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Re-enrollment for the 2025-26 school year
Parents and caregivers have been sent an email with instructions about how to re-enroll through Veracross. Re-enrollment will also be available through the Veracross Parent Portal beginning in February. The deadline to re-enroll for next year is Feb. 15.
Yearbooks On Sale
The 2025 yearbook is now on sale. Our students are working hard to capture the events, activities and memories of this school year. Place your order for the yearbook on the Jostens Website.
Prime Time Sports pop-up store now open!
Prime Time Sports is one of our school store suppliers that is open only periodically throughout the year. Order your custom Nike down-fill parka or Nike club jogger pants before the deadline of Sunday. Feb. 9. Order here with username NEWTON, password ATHLETICS.
Athletics Spotlight: Show your Falcon Spirit! Wed. Feb. 12
All sports teams are at home, so we invite all families and fans to the Martin Center for a spirited afternoon cheering on our athletes. We have also invited prospective students to this event, so come show everyone what Falcon spirit looks like! Fan gear will also be handed out.
First Friday Prayer Service for Parents and Caregivers: Fri. Feb. 14 at 7:30am
We invite all parents and caregivers to gather in our chapel, the heart center of our school, for a brief guided prayer led by Sara Milone, Director of Mission and Ministry. Join us in carving out some time for contemplation and community. Reflective organ music will begin at 7:20am. Prayer will begin promptly at 7:30am and conclude by 7:45am. All are welcome to stay for coffee afterwards.
Presidents' Day - No School: Mon. Feb. 17
Head's Holiday - No School: Tue. Feb. 18
Prayers from the Heart: Fri. Feb. 21 at 7:45am and Online
“Aim unceasingly at becoming a soul of prayer.”- St. Madeleine Sophie Barat. Let the parent 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. There will be an in-person gathering on Fri. Jan. 17 from 7:45-8:15am in the Blue Room for all those who are interested in praying together.
Science and Engineering Fair: Wed. Feb. 26 from 3-7pm
The 30th annual Science and Engineering Fair will be held in the Arches Gym and Duchesne Hall. This is a dress event for all students in Grades 7 and 8, and Upper School students participating in Independent Research. Students stay at school through the awards ceremony. Judging of projects occurs between 3:30-6pm, during which parents are not admitted into the gym or Duchesne Hall. Parents may visit the exhibits after judging is complete, around 6pm. The awards ceremony in the Theatre begins at approximately 6:15pm and concludes by 7pm.
The Science Department seeks judges for the Fair. If you have a background in science, mathematics, engineering, or medicine, and are interested in volunteering, please visit the Science and Engineering Fair webpage or contact Tamas Molnar at x4961 or sefair@newtonSH.org.
Save the Date! Parent Education Speaker Series: Author Catherine Price | Wed. Apr. 16
Award-winning science journalist, speaker, and author Catherine Price is a leading voice in the national conversation about digital devices and how to create healthy relationships with technology. Her books include bestseller How to Break Up With Your Phone. Catherine will speak to students in grades 8-12 during the school day. For the evening event for parents/caregivers, space is limited; registration is required.
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. Please reach out to Frances Dingivan with any questions.
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 we experience several snow days, some could be structured as distance learning days. We would note the distance learning format in the Snow Day announcement. On distance learning days, teachers will communicate asynchronous assignments via Google Classroom by 9am. Assignments will be due the next time the course meets. If a student experiences a power outage or other weather-related complication, an extension will be granted.
Absence Policy
If a student is going to be absent or tardy, parents should notify the school before 9am. Parents may submit an attendance note on the Veracross Parent Portal or call the Academic Office directly: MS: (617) 559-4750, US: (617) 559-4747.
Lateness Policy
If a student arrives late to school (after 7:45am for MS, 7:55am for US), she is 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 her parents entering it directly via the Veracross Parent Portal or by calling the Academic Office directly: MS: (617) 559-4750, US: (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.
Please Refrain from Front Desk Drop-Offs
We kindly ask MS parents to refrain from dropping off items for their children during the school day. This policy is intended to minimize classroom disruptions and promote personal responsibility among our students. Please ensure your child arrives at school with everything she needs for the day, including her athletic attire or uniform, water bottle, homework, and any other necessary materials for class. Additionally, MS students are not permitted to retrieve items from the front desk until the end of the school day. Thank you for your understanding and support.
Winter Outdoor Recess
On school days after a fresh snow, students have the option to participate in outdoor sledding on campus during their recess block. In order for your child to participate in this optional recess activity, they will need to come to school with the appropriate outer garments which include a winter coat, gloves, boots and snow pants. Sleds are provided. Any questions, please reach out to Emily Horwitz, Grade 6 Lead Teacher.
