The Underwood teachers and staff have been working extremely hard in this transition to distance learning. If time allows, please consider one of the following ways to show your appreciation: Zoom Meeting: Have your student draw a picture or write a short note to their teacher(s) and hold it up during their whole class Zoom meeting next week. Email (from you and/or your student): Snap a photo of your student holding a drawing or letter by your student and email it to your teacher(s) with a note of appreciation from you or your student. NPS Social Media: Please join us to say thank you to all NPS teachers by submitting a thank you card, photo or video. Use this form to submit your creation and look for it on our social media channels next week!https://forms.gle/65Wao2kNJHcShX6F7 Newton Schools Foundation Honor Thy READ MORE
The Hoot
3 Ingredient Strawberry Jam
by: Mrs. Tucker (1st grade teacher) A few years ago, I took a jam making class with my mom and my niece. I had never made jam before and felt a little intimidated because I knew we’d have to boil it just right and was worried about ruining it. It ended up being such a fun class and a great way to spend quality family time. This recipe is not the same one I learned in that class, but it’s a much simpler version and I think is something any family could make at home! Source: I found this recipe on the website: https://www.scatteredthoughtsofacraftymom.com/quick-homemade-strawberry-jam/ Ingredients 16 oz strawberries3/4 cup white sugar2 tbs lemon juice Recipe Steps Hull and coarsely chop your strawberries and save them to the side. In a heavy bottom saucepan, mix strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice. Stir READ MORE
Grandma Gluck Spaghetti Sauce
by: Mr. Gluck (Building Aide) Grandma taught us how to make this when we were little! A family favorite for decades. Source: Grandmother Ingredients Head of garlicTablespoon olive oil1 pound ground beef (can substitute Beyond Meat or Impossible Meat)Tablespoon dried BasilTablespoon dried OreganoTeaspoon saltTeaspoon pepper1 cup breadcrumbs1 egg2 large cans tomato sauce1 large can tomato paste Recipe Steps In a deep pot, saute the garlic in the olive oil at a low temperature until it is a touch brown. Mix together beef, egg, breadcrumbs and all herbs/spices. Roll the mixture into meatball size balls and drop them in the pot one at a time. Once they are all in turn up heat to medium to fry and thoroughly cook meatballs (about 10 minutes). Stir constantly. Once the meat is cooked add tomato sauce and paste and turn heat to low. READ MORE
Fucarile Family Meatloaf
by: Mrs. Fucarile (Kindergarten Teacher) Growing up my family owned an Italian restaurant that kept us very busy, so dinner time was important to all be together. My favorite night would be Tuesday nights, as my mom would make meatloaf. I would come home from practice or school to the smell of it cooking. It was a smell and a feeling I would never forget. Source: This recipe came from my mother Barbara. When I graduated from college my mom made me my very own recipe book. I bet you can guess the first recipe I tried to make 🙂 Ingredients 1 pound of ground beef1 egg1 cup of plain bread crumbs1 large chopped onion1/4 cup of parsley1 teaspoon of salt1 teaspoon of garlic powder1/4 cup water (use more if it seems too dry)Oregano Olive Oil My family was a READ MORE
Handwriting Tips for Parents
Sliders + The Rest Join Mrs. Roberta Whalen, Underwood’s Occupational Therapist, as she reviews fun exercises with sliders and the rest! The presentation takes you through a narrated slide deck. Please contact Mrs. Whalen directly via email if you have any questions! Straight Lines + Trace Overs Join Mrs. Roberta Whalen, Underwood’s Occupational Therapist, as she reviews fun exercises with straight lines and trace overs! The presentation takes you through a narrated slide deck. Please contact Mrs. Whalen directly via email if you have any questions! Magic C Letter Fun Join Ms. Roberta Whalen, Underwood’s Occupational Therapist, as she reviews fun exercises with Magic C Letters! The presentation takes you through a narrated slide deck. Please contact Ms. Whalen directly via email if you have any questions! Handwriting Tips Join Ms. Roberta Whalen, Underwood’s Occupational Therapist, as she addresses a READ MORE
Banana and Chocolate Chip Power Cake Muffins
by: Ms. Murphy (Grade 5) I love making these muffins with my nieces as a healthy breakfast snack! They love the banana and chocolate chip mixture in each bite : ) Source: Kodiak Cakes: Power Cakes Muffins Ingredients 2 cups kodiak cakes mix3/4 cup milk1/2 cup brown sugar1/4 cup butter, melted2 bananas, mashed1 egg1 tsp cinnamon1 tsp vanilla1/2 mini chocolate chips Recipe Steps Preheat oven to 350 Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and blend until smooth. Fill greased muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake at 350 for 16-18 minutes. Enjoy : )
Lemon Turmeric Cake
