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3/11/24 - 3/15/24 Weekly Update

Newton South High School

3/11/24 - 3/15/24 Weekly Update Newton South High School
3/11/24 - 3/15/24Weekly UpdateNewton South High School

March 11 - 15, 2024 March 11 - 15, 2024

ORANGE WEEK ORANGE WEEK

Sunday, March 10 marks the beginning of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic Lunar calendar observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of Fasting, Prayer, Reflection, and Community. To all our students and staff observing, we wish you a blessed Ramadan!

We have a few other updates for you:

Students Request Electives, See Course Recommendations This Week

This week, students will be able to request courses in Aspen and see recommendations from their teachers. Additionally, counselors will begin to schedule appointments with students to check in on their schedule choices. The registration window for students ends on Wednesday, March 20, and the full registration cycle closes on Thursday, April 4.


Course registration documents can be found here on our school website.

Here are student instructions for entering course requests.


We posted a newsletter on February 26 announcing the release of the 2024-2025 Program of Studies. You can see this newsletter here, or view below to go directly to the Program:

2024-2025 Program of Studies

AP Exam Ordering Deadline is March 15, 2024

AP Students and Families,


The final deadline to register for AP Exams is on March 15, 2024 at 11:59pm. Please check that you are fully registered and paid for all AP Exams you intend to take. There are TWO steps to the AP exam registration process. Both steps need to be completed for an exam to be ordered.


1. Exam Status must be marked "YES" on http://myap.collegeboard.org. Exams marked "NO" or "UNDECIDED" will not be ordered. To change your Exam Status you must email the AP Coordinator, Brandon Johnson, by 3/11/2024 at johnsonbra@newton.k12.ma.us.


2. Exams must be paid in full on http://www.totalregistration.net/AP/221548


Orders or payments made after 11:59pm on March 15 will not be accepted.

Here's to another week at South!


Sincerely,


Jason Williams (he/him)
Vice Principal
Newton South High School

Upcoming Events Upcoming Events

Sunday, March 10, 2024: Daylight Saving Time (clocks one hour forward)

Tuesday, March 12, 5pm: School Council

Thursday, March 14, 6:30pm: Grade 8 Sports Night


Monday, March 18: Passin' Time (Advisory)

Thursday, March 21: Early Release PD (12:45pm Dismissal – Schedule)

Saturday, March 23, 7:30pm: Faculty Variety Show

This Week's Updates This Week's Updates

Recording for Grade 10 Night Now Available

The recording for Grade 10 Family Night is now available and can be accessed here.

Slides from Junior WISE Caregiver Presentation Available

For caregivers of juniors that were unable to make the WISE presentation, here is the slide deck that Jess Engel and Tonya Londino, our two WISE coordinators, presented last week.

NPS District Newsletter Released 3/6/24

The district released a newsletter on Wednesday, March 6 that can be found here.

School Council Meeting on Tuesday, March 12

The next School Council meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 12 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.

Early Release PD on Thursday, March 21

On March 21, we will have an early release PD day. The last class will end at 12:35 PM, and students will have an opportunity to get lunch before leaving the building. Buses will depart Newton South at 12:55 PM.

March 21 Half Day Schedule

MCAS Tuesday, March 26 and Wednesday, March 27

Tuesday, March 26 and Wednesday, March 27 are ELA MCAS days. Grade 10 students will be testing on both days. Grade 10 and other students who are testing will come in at the regular start time and be the only students in the building for testing. Other students will arrive later, at 1:00pm on Tuesday and 11:40am on Wednesday. Buses will begin their run a half hour before each arrival time. Lunch will be available during the windows detailed in the schedule, and classes will run in the afternoon.


See below for the full schedule on these two dates:

March 26 and 27 MCAS Schedules

Host a French Student for 10 Days!

We are looking for an additional host family for the NSHS French Exchange.


The group arrives from Bourg-la-Reine, France (a Paris suburb) with their teachers on Tuesday, April 2 and departs Friday, April 12 (the day before April break).


Host families provide a welcoming environment, a bed and all meals. While students in French may be most interested in this opportunity, our exchange students have a generally high level of English, so knowledge of French is not required for hosting. Just be willing to share your warmth and daily life with a student from abroad!


Please reach out to either Mme Hahn (hahnd@newton.k12.ma.us) or Mme Murphy Ferguson (murphyfergusons@newton.k12.ma.us) to express questions or interest. Merci!

I'm Amazing Program Needs Volunteers!

Please join us for volunteering for the I'm Amazing program on Saturday, March 16! I’m Amazing is a career exploration program that pairs diverse middle school students with high school and professional mentors using a “near peer” mentoring model. Now in its fourth year, the program offers six weeks of team building and leadership training culminating with an interview and career networking day. You can find out more about the I’m Amazing program and the Newton Youth Success Collaborative here. This year, the I’m Amazing Interview Day, the grand finale, will be on Saturday, March 16, 2023 at Newton South. We need two types of volunteers for the finale:


1. Diverse career representatives from all fields - you will be paired with students interested in your field who will interview you about your work and your career path. The time commitment is 10:30 - 1:30, and you can sign up here. If you know of anyone else who may be good for this please let us know or pass on the link!