Grades 5&6 Before School Robotics Club: Tuesdays at 7:15am
All 5th and 6th grade students are welcome to participate in the Before School Robotics Club that meets every Tuesday at 7:15am in the 5th grade homeroom. Reach out to Cindy Erickson with any questions.
Grade 8 Parent/Caregiver Visitation Day: Mon. Feb. 3
The program will begin at 8am and conclude with 8th grade parents and caregivers joining lunch in the Dining Commons.
Goal III Speaker Series: Tue. Feb. 4
Mary Delaney ’12 will join us as our next Goal III Guest Speaker to discuss her work as the Director of Malta Camp USA, a summer camp for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Mary is a graduate of MIT and is the Co-Founder and CEO of an AI startup focused on business analytics.
Grade 5 Voyagers and Grade 6 Explorers Excursion: Wed. Feb. 5
Grades 5 and 6 will visit St. Paul's Choir School in Cambridge, which is the only Catholic, all-boys choir school in the United States. During the trip, which connects to both their Religion and Chorus classes, students will observe a choral rehearsal learning the tradition and contemporary practice of sacred choral music. They will reflect upon the significance of religious art, architecture, and music as forms of prayer and reflection. During a question and answer time they will hear from the students of St. Paul's Choir School about their choral commitment and service to the community during their singing for daily mass at St. Paul's Parish. Students should dress in Mass attire that is appropriate for the weather.
MS Musical: Feb. 13 and 14
Our MS musical production of Beauty and the Beast Jr. will take place on Thu. Feb. 13 at 7pm and Fri. Feb. 14 at 6:30pm in the Sweeney-Husson Theatre. Please purchase your tickets in advance as we do anticipate this show to sell out!
Cast and crew of Beauty and the Beast Jr. have extended Tech and Dress Rehearsals on the following dates and times this month. The rehearsals listed below are all mandatory in order to participate in our shows. In addition, cast and crew stay after school on show days in order to warm up and prepare themselves for their evening performances. Dinner will be provided for cast/crew on show days.
- Fri. Feb. 7: 2:40-5:30pm
- Mon. Feb. 10: 3:10-6pm
- Tue. Feb. 11: 3:10-6pm
- Wed. Feb. 12: 2:40-6pm
- Thu. Feb. 13: 7-8:30pm (show day)
- Fri. Feb. 14: 6:30-8pm (show day)
Grade 8 Service Activity with St. Sebastian's: Thu. Feb. 27 from 5:30-7pm
Grade 8 students from Newton Country Day and St. Sebastian's participate in an evening of service and community building at Newton Country Day. Students will have a pizza dinner and work together to create no-sew fleece blankets for Project Linus. Please contact Catherine Barber at x4932 with any questions.
MS After School Program
The MS After-School Program is available for all students until 5:30pm 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 directly 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. 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.
Grade 12 Activities: Feb. 6-7
Due to the Grades 9-11 retreats happening the week of Feb. 3, Grade 12 students who are not serving as retreat leaders will take part in grade-level programming in lieu of regularly scheduled classes on Feb. 6-7. On Thursday, students will attend life skills workshops on campus and learn about the proposal process for their upcoming Senior Project. On Friday, students will have the option of either a.) doing research and meeting with faculty on campus to brainstorm and discuss possible Senior Project opportunities, or b.) doing field research to explore possible Senior Project sites off-campus. Attendance is mandatory on campus on Thursday; students exploring Senior Projects sites off-campus on Friday must have a parent call to inform the Academic Office of their off-campus plans. Contact Loren Cerami at x4936 with questions.
US Course Request Process: Tue. Feb. 11 from 7-8pm
Parents and caregivers of current grade 9 and 10 students will hear from the Head of US, College Guidance, Academic Schedulers, and Department Chairs regarding program offerings, course recommendations, and our design philosophy for building balanced schedules that develop skills and demonstrate strengths.
Squash attends US National Championships: Thu. Feb. 20
Our Varsity Squash team is heading to Philadelphia for the US Nationals. Best wishes for a strong showing!
Grades 9&10 Social with St. Sebastian’s: Fri. Feb. 21 from 6-7:30pm
St. Sebastian’s invites students in Grades 9 and 10 to an evening of pizza and games at St. Sebastian’s School. To attend, RSVP by Wed. Feb. 19. Students are encouraged to bring non-perishable goods to donate to the Catholic Charities food pantry. Please contact Ms. Hurley at x4842 or Mr. Szilvasy at x4843 with questions.
Newton Country Day vs. Dana Hall: Mon. Feb. 24
Come cheer on our Varsity and JV Basketball teams as they host rival Dana Hall. Go Falcons!
