Day PTO Newsletter
Quick Links  
 
 
 
FAQS
we add to this as we get questions, so don't be shy -- ask us anything!
 
 
Day School Calendar
as up to date as possible for 09/10, but dates may change - check it out! it's a google calendar so pretty darned useful
 Upcoming Events
 
Thursday Sept 3rd - Ice cream party for 6th graders 1:15 - 2:15 (6th kids only -no siblings!)
 
Tuesday Sept 8th - First day of school
 
Thursday Sept 10th - Back to School Picnic. All families are invited. Children must be accompanied by an adult (raindate is Monday the 14th)
   
Monday Sept 14th - Parents of 6th graders/new students coffee 8-9am in school library
 
Wednesday Sept 16th - PTO meeting 7:30pm - geared towards parents of 6th graders/new students, meet principal and administration
 
Thursday Sept 24th - All parents are invited to Back to School night 
 
Wednesday October 28th - 6th graders and their parents/
guardians
are invited to a  community event - 6-8pm. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Want to help out with this? Contact us!
Contact info 
 
PTO Co-Prez
 
Principal
Gina Healy
via email

School Office
617-559-9100
 
Office Fax
617-559-9103

Gayle Larson, RN
School Nurse
617-559-9140
 
Student Services
617-559-9123

 
August 22, 2009
Welcome from the new co-prez
 
Hi there --
 
We've already introduced ourselves to the incoming 6th grade families, but this time we're sending this email out to all the families who will have a child at Day next year. (If that's not you or if your child is not attending Day, please accept our apologies and feel free to opt out!)
 
We're the new co-presidents at Day -- 
  • Phyllis Attisano, mom to Charles (8th grade) and Will (6th grade)
  • Archana Vahalia, mom to recent Newton North graduate Rohan and Annika (6th grade)
  • Susan Cassidy, mom to Ned (8th grade) and Kate (6th grade)

First things first: you've already marked on your calendar that the first day of school is Tuesday September 8th, right?! School gets out at 1:50pm, as it does every Tuesday. On other days of the week, school gets out at 2:35pm.

Hopefully your children have gotten their packet from school with their team assignments. If not, you'll want to get in touch with the office (phone #s to the left in the Contact info box).
 
If you have questions there are several web sites you may want to check out:

But if those sites don't help you out, you can always ask us and we'll do our best to answer!

We're looking forward to meeting more of you all next month.
 Check your directory listing
 
We've already asked the incoming 6th grade parents if they could check their directory listing, and now we're asking you! If you could, would you please check your information?
 
The very brave Alice Cunningham has kindly volunteered to organize the directory and get it ready for printing. It would make her day if you could check your information. To do so:
  1. Scroll to the bottom of this email
  2. Click on the link "Update Profile/Email Address"
  3. And then follow the instructions
  4. Please feel free to use the notes section if you have any questions, want to opt out of getting email from us & Ms. Healy, but do want the email listed in the directory, etc.

You can also go to the Day PTO web site and enter your email address in the Enter or Update Your Directory Information box.

If you have more than one child at Day, please add them as well. (It doesn't matter what order the kids appear in.)

Remember, free directories are automatically given to incoming 6th grade and new families. If you'd like to order a directory for $10, just go to the Day web site for directions.

 Looking for a way to get involved
 
The fall calendar is already filling up with school events -- would you be able to lend a hand? There are some activities that take place during the school day, and others that can be done at home, whenever you have a spare moment.
 
It's a great opportunity for first-timers to get involved in PTO-sponsored activities, to make some new friends, and reconnect with familiar faces. And, as we all know, it's a great excuse to see our kids during those middle school years!
 
Here's some tasks we're looking for help with:
  • Do you have or do you know of someone with accounting or bookkeeping skills? Our treasurer, Rae Blumenthal, is looking to partner with someone this year.
  • the annual magazine drive could use a few parents to help pass out and collect magazine forms before school for a couple of days in October.
  • the 6th grade family event is coming up in October.  Parents are needed to help out with this fun activity.Great way to meet other 6th grade parents/caregivers!
  • we have plenty of folks who have volunteered to supply refreshments for PTO meetings and events, we need someone to set up a schedule for hospitality
  • a parent to be Day's representative to the Parent Advisory Council for Special Education (PAC). The PAC is made up of parents from each Newton school who are a resource to parents at their school concerning the PAC and special education. The liaison should have a child with special needs, knowledge about the PAC and possible services -- there are two meetings a year and lots of folks to get information from (you're not expected to know everything!). For more information, contact Jo-Louise Allen co-chair Newton SpedPAC by email or phone 617-965-5498.  Over the past two years, there have been liaisons at 19 of the 21 schools in Newton -- this is a really important need at Day.

If you can help out with any of these, just drop us a line.

 Newton Eco-Team Project
A message from Bonnie Glickman, co-chair
 
The Newton Eco-Team Project is a three year program to be launched this September as part of the Massachusetts Climate Action Network's (MCAN) effort to help communities reduce their carbon footprint. Ten other communities in Massachusetts have committed to this project, but Newton has already taken a leading role. We will be working with Newton community groups including schools, non-profits organizations, business groups and faith communities.
 
Our three-year goal is to create 1,000 eco-teams of 5 to 8 households each that meet as a group 4 times. At these meetings people learn information from a workbook that explains how to reduce your carbon footprint with easy-to-implement actions that green up our community and save money. These meetings are fun, informative and build community, as well.
 
My co-chair, Jay Walter, and I are meeting with community leaders this summer as a way of reaching the membership of their organizations. We would like to invite you to one of these meetings. They take place on Wednesdays at 7:30 am or 7:30 pm at my home. Please let me know if you are available to come to one of these meetings and what date would be best. We will be having a kickoff event for community leaders on September 16th at 7:30 pm. We invite you to this event as well.
 
We would welcome the opportunity to work in conjunction with existing green teams at schools.
 
If you're interested, contact Bonnie Glickman 683 Commonwealth Avenue Newton, MA 02459 home: 617-969-1881 cell: 401-862-9330.
School supplies
 
The back to school flyers have already started to pour in, haven't they?! One of the items you will not have to purchase is a plan book (assignment notebook). During the first days of school, every student at Day is given a plan book, complete with a school calendar(!).
 
In case you want to doublecheck what supplies your child will need, here are links to the lists:
Please remember that Day is a latex-free school -- you'll want to keep this in mind when you are purchasing pencils.
 
Generally, you'll need to get all the school supplies by the end of the first week of school. 
  
Got questions? Ask away!
Warmly,

Archana Vahalia, Susan Cassidy, & Phyllis Attisano
Day Middle School PTO Co-Prez