Hello Plowshares Families,
Here is the sign up for the February Vacation Week Program that will be taking place at our Franklin Site. Lincoln Eliot will be closed. All of our teachers will be scheduled at Franklin that week, so your child will still be surrounded by familiar faces.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Registration is now open for our full range of summer programs, including new additions for 2016. Sign up for one of our week long programs before March 1st to enjoy our 20% Early Bird Discount.
Learn more including dates and registration details Kids at the Farm: Summer 2016
Questions? Please contact Alison at education@newtoncommunityfarm.org
Developing Independence and Self-Advocacy Skills: The Lincoln-Eliot faculty has been reflecting on how to help students develop independence and self-reliance skills. We brainstormed various areas of expectations for independence and realized these skills fell into three broad areas: self-help skills, social skills, and academic skills.
As a school we are implementing Responsive Classroom techniques to promote student autonomy and problem solving skills.
We are also working with students to develop independence in academic areas by teaching them to independently read directions and utilize strategies they have learned before asking an adult for help. There are very few tasks students are assigned that have not been taught and modeled. We want to see students take ownership and responsibility for their work by applying the strategies they have been taught and persevering through seemingly difficult problems.
Under self-help skills we listed things students needed for daily life such as the ability to tie your shoes, zip your coat, boots, snowpants, pack up your belongings, organize materials, follow daily routines, and open and clean up snack supplies. This is where we can use your help! Please help your child learn to dress himself/herself in winter outerwear, zip their coats, and tie their shoes. These are developmental skills we expect most children to have by kindergarten and first grade. You can help your child to learn independent organizational skills by developing a constant structure of where to put their backpacks and papers and how to prepare their materials in the evening so they are ready to go the next morning. I have attached an article the faculty has read about ways to promote independence with homework.
Life is very busy and it is often easier to do for them than to take the time to teach and practice some of these skills. As the old proverb goes, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” It is more worthwhile to teach someone to do something than to do it for them.
Reminder Outdoor Recess: We will go outside for recess (even with snow) unless the “feels like” temperature falls below 20 degrees Farenheit. Please be sure to send your child(ren) to school with warm clothes – hats, mittens, winter coats, boots, and snow pants (when there is snow). This is where it is really helpful that your child can dress and zip themselves as we are moving 100+ children at a time outside.
Also, please LABEL outer clothes so we can return missing items to your child.
SAVE THE DATE- January 25th (8:30-9:30 a.m.) PTO Meeting with Superintendent David Fleishman and School Committee Members: We want to hear from you! Please join Superintendent David Fleishman and members of the Newton School Committee for their annual visit to our school. The meeting will include a brief update on district initiatives, followed by an interactive session to answer your questions and listen to feedback. Light refreshments will be served.
Family Science Night: SAVE THE DATE- Tues. February 23rd. Lincoln-Eliot is excited to host our second Family Science Night. We are moving into the gym this year to allow for more space based on last year’s participation. We hope every child (and family) work on a science project. Family Science Night is not a competition. Students may work independently, with a partner, or with their family. All participants receive a participation medal. See the attached flyer for details.
Pajama Story Time with the Newton Police Department – Tuesday, January 26
TIME: 6:30PM
LOCATION: Newton Police Department, 1321 Washington Street, Newton, MA 02465
Responsive Home Workshop for ELL Families – Thursday, February 4
Childcare and interpreters available upon request. Light refreshments provided.
TIME: 6:30-8:30PM
LOCATION: Room 210, The Education Center, 100 Walnut Street, Newton, MA 02460
Teachers manage behavior in school using Responsive Classroom techniques that can be used to help create a calm, supportive and encouraging environment at home too! More details can be found in the attached flyer.
Newton North High School 4th Annual Mattress Fundraiser – Saturday, February 27
TIME: 10AM-5PM
LOCATION: Newton North High School Cafeteria
The Newton North High School Lacrosse Program is pleased to host its 4th annual mattress fundraiser sale. This sale was VERY successful for the last three years, and has been in school districts all over the country for nearly 10 years.
