From marykathf at aol.com Tue May 6 11:43:05 2008 From: marykathf at aol.com (marykathf at aol.com) Date: Tue, 06 May 2008 11:43:05 -0400 Subject: [CabotCommunity] Jabberlite for Tuesday May 6, 2008 Message-ID: <8CA7DA7024FF126-1904-C2@MBLK-M28.sysops.aol.com> Jabberlite for Tuesday May 6, 2008 This edition contains information about: Meet Cabot's New Interim Principal Jim Swaim on Friday May 23, 2008 Cabot Fair Raffle Winners Staff Appreciation Luncheon today Massachusetts Walk to School Day - tomorrow -May7th Cabot Art Happenings Cabot 2nd graders win Green Decade Award Move Newton Forward - Election on May20th - we need your help! A Celebration of Teaching - Retirement party for Dr. Quarcoo and Mrs. Mann PTO Committees for 2008 -09 School Year - Can YOU volunteer?? Upcoming Calendar Remember you can check the website www.cabotpto.org at anytime for an updated calendar. May 6, 2008 School Council Meeting 5:00 - 7:30 PM May 6, 2008 Teacher Appreciation Luncheon May 7, 2008 Walk to School Day May 7, 2008 All-City Chorus Concert, Brown Middle School 7:30 PM May 8, 2008 Spring Concert 10 :30am & 7:30pm May 8, 2008 Understanding our Differences, Grade 5, 1:00 - 2:45 PM May 12, 2008 School Committee Meeting, 7:30 PM May 12, 2008 METCO Parents' Council Meeting 7 - 9:00 PM 1350 Tremont Street, Roxbury May 13, 2008 Internet Safety Present'n for Elem. School Parents, Newton Free Main Lib, 7-8:30PM May 14, 2008 CASP Annual Meeting & Coffee 5:00 PM May 15, 2008 5th Grade Parent Night at Day 7:00 pm May 20, 2008 Jabberwock Publication 2007-08 Issue #10 May 23, 2008 Interim Principal Visits Cabot 8:30 - 9:30 AM May 23, 2008 Theatre Espresso, Justice at War, Gr. 4, Presentation at The New Art Center.\ May 26, 2008 Memorial Day, NO SCHOOL Save the Date - ?Friday May 23rd 8:30 - 9:30am Meet Cabot's Interim Principal for the 2008 - 09 School Year, Principal Swaim. On Friday May 23rd the PTO will be hosting a coffee in the Cabot School Library. New Interim Principal for next year, Jim Swaim will be here to meet and greet the Cabot Community.? We hope you can stop by, say hello and introduce yourself. ? ? Cabot Fair?and...... pick up your Raffle prizes!! Formal thank yous will be coming out in the May Jabberwalk, but just wanted to extend a quick thank you to the Fair Co-Chairs, Laura Dreese and Deb Klein for all their hard work pulling this day together.? Many, many people were involved to make this day run smoothly, so thank you to everyone who helped out and thank you to our community for braving the drizzle and still coming out and having fun.? Thanks also to the many faculty members who came and supported the fair and lent a hand. >From the Raffle Committee - Student prize winners - the teachers will be in contact with the student & their families to make arrangements. A list of all raffle prize winners?is posted in the main lobby of the school & we ask that people check this list. Members of the raffle committee will be on hand?both during the?morning and at pick-up to distribute prizes. Some prizes, where feasible, will be placed in CASP folders. Thanks! Winners: Principal for ? a day ? Henry Johnson PE teacher for ? a day ? Christopher Tocher Pizza at Cabot with Ms Ropi ? Giovanni Fava Pizza at Cabot with Ms Bennett ? Nora Geffen Pizza at Cabot with Ms Gerson ? Christian Quigley Pizza at Cabot with Ms Conroy ? Mia Patriacca Eat a treat with 2 friends at Cabot?s with the 3rd Grade teachers ? Lily Pantuhova Bowling trip with Mr Whitney, Mr Wong & Mr Velluto ? Jacques Klapisch, Li Shandross & Larz Lee You a friend make & bake Fimo beads with Ms Foster ? Frazier Bourgoin, Omer Nisenbaum & Isabel Tise Lunch at Cabot with Mr Tirrell, Mr Wong & Mr Ripp ? Sonia Joffe, Maya Manaktala & Isabella Nielsen Peace sign necklace made by Ms Conroy ? Rohan Doherty, Jacob Lehrer & Libby Pierce Ice cream with Ms Forseter ? Gabriella Flynn & Aaliyah Hayden Make paper beads with Ms Stahl & bring a friend ? Katy Fallon & Charlotte Lyon ? Staff Appreciation Luncheon Today, May 6th! Every year the PTO hosts a Staff Appreciation Lunch for the faculty of Cabot School to express our gratitude for their hard work all year long.? This year the luncheon will be held?today, Tuesday, May 6th at 12:45 p.m.??At this luncheon, we turn the Cabot gymnasium into 'Chez Cabot'.? We set tables with centerpieces, set the buffet with a wide variety of delicious food, caringly donated and prepared by many of you, and entertainment is provided by the Cabot Parent Chorus. Thanks to Sally Brickell and the Cabot Acknowledgement Committee for planning this important event. ? Cabot School ART happenings ?- Be sure to stop by Shaw?s supermarket in Newtonville to enjoy artwork by first graders in Ms. Forseter's class alongside the escalator.? ?- Also, join us for an "Elephants can Paint too!" art auction on Wednesday, May 7, in the main lobby and fine arts wing. The auction is open to everyone; we are raising money to purchase an actual painting created by a real elephant. Our purchase helps the species and supports conservation efforts in Thailand. ?- Finally, the Artwork for Education greeting cards are scheduled to be delivered to Cabot School this Wednesday.? We hope to have them all sorted and sent home by Thursday (just in time for Mother's Day!)? Thanks to everyone who ordered these cards and to Susan Poole for organizing this fundraiser. Walk to School Tomorrow - Massachusetts Walk to School Day! Tomorrow is?Massachusetts Walk to School Day.? Cabot will be participating along with many other cities and towns in the state.? We know not everyone can walk, but please try if you can.? Or try to car pool, walk to the bus stop, ?park a few streets away and walk the rest, or encourage your child to walk around the playground with a friend during recess. Walking School Buses - Join us tomorrow!! Langdon/Eastside Parkway Bus ? Stop #1??????????? Langdon & Surrey Street (8:05 am) ? Stop #2??????????? Winchester & Salisbury (8:10 am) ? Stop #3??????????? Winchester & East Side Parkway ? At the Crossing Guard (8:14 am) Morse/Blake Street Bus ? Stop #1??????????? Walking path from Morse to Blake (8:05 am) ? Stop #2??????????? Blake & Withington (8:15 am) By walking you are helping to reduce the carbon foot print in Massachusetts and beyond.? Let us all do our part to help save the environment, as they as, ?Let?s start at home.? Fun Reasons to Walk: ? Happy Parents When partaking in a car pool or a walking school bus a parent can gain some extra time in the morning by sharing the drop off duties. Taking part in a Walking School bus gives you time to meet others in the school community Happy School Staff Less traffic in front of the school which means improved safety Happy Planet Less congested roads Less emissions from idle cars Reduce Carbon Foot Print Save money from buying gas Healthier children Did you Know? 20%* of morning traffic is due to cars dropping off students at schools. (*national average) Morning exercise for children is know to help them concentrate better during school. CABOT SECOND GRADERS WIN AWARDS IN GREEN DECADE COALITION ENERGY ART AND ESSAY CONTEST Cabot Elementary School Second Graders Will Riley and Sophia Wilcox-Warren won awards for their submissions to the 2nd Annual Newton Essay & Art Contest on Energy Conservation sponsored by the Green Decade Coalition.? Will Riley, a student in Mr. Lacatell?s class won second prize in the art competition while Sophia Wilcox Warren, a student in Mr. Whitney?s class won a third place award in the essay competition for her essay on energy conservation.? Over 130 students from grades K-12 throughout Newton participated in the contest.? The winners were presented with their awards and cash prizes by Mayor David Cohen at a Newton City Hall ceremony on April 30. Fun Reasons to Walk: ? Happy Parents When partaking in a car pool or a walking school bus a parent can gain some extra time in the morning by sharing the drop off duties. Taking part in a Walking School bus gives you time to meet others in the school community Happy School Staff Less traffic in front of the school which means improved safety Happy Planet Less congested roads Less emissions from idle cars Reduce Carbon Foot Print Save money from buying gas Healthier children Did you Know? 20%* of morning traffic is due to cars dropping off students at schools. (*national average) Morning exercise for children is know to help them concentrate better during school. CABOT SECOND GRADERS WIN AWARDS IN GREEN DECADE COALITION ENERGY ART AND ESSAY CONTEST Cabot Elementary School Second Graders Will Riley and Sophia Wilcox-Warren won awards for their submissions to the 2nd Annual Newton Essay & Art Contest on Energy Conservation sponsored by the Green Decade Coalition.? Will Riley, a student in Mr. Lacatell?s class won second prize in the art competition while Sophia Wilcox Warren, a student in Mr. Whitney?s class won a third place award in the essay competition for her essay on energy conservation.? Over 130 students from grades K-12 throughout Newton participated in the contest.? The winners were presented with their awards and cash prizes by Mayor David Cohen at a Newton City Hall ceremony on April 30. Fun Reasons to Walk: ? Happy Parents When partaking in a car pool or a walking school bus a parent can gain some extra time in the morning by sharing the drop off duties. Taking part in a Walking School bus gives you time to meet others in the school community Happy School Staff Less traffic in front of the school which means improved safety Happy Planet Less congested roads Less emissions from idle cars Reduce Carbon Foot Print Save money from buying gas Healthier children Did you Know? 20%* of