by: Ms. Phillips (ELL teacher) My sister and I made this cake recently while at home. We enjoy trying out new recipes together, and this one was delicious. I hope you enjoy turning sour lemons into this sweet treat! Source: Nothing Fancy cookbook by Alison Roman Ingredients 1 1/2 cups flour2 tsp baking powder1 tsp salt3/4 tsp ground turmeric1 cup + 2 tbsp sugar1 1/2 lemon ( 2 tbsp lemon zest, 2 tbsp lemon juice, half lemon thinly sliced)3/4 cup sour cream or full-fat greek yogurt2 large eggs1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted Recipe Steps Preheat oven to 350F and lightly grease loaf pan (line pan with parchment paper if desired) In medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and turmeric In large bowl, combine 1 cup of sugar with lemon zest, rub together with fingers until the sugar READ MORE
UWD COVID-19 Gift Card Drive
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the generous donations of gift cards to grocery stores (Shaws, Stop and Shop) from so many Underwood families. There is a tremendous need for them and your thoughtfulness is greatly appreciated. If you are considering donating grocery store gift cards for our families with food insecurity, we ask that you send e-gifts or mail physical gift cards in increments of $20, $25 or $50. For example, if you are looking to donate $100 please break that in to 2 – $50 gift cards or 4 – $25.00 gift cards. Please know that all donations both large and small make a big difference! As a reminder you can email your donation as an e-gift to Nurse Carrie at gatelyca@newton.k12.ma.us or send them via UPS to: Underwood Gift Card DriveAttn: Carrie Gately316 Franklin READ MORE
Underwood PTO Events
All PTO Events are cancelled for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. If you have questions or suggestions, please contact the Underwood PTO at underwoodpto@gmail.com. No School Apr 10th – Good Friday Apr 20th – Patriot’s Day Virtual Apr 28th – PTO Meeting Cancelled Mar 11th – PTO Meeting Mar 13th – 5th Grade B-ball Game Mar 18th – Bertucci’s Dining for Dollars Mar 18th – 5th Grade Yogurt Beach Fundraiser Apr 3rd – Bertucci’s Pizza Making Night Apr 8th – Cultural Fair Poster Making Session Apr 14th – Teacher Appreciation Luncheon Apr 26th and 29th – Newton Serves May 29th – Underwood Carnival Jun 5th – Movie Night Jun 16th – Color Day Rescheduled to Fall 2020 Apr 15th – Cultural Fair May 6th – Fun Run
Principal Updates
June 16, 2020 See Principal Harold’s final message below with June, July and August birthday announcements! May 31, 2020 May 29, 2020 Ms. Harold says hello and announces the May Birthdays. May 28, 2020 May 27, 2020 May 18, 2020 May 15, 2020 Dear Underwood Community, Please see the video below to see whooo’s cooking. Please add to our community cookbook and share your favorite recipe. Have a great weekend. Elaine May 9, 2020 Play the Staff Hat Game below. May 4, 2020 April 30, 2020 Underwood’s report can be accessed here: http://reportcards.doe.mass.edu/2019/02070115. April 27, 2020 Dear Underwood Families, I recognize that the Governor’s announcement about schools in Massachusetts being closed for the rest of the year was perhaps expected news and unsettling at the same time. I know that the news left me feeling a sense of loss for READ MORE
NPS Learning From Home
March 18, 2020 Dear NPS Families, Thank you for your patience as we have worked with our NPS administrators and faculty to determine the best way to provide learning opportunities to our students during this extended school closure. As many of you have quickly learned over the past few days, it is not possible to truly replicate the traditional PreK-12 school day at home. School is a place where learning is engaging, creative, and differentiated. It is a place where students receive academic, as well as social and emotional supports. And so, while we cannot re-create the school day at home, we can provide you with resources that will provide continuity of learning for our students during this uncertain time. NPS Learning from Home Below you will find links to resource pages our teachers and staff have compiled for families. The resources READ MORE
Learning Ideas and Resources
Many families have reached out with questions regarding learning resources. On March 18th, the school district released their NPS Learning From Home material and can be accessed here The Underwood PTO gathered a set of free resources and ideas in the listing below and we will update these periodically MATH Math Playground Hooda Math Kahn Academy NPS K-5 Family Math Page SCIENCE Mystery Science National Geographic Kids San Francisco Exploratorium: Make sense of COVID-19 at home with your child. Cincinnati Zoo: Home Safari Facebook Live weekdays at 3pm. They will highlight one of their amazing animals and include an activity you can do from home. Science Projects: Review the Scientific Method with your student, select a science experiment together, perform the experiment, and present the experiment results on paper or in a Google Slide presentation. Share the project READ MORE