Newton Girls Soccer Juniors and IM Spring Soccer Registration NOW OPEN
REGISTER NOW
Registration Deadlines: Register by March 5 to have a friend request considered. After March 5, a $15 late fee applies and placement is contingent on space. Click here for registration guidelines.
Click here for information about the juniors (Grade K-2) program.
Click here for information about the intramural (Grade 3-9) program.
Try the Y Tuesdays – All Month Long
Discover all you can do at the Y. We’re opening our doors every Tuesday in January for FREE. All month long, you’re invited to enjoy our pools, state-of-the art fitness center, gymnasium, cycle studio, group exercises and more! It’s absolutely FREE. There’s no obligation to join. No fees to pay. Enjoy fun and healthy activities, make new friendships and discover ALL that the Y offers.
Something for Everyone – Early & Late Spring Programs at the Y
Spring into action with Early & Late Spring programs at the Y. Registration for Early Spring Programs opens on February 1st for YMCA members, and February 5 for nonmembers. Early Spring programs begin the week of February 22nd.
Visit wsymca.org to download a copy of our Early & Late Program Spring Guide, or stop by the Y and we can help you register.
Livestrong at the YMCA
The West Suburban YMCA is now offering LIVESTRONG at the YMCA, a 12 week program that helps people affected by cancer reach their holistic health goals. This research-based program offers those living with, through and beyond cancer a safe, empowering environment to participate in activities focused on strengthening the whole person. Participants work with specially trained Y staff to achieve goals such as building muscle mass and strength, increasing flexibility and endurance and improving confidence and self-esteem. In addition to physical benefits, the program also focuses on the emotional well-being of survivors and their families by providing a supportive “community” where people impacted by cancer can connect during treatment and beyond. LIVESTRONG at the YMCA is free for participants and their families.
For more information, including how to participate in our pilot program that begins on Monday, February 1st and runs on Mondays and Wednesdays from 1:15 – 2:30 pm for 12 weeks, please contact Jane Carroll at 617-244-650 x3007.
Financial Assistance is always available for Y Memberships and Programs
The West Suburban YMCA is a non-profit charitable organization and it is our mission to never turn anyone away due to their inability to pay. Please contact our Membership Department at 617-244-6050 x3653 for financial assistance with membership or program participation.
Lisa LaVallee
Marketing & Communications Director
WEST SUBURBAN YMCA
276 Church Street, Newton, MA 02458
(P) 617-244-6050 x3036 (F) 617-964-8472
Happy New Year
I hope everyone had a wonderful winter break. At Lincoln-Eliot we got right back into the swing of things the first week back after the winter break. In January we welcome new Lincoln-Eliot families as the start of the school year begins at different times across the globe and there is often movement within the United States.
SAVE THE DATE
January 25th (8:30-9:30 a.m.)
PTO Meeting with Superintendent David Fleishman and School Committee Members: We want to hear from you! Please join Superintendent David Fleishman and members of the Newton School Committee for their annual visit to our school. The meeting will include a brief update on district initiatives, followed by an interactive session to answer your questions and listen to feedback. Light refreshments will be served.
Massachusetts Cultural Arts STARS Residency Grant
Remember the morning of December 4th when you were greeted by drums upon entering the school? They were the Crocodile River Music musicians. This program was such a huge success with the children. The musicians received a standing ovation when they went into the cafeteria to pick up their lunch mid-day. Lincoln-Eliot School received a grant from the Mass Cultural Arts Council to bring Crocodile River Music back for 2 additional drum and movement workshops for grades 1-5 on January 28th and 29th. Stay tuned for highlights.
Potato Hill Poetry
January also brings L-E’s favorite poet Andy Green (Potato Hill Poetry) back to work with grades 2, 4, & 5. This is an annual CASC program that provides a yearly enrichment opportunity over a few years for our students. Andy immerses the students in writing poetry across the grades. See the attached flyer for more details.
