New & Upcoming
Naco Taco Tuesday: May 11
Due to our high demand, Naco Taco has added more pick-up time slots! The COVID-friendly event is pre-orders only and you pre-select your pick-up time to allow for social distancing and minimal wait times. 15% of the orders will be donated back to the PTO! Hurry and PRE-ORDER here!
Volunteer Opportunities at Brown Middle School
A message from the Brown Middle School PTO:
Attention current and incoming Brown Middle School Parents!
As we look ahead to the 2021-2022 school year, we hope you will consider becoming involved as a parent volunteer at Brown!
Please find a list of volunteer roles here, and we invite you to sign up to volunteer at Brown on our sign up genius.
We also welcome you to reach out by email to discuss ways you would like to become involved as a middle school parent at Brown!
Looking forward to working together!
Walk, Bike, & Roll to School Day is Wednesday, May 5!
Celebrate with SRTS as we encourage students across the Commonwealth to walk, bike, or roll to school on Wednesday, May 5. This is a great way for Mason-Rice school to spotlight your students in action taking safe, active commutes to school. We also want to encourage our students learning in virtual environments to participate.
Participate & Motivate Across the State! Post photos and videos to Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter* – be sure to tag us #MASRTS.
And don’t forget Fresh-Air Fridays: Newton’s Walk, Bike, & Roll initiative. #FreshAirFridays
Cradles to Crayons Collection
Newton Community Giving Opportunity: Mason-Rice Alumni (Class of 2017), Liam Deighton and Ethan Holson, would love your help in their effort to collect donations on behalf of Cradles to Crayons for local children living in low-income and homeless situations. They are seeking gently used or new items for children 0-12 years old. Most needed items include: new reusable face masks (big kid/small adult), everyday shoes/sneakers, shirts, and sweaters/sweatshirts. For more information on donations click here.
Please drop-off your donations on the covered porch at 138 Lake Ave, Newton Centre, MA 02459 by Friday, May 14th. If you have any questions, please contact Liam.
Backyard Summer Camp Fun!
Two 8th grade Mason Rice Alumni, Izzy Adler and Sophie Hajjar, are coordinating a backyard camp for ages 5-7: weeks of July 19 & Aug. 23, four days per week, 9am-1pm, including fun outdoor activities like water balloons, arts & crafts, scavenger hunts, board games, learning about backyard chickens and more. Click here for more information. To sign up, contact Izzy.
Reminders & Updates
Sign Up & Keep Our Community Healthy
Will you help us keep our students and staff safe? NPS STRONGLY ENCOURAGES families whose students are participating in in-person learning to enroll their student(s) in the COVID-19 testing program. Testing is one of the best ways we have to quickly identify infection and reduce the possibility of in-school transmission. Testing began at Mason-Rice last week, but it’s not too late to join!
Here are 3 reasons to enroll:
- It’s easy to sign up! Complete the Consent Form in the Aspen portal for your child to participate (here’s the link!).
- It’s painless to administer! This is NOT the “touch your brain” swab! This is a sample taken from the front of your nose with a Q-tip like swab. It’s super-fast and painless. Students are sent home on Monday with an at-home test kit. They swab their nose on Tuesday morning and return the test to school that morning. Easy peasy!
- It makes a difference! The more students who participate, the better data NPS has on infection rates in our community. This means NPS can quickly identify infection, reduce the risk of in school transmission, limit quarantines, and keep our schools, athletics and other important activities open for the rest of the year!.
- Bonus reason: This testing program is FREE to all families!
Note: Once you enroll, it may take a week for your child to receive their first Monday kit.
Also note: The asymptomatic pooled testing, detailed here, is a separate consent process from giving consent for Nurse Becky to administer a rapid Covid test in school should your child becomes symptomatic at school.
Thank you all for doing your part to keep our kids, teachers, and community safe!
