Ms. Cohen's Kindergarten Classes Collect Pajamas for the Pajama Program

Both of Ms. Cohen's Kindergarten classes have just completed a pajama collection for the Pajama Program, an organization that provides new books and pajamas to children in need. The classes collected 22 pairs of pajamas and Scholastic Books offered to match each pajama donation with a new book. The Kindergarteners learned about the value of giving to others who may not have as much as they do and how pajamas are something that every child needs, but don't always have.

Hillside 5th Graders Decorate Holiday Gift Bags for the Needham Community Council

In the spirit of being thankful and giving back, Hillside's entire 5th grade class spent part of the day before the Thanksgiving holiday decorating gift bags for the Needham Community Council under the direction of Mrs. Geary.  The bags were delivered to the food pantry and filled with personal care items for our community members in need.  Students wrote notes of holiday cheer for each bag they decorated, and had fun putting their personal touches on the bags.

Mitchell's "Pie in the Sky" and Holiday Card Making Event

 

The Community Service Learning Committee is sending out a huge "Thank you" to all the families who purchased Thanksgiving pies for the "Pie in the Sky" fundraiser for Community Servings, and to the 30 students and their parents who participated in the associated holiday card making event.  The Mitchell community purchased 114 pies, raising $3,185, which allows Community Servings to feed a critically ill client and family for 114 weeks, or over 2 years.  The students also made 79 holiday cards that will be sent with the prepared meals during the month of December.  See more photos here.  

 

50 Bags of Food!

Congratulations to Mrs. Spinney's Class. These Mitchell 2nd graders collected 50 bags of food for the Food Pantry! The class accompanied their treasure to the Food Pantry to learn more about how we help people in need.

Mitchell Goes to the Food Pantry

Ms. Szums' second graders support the Needham Food Pantry!  They started their day collecting food items in the entire Mitchell School Community. After bagging the donations, each child carried a bag to Mrs. Murroff's car. Next students boarded a bus to the food pantry where they sorted and helped organize food items. In addition, they toured the Needham Community Council building where they visited the Thrift Shop and Conference Room. They also learned about other services the NCC offers residents such as medical equipment loans, the CAP program, and lessons people learning English. Ms. Szumís students learned a lot while helping others in their community. Oct 2015

Hillside Needham Water Project 2015

Follow Hillside students through a year, as they learn about water in Needham, water in other countries, how to assess water quality, conservation and finally as they help others gain access to clean water.

Hillside Update: Ms. Tarantino's First Grade Class Helps Animal Shelter

During the past couple months, Ms. Tarantino's First Grade class organized a collection for the MSPCA. The class learned about animal care and animal needs. Dr. Bracker, Story Bracker's father, a Veterinarian who works for the MSPCA emergency department, visited the classroom to teach the students about animal health and animal care.  The students in turn promoted the need for pet food,  toys, blankets and other items that pets need, which were collected at Hillside and then donated to the MSPCA.

The Needham High School Red Cross Club: If You Could March A Mile In My Shoes

High School students in the Red Cross Club earned CSL credit for their participation this entire year planning and for interviewing homeless US veterans currently sheltered at the New England Center for Homeless Veterans in Boston, MA.  NHS Red Cross Members took these interviews and transformed the words and stories into art projects; using shoes and boots as canvasses. The show was called "If You Could March A Mile In My Shoes" and has been exhibited at the American Red Cross Headquarters in Cambridge, MA.  The art opening was May 18, 2015.  Both the students and veterans attended. The veterans were deeply moved by these art pieces representing their lives.

 

 

Hillside's Latest CSL Projects

May has been a busy month at Hillside for Community Service Learning. 4Hsu and their buddies, 2Watts did such a great job performing and brightening their Senior Buddies' day at Avery Senior Center in May. They sang songs, recited poetry, passed out tissue paper flowers and took the time to talk with our Buddies about their lives and interests. It was really sweet to see the students interacting so nicely with their Senior Buddies. Please see attached pictures. 

