In the Reggio Emilia philosophy, teachers, families, children, and the environment are in regular dialogue with one another
Family Cooperative
At Newtowne, families have opportunities to partner with the teachers to support the child and enhance the school environments, as a means of honoring and further developing the learning interests and needs of the child. These opportunities to actively support the mission and vision of Newtowne enhances childrens’ educational experiences and reinforces families’ sense of community and commitment to each other. Newtowne could not run without the incredible gift of time, energy, and expertise contributed by families.
There are many ways in which families can contribute at Newtowne:
Classroom Support
Family members (including relatives, neighbors, or other special people in children’s lives) have opportunities to be present in their child’s classroom for a core program day and engage with their child in the classroom environment. They may implement daily learning activities as directed by lead co-teachers and provide support for daily tasks such as snack preparation and classroom tidying.
FAMILY JOBS
Family members are expected to take on a ‘job’ as part of Newtowne’s cooperative organization. These jobs include a range of operational and administrative duties that ensure our school’s success. Jobs include organizing community events, developing tech systems, and supporting fundraising and enrollment.
Workdays
Workdays are community-building events where Newtowne families and teachers come together to prepare and repair our school’s physical spaces. Family members are expected to participate in one or more workdays each semester.
Community-Wide Events
Newtowne hosts a series of events throughout the year to facilitate engagement among members of the community. All Newtowne events are planned and run by families, with the support of the Board of Directors and the faculty. Though these events are steeped in tradition, they evolve to align with the times, always with the larger goal of fostering connection and inclusivity in our community.
Family Picnic
The family picnic offers a chance for members of the community to connect at the start of the school year. Families gather outdoors at Cambridge Common where we sing traditional Newtowne songs, celebrate the formation of new classrooms, and build connections among new and returning families.
Lantern Parade
Around the shift from Daylight Savings time, children are provided opportunities to create lanterns and Newtowne community members bring twinkling lights to the nearby Cambridge Common at dusk. Accompanied by family musicians, children and adults are encouraged to sing, shake, dance, or simply shine their light as evening falls.
All School Winter Sing
Families are invited to celebrate the mid-point of the school year as the children share songs they have been enjoying in their classroom. The entire community is also invited to share in community-wide Newtowne songs.
Newtowne Winter Bash and Auction
This is an adult-only event in which families and Newtowne supporters come together for a night of fun and fundraising. All proceeds from the auction go towards Newtowne’s Financial Aid fund.
Spring Fair
This event serves a dual purpose as a community-building event and fundraiser by inviting families, friends, and passers-by to enjoy entertainment, Reggio-inspired activities, food, and traditional fair fun! As part of the Spring Fair, children partake in a Fun Run across the street at Cambridge Common.
All-School Family Field Trip
As we reach the end of the school year, the entire school community is invited to join an outing, which ends with music and an outdoor picnic lunch.
Last Day of School Celebration
All families and relatives are invited to attend our end-of-year celebration in which we celebrate the learning and creativity of the past year.