The day after an important budget meeting, Newton Public Schools (NPS) offered a detailed presentation about what is at stake for the curriculum if the schools budget cannot be augmented or significantly reworked. The meeting was initiated by members of the School Committee who had requested a Brown Bag Lunch…
Posts published in March 2026
Martina Jackson is one of two plaintiffs (with Ann Roosevelt of Cambridge) filing a lawsuit with the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court to have a proposed ballot question declared invalid. As reported by the Commonwealth Beacon, the ballot question seeks to replace partisan primary elections in Massachusetts with non-partisan primaries (similar…
Watertown’s new school building has sustainability built into the design. Energy-efficient systems, modern ventilation, and reduced emissions mean healthier classrooms and lower long-term costs. Brookline has taken meaningful steps in a different but equally important area: school cafeterias. Waste reduction, composting, and sustainable food practices cut environmental impact while helping…
While children happily created crafts, munched on cookies and listened to musicians at the Newton Free Library on March 8, during an event marking Nowruz, the Persian New Year, many families with relatives in Iran also expressed worry and hope, due to the outbreak of war. The conflict began after…
Highlights this week… City Council City Council is not scheduled to meet this week. Finance Committee will meet on Monday regarding: Zoning & Planning Committee will meet on Monday regarding: Land Use Committee will meet on Tuesday regarding: School Committee School Committee will meet on Monday in Executive Session to…
This year, the City’s Arts & Culture Department will again launch Newton’s well-regarded Artful Pianos program with five or seven decorated pianos. Why five or seven? So far this year, all but two of the pianos have teams of volunteer Piano Pals ready to care for their pianos, rain or…
Helen Garity, a Newtonville resident with years of experience in the corporate world, has taken on the role of Executive Director at the nonprofit Hyde Community Center in Newton Highlands. Garity says she hopes to build on the Hyde’s strong foundation rather than to reinvent it. She succeeds John Rice,…
City Council is not scheduled to meet this week. Finance Committee will meet in person (Room 211) and virtually (Zoom link) on Monday, March 9 at 7PM. The agenda includes the following items: Zoning & Planning Committee will meet in person (Room 204) and virtually (Zoom link) on Monday, March…
School Committee will meet in person (Education Center, Room 304) and virtually on Monday, March 9 at 5:30PM in Executive Session. The agenda indicates discussion of: School Committee will meet in person (Education Center, Room 210) and virtually (Zoom link) on Monday, March 9 at 6:30PM in a special meeting.…
Commission on Disability will meet virtually (Zoom link) on Monday, March 9 at 6PM. The agenda includes the following items: Youth Commission Advisory Board will meet in person (Druker Auditorium, Newton Free Library, 330 Homer Street) on Tuesday, March 10 at 6:30PM. The agenda includes the following items: Auburndale Historic…
Development Review Team (DRT) will meet this week regarding the following potential project/proposals (see DRT Snapshot):
On March 4, during his swearing-in ceremony at City Hall, Newton’s new Police Chief Timothy V. Cohoon observed with a wry tone that “after 30 years in this profession, I’m the new guy again.” Before the event began, his daughter Isabella (Bella) said, “I’m very proud of my dad and…