Community Service Learning at Pollard

Second Grade Buddies

On May 7, 2015 cluster 7-5 went to The Newman School to work with the second grade students. Prior to this event, the 7th grade students worked hard in their science classes to write and illustrate age-appropriate stories about evolution. They read these stories to the 2nd graders and took the opportunity to get to know other students outside their grade level. After completing the stories the 7th graders then helped the 2nd graders create a poem about their favorite place, and accompanied them on stage as the second graders presented their stories to everyone. Overall it was an enjoyable day which allowed the students to take leadership responsibilities and work with other students they would not normally see throughout the course of a typical day. Mr. Bayse, the assistant principal at Newman, expressed he was very impressed with the multi-age activity and hopes that Pollard continues it in the future.

Seventh Grade Walk-a-thon

On May 7th, Cluster 7-3 organized a fundraiser Walk-a-thon at DeFazio Field to benefit LoveLane, a therapeutic horseback riding program that helps children with special needs.

Prior to the Walk-a-thon, Sally Spiers, Director at Lovelane, came to Pollard to speak with the cluster about their program.

On the same day, Cluster 7-4 organized a fundraiser Walk-a-thon at DeFazio Field to benefit the Needham Community Council, a non-profit organization that supports people in need within the Needham community. The organization provides a variety of different programs that support all ages including a food pantry, thrift shop, a courtesy van, and tutoring. Following the event, a member of the Needham Community Council will meet with the cluster to speak more about their organization.

Both clusters enjoyed the beautiful sunny day, spending time with friends, and raising money for good causes. Cluster 7-4 walked over 210 miles!

Seventh Grade Community Service Learning Projects

Scholarship, Citizenship, Community, and Personal Growth are the fundamental values embedded in an education at the Needham Public School district and Pollard Middle School’s Cluster 7-1 showed an uncanny devotion to these values through their 7th grade Community Service Learning Project.  By partnering with Lifeworks, the teachers of 7-1 hoped to raise awareness for the need to give support to adults with developmental disabilities.  Lifeworks is an organization that looks to empower their clients, allowing them to lead meaningful lives within their communities.  7-1 was eager to help out, starting their day with the students watching a clip from the television show “What Would You Do?” which highlighted the prejudice faced by many disabled adults within the community.  Immediately following the brief introduction, students had the opportunity to meet some of the Lifeworks staff and clients in order to learn about the organization. The educational meet and greet was followed by pictures, a picnic lunch, and ample opportunity for students to make personal connections with all those involved.  At the end of the day students, teachers, and Lifeworks employees all built strong connections and a foundation for future relationships focused around community service. 

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Pollard Middle School CSL Experiences.

Grade 8 Community Service Learning Experiences:

An integral part of the 8th Graders experience at Pollard Middle School is engagement in a Community Service Learning Project. Students need to select a cause and organization that addresses some need or problem in our community - either right here in Needham, or in neighboring communities. They research the organization and social issue before performing their service, and write a reflection on the experience and their learning when it has been completed.

Some students were interviewed about their experience and report the following:

Audrey Mock, chose to do her service with Birthday Wishes, an organization that arranges and hosts birthday parties for young children living in homeless shelters who may not otherwise have the opportunity to celebrate their birthdays.

A birthday party event happens once a month in a number of different shelters, both in Massachusetts and some other states around the country honoring all those who have their birthdays in the same month.  So the joy of these events spreads far and wide!

The children are usually 3-4 years old, and live with their single mothers at the shelter. Audrey has extremely fond memories of her own birthday celebrations with friends at this age, and wanted the same for children who might not otherwise have birthday parties. So she googled "birthday party organizations" and Birthday Wishes came up! What a perfect fit this was for what she wanted to do!

Audrey saw and learned a little of what it is like to live in a homeless shelter She did not know what to expect and described the home as a "regular house" in a neighborhood not all that far from her own. Families have their own rooms and there is a large recreational area for all to use downstairs. This is where the birthday parties are held. There is a security system in place at the front door to check on who is entering the shelter.