Crocodile River Music and Potato Hill Poetry are two of the wonderful programs supported by your PTO contributions.
Traffic and Safety – (I need your help!)
We need everyone’s cooperation to keep morning drop off and afternoon pick up safe for pedestrians and drivers. With the cold winter weather we are seeing more cars using the Blue Zone on Jackson Road.
Please remember:
Family Science Night
SAVE THE DATE- Tues. February 23rd.
Lincoln-Eliot is excited to host our second Family Science Night. We are moving into the gym this year to allow for more space based on last year’s participation. We hope every child (and family) work on a science project. Family Science Night is not a competition. Students may work independently, with a partner, or with their family. All participants receive a participation medal. See the attached flyer for details.
Highlights from Classrooms – Spotlight on ELL!
Happy New Year! ELL students continue to listen, speak, read, and write in English in Kindergarten through Grade 5. This month, Kindergartners are becoming readers! Grade 1 is working on sequencing events in a story. Grade 2 is learning about poetry and practicing questions to ask the visiting poet, Andy Green. Grade 2 and Grade 3 have started an information writing unit. Grade 4 is learning new vocabulary and concepts related to the Civil Rights Movement. Grade 5 continues to work on constructive conversation skills, summaries, and research writing related to their unit on survival. All ELL students will also be taking the ACCESS test this month. This year the listening, reading, and speaking parts of the test will be done on computers. Students will practice before the test later this month. Students are excited about this new way to take their annual English language test.
Attention 5th Grade Parents!!
We need your photos! We’re on our way to making the 5th grade yearbook! If you haven’t sent in photos, there is still time!
What we need:
Please make sure that your candid school photos are labeled with the grade or year they were taken. Digital photos can be sent to Andrea at ahemment@gmail.com. Need your photos scanned? Please contact Miriam at Miriam.alandydy@gmail.com. All
Grandparents Raising or Helping to Raise Their Grandchildren
Tuesday, January 12
7:00 – 8:15PM
Education Center (Room 304), 100 Walnut Street, Newton, MA 02458
You are not alone! Meet other grandparents in a similar situation, discuss the joys and challenges of grandparenting and hear what resources may be available to you and your family.
Special guest speaker, Dr Maxine Weinreb, Ed.D, is a psychologist, family therapist, and mental health counselor. Maxine will talk about her work as a consultant to the Children Witness to Violence Project and answer questions about the trauma that grandchildren may have experienced.
For more information or if you need free child care on this night, please contact Beverly 617.559.2062 Beverly_mobilia@newton.k12.ma.us
The City of Newton’s 48th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Community Celebration –
Monday, January 18
10:00AM
Our Lady of Help Christians Parish, 573 Washington Street, Newton, MA 02458
Program will include performances by Newton’s All City Treble Singers and the Harambee Gospel Choir from Newton South, Essay Readings by student representatives from Bigelow, F.A. Day, and Newton North HS, and the Love Tones from Myrtle Baptist Church.
““It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”- Confucius
Highlights from Classrooms – Spotlight on Art!
Greetings from the art room where we have been having fun creating with some new materials and getting ready for exhibits.
First, thanks to DonorsChoose.org, we have received a classpack of 5×7 Gelli plates! Gelli plates are rubber printing plates that allow students to explore color mixing and composition while making beautiful multi-layered prints. Fourth and fifth grade students have been using the plates to make collagraph prints, which are prints made using the impression of a textured collage. Our inspiration was Romare Bearden’s collage work depicting Jazz musicians of the Harlem Renaissance. We thought about the ways visual art and music both have the ability to express a mood or feeling. We listened to Billie Holiday and Dizzy Gillespie as we created our tiny collaged musicians and their musical instruments.
Printing our characters was tricky and required a great deal of trial and error. Students worked hard to find ways to roll out just the right amount of ink, and to compose a balanced, expressive image on the Gelli plate. It was exciting to see students refuse to give up, despite making a few disappointing prints, and ultimately have success.