2. Event volunteers to set up, clean up, and keep things running smoothly from 9am - 2pm. We can use your help for either all or part of this time, please email emily.mcmains@gmail.com to confirm your availability and also let us know roughly what time you are able to commit (eg, just the first half, just the second half, hard stop at 1:30pm, all 5 hours, etc.)


This is a great way to make a difference with a minimal time commitment, so we hope you will consider joining us! Thank you!

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Massachusetts Water Resources Authority Writing Contest


The MWRA’s Annual Poster and Writing Contest deadline is just one month away. Entries must be postmarked by Wednesday March 13th, 2024. Early entries are encouraged!

I have included an A-Z list of jobs at the MWRA. The link below will take you to our School Program page, where you can find additional contest information and resources.

https://www.mwra.com/02org/html/sti.htm


Other Updates Other Updates

First Graduation FAQ Posted

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.

2024 Graduation FAQ
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Passin' Time on March 18

Our once-a-term tradition, Passin' Time, will take place on Monday, March 18. This term, it will take place during Advisory. Questions can go to Mr. Alan Reinstein.


Let's fill the halls!

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Career Pathways Event on March 27, 2024

Newton Public Schools in partnership with Newton Youth Services and MassHire Metro South/West, is excited to host a Career Pathways Event on Wednesday, March 27 from 6:30-8:00 p.m. at Newton South High School.


See the attached flyer for more information.

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GELF Dinner on March 28

Join us for a spectacular community celebration of all the NPS international travel programs and the scholarship program, Global Education Leadership Fund (GELF). This will be a unique opportunity to connect with your neighbors who are also passionate about traveling, to hear travel stories from our exchanges, and to foster a sense of unity that spans continents. Whether you are a seasoned globetrotter or someone with passion for exploring different cultures, the event is perfect to forge new friendships and savor the essence of international travel. Seats are limited, and reserve yours today by scanning the QR code to the right.


See the flyer at the right for more information.

Newton South Aware Day - Student Panelists Needed!

Newton South's annual Aware Day - a day dedicated to talking about all things mental health - is fast approaching on Thursday, April 25th! We are currently recruiting for student panelists. If you are interested in speaking on the student panel - or simply learning more about the opportunity - please fill out this google form.

Thank you for considering being a critically important voice in the conversation about mental health at South and beyond.

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Virtual Summit about the National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism in K-12 Schools

Massachusetts superintendents, school leadership, school administrators, school resource officers, and education stakeholders are invited to attend this important virtual one-hour summit to learn about a practical strategy to counter antisemitism in K-12 schools. Please join us and invite others to attend as well.


Here is a link to register.

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Blanket and Towel Drive

Take your spring cleaning to new heights by donating to a good cause! Welcome Home is a nonprofit located in Newton dedicated to providing home necessities and more to those in need. They are in urgent need of gently used blankets and towels. Please consider donating these items during the month of March at the pickup bins located at the main office! Want us to pick up your donations? Fill out this survey to request an at-home pickup (we can accept more than just blankets and towels for the pickup)! Share this drive and pickup information with friends, family, and even those outside of the Newton South Community!

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Food Project Looking for Teens for Summer Work

The Food Project’s mission is to create a thoughtful and productive community of youth and adults from diverse backgrounds who work together to build a sustainable food system. Our community produces healthy food for residents of the city and suburbs, provides youth leadership opportunities, and inspires and supports others to create change in their own communities.


To fulfill this mission, we blend youth development, community food access, and sustainable agriculture into a model to achieve multiple, intertwining goals. Each year, a diverse group of youth leaders all across the Greater Boston and North Shore regions work closely with one another in a 6.5 week paid summer job. During this experience youth grow and distribute healthy food to the community in various methods, learn about the complexities of the food system, learn about social injustices, oppression and key leadership skills. At the end of the summer youth will have tools to make lasting positive impacts in their communities and gain new relationships with the land and each other.


Food Project Website

Application Link (due March 11)

Questions? Contact seedcrew@thefoodproject.org.

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Yale High School Essay Competition

Enter for a chance to be featured in a Yale publication and win $300! Deadline is April 14.


Prompt: Choose a country, identify a global or domestic issue it faces, and develop a foreign policy approach that addresses the problem.


See this document for more information.

Reference Information Reference Information

Absence Reporting Form

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.

Academic Honesty

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

Bus Schedules

Bus Schedules

Boston Bus Schedules

Cell Phones

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.

Calendars

  • Year at a Glance: Overview of the 2023-2024 school year
  • Term 3 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.

Need Help with Math or Writing?

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

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

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Brighten 2024 with NCE!

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 & AP Coordinators

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

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

Save Time in the Lunch Line with the Stocard app!

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.

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!


See below for the schedule:

School Store Schedule

School Transfer Information

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.

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WIN Blocks

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.

Get Involved!

List of Clubs & Activities at Newton South

Athletic Calendar

Newton South High School
https://www.newton.k12.ma.us/nshs
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