Audrey has enjoyed her experience very much. She feels quite natural and comfortable interacting with the moms and their children in the party environment. Volunteers, moms and paid workers all help with the parties. Audrey also loved seeing the children having such a good time at their birthday celebrations.

Preparation to do this involved an orientation, and if the volunteers are under 18, they need to be accompanied by a parent. Both of Audrey's parents have accompanied her and assisted with the birthdays too.

Audrey liked going to a neighborhood different from her own and doing something meaningful and uplifting with small children. She hopes to continue to help with birthdays, beyond completing her hours for the Grade 8 program!!

Mitchell 3rd Graders Bring Donations to the Food Pantry

Ms. Griffeth's 3rd grades, together with parents Mrs. Hirschen and Mrs. Muroff, brought donations from Mitchell School to the Needham Food Pantry. Student saw first hand where their food items are stored, sorted and packaged for distribution.

See more photos here

Comminity Service Learning at Newman

This month's community meeting theme was "Service Learning."  One of the NPS District Goals is to promote Community Service Learning.  In the fall, each grade level at Newman chose a project to work on that would allow students to be "of service."  Projects have ranged from 1st graders learning about and teaching others the meaning of our Core Values (CARES--Cooperative, Active, Respectful, Engaged and Successful) to our 3rd graders creating paper "pansy" appreciation gifts to the school community as they study Needham history (the pansy is the official flower of the town).  Allowing students the opportunity and format to determine how they can be of service and watching them engage in this meaningful work has been an amazing experience.  We often forget how much we can do as individuals to give back to others.  Our Newman student council has been engaging in these discussions regularly and has been reading the book "Pay It Forward" by Catherine Ryan Hyde.  This young adult version of the popular novel turned film has created rich dialogue about how one child was able to have powerful influence in his world which then influenced those around him.  Teaching our children the importance of service and giving them the responsibility of caring for another is a life changing experience that shapes who they are and how they will take care of the world as adults.  Thank you for your support of this important learning goal!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Peterson

"...you don't need much to change the entire world for the better.  You can start with the most ordinary ingredients.  You can start with the world you've got."

--Catherine Ryan Hyde, Pay It Forward

Broadmeadow's Crayola ColorCycle Program

Broadmeadow second graders have been hard at work collecting over-used and dried out Crayola markers ​from classrooms around the school.  As part of the Crayola ColorCycle program, students learned about how recycling Crayola markers, instead of tossing them in the trash, protects their environment. Groups of second graders visited classrooms during Morning Meetings and shared their important message. Energy can be made from markers ready to be discarded! Classrooms watched a video that showed how t

he markers 

​would

 be sent to a facility where they 

​would

 be converted into clean fuel. 

​Students learned that t

his fuel can 

​then ​

be used to power vehicles, heat homes, cook meals and more!

​Broadmeadow second grader teachers want to ​

​t

hank everyone who 

​participated in this Service Learning adventure by ​

contribut

​ing

 Crayola markers to recycle!  

​They

 collected 1528 markers to send back for recycling

​!

  These markers will be converted into about 5 gallons of fuel!  That is enough fuel to drive an SUV about 70 miles.  The second graders really enjoyed this project and have voted to collect markers again in June

​!

Broadmeadow's Loose Change for Peru

The fourth graders at Broadmeadow Elementary

​ have taken part in the Loose Change fundraiser for the past two school years.  The fundraiser arose out of the Primary Source trip to Peru that 

fourth grade teachers, ​

Amy Flax and Sue Nealon went on during the summer of 2013.  ​Ms. Nealon and ​Ms. Flax were inspired to raise money for remote villages in Peru based upon work being done by one of the trip leader, Daniel Fernandez.  Daniel travels to Peru each summer with Wayland Middle ​School students to build school and bring ​needed ​supplies.