morning traffic is due to cars dropping off students at schools. (*national average) Morning exercise for children is know to help them concentrate better during school. CABOT SECOND GRADERS WIN AWARDS IN GREEN DECADE COALITION ENERGY ART AND ESSAY CONTEST Cabot Elementary School Second Graders Will Riley and Sophia Wilcox-Warren won awards for their submissions to the 2nd Annual Newton Essay & Art Contest on Energy Conservation sponsored by the Green Decade Coalition.? Will Riley, a student in Mr. Lacatell?s class won second prize in the art competition while Sophia Wilcox Warren, a student in Mr. Whitney?s class won a third place award in the essay competition for her essay on energy conservation.? Over 130 students from grades K-12 throughout Newton participated in the contest.? The winners were presented with their awards and cash prizes by Mayor David Cohen at a Newton City Hall ceremony on April 30. ? Move Newton Forward Needs You! Support your school and public education in Newton!? Move Newton Forward is advocating for the $12 million override for our schools and city services.? With this money, Newton schools can continue to provide the high quality education we all value and expect -- plus can improve such necessary areas as technology and building maintenance.? We need volunteers to help reach voters with a variety of activities including holding signs, hosting house parties, contacting friends and other community members, etc.? If you feel strongly about public education here in Newton and want to help ensure that our children get the best possible education our city can give, then volunteer by contacting our Cabot School Coordinators Sarah Hemphill at sarahhemphill at rcn.com or John Kett at johnakett at gmail.com.???? A Celebration of Teaching -Retirement Party for Dr. Quarcoo?& Mrs.?Mann - June 12, 2008 Preliminary planning has begun to celebrate the retirement of?our Principal Dr. Quarcoo and Grade 2 Teacher Mrs. Mann.?We will be celebrating their retirements on Thursday June 12th.? There will be an in-school celebration,?so all students can attend, and then a larger community-wide celebration that afternoon from 3:30 - 5:30pm.? If you are interesting in helping?volunteer for?this day, please contact Sally Brickell at brickland6 at rcn.com.? We are also collecting items, (comments, notes and pictures) to put into a memory book for each of them.? If you would like to add something, please submit any items to the 'Memory Books' mailbox in the office by June 2, 2008. PTO Committees for 2008 - 09 - Help us and Volunteer! The PTO needs you!? That?s right, we are?starting to fill positions for next year ? we know you have hidden talents and whether you have a little or a lot of time; actually who are we kidding, no one has a lot of time, but we?ll take what we can get and we can use your help!? Here are just a few of the positions open: Advertising Committee Community Supper Co-Chair Invention Invasion Co-Chair Jabberwalk?Editors? Understanding Our Differences Liaison 5th Grade Committee Chairs Cabot fair Co-Chair Grant Writing Human Differences Chair Public Relations Co Chair SPED Liaison Welcoming Committee Webmaster Check out our web site, www.cabotpto.org? for a full list of committees.? There is room in almost any committee for more members, so if you see something that interests you, contact the committee chair for more information! Mary Kathryn Fallon Cabot PTO Co-President marykathf at aol.com 617-244-1821 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://cabotpto.org/pipermail/cabotcommunity_cabotpto.org/attachments/20080506/50b2ab5c/attachment.html From marykathf at aol.com Wed May 7 16:31:14 2008 From: marykathf at aol.com (marykathf at aol.com) Date: Wed, 07 May 2008 16:31:14 -0400 Subject: [CabotCommunity] Budget Related In-Reply-To: <48212C81.2090008@aol.com> References: <48212C81.2090008@aol.com> Message-ID: <8CA7E986DC586DA-113C-2197@WEBMAIL-MB19.sysops.aol.com> Just a reminder that Jeff Young will be speaking at Williams School tonight at 7:00pm. He will be speaking about the Budget and Override implications. All are welcome to attend. We will be sending out more information on the budget and what effect it will have on Cabot specifically. Keep checking your email and don't forget to mark May 20th on your calendar to go vote. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://cabotpto.org/pipermail/cabotcommunity_cabotpto.org/attachments/20080507/f84450e2/attachment.html From auvpto at aol.com Thu May 8 22:29:50 2008 From: auvpto at aol.com (auvpto at aol.com) Date: Thu, 08 May 2008 22:29:50 -0400 Subject: [CabotCommunity] Fwd: BUDGET RELATED In-Reply-To: <8CA7F9374882F9D-6BC-2D2B@mblk-d37.sysops.aol.com> References: <8CA7F9374882F9D-6BC-2D2B@mblk-d37.sysops.aol.com> Message-ID: <8CA7F93B0F6C583-6BC-2D3C@mblk-d37.sysops.aol.com> ? CABOT? SCHOOL OVERRIDE FACT SHEET ? Your "Yes" vote is needed Tuesday, May 20th to continue important services to students at Cabot and other Newton schools. Every single vote will count! Please remember to vote and to encourage others to vote! ? On May 20th, all Newton voters are being asked to approve a $12 million tax Override that will cover projected deficits in school and city operations.? Without the Override, the city and schools will be forced to eliminate approximately 100 educators, police officers, and other critical city employees, resulting in larger class sizes, fewer academic supports and reduced public services and maintenance. ? ? CABOT SCHOOL SPECIFICS: ? ? If the Override fails, Cabot will face:? ? ???????? The loss of THREE teachers next year. Grades 2, 3, and 4 will have about 26 students per class, more if enrollment grows over the summer (there will be no reserve teachers if class sizes grow). ? ???????? 50% reduction in literacy aides ?- no services for grades K and 3, and only 24 hours for the other grades. ? ???????? The loss of all classroom aides who support teachers with large class sizes. ? ???????? Loss of all non-tenured art teachers. ? ???????? Loss of a new math coach. ? ???????? The loss of our school social worker, who helps make Cabot a place where all children feel safe and can learn effectively by assisting teachers and families in handling social issues inside and outside the classroom, and who addresses topics critical to all students' safety and success, such as peer acceptance, bullying and discipline. ? ???????? Cabot will suffer more reductions in building maintenance.? And, the process of replacing or renovating the Cabot school building will be further delayed.? Passage of the override will provide funds to perform feasibility studies and initial design work for Cabot and Angier schools. ???????? Our interim principal, Mr. Swaim, will take on a very resource-constrained school? ? ? CITY/MUNICIPAL SERVICES:? If the Override fails, the consequences to the City include: ? ???????? Loss of 16 police positions. ? ???????? Closure of branch libraries and reduced hours at the Main Library. ? ???????? Reduced maintenance of parks and recreation facilities and closure of Newton North indoor recreation program. ? ???????? Reduction in public building maintenance, road repair, and public health services. ? ???????? Reduced transportation and other services for seniors. ? ? ? COST OF OVERRIDE:? The Override will cost:? ? ???????? For the median assessed home in Newton (valued at $690,800) the override would result in an additional $373 per year in property taxes, or $93 per quarter ($67 per quarter after federal tax deduction at 28% -- approximately $22 a month). ? ???????? The outcome of the Override will have no impact on ongoing construction of the Newton North High School. ? ? Please remember to vote on May 20th at your regular polling location.? A "Yes" vote will keep Cabot and our community strong!? ? For more information on the Override and the City?s fiscal condition, please visit www.movenewtonforward.com.? ? INTERESTED IN DOING MORE TO HELP PASS THE OVERRIDE?? A FEW OPTIONS: ? ? -????????? HELP WITH VISIBILITIES ? SIGN HOLDING AT HIGHLY VISIBLE LOCATIONS? - EMAIL GAIL GLICK AT? GLICK.GAIL at DOL.GOV? ? -????????? ?PHONE BANKING ? HELP CALL UNDECIDED VOTERS. EMAIL LIZ RICHARDSON AT DLRICH1 at COMCAST.NET? ? -????????? HELP SPREAD THE WORD ? TALK TO YOUR NEIGHBORS, ETC ? EVERY SINGLE VOTE IS VERY IMPORTANT! THIS WILL BE VERY CLOSE ELECTION. ? -????????? DON?T FORGET TO VOTE! REMIND YOUR SPOUSE TO VOTE TOO! ? ?Archana Vahalia Cabot PTO Co-President auvpto at aol.com 617-244-1435 Plan your next roadtrip with MapQuest.com: America's #1 Mapping Site. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://cabotpto.org/pipermail/cabotcommunity_cabotpto.org/attachments/20080508/d4488994/attachment.html From auvpto at aol.com Fri May 9 10:12:00 2008 From: auvpto at aol.com (auvpto at aol.com) Date: Fri, 09 May 2008 10:12:00 -0400 Subject: [CabotCommunity] oh all these empty envelops!!! Message-ID: <8CA7FF5C8438C2B-12C-192E@webmail-md20.sysops.aol.com> Hello Cabot Community, you must have received mysterious envelops in the mail in your mailboxes yesterday.? ? The envelops have nothing in the them yet they have your handwriting.?No, no they are not a hoax. Well these are the envelops that you had sent to school last year for the school to mail the class list during the summer. For some reason, the school had to use different envelops to mail out the class list.? Instead of throwing the unused stamps, we had returned these envelops to the post office because the post office could return 90% of the value of the stamps.? The post office did return to us $211.14 for all the unused stamps, but despite our request they also mailed out the empty envelops.? SO please ignore them and enjoy your weekend, knowing that everything is fine.? As always, thanks for your support. ?Archana Vahalia Cabot PTO Co-President auvpto at aol.com 617-244-1435 ________________________________________________________________________ Stand above the crowd! Get a free email address that expresses who you are at http://domains.aol.