Additionally, a dedicated group of fifth grade students have volunteered to join the new Art Exhibit Team. Two Tuesdays a month, we will be uploading photographs of finished student work to Lincoln-Eliot’s Artsonia online art gallery, and preparing and hanging exciting new displays in the hallway. You will be notified by email if a piece of your student’s work appears on Artsonia. If you have not registered your child on Artsonia, send me an email at Jennifer_Sutherland@newton.k12.ma.us and I will send you a link.
Home Alone Safety Course
There will be a Home Alone Safety Class offered through Newton Community Education at Lincoln Eliot on Tuesday, January 5 from 12:45-2:45pm. This class is for 3rd-5th graders.
Description: Take the first steps towards independence. Learn telephone and door-answering techniques, accident and fire protection, first aid techniques, and all about Internet safety. We’ll talk about how to manage your time when you’re home alone for short amounts of time, watch an instructional video, and explore scenarios through role-playing.
Please take advantage of this opportunity for your child. The link for registration through Newton Community Education is:
https://registration.xenegrade.com/nce/coursedisplay.cfm?schID=7762
The course fee is $45, however please contact Ms. Uretsky if you need financial assistance or have any questions.
Attention 5th Grade Parents
We need your photos! We’re on our way to making the 5th grade yearbook! If you haven’t sent in photos, there is still time!
What we need:
Please make sure that your candid school photos are labeled with the grade or year they were taken. Digital photos can be sent to Andrea at mailto:ahemment@gmail.com. Need your photos scanned? Please contact Miriam at Miriam.alandydy@gmail.com. All photos are due by January 16, 2016.
Fall Autumn Fest
Our Fall Autumn Fest Concert was held on Wednesday November 25th. The sweet voices of the Lincoln-Eliot students filled the hall. Thank you to Ms. Devon Nelson for all her hard work with our students to bring them to this performance so early in the school year. Thank you to the families who were able to attend. The children were so proud to share their voices and learning with you.
PARCC Assessment Results
This week, individual student reports from last spring’s PARCC assessment were mailed home from the Ed Center. Last year, Newton chose to pilot the PARCC assessment to learn how our curriculum is aligned with the Common Core standards and to learn more about this new test. Schools had the option of administering the test on a computer or with the standard paper/pencil format. Lincoln-Eliot chose the paper/pencil format as we felt learning about the new test was a learning experience in itself and the computer administration would involve a second unknown dimension.
We are just beginning to examine the results of the PARCC test at the school and district level. At first glance, Lincoln-Eliot students performed well and in a very similar fashion to the former MCAS results. In English Language Arts and Math, we scored significantly higher than the state averages. In English Language Arts, we outperformed the district in grades 3, 4, and 5. In Math, we scored above the district in grade 3 and slightly below in grades 4 & 5. Lincoln-Eliot met our Gap Narrowing Goals and scored in the “highest performing percentile” in our accountability rating. Although we are very happy with our performance, we are still analyzing what the data means and how it compares to former MCAS assessments and district benchmark assessments.
Recently the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education voted to transition to a new assessment called the MCAS 2.0 that will begin the spring of 2017. The MCAS 2.0 will be a hybrid of the Massachusetts MCAS and the PARCC tests. It will be more closely aligned with our own Massachusetts standards and accountability system. This upcoming spring, Newton elementary schools will once again administer the PARCC assessments to continue to pilot this test in English Language Arts and Math in grades 3, 4, & 5. Fifth graders will continue to take the MCAS Science test. (PARCC does not have a science component.)
We will keep you updated as we continue to learn more about the PARCC results and the future of the state assessment system.