Hesed (Class of 2027): Project Proposals due July 1
On Jan. 14, sophomores received an introduction to the Hesed Project, a required 40-hour community service commitment that is integrated into the Religion 11 curriculum. Students are strongly advised to complete these projects during the summer prior to Junior year. Given the considerable commitment of time that Hesed entails, spring semester is a good time to reach out to service agencies to begin planning a schedule that is compatible with your family’s summer plans. The deadline for summer service project proposals (or a deferral to complete Hesed during the school year) is July 1. See a general overview of the Hesed program and its requirements. Students have access to more resources via Google Classroom. If there are any questions please contact Dr. Potter at x4757.
Upcoming Grade-Level Service Opportunities
During the 2024-2025 academic year, Newton Country Day has reinstated the longstanding initiative called Sophie’s Place, a Saturday devoted to welcoming residents from Hearth, a Boston-based residential non-profit organization with a mission to end homelessness for elders. Each class from the US will have the opportunity to plan, prepare, and serve a meal and host activities with our guests from Hearth in the school’s dining commons. This gives our girls the opportunity to deepen their awareness of the dignity of each person and of our responsibility to transform the world in a context of mutuality and reciprocity. The Junior class hosted a successful event on Sep. 28. The remaining dates are as follows:
- Sophomore Class – Sat. Mar. 1
- Freshman Class – Sat. Apr. 26
We will be reaching out to students in each grade level in the month prior to their class commitments. If you have any questions, please reach out to Mr. Veski.
Retreats
Attendance on overnight retreats is a requirement of the Religious Studies curriculum. All students are expected to attend in full. Students should not bring schoolwork, laptops, or other devices or materials that would distract them from full participation in the spiritual retreat.
- Tue. Feb. 4 – Fri. Feb. 7: Grade 11 Kairos Retreat. Grade 11 students will travel to Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center in West Hartford, CT, returning Friday evening. Basic bedding is provided, but students can bring sleeping bags, pillows, towels, and/or blankets to supplement. Students will receive more information about what to pack in the weeks leading up to the retreat. Contact Ms. Regan at x4918 or Dr. Potter at x4757 with any questions.
- Thu. Feb. 6 – Fri. Feb. 7: Grade 10 Retreat. Grade 10 students will travel to Camp Monadnock in Jaffrey, NH, returning to school by 3pm on Friday. Bedding is not provided, so students should bring sleeping bags, pillows, towels, and/or blankets. The class will receive more information about what to pack in the weeks leading up to the retreat. Contact Ms. Milone at x4727 or Mr. Ross at x4969 with questions.
- Thu. Feb. 6 – Fri. Feb. 7: Grade 9 Retreat. Grade 9 students will travel to LaSalette Retreat Center in Attleboro, MA, returning to school by 3pm on Friday. Bedding is not provided, so students should bring sleeping bags, pillows, towels, and/or blankets. The class will receive more information about what to pack in the weeks leading up to the retreat. Contact Ms. Hurley at x4842 or Ms. Regan at x4918 with questions.
- Thu. May 29 – Fri. May 30: Grade 12 Retreat. Grade 12 students will travel to the Craigville Retreat Center in Centerville, MA, returning to school by 3pm on Friday. Bedding is not provided, so students should bring sleeping bags, pillows, towels, and/or blankets and will receive more information about what to pack in the weeks leading up to the retreat. Contact Dr. Potter at x4757, Mr. Guzman at x4791 or Mr. Stephenson at x4964 with questions.
For Juniors:
Juniors should make an initial appointment to meet with a member of the College Counseling office. We encourage juniors to begin research on colleges during Spring Vacation. Families should note that whirlwind, cross-country tours are not necessary; even visiting a variety of colleges in the Boston area might be a helpful place to start, as juniors are just beginning to figure out the types of institutions that might interest them. Virtual visits are also an excellent option; travel is not mandatory at this point. Students can learn a lot about schools through online resources, college guidebooks, etc. Junior parents are welcome to call the College Counseling office throughout the remaining months of the spring semester with questions or to set up a meeting. The College Counseling office 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.
College Counseling - Junior Parent/Caregiver College Night presentation
For Seniors:
Seniors should keep the College Counseling Office informed as they continue to receive admissions decisions from colleges. They should come by to share their news, but it is also important that they update Naviance as decisions come in. This allows us to keep statistics on the colleges to which our students apply, which is extremely helpful as we counsel students in future years. Seniors should also feel free to take full advantage of our office in the coming months, especially if they need guidance when making the big decisions that lie ahead!
Keep an eye out for our monthly newsletter email, featuring the silver banner above!
Très Bien Auction Springs Into Community: Sat. Mar. 1 at 6pm, at Wellesley Country Club
Ticket sales are now open!
Contact Marie Carroll or Diane Cavallo for more information.
2024-25 PA Leadership
- President: Mary Moriarty P '25
- Officer: Rachel Busby P '23 '26 '29
- Officer: Angela Winchenbaugh P '20 '21 '26
- Officer: Emily Venanzi P '26
- Officer: Kelly Woolbert P '21 '23 '31