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://cabotpto.org/pipermail/cabotcommunity_cabotpto.org/attachments/20080509/f91e984d/attachment.html From marykathf at aol.com Fri May 9 14:08:11 2008 From: marykathf at aol.com (marykathf at aol.com) Date: Fri, 09 May 2008 14:08:11 -0400 Subject: [CabotCommunity] No Child Left Behind - Cabot School report card In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <8CA8016C5E025E6-560-1470@WEBMAIL-DG02.sim.aol.com> ????? Dear Cabot Community: ????????? Dr. Quarcoo requested that the PTO send this?letter and the corresponding attachments to you ????????? for your reference. ? ? Cabot School 229 Cabot Street Newton, MA 02458 617-559-9400 ? May 7, 2008 ? Dear Parent or Guardian: ? We are pleased to announce that our school ?report card? for the current year is available online at Cabot School webpage.newton.k12.ma.us/cabot and the Department of Education site at www.http://www.doe.mass.edu/nclb/reportcard/default.html?section:pfag for questions and answers for parents.? The ?report card? contains important information about teacher qualifications, student achievement on Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) tests, and the progress we are making toward helping all students become proficient in English Language Arts and Mathematics. The information in the report card is divided into three parts. Part I provides information about the qualifications of the teachers in our school and district. Part II summarizes how our school?s students scored in English Language Arts and Mathematics in the last two years of MCAS examinations. Part III indicates whether or not our school is on target to meet the goal of all students reaching proficiency in English language arts and mathematics by 2014, a fundamental goal of the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). In accordance with NCLB, schools that do not make sufficient progress toward this goal are identified for ?improvement?, ?corrective action?, or ?restructuring?. These findings are an important part of your right to know how well our school is helping all students to reach proficiency in English Language Arts and Mathematics. Schools receiving federal Title I funds that do not make AYP for two consecutive years must allow parents the opportunity to transfer their child to another school in the district that is performing satisfactorily. Schools that have not made AYP for three years in a row--in addition to offering parents the right to choose a new school--must also offer parents a chance to access supplemental educational services for their children. Supplemental services allow eligible children to be tutored after school or participate in classes aimed at boosting academic achievement in English language arts and mathematics.? Cabot School has offered supplemental programs both during the day and before school this year as well. ? We are happy to help you if you have further questions about what the report card means.? Please feel free to call me directly if I can be of additional assistance to you. ? Sincerely, ? Marilynne Smith Quarcoo, Ph.D. Principal ? -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://cabotpto.org/pipermail/cabotcommunity_cabotpto.org/attachments/20080509/37ed1b97/attachment.html -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: 07-08_NCLB_Cab_RprtCard.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 1561982 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://cabotpto.org/pipermail/cabotcommunity_cabotpto.org/attachments/20080509/37ed1b97/attachment.pdf -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: 07-08_NCLB_DistribRequirements.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 109951 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://cabotpto.org/pipermail/cabotcommunity_cabotpto.org/attachments/20080509/37ed1b97/attachment-0001.pdf -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: 07-08_NCLB_FAQs_forParents.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 121696 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://cabotpto.org/pipermail/cabotcommunity_cabotpto.org/attachments/20080509/37ed1b97/attachment-0002.pdf -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: letterhead.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 171351 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://cabotpto.org/pipermail/cabotcommunity_cabotpto.org/attachments/20080509/37ed1b97/attachment-0003.pdf From marykathf at aol.com Sat May 10 07:53:44 2008 From: marykathf at aol.com (marykathf at aol.com) Date: Sat, 10 May 2008 07:53:44 -0400 Subject: [CabotCommunity] Lunch on June 9th - a special Cabot School BBQ Message-ID: <8CA80ABA1F1A7B2-13CC-41A@Webmail-mg02.sim.aol.com> Dr. Quarcoo asked the PTO to send this out to you: Please join us for the end of the year Cabot School BBQ Monday, June 9th during regular lunch periods ? ? Dr. Quarcoo has planned a special lunch for all the students and teachers at school.? She hopes that all students participate. ? Use your lunch menu to order in advance!? When ordering for the BBQ, please replace the menu options with a choice of one of the following: ? 1.? Hamburger ? 2. Turkey Hot Dog? ? 3. Veggie burger?? ? The above includes: ?? ? ? Watermelon, Lemonade, Carrots sticks, baked chips ? ? ? Students $3.00 Adults $3.50 Any questions?? Please contact the Food Services office at 617-559-6315 ? ? ? Mary Kathryn Fallon Cabot PTO Co-President marykathf at aol.com 617-244-1821 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://cabotpto.org/pipermail/cabotcommunity_cabotpto.org/attachments/20080510/b84d4ea3/attachment.html -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: BBQ_flyer[1].doc Type: application/octet-stream Size: 249856 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://cabotpto.org/pipermail/cabotcommunity_cabotpto.org/attachments/20080510/b84d4ea3/attachment.obj From marykathf at aol.com Sun May 18 11:44:09 2008 From: marykathf at aol.com (marykathf at aol.com) Date: Sun, 18 May 2008 11:44:09 -0400 Subject: [CabotCommunity] Please Vote this Tuesday! Message-ID: <8CA871525D046E9-16CC-2D67@webmail-md08.sysops.aol.com> The Newton Special Election Override Vote is this Tuesday May 20th. Please take the time to vote on Tuesday - every vote is necessary and important.? This will be a close vote.? The Cabot PTO, the Boston Globe, the Newton Tab?and the PTO Council all support the override and endorse a YES vote. For information on the override here are the links to the Boston Globe and Newton TAB editiorials, Move Newton Forward (pro-override group), and Newton for Fiscal Responsibility (no-override group). ? http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2008/05/14/smart_override_for_newton/ ? http://www.wickedlocal.com/newton/news/opinions/x1874992989/TAB-Editorial-Vote-yes-and-invest-in-Newtons-future ? www.movenewtonforward.org ? www.newtonfiscal.org ? For information on where to vote:? http://www.ci.newton.ma.us/Election/index.htm If you are unable to make it to the polls on Tuesday, you can vote?at Newton City Hall tomorrow, May 19th,?between 8:30am and noon.? Every Vote Matters! Mary Kathryn Fallon Cabot PTO Co-President marykathf at aol.com 617-244-1821 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://cabotpto.org/pipermail/cabotcommunity_cabotpto.org/attachments/20080518/0fb2d349/attachment.html From auvpto at aol.com Tue May 20 15:36:44 2008 From: auvpto at aol.com (auvpto at aol.com) Date: Tue, 20 May 2008 15:36:44 -0400 Subject: [CabotCommunity] Jabberwock for Tuesday May 20, 2008 Message-ID: <8CA88C7F87F38C9-6F8-1753@WEBMAIL-MC20.sysops.aol.com> Hello everyone, as we all prepare for year end activites at school, this edition of jabber is full of interesting and important information.? We hope you find it helpful and enjoy it.? ?Archana Vahalia Cabot PTO Co-President auvpto at aol.com 617-244-1435 Issue 9?? May 20, 2007 ? Cabot School PTO e-Jabberwock ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ???????????????? Respect for self and others??????????? Lifelong learning???????????????? Commitment to school and community ? Cabot School Contact Information ? Main Office: 617-559-9400???????????????????? ?????????????? ? CASP: 617-964-2749 ? Gym: 617-559-9407?????????????????????????????????? ????????????? ? Food Service: 617-559-9021 or 617-559-6315??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ? Inclusion Facilitator: 617-559-9409????? ????????????????? ? Nurse: 617-559-9404 ? Library: 617-559-9406????????? ????????????????????????????????? ? Psychologist & Social Worker: 617-559-9405 ? Call Back/Safe Arrival: 617-559-9390 Call by 8:20 a.m. to report tardiness & absences ? Cabot School website ??????www.newton.k12.ma.us/cabot/ Cabot School PTO ????????????www.cabotpto.org Newton Public Schools? ???www.newton.k12.ma.us/ ? ?Calendar ? May 20, 2008 City Special Election for Override May 20, 2008 Incoming Kindergarten visit, 1:00 -2:00 PM May 20, 2008 Jabberwock Publication 2007-08 Issue #10 May 23, 2008 Interim Principal Visits Cabot 8:30 - 9:30 AM May 23, 2008 Theatre Espresso, Justice at War, Gr. 4, Presentation at The New Art Center.\ May 26, 2008 Memorial Day, NO SCHOOL May 27, 2008 School Committee Meeting, 7:30 PM May 27, 2008 Affinity Group 12:30pm May 29, 2008 CASP Advisory Board Meeting? 