Holiday Season is Upon Us
I hope everyone enjoyed the Thanksgiving holiday. At Lincoln-Eliot we have already begun to hear talk and feel the excitement of the Christmas and Chanukah holidays ahead. At school we focus on our curriculum and do not spend classroom time celebrating the religious holidays. But, the excitement is too much for children to keep bottled inside and conversations arise at snack, in the lunchroom, and at recess. It is interesting to listen to the children’s questions, wonders, and hopes. We are a very diverse community and families celebrate a variety of holidays and even the same holidays in very different ways. Please talk with your children about how people have different traditions, customs, and beliefs. Although we don’t celebrate in the same way, we respect others’ beliefs and traditions. Please share how the holidays are special for all of us, in our own way and we want to keep them magical for all.
PTO Meeting
Our next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, December 8 (8:30-9:15am) in the Library. Topics for discussion include playground follow-up, January Family Science Night and Spring fundraising.
From Ms. Nelson:
It was a pleasure to have many of you join us for the fourth annual Autumn Music Festival at Lincoln Eliot. It was a crowded event – both for the 9:00 and 10:00 programs, but we were thrilled to share what we’ve been working on in music this fall.
Third graders shared the first songs they learned on their recorders and were so excited to bring them home for the first time. The Fourth and Fifth graders complimented each other well in the rounds they sang together, as well as enthusiastically singing grade level specific songs.
The Second and First graders enjoyed adding some instrumental accompaniment to their songs on the xylophones, drums and jingle bells. Many Kindergarteners had the experience of performing in front of an audience for the very first time. My personal favorite part was when students of all ages joined together to sing.
The Third, Fourth and Fifth graders shared Over the River and Through the Woods, and the Kindergarten, First and Second graders sang their rendition of Raffi’s All I Really Need. For students, a shared performance opportunity brings their community together and adds the valuable experience of learning to be a confident performer and a respectful audience member. What better way to kick off the holiday season than by gathering together to share in the joy of music?
A big thank you to all students and parents who walked/biked to school last week! Those that participated added a feather to our Thanksgiving turkey that was hung on the Jackson Road door. It looked great! Lincoln-Eliot families were also very generous with food donations and The Newton Center was very thankful. It is great to see our community give back to those in need.
There will be a Home Alone Safety Class offered through Newton Community Education at Lincoln Eliot on Tuesday, January 5 from 12:45-2:45pm. This class is for 3rd-5th graders.
Description: Take the first steps towards independence. Learn telephone and door-answering techniques, accident and fire protection, first aid techniques, and all about Internet safety. We’ll talk about how to manage your time when you’re home alone for short amounts of time, watch an instructional video, and explore scenarios through role-playing.
Please take advantage of this opportunity for your child. The link for registration through Newton Community Education is:
https://registration.xenegrade.com/nce/coursedisplay.cfm?schID=7762
The course fee is $45, however please contact Ms. Uretsky if you need financial assistance or have any questions.
Hi Lincoln-Eliot families,
It’s not too late to get the flu shot! A family flu clinic is being held tomorrow, December 1, from 4-6pm at the Newton Free Library. Additional details can be found in the flyer below:
Stay healthy!
Mrs. U
Autumn Music Festival:
This Wednesday, Nov. 25th is our All School Music Concert. Please come to see the Lincoln-Eliot students perform autumn songs to celebrate their work during first quarter of the year. Under the direction of our music teacher, Devon Nelson, all grade levels will perform. We have divided the concert into two groups:
All families are welcome!
REMINDER: Wednesday, Nov. 25th is a 12:00 RELEASE for the Thanksgiving Holiday. Classes resume on Monday, Nov. 30th. Have a wonderful holiday with your friends and families.
PTO Dues Donation Form:
This year, the PTO will spend more than $150 on each student. In years past, the funds have been used to sponsor creative arts and sciences programs, field trips and community events. Please see :
Creative Arts and Sciences Programs
Field Trips
Thanksgiving Schedule for After School Programs:
Just a quick reminder that on Wednesday, November 25, the Lincoln-Eliot office will close at 12:30 PM (students will be dismissed at 12 PM) and Plowshares will close at 3 PM. The building will be closed and not available during the Thanksgiving holiday – Thursday, November 26 and Friday, November 27. Lincoln-Eliot will operate on a normal schedule starting Monday, November 30.
