4/8/24 - 4/12/24 Weekly Update

Newton South Caregivers and Students:

Wednesday, April 10 marks Eid al-Fitr, the end of Ramadan. Eid Mubarak to all those who celebrate!

Note that Wednesday, April 10 is a homework-free day. Homework due that night and other work not completed during class time cannot be assigned during holiday hours. Specifically, there should be no assessments or major assignments due on Wednesday, April 10, and no homework that is assigned should be due on Thursday, April 11.

We have a few other important updates this week:

On Monday, April 8, we will be holding an optional assembly during E block to give students and staff an opportunity to see the Solar Eclipse! Solar Eclipses are very rare, and we are excited to mark the day together as the Newton South community - the next Solar Eclipse visible in the US is in 2045!

For students whose classes are attending: Please report to your E block class as scheduled at the start of the block. Teachers will then escort you down to the field. We will distribute protective eyewear, which students can keep if they would like. The Moon will start to block the Sun starting at 2:15 PM, and the maximum darkness will happen at 3:30 PM, with 92% of the Sun's light blocked.

As a reminder, no one should look directly at the Sun without protective eyewear, as it can cause damage if you look at it directly for more than a second or two.

AAPI Celebration and Awareness Day is a series of workshops, performances, conversations, and panels that advocate for and celebrate the diverse Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. This event is being hosted by AAPI Student Affinity Groups and the HAAPI Family Staff Affinity Group.

Newton South’s sustainability club, the “Sustainability Squad”, is a student group dedicated to making the South community more sustainable. In efforts to do so, Sustainability Squad is planning an Earth Day Fair on April 12th during WIN, D & F blocks to raise awareness about climate change and environmental activism. We are excited to host this event and hope everyone can take part!

We will have a Spirit Week this week as we head into break!

• Monday, April 8: Baggy Clothes Day
• Tuesday, April 9: Jersey Day
• Wednesday, April 10: Beach Day
• Thursday, April 11: Soccer Mom vs. BBQ Dad
• Friday, April 12: Color Wars by Grade (9th/Red; 10th/Pink; 11th/Green; 12th/Blue)

Here's to another week at South!

Sincerely,

Jason Williams (he/him)
Vice Principal

Monday, April 8: Quarter 3 Grades Due (report cards released later this week)

Tuesday, April 9, 5pm: School Council

Wednesday, April 10: AAPI Awareness Day (all day)

Wednesday, April 10: Eid al-Fitr

Wednesday, April 10, 7:30pm: Jazz Night (Auditorium)

Friday, April 12: Earth Day Celebration (all day)

Monday, April 15 - Friday, April 19: April Vacation

The Class of 2024 PROM tickets will only be on sale for THREE more days!

Wednesday, April 10th, WIN1 in 2108 & First Lunch at front of the school.

Thursday, April 11th, All Lunches at the front of the school.

Friday, April 12th, WIN3 in 2108 & First Lunch at front of the school.

Price: $120 (for NSHS Seniors and Guests)

*Permission slips and Information can be found on the linked Info Sheet!*

Questions? Please contact Kelli Fitzgerald (fitzgeraldk@newton.k12.ma.us) and Sarah Maillet (maillets@newton.k12.ma.us)

(If you require financial aid, please see your Dean)

Tickets will not be sold after April 12th–we cannot make exceptions!

On April 9, 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.

The next School Council meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 9 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.

The UNESCO Portugal Program will be holding information sessions for 2025 during LION, WIN 1 & WIN 2 this week in room 6160. The program is open to all current 9th, 10th & 11th graders. Applicants must be available in the fall of 2024 to work on a project during the school year and must be available to travel to Portugal in January of 2025. Need based scholarships are available. For more information, scan the UNESCO QR code posted around the building, follow us on Instagram and check out our website! If you have more questions, you can reach out to Ms. Pavao via email.

Get ready for Newton South’s first art competition! Starting March 19th, artists from around the school will have the opportunity to submit their artwork to three categories–2D, 3D, and Photography–with a $3 submission fee sent as cash or check to Newton South High School with Art Club in the memo line (please deliver this to Ms. Nichols in room 9107)!

The top finalists of each category will receive valuable prizes, and the funds will be donated to local schools in need of more art materials!

If you are interested, please use the form below to submit your work:
https://forms.gle/a9MwXzv1ExooP6mH9

**SUBMISSIONS CLOSE APRIL 12**

Please contact Ms. Nichols (nicholsam@newton.k12.ma.us) or the Art Club for any questions/concerns!

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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