7:45am June 2, 2008 Dan Perlman, Gr. , presentation in the classrooms June 2 -16, 2008 Coin Drive June 3, 2008 Color Day June 4, 2008 CASP Picnic and DVD 6:00 - 7:30 PM June 5, 2008 Early Release Day, 12:30 PM Dismissal June 6, 2008 Step-Up Day for 5th Graders June 9, 2008 Awards Ceremony, 9:00 AM June 9, 2008 Special BBQ lunch for every grade during lunch hour, rain date 6/11 June 9, 2008 School Committee Meeting, 7:30 PM June 10, 2008 PTO Budget & Election Meeting, 8:40 AM June 10, 2008 Vocabulary Day/ All School Walk June 12, 2008 Recorder and Instrumental Concert 9:15 AM June 12, 2008 Celebration of Teaching, 3:30 onwards June 13, 2008 5th Grade picnic June 13, 2008 PTO Appreciation Evening 5:30 -7:00 PM, 53 Sheffield Road, Newtonville. June 17, 2008 Jabberwock Publication 2007-08 Issue #11 June 17, 2008 CASP 5th Grade Trip to Breezy Point 1 - 5:45 PM June 18, 2008 Transition Ceremony for 5th Grade, 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM June 18, 2008 Last Day for Students at CASP 6 PM ?Office will remain open on a part time basis during the summer June 19, 2008 Last Day of School for Students, 12 Noon Dismissal June 19, 2008 End of Year Picnic on Field, Noon onwards June 20, 2008 Last Day of School for Teachers June 23, 2008 School Committee Meeting, 7:30 PM September 1, 2008 Labor Day, NO SCHOOL September 2, 2008 First Day for Teachers; Superintendent Meeting at NSHS, 8 AM September 2, 2008 Welcome Picnic for New Families, 5:30 - 7:00 PM (rain date 9/5/06) September 4, 2008 First Day for Students Grade 1-5 & Kindergarten "A" students September 4, 2008 PTO Coffee for New Parents, 8:30 AM outside Kindergarten wing September 4, 2008 First Day of CASP for k-5 September 5, 2008 First Day for Kindergarten "B" students September 5, 2008 PTO Coffee for New Parents, 8:30 AM outside Kindergarten wing ? Please check the website www.cabotpto.org for an updated calendar at anytime. ? ?Marilynne?s Message ? By the time this newsletter reaches most families we should be awaiting the results of the override vote on Tuesday may 20th. This date regardless of the outcome of the vote will mark an unprecedented era in public school education. Many communities across the Commonwealth have been asked to carry the additional costs to provide educational, safety and other municipal services. A few communities such as Brookline have had the luxury of asking for an override to institute a world language program in its elementary school while districts like Newton seek to maintain and improve the quality of school programming including its facilities. Regardless of the outcomes, I can assure you that the teachers in Newton and in particular here at Cabot School will continue to provide a high quality education by creating a school and learning communities in their classrooms that respects all learners. They will be professional as they meet their responsibilities under new leadership and make Cabot School a school you can be proud to send your child. I will be releasing information about teaching allocations, assignments and classroom locations in the next several weeks. Should we require new faculty I will invite parents to join as I have in the past. While I will make every effort to accommodate schedules this year?s reality is that I must complete any hires before June 30th. This could necessitate evening interviews given the full schedule between now and the close of school. Watch for a community email perhaps with a request. I have prided myself on identifying and hiring professionals who embrace the values of our school and who will compliment this outstanding faculty so we continue to improve our ability to teach and support students and their families. ? Cabot School is one of the schools identified as the most in need of a new facility. Even while the focus has been on the budget and the override, work continues to proceed regarding the state of our elementary schools. Be sure to pay attention to school committee deliberations and any other information that pertains to the construction of elementary facilities. ? China Earthquake Disaster Relief: This past Monday morning some of our youngest students had gathered on the black top with a sign and a collection box. These students, moved by the tragedy in China, wanted to make a difference! Since this month?s word of the month is initiative, I wanted to support these 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders and have approved their relief effort. Please consider giving whatever you can! They will be on the blacktop with their parents on Tuesday and Thursday. Look for them by the Humpty Dumpty bench! If you want to send money to school you can do that any day over the course of the next week. I will keep a collection container in the office. Generally we work through our social action committee when organizing such efforts but when children want to ?do something to help? my first response is how can I help make that happen! ? MCAS Days: For some reason it seems that MCAS season is longer that any other year. In fact it continues to fill two weeks in May in addition to the earlier sessions in March and April. Our 4th and 5th grade students have devoted many mornings to take these assessments. WE appreciate when children arrive at school, on time and are well rested and take the test seriously. Late arrivals and absences mean that faculty must clear their schedules additional days to administer the missed assessments. Children on the other hand have to take some times two sessions in one day in a setting away from their class. This to me is not ideal! Please continue to support your child and their teachers during this demanding time! WE appreciate all your efforts! ? Thank YOU! I would be remiss if I did not extend my sincerest thanks to those who made so many exciting events happen this month and last! In April we reaped the benefits of Newton Serves! All those shiny door stops, clean railings and desks, newly painted furniture, and a host of repairs, not to mention the custom-made cubbies and the yeoman work that went into bringing one large cabinet upstairs are some of the projects inside the school. Freshly spread mulch and a clean outside all helped to make us feel respected by the community. The kids are right?Cabot School ROCKS thanks to your efforts! ? Then in a matter of days it seemed faculty and staff was treated to a Faculty Appreciation Luncheon. Scrumptious food, high quality entertainment, and the generosity of parents who waited on us, all made this year a very special moment! We had the Cabot Parent Chorus sing many of our old time favorites. I must admit I did get a bit teary as they sang ?Teaching Cheek to Cheek!? Without skipping a beat the week ended with the Cabot fair! Despite an overcast sky, it was clear that parents, children and teachers turned out to have a good fun day! There was so much cheer and goodwill there seemed to be sunshine all over the place! Sincere thanks goes to the Fair organizers and all their deputies. I must say that we had what I believe to be, the largest number of teachers in the dunk tank and at other stations at the fair! We owe them a round of thanks as well! Cabot Fair brought us together as a community.? What a special day for all who attended and contributed. You kept our legacy alive and healthy! ? June Special events: Some say leaving a school can be hard, so I thought I would fill many of my last days together with your children. I have a few things in store for them: ? Whole School BBQ- June 9: Children can order a special lunch. Call 617.559.9015?? or log onto http://www.newton.k12.ma.us/foodservices/and click on lunch menu to make an order if you have misplaced the lunch menu. DO NOT WAIT TOO LONG! The lunch periods will occur as they do regularly except we will get our food from the 8ft. grill provided by Newton Food Services who will prepare all the food. I will be outside for all the lunches and ?hang out with students. I will speak to CASP and the kindergarten teacher so students who are not at school normally that day can participate! ? Vocabulary Day/All School Walk- Jun 10: I have wanted to have a celebration of words. Thanks to several teachers who offered to help organize this day, students will work with their teachers and at home to dress up? as their word. While this is not a costume party, children will display their words in a variety of ways based on their grade level. While the motto of the day is ?Keep It Simple? I simply want to have more fun! We will take a short walk through the neighborhood including Washington Park. All school walks for evacuation drills or for fitness have been some of the best day for the children and teachers. Walking can bring out so many good attributes?like smiling and laughing, talking and chatting, and even waving and showing off a few houses where students live! We maybe looking for a FEW parent volunteers that day; just speak to Ms Bennett! ? Coin Drive Jun 2- Jun 16: I have asked Mr Lacatell to lead this effort. One of my favorite organizations is FAR- Foundation for African Relief. I was introduced to the work of FAR by a former Cabot parent Lisa Hirschhorn, M.D. Dr. Hirschhorn does work all over the world focused on the treatment and prevention of aids/HIV. She brought doctors from Ghana to the school several years ago. Our former students raised money to paint the school, and to purchase medical supplies. On some of my visit to Ghana I would take medical supplies. This summer I plan to join the medical doctors associated with FAR in leading a weeklong clinic in Accra. We hope to give medical care to more than 1000 people during the week. FAR also establishes programs