10/30/23 - 11/3/23 Weekly Update

Newton South Students and Families,

This week marks the final week of term 1 of the 2023-2024 school year. We are almost a quarter of the way there! Once the term ends, teachers will have until November 13 to post grades to Aspen, then we will need a couple of days to make sure everything is set before we post them to Aspen. We are planning to post report cards to Aspen the week of November 13.

Shortly after this, the window to sign up for parent-teacher conferences will open. We anticipate having more details next week about this, but please note that slots for conferences fill up very quickly. Stay tuned next week for more details about how to sign up, what the detailed timelines are, etc. For now, note the following two dates for conferences:

• Wednesday, November 29, 2023, 4:30pm - 7:30pm
• Tuesday, December 5, 2023, 2:00pm - 5:00pm

We have a few updates to highlight this week:

On Monday, October 30, students and staff will review our emergency response plan during an extended Advisory, expected to be about 50 minutes.

During this advisory, students and staff will practice several drills and a school evacuation and learn about ways we can stay safe while we are in school. We will run an adjusted schedule that can be accessed here.

While we expect the safety day block to last 50 minutes, there may be unanticipated circumstances which may lead the evacuation portion of the block to extend a few minutes into B block.

Please note that the following advisories will go to new locations on Monday 10/30 only:

• 3104C (Te): Move to 3101
• 3210C (Ng): Move to 4156
• 2203C (Quattrini): Move to 7107
• 2214K (Gallager): Move to 1219
• 6260G (Connors): Move to 6112
• 2116W (Stirling & T. Marshall): Move to Student Center
• 3113W (Bonfatti): Move to 2105

As we enter the last week of October, we want to provide guidance to ensure that our end-of-month fall celebrations are inclusive, joyful, and respectful of the diverse identities and experiences of our students, staff, and families. Halloween is on Tuesday, October 31 and we are mindful that not all members of the school community participate in Halloween celebrations, and that some students experience barriers that prevent them from participating in ways that promote a sense of belonging and inclusion.

If you do choose to dress up for this holiday, please keep a few things in mind:

• Costumes should not include props, real or fake.

• Costumes should not depict violence and may not include blood, gore, or additional fake body parts.

• Costumes should not include gang depictions or horror characters.

• Costumes may not include weapons, real or fake.

• No part of your costume may completely cover your head or face.

• Costumes may not demean any race, religion, culture, ethnicity, nationality, disability, gender, or gender identity.

• Costumes should not hinder you from routine school activities.

This list is meant to assist you in making positive choices for Tuesday. Anyone wearing disruptive or offensive costumes will be asked to change at the discretion of a member of the admin team. Offensive costumes have no place at our school as we strive to be an inclusive learning community.

Remember the focus of our school is to provide a safe environment for all that adheres to our four core values.

We look forward to seeing what you come up with on Tuesday, October 31st if you choose to dress up for the day!

Sincerely,

Jason Williams (he/him)

Vice Principal

Newton South High School

Monday, October 30: Safety Day in Advisory (schedule)

Wednesday, November 1, 7pm: Fall Festival II

Thursday, November 2 - Saturday, November 4, 7:30pm: Romeo & Juliet @ NNHS

Friday, November 3: Last Day of Q1

Tuesday, November 7: Early Release PD (12:45pm Dismissal)

Wednesday November 8 & Thursday, November 9: MCAS ELA Retests

Friday, November 10: Veterans Day (No School)

Sunday, November 12: Diwali (Homework Free Weekend)

The Term 2 calendar is now ready for viewing. Term 2 covers November 6, 2023 - January 12, 2024. A few notes regarding this calendar:

This calendar has the following half days:

• Tuesday, November 7
• Wednesday, November 22 (Day before Thanksgiving)
• Tuesday, December 5 (Parent Teacher Conferences)
• Thursday, December 7

This week is a great time to take a look at your schedule and note the following:

• Q1 classes will end after this week
• Q2 classes will begin starting Monday, November 6
• All other classes will continue as scheduled

Once term 2 starts, you may need to change your schedule term on Aspen to ensure that you can see the correct courses. Here are instructions on how to do so.

Grade 9 students: You will get new Directed Studies next week wherever your free blocks fall in Q2. We will work on building them into student schedules this week.

