![Newton Public Schools Where Technology and Innovation Thrive]()
by janetporcaro | Dec 13, 2010 | Local Heroes
Newton Lab where Newton High School Students Celebrate InnovationThe Newton’s Innovation Lab was launched with electrifying ceremony on December 7, 2010. The collaboration with schools, communities, and business involve Newton High Schools students in learning to make a better world. Students are working with new models of curriculum in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). And they are excited about it. See the video below.
“The goal is to provide students and teachers with an opportunity to innovate, implement, and scale education initiatives that are centered on real world issues and solutions.”
The Greengineers program gives students the opportunity to create studies from start to finish to discover better ways to develope alternative fuels and recycled products. Even before the new building opened, students and teachers worked under less than best conditions to product bio-diesel fuel. The primarly rule is always safety first. Read more about the Greeeningeers at www.Greengineers.wikispaces.com. Read more about The Newton North Greeningers.
The Ligerbots Team is an award winning robotics club. Students from Newton North High School, The Tigers, and Newton South High School, The Lyons, work together with the support of FIRST www.USFIRST.org, to create a robot to participate in national competitions. Read more at Ligerbots.com.
Ligerbots – Newton High Schools’ Robotics Team
This is a feel good story. The Newton community should be proud. This is something that gives me hope for the future.
by janetporcaro | Jun 4, 2010 | Uncategorized
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think we’ve gone “Back to the Future” with this high school building. According to my research, the new Newton North High School, due to open for business in September 2010, is located on the site of the original high school which was constructed in 1859.
Newton has been debating issues surrounding school construction since the mid-nineteenth century. The discussions began when Massachussetts law mandated that each town with a population of 4000 or more establish a high school. In 1849, a committee was established to argue against the construction of a single high school due to the distance between the varous villages. After various committees and planners hashed the options back and forth, the first stand-alone Newton High was finally built in 1859 and opened with an enrollment of 75 students. The school was located in Newtonville next to the “The Old Elms Estate” an Italianate style mansion located on the athletic fields of the soon to be “old Newton North High School.”
On June 5th, the doors of the current, which is the old, Newton North High School will open to the public with a display of historic memorabilia and more with BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE. The opening event will highlight the creation of a time capsule to mark the occasion. Read more at the Newton North PTSO website. Visit the Facbook page.
So if you follow my irony, in September 2010, we can look forward to touring the new Newton North High School located on the athletic fields of the old Newton North High School which is the site of the original Newton North High School.
Students can look forward to their beautiful state of the art building opening in the fall! Congratulations, Newton!
Sources:
Newton’s 19th Century Architecture, Newtonville, by the Department of Planning and Development, Newton Historical Commissionhttp://www.ci.newton.ma.us/jackson/research/history/pure-high-school.asp
Read more about Newtonville, MA at www.YourNewtonMove.com
by janetporcaro | May 22, 2010 | Uncategorized
No, this is not an alien. This is Sam Shames suited up in his “Personal Protective Equipment,” better known as PPE around the shop. “Stay Safe!” says NNHS English Teacher Stephen Chinosi. First thing students have to do is to run through a safety course before entering this exciting science and enginerring program. Sam is working his Senior Project to build a better biodeisel reactor–better being more efficient, easier to use, and safer. Better because the students at North are already producing biodeisel fuel from the recycled cooking oil from the school cafeteria. Not quite like your average high school science project as I remember! I have to admit, I thought the Bunsen Burner was exciting.
There is more. Newton North students are also fortunate to be on the cutting edge by participating in the Mobile Algae Lab. With assistance from “Save that Stuff” and MIT Sea Grant, the Greengineers will work with the 53 foot trailer that houses the a mobile lab. The lab will eventually be a teaching model for cutting edge science and technology curriculum for regional schools. At North, students are already experimenting with algae production which is used to feed fish. I would say more but I’m already challenging my spell check. This is exciting stuff and you can read more on the Greegineers site. Questions: greengineers1@gmail.com.
http://greengineers.wikispaces.com/
http://greengineers.wikispaces.com/Algae+Lab
Newton North is a comprehensive school that incorporates Technology Education. On Saturday, June 5, from 1 to 5 pm, the Newton Community is invited to say good bye to the old North building in an exciting celebration, “Bringing Down the House.” Stop by and tour the Lab.
Left to right students Brendan Hathaway and Sam Shames with teacher Stephen Chinosi
Sam Shames with his Senior Project
by janetporcaro | May 10, 2010 | Uncategorized
Bringing Down the House – the City of Newton Says Good-Bye to an Era
Next September the new Newton North High School will open after many years of delay and controversy. Over the past few months, a new mayor was voted in and a new superintendent will start on July 1. This is a pivotal time for The Garden City, Newton. To mark this occasion PTSO and alumni volunteers, with the cooperation of the school department and city hall, are crafting an amazing city-wide event. http://www.northptso.org/.
To Start
TheatreInk, Newton North’s teaching and working theatre department will launch the celebration on June 4 at 7:30 pm with Kiss the State, a retrospect of forty years of high school theatre performed by students and special guest alumni. For ticket information, see http://www.theatreink.net/.
Saturday’s Line-up
On June 5th, Newton North High School will be open to the public from noon to 5 pm. There will be entertainment, food, and memorabilia just for starters. One of the featured events scheduled for that day will be a Time Capsule Ceremony punctuating this date for history. The Great North Yard Sale will be held in the lower gym from 1 to 4 pm. 
A historic display of archival objects will be displayed in a time line spread down Main Street (the huge hallway running through the the building.)
Jubilee Concert at 7:30 pm will complete the festivities on Saturday.
Say goodbye to the tired old school and at the same time celebrate the amazing talents cultivated within the Newton school system. An Alumni Brunch is also scheduled for Sunday morning. For ticket information, see www.nnhsalumnibrunch.myevent.com.
Visit the Facebook Page to see and submit photos, learn more details about the event and connect with friends.
All photos by Sharon Schindler, Photographer, schindler5@comcast.net
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by janetporcaro | Apr 20, 2010 | Uncategorized
The Biodeisel project at Newton North High School was launched with a $400 grant from the PTSO. The small tank pictured here was purchased with those funds and this was just the beginning of an innovative curriculum design. Since that first bit of seed money, the program has benefited with donations from MIT, http://www.savethatstuff.com/, and more.
Personally I have learned that biodeisel fuel is green fuel made from wasted vegetable oil. The students of North created a fuel production laboratory to recycle the leftover oil from the Newton North cafeteria. Read about the fuel lab here. I also hear they have an Algae Lab up and growing.
This busy operation is actually an exciting new way for students to become engaged in learning. The integrated curriculum combines several disciplines into one (STEM: science, technology, engineering, mathematics.) In addition, students are applying concepts learned from business, finance, physics, production safety, communications and more. The best part is that the problem solving strategies are used to help local and global communities. Contact: Greengineers1@gmail.com
I like to think others will learn from such brilliant curriculum design. If you enjoyed hearing about this program, please let me know. I’m happy to investigate more.