for Ghanaian and other African doctors to be trained at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School. Children can help this effort by bringing in their spare change. Every penny can represent a person who can be evaluated by this outstanding team of American and Ghanaian doctors. Our goal is to collect 500,000 pennies or the equivalent in a two-week period. If we exceed our target we will be making it possible for this team to start their efforts in other more remote locations. Teachers at Lincoln-Eliot are joining this effort as well. I am so pleased by the interest and hope children will feel that they can say good-bye in this meaningful way. Every penny counts and I think everyone can contribute at least 1 cent! Look for a flyer coming home during the last week in May! ? Principal for a Half Day! I will also host a special last ?Principal for the Day?! Each year I take the Principal for the Day to the Educational Center at 100 Walnut Street to meet the Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Jeff Young and other administrators. Then together we treat students who take lunch orders from teachers as part of their curriculum to Cabot?s Ice Cream. This year I want to surprise them with a special trip. I don?t want to give away too many details yet! I guarantee you that this will be a very exciting day! Leaving Cabot School: Is this your last year at Cabot School? Are you relocating to another school in Newton, Massachusetts or the country? Are you moving out of the country? Tell us NOW! We begin placement shortly and will want to make the best decisions. Contact Mrs. Driscoll in writing ASAP. We have paperwork you must complete and Mrs. Driscoll can share the process for transferring student records. ? ? PTO Pen ? As we all wait and watch for the results of tonight?s special election?s results, we must appreciate what we have in our school system and help our city officials do their job to keep our schools running as best as possible.? Lot is being achieved in our schools through the continued support of the parents and the community at large. The testament of the support is the success of, during this school year, each and every event at Cabot, and the amount of money we have raised to make Cabot a better place for our children.? We hope that next year, irrespective of the results of the elections, we will work together to enrich the programs at Cabot and support the interim principal and his staff. ? This year has been so successful because of the innumerable hours of dedication by Mary Kathryn, so many parents who are chairing various committees, and the volunteers who help us day after day.? To show our appreciation for the contributions made by Mary Kathryn and her team, we will have a PTO Appreciation Evening celebration at my place, 53 Sheffield Road, Newtonville, on Friday June 13th, from 5:30 ? 7:00 PM.?? I hope you can join us for this special event and RSVP me at auvpto at aol.com.? Please bring some finger food or drinks to share. ? Working so closely with Dr. Quarcoo, the wonderful staff, Mary Kathryn and co-chairs of so many committees has definitely been a great learning and humbling experience for me personally.? In closing, I hope for your continued support next year and see you around!!! ? Mary Kathryn Fallon????????????????????????????? Archana Vahalia PTO co-President????????????????????????????? PTO co-President ? ? ? ?Recent Events at cabot ? Cabot Fair! and a huge Thank You goes to?? ? Despite being a cold, windy, rainy day, the Cabot Community came out in force and made this year?s Fair a whole lot of fun for everyone. ? Highlights were the dunk tank (thank you teachers!), games & cool prizes, incredible raffle and auction, pony rides, yard sale, great food, and the chance to see lots of friends. As always, it is a day that reminds us of what an amazing school and community Cabot is for all of us. ? The Fair requires the efforts of hundreds of Cabot families and friends to put on all of the events and activities that make it such a fun day. So many of you helped make this a fun day and we thank you all. ? Our committees spent countless hours preparing to make this year's fair a great event.? For all they did, we'd like to thank: Carolyn Eggert (Bake Sale), Emily Hess (Volunteer Central), Daphne Potter (Food (cotton candy too!!!) and Volunteers), Sue Sagan (Games), Sandy Connors, Rose Coppola-Flynn and KB Spector (Prizes), Maureen Mullowney and Anya Bassett (Publicity), Mackenzie and Chris Dreese (Punch Board), the amazing Jo Doherty, Kate Johnson, Julie Bourgoin, Jen Abbott, Andrea Steenstrup, Teresa Tocher, Claire Ryan-Robertson, Brenna Coughlin, Lisa Griggs, Ilyse Greenberg, Sharon Donnelly, and Vani Sayeedand (Raffle/Auction), Noelle Huntington and Lisa Robinson(Yard Sale), Mary Heney (Tickets), Andrea Plotkin, Julie Stonehill and Lynda Cain (Face Painting), Sharon Witham(Candy-grams), Helen Cao (Cabot Goods), Rosemary Thomsen and Joy Huber (Treasurers). And of course, thanks to Cabot PTO Co-Chairs Mary Kathryn Fallon and Archana Vahalia, for their tireless support and enthusiasm. ? A special thanks goes to Russell Kaplan for rocking the event as our DJ; to Dana Bennett for trusting us with her gymnasium; to Steve Giroux, Nicole Farrah and Jerry Dwyer of Giroux Brothers Martial Arts for cool karate demonstrations and board breaking; and as always, to Cabot's custodians, Kenny and Dave, for getting us everything we needed! ? An extra warm round of applause goes to the victims of the dunk tank: Mr. Wong, Mr. Velutto, Mr. Giroux, Mr. Dwyer, Mr. T, Ms. Conroy, Mr. Whitney and Chuck from CASP. They made the week leading up the Fair and the Fair itself very exciting by sitting above that big red target. (We got them warm water this year, but couldn?t quite swing the warm weather?). ? And to those who stepped up when we needed a hand, you to deserve one as well, especially Lisa, Ryan and Brendan Barry; Sally Campbell; Mike, Mackenzie and Chris Dreese; Jasper Reid, Mark Geffen, Regina & Shawn Hoyt, Jina and Freddie Pierce; Alan Ripp; Melinda Roman and Emily Clott; Paul, John and Mark Sagan; Jake and Bob Ezzell; Sue and Connor Finegan and Sally Brickell. ? And last, but by no means least, thanks to the legions of volunteers who gave their time and good spirits despite the drizzle to staff all of the games and stations to make the Fair so much fun for all our kids!?A HEARTFELT THANK YOU TO ALL! Laura Dreese and Deb Klein. ? Staff Appreciation Luncheon The annual Staff Appreciation Lunch on May 6 ran smoothly and provided a well-deserved morale boost for Cabot teachers and staff. Thanks to the hard work of many parents?who drove, shopped, cooked, decorated, set up, and cleaned up?the gym was transformed, and the teachers and staff were wined (well, almost) and dined in high style. The highlight of the lunch was a musical appearance by the Cabot Parent Chorus, skillfully performing dance moves and songs from their original repertoire and bringing smiles and tears to many faces. ? Special thanks to Shaw?s Supermarket in Newtonville for their generous donation. ? Thanks also to all of the helpers and volunteers, including Ms. Bennett and Mr Meliones; and parents Jen Borhegyi, Sandy Connors, Kate Dulit, Carolyn Eggert, Mary Kathryn Fallon, Alison Galbraith, Jenny Gamson, Joanne Gatnik, Jocelyn Goldberg, Mary Heney, Roberta Hing, Karen Jauregui, Deb Klein, Karen Levy, Julie Lindstrom, Cindi Lockeby , Michelle Markert, Judy McMorrow, Jeanmarie Patriacca, Andrea Plotkin, Lori Seuch, Teresa Tocher, Archana Vahalia, and Faith Witte. ? Special thanks to the talented members of the Cabot Parent Chorus, led by Laurie Otten and accompanied by Sayuri Miyamoto; and to the members of the Acknowledgment Committee, Sharon Dwyer, Suzy Enyeart, Tera Hirsch, Kate Johnson, Sandee Simshauser, and Helen Ventouris. ? Ruby Bridges visits Cabot On May 7th, we had a very special visitor at Cabot School.? Ms. Ruby Bridges, the first African American child to enter the newly desegregated New Orleans school system in 1960 as a 1st grader, spoke to our 1st to 5th graders.? She spoke of civil rights, introducing historical and legal concepts related to civil rights.? There were lively discussions by the students about what could be done if they felt their rights were being challenged.? The spirit of activism is alive at Cabot School!? They heard about her experiences through her six-year old perceptions entering an all white school amidst hatred and bigotry.? Ms. Bridges is living history and we hope that the children will always remember her powerful message of tolerance, respect, and appreciation of all differences.? ? What a terrific experience the kids had from the Ruby Bridges' visit.? There were many delighted faces in the audience listening to her speak and it is an experience that both the students and the adults alike will remember for a long time.?Thanks so much to Sandy Connors, Faith Witte for all your work, all year long, enriching the learning experience of our students!! ? 