Note: This newsletter will be published monthly throughout the school year, for a total of 8 issues. It will include columns as they are submitted by Underwood Principal Suzie Talukdar, PTO Co-Presidents Amy Davis and Laura Goldworm, and the school staff. It will also include a school calendar, and school and district-wide news.For questions, email underwoodpto@gmail.com. School Calendar Letter From the Principal Dear Underwood Families, It was my pleasure to see many of you at our recent PTO meeting with special guest, Dr. David Fleishman, NPS Superintendent of Schools. At that time, information was discussed that involved the experience within the Hybrid and DLA learning models as well as some upcoming changes. In addition to learning model changes that occurred on November 30 (i.e. transfers between DLA & Hybrid), we now know that beginning on January 4, 2021 the school day will READ MORE
Category: News
Upcoming Underwood Events
Hello Underwood Families! As we get closer to Thanksgiving and the holiday season, we wanted to flag some upcoming Underwood events! Book Fair Teacher Wish Lists – Ends 11/22There are just four more days to maximize book fair fundraising benefits for the Underwood Community. After 11/22, the amount the Underwood PTO raises per $1 decreases by 50%. Our fabulous teachers have created wish lists for books that will be for their classroom and students. Please consider purchasing a book for your child’s teacher: Ms. BardinMs. CipollaMs. CastodioMs. HullMs. MelansonMs. Murphy PTO Meeting Featuring Dr. Fleishman – 12/3We are excited to announce a special guest for our next Underwood PTO meeting! Dr. Fleishman, Newton Superintendent of Schools, will join us on December 3rd at 7:00pm. Questions need to be submitted in advance to: underwoodpto@gmail.com. Zoom Meeting LinkMeeting ID: 937 335 2198Passcode: 956516One tap mobile: +13126266799,,9373352198#,,,,,,0#,,956516# CAS READ MORE
Women in World Jazz Concerts
Creative Arts & Sciences is proud to present Women in World Jazz webinar-style virtual concerts* for schools that missed their spring performances. Included during the presentation will be live and pre-recorded performances, and virtual collaborations. Members of the ensemble will share information about the music of the featured composers. Underwood’s performance dates are as follows and DLA students will attend the performance with their neighborhood school hybrid classmates. Wednesday, 12/16, 9:15 – Grades 3-5 Cabot, Peirce, Underwood, Zervas, Horace Mann Wednesday, 1/13, 9:15 – Grades K-2 Angier, Cabot, Underwood, Zervas, Horace Mann Creative Arts & Sciences enrichment programming is made possible by generous contributions to each school’s PTO. Thank you for your support! Download the Brochure: *Webinar links will be distributed to students by the school’s administration prior to the performance date.
PTO Newsletter, November 12, 2020
School Calendar Mon, Nov 9th – Sunday, Nov 22nd Online Book Fair Fri, Nov 13th DLA Supply Bag Pick-Up Thurs, Nov 26th – Fri, Nov 27th Thanksgiving Break – NO SCHOOL Thurs, Dec 3rd Virtual PTO Meeting andBertucci’s Night Letter From the Principal Dear Underwood Families, Whether we are talking about wild weather forecasts, rising state and national covid rates or the presidential election, November has been eventful to say the least. All too frequently we fail to recognize the toll these sorts of events have on our lives and the exhaustion it can create for many, including young children. While we are moving into more rigorous work across the disciplines, I am pleased that teachers spent the early part of our school year studying our students, learning who they are, and working to meet their social and emotional needs. Teachers and students READ MORE
Underwood PTO Fundraising Events!
Hello Underwood Parents, We have aspirational fundraising goals for the 2020-2021 school year as we increase our support of our classroom teachers and local families. We hope you can join us at our upcoming events! Virtual Cooking Class with Renown Chef – This Saturday 10/17, Limited Spots Remaining! We invite you to join your fellow Underwood Families for a fun and exciting cooking class via Zoom. We will be learning how to make a mushroom risotto and chicken marsala worthy of the North End! The cost is $85 per family and all proceeds will benefit the Underwood community. Sign up here for a delicious evening with our community! The menu can be tailored to meet nearly every dietary restriction. No mushrooms, no problem! Chef Joe will be sending out a customized shopping list ahead of dinner. We have just a couple of spots available, so please sign up by tomorrow, READ MORE
Upcoming Underwood PTO Events
Hello Underwood Families! We’ve got some awesome upcoming events for you! Please mark your calendar and join us! Playground Meet Ups : 10/1 – 10/13Safe Routes to SchoolWalk & Roll to School Week: 10/5-10/9FORJ Events: 10/14 & 10/27Underwood Fundraiser – Virtual Culinary Event: 10/17Underwood Fundraiser – Bertuccis: 11/5 Playground Meet Ups(DATE CORRECTIONS AND ADDITIONS) Thank you to everyone who has been able to join our playground meet ups! We’ve made some date corrections and added new dates for Mrs. Tucker and Miss Cipolla’s cohorts. Thursday 10/1 – Mrs. White’s 2nd Grade – Cohort A 4-5pm, Cohort B 5-6pmFriday 10/2 – Ms. Melanson’s 3rd Grade – Cohort A 4-5pm, Cohort B 5-6pmpmMonday 10/5 – Ms. Hull’s 4th Grade – Cohort A 4-5pm, Cohort B 5-6pmTuesday 10/6 – Ms. Bardin’s 4th Grade Cohort A 4-5pm, Cohort B 5-6pmWednesday 10/7 – Ms. Castodio’s 5th Grade Cohort A 4-5pm, Cohort B 5-6pmThursday 10/8 – Ms. Murphy’s 5th READ MORE