A+ Literary Magazine is Looking for Submissions
A+ Magazine is still accepting submissions for this year’s publication, which will be on-line and available to all Mason-Rice families. Don’t miss this opportunity to have your child’s creative work showcased to the entire Mason-Rice community! Submissions can be anything from artwork to a review of a book – as long as it was created by a current Mason-Rice student. Please submit your child’s work via email to the A+ Magazine team (photos of work should be in jpeg format, and please include your child’s name and grade), or place it in the submission box located in the main entrance of the school (originals will be returned back to your child). Submission deadline is Friday, May 14th. Please email the A+ Magazine team with any questions.
Buy Your Spiritwear for Spring!
The Mason-Rice Spirit Store is still open!
T-Shirts @ $15: We have t-shirts in two styles: navy with the Mason-Rice logo in color on the front or heather blue with the Mason-Rice logo on the back. Available sizes include:
- Kids sizes S, M, L
- Adult sizes S, M, L
Sweatshirts @ $30: We also still have some hoodies available. Sizes include:
- Adult sizes S and M
To purchase, email Katie Gaines. All proceeds go to the Mason-Rice Fifth Grade Graduation Fund.
Free: Breakfast and Lunch for Families
For the 2020-2021 academic year, FREE breakfast and lunch is available for ALL students. There are grab-n-go options for in-person pick-up or separate pick-up locations at the high schools for virtual learners.
See the City of Newton’s website for updated information on pickup locations and other important updates.
NPS Calendar Reminders
Friday, June 18: The City of Newton is observing Juneteenth on Friday, June 18. The Newton Public Schools will be doing the same to observe this important day in our history with no school on this day.
Tuesday, June 22: Last day of school for students.
Support the Businesses that Support Us
Give Back Business
Since 2002, Boston Organics has been delivering fresh, organic produce and groceries directly to homes and offices throughout Greater Boston! We operate in a sustainable way that respects the environment, supports local farms, local businesses, and fair-trade practices. As a Certified B Corporation, we believe in using business to solve social and environmental issues. Our deliveries are contact-less! To learn more and sign up visit our website.
Mason-Rice families can sign up for our service here and use code sent in emailed Notes to get a discount of 25% off of their first 2 deliveries (only applies to curated boxes, discount does not apply to add-on items, expires Jan 2022).
Shop with these partners and a portion of the sale will be donated to the PTO:
We are excited to announce a new, year-round fundraising promotion from Mabel’s Labels just in time for more in-person school days, spring sports, and summer camps! Just follow these simple steps and Mabel’s Labels will donate 20% of sales from your order to the PTO!
1. Go to Mabel’s Labels homepage and click “Support a Fundraiser”
2. Type and select “Mason-Rice Elementary School PTO” in the menu
3. Shop your order and check-out as usual
4. Mabel’s Labels will automatically donate 20% of the order back to the PTO!
Minted: Enjoy 20% off Minted cards & gifts throughout the year when use unique promo code sent in emailed Notes at checkout, and 15% of each order will be donated back to the PTO.
Disclaimer: this is a special code created exclusively for fundraising for M-R PTO community and is not meant to be shared publicly with coupon or deal sites.
AmazonSmile:
1. Visit AmazonSmile and sign in with your Amazon.com credentials.
2. Choose and select Mason-Rice Elementary School PTO as the charitable organization to receive donations.
3. Start all of your Amazon shopping at the Smile homepage, versus amazon.com. The shopping experience is the exact same, but your purchases will qualify for Smile commissions to the PTO.
To turn on AmazonSmile in the Amazon Shopping app:
1. Make sure you’re signed up for AmazonSmile in web browser.
2. Open the Amazon Shopping app and find “Settings” in the main menu (☰).
3. Tap on “AmazonSmile” (under “Programs & Features”) and follow the on-screen instructions to turn on AmazonSmile in the app.
4. Shop at usual!
Stay in touch. Stay informed. Get involved!