5th Grade Social Action Art Reception at Cabot Park Village On Thursday May 15th, the 5th graders donated to the Cabot Park Village 3 truly wonderful works of art. The students created three collaborative murals for their neighbors at the Cabot Park Village senior housing complex. ?They also prepared a book of personal reflections on what making these art pieces meant to them and how they hope they will be received. This project is a natural outgrowth of our Cabot school core values and Celebrating Our Differences curriculum. The Newton TV people were on hand to film the event as well. Thanks again to Sue Covitz and members of the 5th grade Social Action Committee. ? A Happy Story Cabot 4th graders Sonia Joffe and Dina Abdallah recently had a lemonade stand.? They sold both?lemonade and home-made dog biscuits. They decided to purchase 2 books for the Cabot Library with the proceeds.? Keep your eyes out for a book on Dogs and on How to Care for Dogs.? Thanks for thinking of Cabot School Sonia and Dina! ? Art Happenings Thanks to 3rd grade families for making our Elephant Art Auction a great success! ?The show is still up in the Fine Arts wing until the end of the week, if you still haven't made it to the show, please stop by! ?As a grade we raised $330 to purchase a real painting done by an elephant in Thailand. ?The website to learn more is www.elephantart.com?and our specific elephant painting the 3rd graders voted to buy is found on the following page : http://www.elephantart.com/catalog/default.php?cPath=71???painting #013 is our final winner! ?We hope to receive the painting by the end of the year! The winner of the sterling silver elephant necklace went to Chris Dreese in Ms. Bargande's class. ?Thanks again to all who participated! Kelly Conroy. ? ?Upcoming Events at cabot ? Meet & Greet Interim Principal Mr. Jim Swaim ? May 23rd, 8:30 ? 9:30 AM, Cabot Library You are all invited to come and meet Mr. Jim Swaim at an informal coffee this Friday, May 23, from 8:30 ? 9:30 in the Cabot School Library.? Please join us in welcoming the newly appointed interim principal for the 2008/09 school year into the Cabot Community and support him in his work with Cabot next year. ? Color Day is Finally Here!!! June 3rd is Color Day!? Please join in your child's day and help with this great end-of-the-schoolyear event marked by games, races, mystery counts, and other friendly competition.? Dana Bennett, PE teacher extraordinaire, needs 40 volunteers to man the activity stations and cheer our children on.? Can you help?? We need volunteers from 9:00 to approximately 12 o'clock.? Cross your fingers for great weather! Please RSVP as soon as possible to Daphne Potter (dfpotter at rcn.com) or 617-795-0540. ? Cabot End of Year BBQ on June 9th with a raindate of June 11th Order for the BBQ on-line using the http://www.mykidsspending.com site or using the school lunch menu hard copy.? ? LAST PTO MEETING OF THE YEAR! Join us for the Final PTO Meeting of the year on Tuesday, June 10th at 8:40am in the Library.? At this meeting we will review last year?s budget, submit the PTO budget for the 2008 ? 2009 school year for approval, elect our new PTO Officers and briefly recap other important issues. Also, come along and find out what PTO positions are currently still available and which committees need members. ? Community-wide 'Celebration of Teaching' - June 12, 2008 Cabot School 3:30 ? 5:30 PM? We are hosting a celebration for Dr. Quarcoo and Mrs. Mann as they retire from Cabot School.? We will have music, refreshments, and a presentation of memory books to Marilynne and Marcie.? This event is open to all students, parents, alumni and faculty.? Please help us in spreading the word to anyone you know who is no longer part of the Newton schools.?So mark your calendars and we hope you can be part of these special celebrations!?If you would like to help out with this event, please contact Sally Brickell at brickland6 at rcn.com Please drop off items for the memory books in the ?PTO mail box or mail them to Cabot School, attn.: Memory Books, 229 Cabot Street, Newtonville, MA 02460. ? PTO PICNIC ? LAST DAY OF SCHOOL Join the Cabot Community for an informal picnic after the last day of school, June 19, 2008, at 12:00 noon on the field.? Bring a picnic lunch and join the fun!? Most of the classes are also planning their own little picnics, stay tuned for more details. ? ? CABOT BROADCAST ? ? Vote for Ron?s Gourmet Ice Cream and Bowling -Proud Mayor urges community to vote for Hyde Park Ice Cream Shop Among Best in Nation Ron?s Gourmet Ice Cream and Bowling is where the Cabot community hosts its annual Cabot Connecting Families Bowling event.? They have always been very generous to us and now we can help them out! Read on and take a minute to go to the link below and vote for Ron?s as the best Ice Cream in the nation: ? Message from the Office of the Mayor Thomas M. Menino: Mayor Menino is proud to announce that Ron's Gourmet Ice Cream & 20th Century Lanes at 1231 Hyde Park Ave. has been nominated as 1 out of the 4 best ice cream shops in the nation by Good Morning America and next week your votes can make this Boston favorite #1! Famous for their gourmet ice cream, which owner Ron Covitz and his family have been making since the 1970s, this family-run establishment boasts 26 regular flavors, plus 9 seasonal flavors and a "Flavor of the Month" ? all homemade. Mayor Menino's favorites are Mint Chip and Cookie Dough. The shop also has 10 lanes of bowling. ? "Ron's is a great neighborhood place and as a life long Hyde Park resident I could not be any more proud that this establishment has been chosen for this national contest," Mayor Menino said. "I urge everyone who has ever tasted this terrific ice cream to support Ron and vote for this local business." ? In April, Good Morning America asked their fans to write essays about their favorite ice cream shops across the country. From the content and amount of essays the show received, Ron's was chosen as a finalist. But the real contest starts this Sunday, May 18th, to see which shop is the #1 and here's your chance to get involved. To log in your votes, you can go to: www.cityofboston.gov?starting on Sunday and click on the link to vote for Ron's. Covitz and his staff will be appearing on a Good Morning America segment that morning. The other three finalists are ice cream shops in Florida, Missouri, and California. Some highlights of Ron's ice cream making career: ? 1. Ron's Gourmet Ice Cream was chosen as the third-best ice cream parlor in the world in National Geographic's "The Ten Best of Everything, The Ultimate Guide for Travelers" in 2007; ? 2. Awarded a Phantom Gourmet "Great Ate" for ice cream in 2004; ? 3. Awarded Best of Boston from Boston Magazine 1995 and 1996; ? 4. Awarded "Most Kid-Friendly" for the Ice Cream and Bowling Alley from the Parent's Paper. Ron's is also the site of Red Sox pitcher Manny Del Carmen's annual fundraiser "Bowling Strikes for Schools" that raises money for Boston? Public Schools. If you have any questions, you can contact Jennifer B. Mehigan, Deputy Press Secretary, Mayor Thomas M. Menino's Office, Room 603 Boston City Hall, Boston, MA 02201, Tel (617) 635 4461. ? An evening with Judy Blume - June 6th, 5:00 ? 6:30 PM, Pine Manor College You are invited to an evening with? your beloved author of ?Are you there God? It?s me Margaret?, the ?Fudge? books, and the new ?Pain & the Great One?, chapter book series featuring a brother and a sister.? Tickets are $20 per person.? This event is hosted by Ward School PTO.? For more details, visit http://wardpto.org/judyblume. ? NEWTON SCHOOL?S GIFT POLICY As we reach the end of the year please remember the Newton School Committee Policy:? ?No teacher in the performance of regular duties shall receive presents from the pupils under his or her direction.?? Each year families are reminded of this policy, and each year most families comply.? It is very natural for children and their families to want to acknowledge and thank their teachers at the end of the year.? Here are some suggestions: A note of appreciation to your child?s teacher, or a card made by your child, would be treasured.? A homemade acknowledgement to your child?s teacher or faculty member, such as cookies or baked goods. A donation of a book to the library in honor of your teacher.? Please see Ms. Gerson for a form. ? Please do not solicit money from families for class gifts. ? If you need further clarification please speak with the Principal Marilynne Quarcoo or your PTO co-presidents. Thank you for your cooperation. ? THANK YOU to this year's SAFE ARRIVAL/CALL BACK Volunteers!!! ? The Cabot Safe Arrival/Call Back Program helps ensure that children arrive safely at school each morning.?? The Cabot Safe Arrival/Call Back Program has been a tremendous success because of parent involvement.? ? A special Thank You to this year's volunteers!?? Lisa Bibuld, Julie Bourgoin, Sally Campbell, Kate Dulit, Ann Duvall, Alison Galbraith, Jenny Gamson, Vicki Gartland, Henry Grossman, Zhuo Guan, Eric Gubert, Gail Harris, Martha Hincks, Jennifer Hyde, Chris Kjellson, Deb Klein, Mona Lisa Neville, Susan Phillips, Lisa Porter, Wilfredo Reyes, Sharon Salwen, Ginger Stolzenthaler, Lisa Svensson, Pascale Torracinta, Margaret Wazuka & Kathleen Young. ? If you have about?40 minutes in the morning just after drop off, you can be a part of this important program at Cabot.? You?can volunteer for one morning a week for?a month or more if you wish. Although the job is simple, it is extremely important because it helps keep our children safe.? It is also a great way to get to know the school, teachers, and children.? If you are interested in volunteering or want more info, contact? Ann Manaktala, coordinator?617-964-1510 or email? manaktalaa at citi.com.? ? Cabot is Going Green ? Thanks to Cabot?s 5th Graders! As many of you have probably noticed by now, the small bins for recycling plastic bottles and cans have finally arrived. The bins were provided for free by the MA Department of Environmental Protection.? Please visit their website www.thegreenteam.org?and bookmark it for your students. I never expected this project would take from September to May to accomplish.?Thanks to Marilynne for her support, to Kenny for his help and to Julielle Kahn, Mark Sagan and Donnalyn Kahn for their advocacy with the mayor which resulted in the procurement of the large, wheeled bins. Happy recycling! Alice Cunningham, Building Aide. ? 