Picture Day @ Underwood 2020
Dear Underwood Families, I hope each one of you enjoyed the long weekend and, if you were observing the holiday, I hope you had an easy and meaningful fast. I am writing to share information with all families about Picture Day 2020 at the Underwood School. Coffee Pond will be taking school portraits of Underwood students in the Distance Learning Academy on Thursday, October 8th and Tuesday, October 13th outside Underwood after school from 3:30-4:30pm. Please click here to sign your child(ren) up for a 10 minute time slot. Please arrive as close to your chosen time as possible to limit the number of people gathered. Coffee Pond has introduced online ordering and a new barcode scanning system to eliminate the need to pass paper between individuals. Please order your photos at https://www.coffeepond.com/ in advance of your child’s picture day. Coffee Pond’s Covid-19 Safety Measures and Online Ordering Instructions are attached. You do not READ MORE
Face Masks and Directory Update
We hope you’re all doing well and hanging in there as you navigate the return to school. We have a few updates to share with you this week: PTO Face Mask FundraiserWe have procured Underwood custom face masks for kids from the local retailer Rafi Nova. The masks are adjustable to fit your child’s face and come in three colors: purple, grey, and blue. Our first batch is in limited quantities, so please check them out today!https://forms.gle/GNdKxQ9zGea4Ymin9 PTO Directory: Please Update Your Family InformationIncluding your family’s updated information in this year’s directory is more important than ever, as NPS will no longer be providing class lists due to privacy laws. Membership Toolkit will be a way for families in the Hybrid Model and Distance Learning Academy to connect with each other and have a list of classmates across Underwood. Once you have updated READ MORE
Room Parent/Guardian Volunteers Needed
Welcome to an unusual school year! I’m your PTO Room Parent Coordinator, and have also been a room parent every year my kids have been at Underwood! (This year my son, Kai, will be in 4th grade and my daughter Juju just moved on to Bigelow.) I’d like to welcome back all returning families, welcome new Underwood families, and explain how room parenting this year will look different from past years. Room Parenting During the 2020-21 Academic Year This year, so much has changed, and the Room Parent role has shifted accordingly. The Cohort and DLA structure has required us to make changes to the specifics of the room parent role: Most importantly, the focus this year will be on communication and community. Please read below to understand more about the specific room parent roles under each model. Room READ MORE
Upcoming Events – September 2020
Hello Underwood Families! We hope you’re all settling in to your new school routines. We have a few upcoming events to share with you: Virtual PTO Meeting Tomorrow – Tuesday, September 29th at 7:00pm Join our first PTO Meeting of the school year to learn more about what the PTO does, what to expect for the upcoming year, and how you can get involved! We will also be raffling off this amazing Fall Date Night gift basket: wool blanket, wine glasses and a bottle of Underwood Pino Noir. Meeting ID: 394 141 2138 Passcode: 310918 Playground Meetups! We’re kicking off a series of playground meetups by Cohort and Grade. DLA students are welcome to join either grade cohort! Tuesday 9/29 – Mrs. Tucker’s 1st Grade – Cohort A 4-5pm, Cohort B 5-6pmWednesday 9/30 – Ms. Cippola’s 1st Grade – Cohort A 4-5, Cohort READ MORE
New School Year Information – 2020-2021
Welcome back to school! We hope your family had a happy and healthy summer and is excited to be back at Underwood for what will be a year like no other. We are truly looking forward to working with you and getting to know you this year through our roles with the PTO Board. Please take a few minutes to read through this Welcome Packet with information about the following: Underwood Merchandise Principal Talukdar Updates Upcoming Events Classroom Volunteer Opportunities Membership Toolkit – Online Directory Absence/Tardy Call Back System As Underwood parents or guardians, you are all automatically members of the PTO! Your willingness to participate and volunteer as you are able, given your unique family and work commitments, is paramount to the success, strength, and energy of our PTO and community. Our PTO Board and Committees are comprised of volunteers working throughout the year to organize READ MORE
Letter from the PTO Co-Presidents
Hello Underwood Families, As the school year comes to a close, we would like to acknowledge and thank the teachers, staff, volunteers and parents that have come together and really stepped up to help our students through this very uncertain time. Your participation and support now and throughout the school year is what makes the Underwood community such a special one! Thank You Principal HaroldWe would also like to send a heartfelt thank you and well wishes to Principal Elaine Harold as she transitions out of her role as interim principal at Underwood. Her leadership, hard work, and commitment to the Underwood staff, teachers, students, and families throughout the school year and particularly during this uncertain time is very much appreciated. If time allows, please show your appreciation before June 18th. Email (from you and/or your student): Snap a photo READ MORE