​Last year, Broadmeadow ​

​f

ourth graders learned about Peru through images from the teacher's trip as well as during 

​a

 

​science ​

unit on Explorers.  

​Fourth-graders

 

​visited 

classroom

​s​

 

​to talk about the Pennies for Peru drive.  ​

​They

 showed a video to inspire the 

​students

 to get involved.  Each child in the school was given a zip lock bag to find and bring in Loose Change

​, and each classroom was given a jar to collect donations in​

.  Daniel 

​Fernandez ​

came in and showed the fourth 

​

grade

​ classes

 a video 

​on his work in Peru ​

and gave them more information

​ about the good this drive is doing​

. Some kids emptied their piggy banks, others cajoled relatives and some raised money in other ways.  Over $2000.00 was raised

​!!

During this school year, (

​Y

ear 2) we were able to invite fifth graders and fourth graders to an assembly with Daniel.  He was able to show them the supplies purchased with money raised being brought to villages.  It was very powerful. The 5th graders had a special part in this too and raised a significant amount through a chall

e

​

nge from their teachers.  This year over $3300.00 was raised

​!!!

It does take a village and also it takes a school.  This project has been very meaningful for students and teachers alike.  

​The fourth grade team at Broadmeadow

 plan to carry on 

​this Service Learning project for ​

as long as Daniel is 

​doing

 his good work in Peru.

Hillside's Jump Rope for Heart Recap

Thank you to all of our parents, volunteers, and family members who helped make our 11th annual Carol Virginio Memorial Jump Rope for Heart a resounding success.  On February 13th, our students came to the gym for 40 minute jumping sessions to help support the American Heart Association raise awareness for those fighting heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes.  To date, Hillside School has raised $18,889 and to all of our students who helped fund raise, our parents who helped and supported them, and to everyone who donated ... thank you, thank you, thank you!!

Here is a link to a video by Mr. Tatro and expanded explanation: 

http://hillsidepe.weebly.com/jump-rope-for-heart.html

Pollard Annual Book Drive

Eight 8th grade students at Pollard have chosen to do a community service learning project based on a mission to help improve literacy.  As part of their project they have launched a book drive targeting all Grade 7 and Grade 8 students, where they are accepting gently used books for reading levels that span from K-12th grade.  They are publicizing their idea and their goal. 

They are collecting books from February 23rd-March 6th at Pollard Middle School.  They will then sort these books to ensure all books donated are in good condition, and then take them to schools around Massachusetts that lack the resources and funding to buy new books and support a library.

This project has been taken on by a group of Grade 8 students for at least the past five years and in this time we have established partnerships with two schools, returning to donate books to them each year. As in the past, this current group of eight students will also visit the schools where the books are donated and spend time reading to the students there. 

Stay tuned to see if they can reach their goal of collecting 4,100 books! 

CSL in Eliot

Mrs. Hession's 4th grade class started Eliot's CSL off with some sticky fingers and hard work yielding 118 sandwiches for Boston's homeless. Generic Ministry of Needham is delighted to stop by the John Eliot School on the third Tuesday of every month to pick up goods to distribute to the homeless in Boston. Sandwich Tuesday, a community service learning project the entire school is involved in has donated an impressive amount of goods to date. The children in KASE have decorated 475 beautiful lunch bags, the first grad has collected 262 tubes of toothpaste, second grade had contributed 380 chap sticks and between the 4th and 5th grades, 435 sandwiches have been made.

   





The annual clothing drive started in early October. Bags upon bags were donated to our cause by so many Eliot families. We have partnered with Cradles 2 Crayons, Generic Ministry and Circle of Hope as recipients of all the donations received. Over 90 bags of clothing and lines were collected and delivered.

Mitchell 2nd Graders Give to the Food Pantry

Mrs. Seri's 2nd graders accompanied Mitchell's food donations to the Needham Community Council. This effort was spearheaded by Mrs. Jennifer Muroff.