33rd Annual Village Day in Newton Higlands on Sunday, June 8th from 12:00 to 5:00 PM Newton Highlands Village day is a community event organized by the Newton Highlands Neighborhood Area Council and the Hyde Community Center.? This event draws thousands of people to Newton Highlands, and activities include a popular road race, a Silent Auction, live musical performances, and amusement rides.? Many merchants and vendors, including those with crafts, food, and other items participate in Village Day events. Booths are available for Village Day.? Please contact John Rice at 617-201-7088 or email director at hydecenter.org for a booth. ? "Honor Thy Teacher"...or principal, or crossing guard, or ???? Are you looking for a meaningful way to show your gratitude to the teacher who spent the extra time, the administrator who went the extra mile, or the support staff member who?encouraged and inspired?your child?? Take part in the Newton Schools Foundation's 11th annual 'Honor Thy Teacher' campaign.? This year the Foundation distributed approximately $200,000, and over $2.5 million since inception, in grants to teachers and others who work with your children.? These grants provide programs and materials not covered in the budget.? Over the years, over 450 grants have impacted all students in all schools through all curriculum areas. As a result, our schools have piloted innovative initiatives including: interactive technology such as SmartBoards, cutting edge curriculum such as SIMMS, advanced professional development in the use of technology in curriculum delivery and the training of over 150 volunteer math tutors for the elementary schools.? Without Newton School Foundation's grants, these things simply would not happen.? Each spring families are invited to pause and think about school personnel who have?made a difference in their child's life.? Honor that special teacher or educator by making a donation to the Newton Schools Foundation. Honored teachers receive a card of thanks in the donor?s name. Also your child and the community sees the honored teacher celebrated in the annual ?Honor Thy Teacher? spread in the Newton TAB. Checks may be made out to "Newton Schools Foundation" and mailed, along with a note containing the name and school of the teacher to be honored, to:? Newton Schools Foundation, 100 Walnut Street, Newton, Ma 02460.? Info: www.newtonschoolsfoundation.org?617-559-6120 or nsfinfo at newton.ka12.ma.us. ? ? COMMUNITY NEWS ? ? Provide your children with the nutritious food they need to do their best in school? Do your children receive free or reduced school lunch??Are you eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit??Do you receive Fuel Assistance??If you meet the criteria for these programs, you may also meet the income guidelines for food assistance through the federal Food Stamp Program. For more information?call Project Bread?s Food Source Hotline at 800-645-8333. ? Summer Tennis w/Newton Parks and Recreation Nationally recognized program for kids, adults/everyone.? Kids may enroll for one or several weeks, and may attend AM and/or PM classes.? Most classes begin the week of June 23rd and session 2 for adults begins the week of July 21st.? Adult clinics;?AM and PM, 3-Day Intensive, Round Robins!? Please visit www.newtontennis.com for more info or to download and application, or if you still have questions, you may call (617) 661-PLAY.? Sign up now! ? The City of Newton?s Parks and Recreation Department offers more than 15 quality summer camps for children from pre-K to high school, from sports clinics to arts, from theatre to outdoor adventure.? Many of these camps offer extended days.? Info: www.ci.newton.ma.us/parks or 617-796-1500.? Register at www.activityreg.com. ? Arts in Action Children?s? Summer Program at the New Art Center:? Have your child spend the summer creating art!? 8 weeks of its popular ?Arts in Action? Summer Program. ?7/7-8/29, Mon-Fri, 9am-3:30pm.? Kids grades 1-5 in the fall attend 5 classes daily: drawing, painting, ceramics, sculpture and more with talented art instructors.? Register for one week or all eight.? A new and creative theme each week. ?Info: www.newartcenter.org or 617-964-3424.? ? NCSC Summer Day Camp Registration is Underway. Hale Reservation in Westwood offers boating, Red Cross swim lessons and free swim, arts and crafts, fishing, archery, ropes challenge course, nature activities, athletics, cookouts, special events, overnights and more.? 6/23-8/22. Meet at 8 for 8:30 bus which returns at 4:30.? Extended Camp ?til 6 available.? $540/2-week session.? Info and registration: www.ncscweb.org, then ?summer camp? or (617) 969-5906 x 224. ? ?"Colorful Chemistry"? Lava lamps, slime rainbows, UV Bracelets and colorful totebags... 'The Wicked Cool Girls Science Club' has expanded this spring.? By popular demand there are three four-week classes offered, two at Peirce on Thursday starting May 1st, and the second starting May 15th.? The third class is underway Wednesdays at Zervas.? All three classes run four weeks from 3:15 to 4:15.? For more info or to register: 617-559-6999 www.newtoncommunityed.org.? Additional Summer Community Ed programs are also posted on the website. ? ? Unaccompanied Refugee Minor Program is looking for foster parents who can take in Burmese children arriving in Massachusetts.? Many have lost their parents due to war or death, so long-term placement is what's most helpful.? A home with?basic English skills,?a stable?environment and?a warm welcome?is what these children need.??Lutheran Community Services is a foster care agency working with foster parents and refugee children.? Case management services are provided.? Social worker Laura Westerling writes, "The Burmese youth who have already arrived and are wonderful and SO excited to learn in school."? For more information, contact Program Director Jeanne Woodward at 781-997-0875 or Jwoodward at lcssne.org or write:? Unaccompanied Refugee Minor Program, Lutheran Community Services, 888 Worcester Street, Suite 160, Wellesley, Ma 02482. ? Fall Registration for Newton Girls Soccer is now open:? All--Intramural and Travel--should register now.? Those planning to take part in the?Fall?2008 Travel program are urged?to?register right away, because the placement process is about to begin.? Register even if you signed up for and attended the travel tryouts.? You will not be placed on a team without registering.? Travel registration is now for the entire year: Fall '08 and Spring '09.? Please Note - Due to the late registration start, the official deadline for Travel registration has been moved back to May 23rd, but that's just days away.? Go to www.newtongirlssoccer.org to register on-line.? Questions?? registrar at newtongirlssoccer.org or 617-527-7728.? Newton Girls Soccer, P.O. Box 610333, Newton, Ma. 02461.???? ? "Kindertransport":? A Newton South?Stage production.? May 29, 30 and 31 at 7:30 pm.? Newton South Lab Theatre at Newton South High School.? Tickets: $8.? www.southstage.org.? 617-559-6594. ? Host Families needed for three weeks starting July 18th.? 10 Chinese Students will be coming to the Boston area to learn English through the non-profit "People Link".? These students will take morning classes and afternoon excursions, and have weekly field trips.? English-speaking families willing to open their homes to these students will have a chance to interact with another culture while sharing American culture and volunteerism.? If you or someone you know in the Newton/Brookline/Allston-Brighton/Chestnut Hill area is willing to provide room and board, this could be the beginning of a very beautiful friendship.? Go to www.peoplelink.org/hostfamily.html?or contact Keara Marie Eagan at eagankm at gmail.com or eagank at bc.edu. ? Volunteer to help in the Celebrate Newton! December crafts fair Sara Coen, the organizer of Celebrate Newton!, the December crafts fair for Newton crafters, is looking for volunteers to help her plan the event next year. Each year the event grows in popularity and more people are needed to help.? The funds raised go to the Newton Schools Foundation.? PTO Council provides support and helps with publicity.? If you are interested, please contact Sara at saracoen3 at aol.com.? Thanks! Youk's Kids Reading Group Red Sox star Kevin Youkilis and his charity ?Hits For Kids? has launched ?Youk's Kids Reading Group? with the New England Mobile Book Fair in Newton.? The reading group is open to all children up to the age of 15.? Every member receives a $5.00 Book Fair gift certificate on his/her birthday.? In addition, members can submit a short essay about reading and each month, winners in several age categories will receive an official baseball autographed by Kevin Youklis. At the end of the baseball season, Grand Prize essay contest winners will be announced and invited to have lunch with Kevin Youkilis.?? Details about Youk's Kids Reading Group and ?Hits for Kids? can be found at www.nebookfair.com.? ? Antique Doll Exhibit at the Newton Free Library:? See 17 dolls from the Newton History Museum dating to 1860 by famous and not-so-famous makers. On display at the Newton Free Library through May 30th.? Free. ? Last Chance to see Hyphenated-Origins: Going Beyond the Labels.? Closes May 25th.? Curated by 7 Newton High School Students whose families emigrated from Hong Kong, Russia, Mexico, China and South Korea.? This exhibit shares their stories and explores the advantages and challenges of forming an identity between two cultures.? Free with admission to the Newton History Museum, 527 Washington Street.? 