissions representatives' multiple commitments this time of year. If you are unable to join us on Tuesday, please know that most of the colleges will return to meet with seniors in the fall of 2024 at Newton South. Additionally, there is a National College Fair in Boston on Thursday May 2nd and Friday May 3rd.

If you can join us, we are excited for you to meet with a range of colleges that LOVE Newton South students.

For more information, please reach out to Kathy Sabet, our College & Career Counselor, at sabetk@newton.k12.ma.us.

Here's to another week at South!

Sincerely,

Jason Williams (he/him)
Vice Principal

Tuesday, April 23, 2:30 - 5pm: Spring College Fair (Gym B)

Thursday, April 25: Aware Day

Thursday, April 25, 5:30pm: MENA Night (MESWANA club)

Saturday, April 27: MAJE Choir/Combo Festival

Monday, April 29: Jewish Culture Day

Saturday, May 4, 7 - 10pm: 9th Grade Dance

Newton South’s Aware Student Group (an Active Minds Chapter) is thrilled to host our 9th annual Aware Day on Thursday, April 25th, a day of presentations focused on promoting emotional wellness, raising awareness about mental health, and combating the stigma that so often surrounds conversations about mental illness and mental health.

See here for a schedule of events.

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.

The Newton Public Schools is in the process of developing a Portrait of a Graduate - a collective vision that articulates our community’s aspirations for ALL of our students. This is a first step in strengthening the vision for our school system.

Student voice is very important in this process and we need students to participate! We need to hear from you about what school should look like and what you need to know and be able to do to be prepared for whatever you want to do after high school.

We are beginning the process of gathering student feedback with student sessions at South on Wednesday, May 1st from 10:30am - 11:45am in Goldrick Commons.

Please use this Google Form to sign up. We will send a reminder closer to the date. FOOD WILL BE SERVED!

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!

Our first Graduation FAQ for the Class of 2024 is ready and can be accessed below! This was sent to seniors and their families on Friday, March 1.

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!

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