11/6/23 - 11/10/23 Weekly Update

Newton South Students and Families,

November is Native American Heritage month! During this month, we honor the many contributions of Native Americans and their impact. This month also serves to spread awareness about the challenges that they have faced in their past and still face today.

Welcome to the beginning of term 2! We have posted a copy of student schedules to the Aspen homepage for all students. Note that these schedules are static and will not change if your schedule changes.

We are also aware that the times are incorrect on several days on these printed schedules - we will work to resolve this in the future. Note that blocks and their relative placement in the day are correct, however.

For all students, note that quarter classes such as wellness will have changed. For grade 9 students, note that directed studies may have changed as well. Please review your schedules.

These schedules will only be available on Aspen until the end of the day Monday – after Monday, you should access your schedule directly from Aspen. Here is how to change your schedule term on Aspen so you see the correct schedule:

On Tuesday, November 7, we will have an early release. Students will have the opportunity to pick up lunch on the way out between 12:30 and 12:55 PM. Buses will depart South at 12:55 PM.

Here is the Boston bus schedule for Tuesday afternoon. Late buses will run as usual.

The schedule is below:

We will not have school on Friday, November 10 due to the observation of Veterans Day.

Additionally, Diwali is on Sunday, November 12. Diwali is the five-day Festival of Lights in the Indian, Hindu, Sikh, and Jains communities that celebrates triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. The festival coincides with harvest and new year celebrations. Happy Diwali to those of us who celebrate!

Here's to another week at South!

Sincerely,

Jason Williams (he/him)

Vice Principal

Newton South High School

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)

Monday, November 13: Term 1 Grades Due for Teachers

Tuesday, November 14 & Wednesday, November 15: MCAS Math Retests

Thursday, November 16 - Saturday, November 18, 7:30pm: Marian (Auditorium)

Conferences are coming soon, and signups begin on Thursday, November 16. Please see below for an important memo regarding conferences and signing up:

Information regarding registering for AP Exams is 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.

Note that the regular deadline is November 9. After November 9, there will be a late fee for registering for exams. See the link below for more information about registering for AP Exams.

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

The next School Council meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 14 from 5:00 - 6:30 PM. A full agenda can be found here.

If you wouldike to attend for public comment, please email strast@newton.k12.ma.us directly.

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!

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.

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!

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.

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 2 Calendar: This calendar has more specific dates and times. One will be released each term.
• 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 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 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