617-796-4150.?? ? SPACE 2008 is still accepting students for this summer! SPACE is an enrichment program of the Newton Public Schools for students entering kindergarten through grade 9. ?Lower School (grades K -4) students are placed in age level groups working on our summer theme of "The Wonderful World of Nature." ?Upper School (grades 5-9) students are able to take a variety of electives courses in the arts, sports, sciences, academics and other interesting challenges. ?The program is held at Day Middle School in Newtonville. ?Our staff is Newton teaching staff aided by graduate school, college and high school students. ? The fees vary according to the program you choose for your student. ?We have extended day from 8:00 - 9:00 a.m. and from 3:45 - 6:00 p.m. ?The morning program fee for the entire four weeks is $1,000. ?The full day program fee is $1,500. for the four weeks. ?We also offer a family discount and limited scholarship aid. ? If you haven't made plans yet for the summer, think about joining the fun and learning opportunities at SPACE 2008! SPACE at newton.k12.ma.us or 617-559-6150 ? T-ville Trails Summer Program The newest Newton Parks and Recreation camp for children entering K-2nd?grade, will run from July 7th-August 15th?at Bowen School. ?Standard day, 8:30am-3:30pm, is $175 per week for Newton residents.? Extended day options are available from 8-5 or until 6.? Campers may participate in sports, arts and crafts, cooking, water play, and more.? For more information, contact Sasha Bordett at Newton Parks and Recreation at (617) 796-1500 or sbordett at newtonma.gov. ?Visit our website at http://www.ci.newton.ma.us/Parks/SummerCamps/t-ville for info and registration forms. ? ? ? CLASSIFIEDS ? ? All That Jazz Dance Studio All That Jazz Dance Studio is now accepting registration for the fall, as well as for our summer session: June 23rd-July 31st.?? New this summer: Dance Camp Intensive Programs for the weeks of June 23rd, July 7th, July 14th?and July 21st.? We offer classes in Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Hip Hop, Musical Theater Dance, Funky Jazz, and Modern/Lyrical for ages 2-adult.? Classes are taught by experienced professionals who love children and believe in making the process of learning how to dance fun.? Please call Deb Vogel at 617-641-0784, email her at missdeb at allthatjazznewton.com or check out our website: www.allthatjazznewton.com to find out more information and to register.? Don?t forget to ask Miss Deb about having your birthday party at All That Jazz!? -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://cabotpto.org/pipermail/cabotcommunity_cabotpto.org/attachments/20080520/16a63d4b/attachment.html -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Jabber_May_2008.doc Type: application/octet-stream Size: 253440 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://cabotpto.org/pipermail/cabotcommunity_cabotpto.org/attachments/20080520/16a63d4b/attachment.obj From auvpto at aol.com Wed May 21 13:03:55 2008 From: auvpto at aol.com (auvpto at aol.com) Date: Wed, 21 May 2008 13:03:55 -0400 Subject: [CabotCommunity] Budget Related - Last but not least..... Message-ID: <8CA897BC98ED5EB-89C-FCD@FWM-D28.sysops.aol.com> Hello Cabot community, I am sure most of you are disappointed at the results of last night special elections results. The override did not pass.? Yes we will have less money for our schools and municipality.? But it is reality and we have to face the mandate.? We will hear more form Dr. Quarcoo and the Jim Swaim in the coming weeks how Cabot will be directly affected under the Allocation budget as they roll out the plan for next year.? As Dr. Quarcoo has always assured the community, the school department will try to do its best to hire and keep the most staff.? We will keep you informed. We will have to remain positive and support the staff to do their best.? PTO will try to enrich as many programs that are possible under the equity guidelines and support the school in every way.? Please join us for the final PTO meeting on June 10th at 8:40 AM in the library, we will be discussing next year's budget and also learn how you can help make so many programs possible in the school.? Many of the PTO positions need volunteers, some require time at school, and some require time at home.? Your time will be worth spent in whatever way you can help us. Thanks to all of you for showing your support for our schools. ?Archana Vahalia Cabot PTO Co-President auvpto at aol.com 617-244-1435 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://cabotpto.org/pipermail/cabotcommunity_cabotpto.org/attachments/20080521/4032f547/attachment.html From marykathf at aol.com Thu May 22 15:55:07 2008 From: marykathf at aol.com (marykathf at aol.com) Date: Thu, 22 May 2008 15:55:07 -0400 Subject: [CabotCommunity] Meet interim principal Mr. Jim Swaim tomorrow morning Message-ID: <8CA8A5CDE8BC42A-15A0-C23@webmail-db21.sysops.aol.com> Meet & Greet Interim Principal Mr. Jim Swaim Tomorrow, May 23, 2008 8:30 ? 9:30am, Cabot Library You are all invited to come and meet Mr. Jim Swaim at an informal coffee this Friday, May 23, from 8:30 ? 9:30am in the Cabot School Library.? Please join us in welcoming the newly appointed interim principal for the 2008/09 school year into the Cabot?Community and to support him in his work with Cabot next year. Mary Kathryn & Archana -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://cabotpto.org/pipermail/cabotcommunity_cabotpto.org/attachments/20080522/71434da7/attachment.html From auvpto at aol.com Tue May 27 22:44:40 2008 From: auvpto at aol.com (auvpto at aol.com) Date: Tue, 27 May 2008 22:44:40 -0400 Subject: [CabotCommunity] June 3rd Color Day - Volunteers Needed Urgently Message-ID: <8CA8E83E951A7A9-62C-3789@WEBMAIL-MB11.sysops.aol.com> Hello everyone, most of the kids have been assigned a team color.? Lot of activities are planned for June 3rd, Color Day!? The success of this event depends on parent volunteers. ?We need?35 volunteers and so far very few peopel have signed up. Please join in your child's Color Day and help with this great end-of-the-schoolyear event marked by games, races, mystery counts, and other friendly competition.? Dana Bennett, PE teacher extraordinaire, needs 35 volunteers to man the activity stations and cheer our children on.? Can you help?? We need volunteers from 9:00 to approximately 12 o'clock.? Cross your fingers for great weather! Please RSVP as soon as possible to Daphne Potter (dfpotter at rcn.com) or 617-795-0540.? Thank you! ?Archana Vahalia Cabot PTO Co-President auvpto at aol.com 617-244-1435 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://cabotpto.org/pipermail/cabotcommunity_cabotpto.org/attachments/20080527/aec12b12/attachment.html From auvpto at aol.com Tue May 27 22:44:36 2008 From: auvpto at aol.com (auvpto at aol.com) Date: Tue, 27 May 2008 22:44:36 -0400 Subject: [CabotCommunity] June 3rd Color Day - Volunteers Needed Urgently Message-ID: <8CA8E83E6A305C9-62C-3788@WEBMAIL-MB11.sysops.aol.com> Hello everyone, most of the kids have been assigned a team color.? Lot of activities are planned for June 3rd, Color Day!? The success of this event depends on parent volunteers. ?We need?35 volunteers and so far very few peopel have signed up. Please join in your child's Color Day and help with this great end-of-the-schoolyear event marked by games, races, mystery counts, and other friendly competition.? Dana Bennett, PE teacher extraordinaire, needs 35 volunteers to man the activity stations and cheer our children on.? Can you help?? We need volunteers from 9:00 to approximately 12 o'clock.? Cross your fingers for great weather! Please RSVP as soon as possible to Daphne Potter (dfpotter at rcn.com) or 617-795-0540.? Thank you! ?Archana Vahalia Cabot PTO Co-President auvpto at aol.com 617-244-1435 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://cabotpto.org/pipermail/cabotcommunity_cabotpto.org/attachments/20080527/3adb8b17/attachment.html From marykathf at aol.com Fri May 30 13:40:48 2008 From: marykathf at aol.com (marykathf at aol.com) Date: Fri, 30 May 2008 13:40:48 -0400 Subject: [CabotCommunity] Extended opportunity to apply for Out of District placement In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <8CA90936C42A8C8-1348-12C4@MBLK-M18.sysops.aol.com> Dear Cabot Community, Dr.Quarcoo asked that we email this information to you.? There is a letter from Dr. Young, Superintendent of Schools, stating that they are extending the opportunity to apply for Out of District placement as a result of the failed override.?This would allow you to chose a school with a smaller?estimated class size if you are interested. ?Also attached is a worksheet which lists anticipated class size, by grade and by school, which may help you decide. Mary Kathryn Fallon Cabot PTO Co-President marykathf at aol.com 617-244-1821 ? -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://cabotpto.org/pipermail/cabotcommunity_cabotpto.org/attachments/20080530/479fa7bf/attachment.html -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: APP_FORM_ood.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 48313 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://cabotpto.org/pipermail/cabotcommunity_cabotpto.org/attachments/20080530/479fa7bf/attachment.pdf -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: 2008-09_ELEM_DRAFT_ARRAY_5.30.08.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 18797 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://cabotpto.org/pipermail/cabotcommunity_cabotpto.org/attachments/20080530/479fa7bf/attachment-0001.pdf