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Congratulations Mason-Rice Green Team!

Mason-Rice Green Team, an initiative of the Mason-Rice PTO with the support of Principal Bultema, was selected again as a recipient of multiple awards for its environmental education work during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school year. For its work last year on lunchroom composting and additional in-person and virtual programming, the Green Team recently received the state’s Excellence in Energy and Environmental Education Award and the M assachusetts Department of Environmental Protection’s Green Team prize.   Thank you and congratulations to Mason-Rice parents and Green Team leadership Wendy Sheu and Barbara Nestle, former Mason-Rice parent Heather Friedman, Mason-Rice alumnus Kate Esbenshade, Principal Bultema and all of the incredible Mason-Rice students who participated in the Green Team. We are excited to continue and expand this important work at Mason-Rice in the 2021-22 school year.   If you are interested in co-leading or learning more about the Green Team, please contact Wendy
Recent posts

4C Tree Planting!

  In fall 2020, Mason-Rice alum Elizabeth Sockwell created the 4C Tree Project in Newton, Massachusetts, to honor those who have lost their lives due to COVID-19 . The project 4C, spearheaded by Green Newton’s Environmental Youth Leadership Program, stands for “Capture, Carbon, Commemorate COVID-19.” Elizabeth reached out to Mason-Rice Green Team, and we were thrilled to support her and to help her identify locations for new trees on and around our school grounds.  By the Spring, Elizabeth and the Green Newton's Environmental Youth Leadership Program successfully met their fundraising goal, and with critical support from Mayor Fuller and the Marc Welch, Newton's director of forestry, began planting trees.   Mason-Rice was chosen as the location for the beautiful 4C Tree Planting Ceremony, which took place on May 1.  Thank you to Elizabeth and the  Environmental Youth Leadership Program,  Mayor Fuller, Marc Welch, Green Newton and all those involved in helping to both commemorat

"Crystal Lake" : A Special Presentation with Crystal Lake Conservancy Co-President Janice Bourque on March 11@4-5pm

Please join the Mason-Rice Green Team and our guest speaker, Crystal Lake Conservancy Co-President Janice Bourque for an interactive and educational presentation on March 11 about Crystal Lake!  Join us to learn and ask questions about all things relating to Crystal Lake, including: the history of the lake, how it formed, where it gets its water, animals in/around the lake, pollutants and how to keep it healthy.   Sign up your child to come learn about this important topic, and feel free to join as well! RSVP here . Zoom info will be sent to all registered participants at least two days prior to the event. 

Mason-Rice to Participate in 4C Tree Project: Please share and contribute if you can!

Please check out the 4C Tree webpage and fundraiser to read more about the project or to donate online : https://www.greennewton.org/trees .   Mason-Rice 4C Project (Flyer)

REDUCE, REUSE & RECYCLE this holiday season!

Please sign up HERE join us on Wednesday, 12/2 4-4:45pm for an interactive session about the 3Rs (reduce, reuse & recycle) and how you can practice the 3Rs this holiday season.  Students will also learn and have a chance to make a recycled (or "upcycled") 3-D snowflake ornament during the session. We are looking forward to connecting with students and getting them engaged in what it means to live more sustainably (and how it can also be fun)!  Open to all Mason-Rice students K-5.  SUPPLIES NEEDED: Just an unwanted holiday magazine/catalog; a stapler; scissors; pen; glue stick. A Zoom link will be sent to participants on 12/1. 

Clean up the park! - RECAP

  Clean Up the Park! 11/24, 3:30-4:15pm - Newton Centre Playground  A HUGE  thank you to the terrific Mason-Rice families who came out on Tuesday afternoon to clean up Newton Centre Playground!                                      

RECAP: 10/28@4pm - "The Air We Breathe"

On October 28, we had an exciting and informative (and interactive!) discussion with  BU professor and former Mason-Rice parent Dr. Diana Ceballos, PhD, MS, CIH  about the air we breathe everyday:  Dr. Ceballos spoke about the various different types of air pollutants and common sources of these pollutants, and reminded students of the centrality in good indoor air to good health. She also led an engaging experiment via Zoom to measure the effect of simple stovetop cooking on indoor air contaminant levels, and the importance and effectiveness of ventilation. Thank you Dr. Ceballos!