Courage and Confidence since 1880

Newton Notes: March 2024
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All-School Announcements

Prayers from the Heart: Online
“Aim unceasingly at becoming a soul of prayer.”- St. Madeleine Sophie Barat. Let the parent/caregiver community pray for your special prayer intention by submitting a prayer request via the Veracross Parent Portal, with the option to request confidentiality. Parents who are interested may also volunteer to pray for the intentions of the community by subscribing to the Prayers from the Heart community located on the Parent Portal.

Virtual Family Conferences: Signup opens Mon. Mar. 4
Families will receive a link on Mon. Mar. 4 from Veracross to sign up for conference times. Students in grades 5-11 participate in virtual Family Conferences on Thu. Apr. 4 (2pm - 8pm) and Fri. Apr. 5 (8am - 4pm).These conferences are intended for families to meet with each academic teacher. Upper School athletes should consider the following schedule when selecting conference times:

  • Thu. Apr. 4 (dismissal at 12:15 pm)
    • Crew 12:45-3 pm
    • Varsity Lacrosse 1-2:30 pm
    • Varsity Softball 1 -2:30 pm
    • Varsity Tennis 1-2:30 pm
    • Varsity Golf 1-2:30 pm
  • Fri. Apr. 5 (no classes, seniors at IMPACT program)
    • All practices/games will start after 4 pm

Spring Vacation: Fri. Mar. 8 - Mon. Mar. 25
Classes resume Tue. Mar. 26.

Course Request Process: Mar. 26 - Apr. 19
Current ninth, tenth, and eleventh grade students will engage in the course request process for the 2024-25 school year between Mar. 26 and Apr.19. Advisors will reach out after Spring Vacation to schedule a conference in which each student, parent, and advisor collaborate to design an academic program that facilitates appropriate challenge, balance, and engagement. Course Request forms are due to advisors on Apr. 19. Students traveling as part of the Sacred Heart Exchange program can expect accommodations to this timeline as needed. A forthcoming email will communicate more information on the process and its design principles.

Mission & Ministry: Braiding Sweetgrass In-Person Gathering: Wed. Mar. 27 from 12-1 pm, Blue Room
All those who read Braiding Sweetgrass during Lent, either independently or as part of a parent book circle group, are invited to gather in person for connection, conversation, and community.

Good Friday: Fri. Mar. 29 - No School

Easter Monday: Mon. Apr. 1 - No School

Save the Date! Blessing of the Upper School Spring Athletes: Mon. Apr. 8, 6:15 pm, The Martin Center
We invite families of Upper School spring season athletes to a blessing immediately after practices. Dress is casual.

Save the Date! Mater Brunch and Family Mass: Sun. Apr. 21
We invite all mothers, caregivers, and students to Mater Brunch, followed by a Family Mass Family Mass held in Trinity Chapel. Fr. Terry Devino, SJ will be presiding. Please contact Sara Milone (x4727) if you are interested in participating in the mass.

Summer Programs: Registration is open!
Registration for summer programs and sports clinics is now open. See the schedule of programs and register online.

Used Textbook Donation
The NCDS library gratefully accepts donations of gently-used Upper School textbooks. Donations can be dropped off with Mrs. Cedrone at the front desk.

Snow Day Protocol
In the event of a snow day, all classes and activities are canceled. No classes will meet, and no additional work will be assigned. Students may choose to work on long-term assignments and previously assigned work; they may also find it beneficial to organize the school materials they have with them or read a good book.

Should the conditions merit a school closure for more than one day in a row, the subsequent day(s) will be structured as distance learning days. On distance learning days, all scheduled classes will meet at their appointed times. Homeroom and assemblies will not be held to allow screen breaks throughout the day. Students will use the Google Meet link posted in the Google Classroom for each course. If a student experiences a power outage or other weather-related complication, a parent/caregiver should notify the Academic Office.

Buses for Delayed Starts
If NCDS has a delayed start due to weather, the Boston and MetroWest Buses will depart from each of their respective stops 15 minutes later than the regularly scheduled time. This allows students an extra few minutes to get to the bus, and it allows the bus to travel at a safe speed.

Absence Policy
If a student is going to be absent or tardy, parents/caregivers should notify the school before 9 am. Parents/caregivers may submit an attendance note on the Veracross Parent Portal or call the Academic Office directly: MS at (617) 559-4750, US at (617) 559-4747.

Lateness Policy
If a student arrives late to school (after 7:55 am), they are to report immediately to either the MS Academic Office or to the Front Desk if in the US to be recorded present before going to class. Late arrivals may only be excused by a note from a medical professional.

Early Dismissal Policy
Students may not leave before the end of the school day without permission from a parent/caregiver. Any student who has an appointment that necessitates being dismissed early must have this information noted in Veracross either by their parents/caregivers entering it directly via the Veracross Parent Portal or by calling the Academic Office directly: MS at (617) 559-4750, US at (617) 559-4747. Students must sign out at the Front Desk when they leave. Please make every effort to align early dismissal times with the end of class period time to reduce distraction to classroom learning.