Kindergarten students are building on their understanding of plant life cycles and the needs of living things. They are currently growing bulbs in our classroom. Students are exploring the needs of living things and learning the structures and behaviors that allow them to survive. They are also conducting experiments to see what happens if they remove one essential component- will the bulb still grow? For example, what will happen if we give bulb #1 milk instead of water? They are currently in the process of collecting their data.
Highlights from Classrooms – Spotlight on Kindergarten!
Thank you to all of the teachers and staff members who helped in delivering the Understanding Our Differences Curricula to the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade classes over the past few weeks. All of the students learned a bit about Chronic Medical Conditions, and were exposed to a lot of helpful information. One grade was also lucky enough to have a class mate speak and it was fantastic!
A special thanks to the following parent volunteers, who along with the classroom teachers and city-wide volunteers, made the program run smoothly: Miriam Alandydy, Beth Ball, Margaret Murphy-Smith, Jaqueline O’Neill, Carole Pelon, Mike St. Germain, Rebecca Schmidt and Mimoza Shabani. The program wouldn’t work without the help of the parents. We are always looking for new faces, and are still in search of a parent co-coordinator, so please let me know if you are interested at ccanhc@gmail.com
We look forward to returning with new Units in the Spring. Stay warm everyone!
Halloween Dance:
The event raised $4,440 and it was great to see everyone come out to have fun and support LE! Funds from the Halloween Dance help pay for the Art and Science Enrichment Programs that PTO brings to our school.
Thank you’s to: Carol and Noah Pelon, Graig Dudman, Carly Semerjian, Michelle and Dru Freedman, Karen Hite, Siobhan Wheeler, Nora Zizlsperger, Holly Georgiadis, Tere Carmona, Jazmin and Ernesto Brau, Debbie Ruiz, Patty Tully, Miriam Alandydy, Jenn Rogan, Lucy Poria, Mike Wheeler, Lupe Gueye, Bobbi Fisch-Bethoney, Barbara Stern and Heather Keller.
Turkey Trot (walk or bike) to School:
This Friday, 11/20, we encourage all students to walk or bike to school. This week, put your name/grade on a feather (in your classroom) and see how big our window turkey will be. Please bring a canned and/or boxed food item for the Newton Food Pantry. All items are accepted to help local families!
PTO Dues Donation Form:
This year, the PTO will spend more than $150 on each student. In years past, the funds have been used to sponsor creative arts and sciences programs, field trips and community events. Please see the attached flyer to read how you can contribute and make a difference at Lincoln-Eliot!
We are loving science!
The first grade terrarium habitats have arrived and the students are loving learning about the many living organisms that can be found right in our own backyards! The classes each have their own terrarium and are working together to keep the living things alive and thriving. The terrarium habitat consists of:
Through this unit, students are developing an understanding of what all living things need to survive: food, shelter, moisture, and protection. Students have been observing the different living things and comparing how they are similar and how they are different. They are able to distinguish whether or not the living things are classified as insects, based on the following qualifications for insects: 3 body parts (head, thorax, abdomen); six legs, two eyes, and antennae. Students are learning from various non-fiction texts, gaining understanding from the text, photographs, and diagrams.
We are loving having our bugs here in grade one!
The Secret Life of a Massachusetts Teen, Thursday, November 19, 7:00 pm, Druker Auditorium: Do you wonder…What teens are really thinking? Why they don’t share their fears? How we can better support teens? How we can become better parents? This is a high-energy presentation for that actively focuses on what teens are really thinking, what they fear, why they do not share their fears, and how parents can more effectively support their teen.
This presentation will cover areas such as acting out behaviors, drug and alcohol use, depression, suicide, and more. The workshop will be facilitated by Jon Mattleman, a mental health counselor and trainer with 30 years of experience working with youth, parents, and families. This event is cosponsored by Newton Youth Services and Newton Cares. Please register online at [ http://www.newtonfreelibrary.net/ ]www.newtonfreelibrary.net.