Newton South High School welcomes international students from around the globe every year. These brave students have so much to share and learn as they are living with their local host family and attending South. Join an evening to celebrate global culture! Newton Public Schools Director of English Language Learning Allison Levit, Educatius Regional Manager Joanne Routenberg, and host family coordinator Claudette Rowe will provide an overview on South's international student program, answer questions, and explain how you can apply to become a host family! All families are invited to attend!

Click the flyer on the right for more information.

Juniors! Join your class officers in celebrating the end of Term 1 with an "11th Grade Mixer" in the student center on Thursday, November 2nd during WIN 2. There will be board games, spike ball, great music, and FOOD! Sign up through MyFlexLearning and we'll see you there!

Did you know that South has a school store?

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!

October is National Youth Substance Use Prevention Month. Prevention strengthens protective factors and reduces risk factors ― in individuals, families, schools, communities, and across society. According to SAMHSA’s 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 8.2 percent of adolescents aged 12 to 17 drank alcohol in the past month, and 13.8 percent of adolescents aged 12 to 17 used illicit drugs in the past year. Early intervention is vital for youth. Every year that substance use is delayed while the adolescent brain develops, the risks of addiction and substance misuse decrease.

During National Youth Substance Use Prevention Month, Newton CCW wants families to know that they have support navigating this challenging topic. For more resources, we recommend SAMHSA’s “Talk. They Hear You” campaign that helps parents and caregivers, educators, and community members get informed, be prepared, and take action to prevent underage substance use. The campaign’s mobile app helps parents and caregivers prepare for some of the most important conversations they may ever have with their kids. It shows them how to turn everyday situations into opportunities to talk with their children about alcohol and other drugs, and equips them with the necessary skills, confidence, and knowledge to start and continue these conversations as their kids get older.

For more local resources and support, please visit www.newtonma.gov/NewtonCCW.

Help the Newton Neighbors in their Giving Thanks Gift Card Drive! Help them distribute gift cards of values between $50 - $100 to families in Newton and surrounding communities in time for Thanksgiving and the winter holiday season. Use the flyer on the right for more information!

Information regarding registering for AP Exams is now available here and also available on the school website's homepage. If you have any questions regarding registering for AP Exams, please contact Brandon Johnson, the AP Coordinator, at johnsonbra@newton.k12.ma.us.

Seniors: Be sure to sign up to schedule your senior portrait! Please use this website to book a time: https://seniors.legacystudios.com/newton-south-hs-ma/. More slots will open up on a monthly basis. Please check regularly for additional appointments.

Questions about senior portraits can be directed to customercare@legacystudios.com, or our yearbook advisor, Mr. Brian Baron.

For those of us biking: A front white light and a rear red light and reflector are required at night. Additionally, drivers, must provide a safe passing distance of at least 4 feet when passing vulnerable road users like people on bicycles and scooters.

See more information regarding bike safety at Newton Safe Routes to School.

On Wednesday, October 18, Riverside Trauma Center held a webinar titled How to Talk with Children About the Traumatic Events Happening in Israel and Gaza. Here are the resources they provided after this presentation:

Event recording: How to Talk with Children About the Traumatic Events Happening in Israel and Gaza (October 18, 2023)

PDF: How to Make Sense of Tragedies Happening in the World: How to Take Care of Yourself and Your Children in Difficult Times

PDF: Things to Think About and How to Care for Yourself During Times of Disaster/High Stress

More Shareable Resources

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 1 Calendar. This calendar has more specific dates and times. One will be released each term.
• NEW: Term 2 Calendar is ready.
• Lunch Schedule for Semester 1. 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.

Sign up for Newton Community Education college prep and enrichment classes this fall! From arts to academics, NCE programs empower your child to learn, grow, and connect. NCE classes can also inspire their passions and boost confidence. Preview our wide range of classes in the Teens At-a-Glance. Secure your teen's spot now at www.newtoncommunityed.org!

The most recently released district newsletter was on Wednesday, October 25. You can access it here.

The PSAT and SAT coordinator is Namal Sadiq. She can be reached at sadiqn@newton.k12.ma.us.

The AP coordinator is Brandon Johnson. He can be reached at johnsonbra@newton.k12.ma.us.

Students will 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