MBTA Student CharlieCards
MBTA Student CharlieCards are available through the school. Girls interested in using a student CharlieCard can receive a Student Value CharlieCard, a stored value card that only charges the student fare each time it is used. Students load the card themselves with funds at CharlieCard machines at MBTA stations. If during any month a student loads the card with $30, that card will allow the student to use the card for unlimited trips for that particular month. Therefore, if you would like your card to become an unlimited ride card for a particular month, do not load that card until the first day of that month. Boston residents are eligible for a free MBTA student pass known as an M7. Please contact Ms. Dingivan at x4717 with questions.

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Middle School Announcements

Voyagers Excursion to Museum of Science: Wed. Mar. 6
With their Wellness and Dance classes, students will visit the Hall of Human Life at the Museum of Science to learn about the functions of the human body and the connection between anatomy and dance. As a jumping-off point for their final units of the year, students will also explore the butterfly and insect exhibits, which will tie in directly to their Celebration of the Arts performance in May.

MS After-School Program
The MS After-School Program is available for all students until 5:30 pm each day. Students who take the Boston or MetroWest buses will be supervised until bus departure. Students should be picked up within 15 minutes of the end of the school day, or after school activities (sports or musical). Any student unattended for more than 15 minutes after school/sports/musical dismissal is expected to sign in to the After-School Program on the third floor. Once a MS student leaves campus at the end of the day, the assumption is that she has left campus for the day. The After-School Program elective offered this term is Chess skills. Please remember to text the After-School number (617) 631-0535 when you arrive to pick up your child. Please reach out to Ms. Kumi, the director of our After-School Program, at x4909 with questions.

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Upper School Announcements

Catholic Memorial Freshman and Sophomore Semi-Formal: Fri. Mar. 15
The Catholic Memorial School Student Council has cordially invited members of our 9th and 10th grade to a semi-formal dance on Fri. Mar. 15 from 7 to 10 pm in the CM gymnasium. The event will be chaperoned by CM administrators and faculty. All NCDS 9th and 10th graders are invited to attend, whether or not they are an invited date of a CM student. Students interested in attending should click here to find out more and to register by Wed. Mar. 13. The sign-up form outlines CM’s safety protocols and expectations for arrival, attendance, and departure. CM will then send an email to the parents/guardians of registered students the day before on Thu. Mar. 14 with all relevant details and contact information.

Grade 12 IMPACT Program: Fri. Apr. 5
On Fri. Apr. 5 seniors will participate in a day-long self-defense training program. Attendance is mandatory. Students should arrive in time for regular homeroom at 7:45 am and will be done by 2:30 pm dismissal. The IMPACT program focuses on personal safety, assertiveness and empowerment. Students should dress comfortably and wear sneakers. Contact Ms. Cerami at x4936 with questions.

Junior-Senior Prom: Sat. Apr. 6, Venezia Boston
Members of the classes of 2024 and 2025 and their guests are invited to the Prom on Sat. Apr. 6. A Pre-Prom Reception will be held at Newton Country Day from 5:30-6:30 pm. Buses depart NCDS at 6:30 pm and return to NCDS by 10 pm. Tickets must be purchased by Mar. 7. The cost of attendance is $125 per ticket. Please use this link for payment. Contact Ms. Kenney at x4756 with questions.

Save the Date! Leadership Training: Jun. 7
All Upper School students elected to the following leadership positions for 2024-2025 are expected to attend a leadership training to prepare for the upcoming school year:

  • Student Government
  • Committee Heads
  • Affinity Group Heads
  • Honor Committee
  • Peer Education Committee
  • Senior Mentors for Gr. 9&10

Elections for these positions will take place this spring. Any student planning to run for office should mark Jun. 7 on the calendar to ensure she is available for the leadership training, if elected. Please contact Ms. Spelman at x4848 with any questions.

Upper School Summer Computer Science Courses
These summer courses are for-credit and require full attendance and timely completion of all assignments. Limited financial aid is available for qualified students. Registrations will be accepted on a first come, first served basis. Please contact Martha Haddad at x4713 with any questions. Cost, dates, registration, and other information

  • Computer Science I: This is the same course that most students take their 9th grade year and fulfills the Computer Science requirement at NCDS. Registration for this course will open mid-April.
  • Software Engineering & Introduction to Data Science: This is the same course that many students take during the regular school year and is the prerequisite for AP Computer Science A.

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College Guidance

Juniors:
Many juniors have already made their first appointment with a member of the College Guidance team; any juniors who have not yet done so should schedule an appointment as soon as possible. We encourage each junior to conduct some initial college research over Spring Vacation, which may include “virtual visits” if in-person visiting is not possible. Junior parents and caregivers are welcome to call the College Guidance office throughout the rest of the semester. We are happy to answer your questions over the phone or meet with you (via Zoom or in person) in the months ahead.

College Guidance uses Naviance to manage the college application process. Each junior has been given a username and a password and is expected to log onto the Naviance system. We rely on the program to help manage both the research and application process and have found it to be very efficient and helpful to both students and parents.

Parents and students can follow this timeline to access resources and deadlines: Timeline: The College Application Process, Jan '24 to May '25

Seniors:
Most regular decision results will be coming out in the next few weeks. Please know that we are available to help students and their families talk through the difficult but exciting decisions ahead.

Students/families are advised to reach out directly to each college if they have FAFSA questions.

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Parents' Association

PIN Meeting: Tue. Mar. 5 at 12 pm (on Zoom)

2023-24 PA Leadership

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