Turtle Lane Playhouse is pleased to announce its winter production:   The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas opens February 13th and runs through March 15th at Turtle Lane Playhouse. The show is offered as the affordable alternative to pricier "in-town" shows for less than the price of one ticket to a show in Boston you can bring the whole gang to see Turtle Lane's professional production - come and visit the Chicken Ranch brothel - with free parking to boot!  The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas features cabaret-style seating with full bar service and snacks. Turtle Lane Playhouse is located at 283 Melrose St., Newton MA 02466. Shows run Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 8:00 PM and Sunday at 2:00 PM. Tickets are $25 and $27.50 and may be ordered online at www.turtlelane.org or by calling the Box Office at (617) 244-0169, Monday - Friday from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM and Saturday from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM.

The Newton Schools Foundation presents "Green and Global":  The Newton Schools Foundation's 2009 "Green and Global" annual fundraiser will offer a diversity of dinners presented by local restaurants and community hosts across Newton. Each venue offers a distinct green and global theme supported by international cuisine and stimulating conversation: a unique opportunity to spend an evening with friends and neighbors while supporting public education. This year's Winter Dinner Series will begin on January 24th and run through March 15th, with all proceeds benefiting Newton Public Schools. Details on specific dining options can be found at www.newtonschoolsfoundation.org, by email tori_filler@newton.k12.ma.us, or by calling the Newton Schools Foundation office at (617) 559-6120. We look forward to dining with you!

Newton History Museum Events: 

• February 4th:  for adults and interested kids -- Map Night:  Whose farm was subdivided to make your house lot?  When was your street first laid out?  Get answers to these questions and more as curator Susan Abele examines historic maps of Newton from the 1800s to today.  All ages welcome to this free event.  February 4th 7:00 PM pm at The Newton Historical Museum 527 Washington Street. Tel: (617) 796-1450 www.newtonhistorymuseum.org. 
• February 5th: especially for kids 8 years old and over -- "After the Underground Railroad":  A Thursday Early Release Day Program geared for ages 8 and up.  Find out what happened after slaves escaped to freedom on the Underground Railroad. Come learn where they went and how they rebuilt their lives after leaving everything familiar behind in their quest for freedom. Thursday, February 5th from 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM.  Cost: $10 ($8 for members); includes admission, materials, and snack. Prepaid registration required.  Space is limited. Call (617) 796-1450 to register. The Newton Historical Museum 527 Washington Street. www.newtonhistorymuseum.org.
• February 7th - For adults -- Insulating Your Historic Home:  Find out about the latest techniques with a hands-on demonstration of energy audit tools.  Learn what you can safely and economically do to reduce your home's energy consumption.   Saturday, February 7th, 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM at The Newton Historical Museum 527 Washington Street. To register: (617) 965-1995.  Co-sponsored with the Green Decade Coalition. Cost: $30/person ($15/Green Decade or Newton Historical Society members).  www.newtonhistorymuseum.org.  
• February 12th, 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM for Adults and interested kids -- "Two Lakes, Two Fates: Popular Crystal Lake and Lost Silver Lake".  In the 1800s, two Newton lakes were used for ice harvesting and places to swim, yet their ultimate fates differed sharply.  Today Crystal Lake is still a favorite summer spot with a public beach, while Silver lake has disappeared.  Learn how topography, citizen activism and environmental neglect contributed to these stories in a talk featuring photos, maps and oral history.  Adults and interested children welcome February 12th 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM at the Newton Free Library, 330 Homer Street.  Free.  Part of the free 2009 History Lecture Series, "Our Imprint on the Land," sponsored by the Newton History Museum and the Newton Free Library.  www.newtonhistorymuseum.org.

Hold the Date!  Annual "Against the Tide" coming June 20th.  This is a family-friendly event to benefit the Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition.  Participants of all ages and abilities take part in one, two or all three of the following: a one-mile swim, and two-mile kayak and/or a three mile recreational walk at Hopkinton State Park.  For more info and to register:  http://mbcc.org/swim/index.php.

Upcoming Speaking Engagements: "So Sexy So Soon": The New Sexualized Childhood". In an age of wild girls, bad boys, and the media's stepped up assault on childhood, Diane E Levin, Ph.D. and Jean Kilbourne, Ed.D., internationally recognized experts in child development and the impact of media on kids, have teamed up to help parents of children of all ages. Their groundbreaking book, "So Sexy, So Soon", includes poignant stories to demonstrate how kids internalize what they see and hear and provides extensive practical strategies for counteracting disturbing messages. Author Jean Kilbourne Ed.D. will be speaking January 29, 2009 at Porter Square Books in Cambridge. Diane Levin will be speaking on Monday, April 6, 2009 at 6:00 PM in the Carlson Hall Auditorium, Mount Ida College, Newton.

Come help finalize next year's priorities for Newton's Community Preservation Program.  All meetings open to the public.  Current proposals will be discussed and a final vote taken Wednesday, February 25th, 7:00 PM in City hall room 209 (rescheduled from February 11th).  Working session for: Archaeology and Pre-1920 Architectural Survey and Newton History Museum Exterior Preservation.  Full proposals at www.ci.newton.ma.us/cpa and go to the 'proposals and projects' page.  For updates, click on 'calendar'.  In the event of bad weather on meeting days, call (617) 796-1144 after noon.  The next meeting will be March 18th with an agenda TBA.

Historic Newton Maps available online through the City Archives Preservation Project.  Town maps from 1831, 1848, 1855.  Atlases with boundaries and buildings for individual parcels from 1874, 1886, 1895, 1907, 1917 and 1929.  Newton's first Zoning Map from 1921.  Go to: www.ci.newton.ma.us/MIS/GIS/maplist/HistoricMaps.htm

Nurturing Your Child's Self-Esteem:  We know that a positive self-esteem is crucial to a child's healthy development.  Safe Schools/Healthy Students and the Newton Community Service Center are co-sponsoring a free evening workshop in which elementary school parents will explore together how to nurture their children's self-esteem, and their family's well-being,  in the midst of the many demands of everyday life.  Pre-registration is necessary for this event being held in Room 210 at the Newton Public Schools' Education Center, 100 Walnut St. on Thursday, February 5th from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM.  The program will be led by Cheryl Ebenstein, LICSW.  Register, as space is limited, by emailing cebenstein@ncscweb.org or by calling (617) 969-5906 x223.

The Newton Parent's Advisory Council for Special Education looks at Assistive Technology February 11th: A closer look at some of the innovative ways Assistive Technology can provide diverse learners with increased access to communication, learning and life, at school and at home.  February 11th 7:15 PM to 9:00 PM, opening with light refreshments and networking.  Guest speaker: Kathy Reilly, Ed.S. Assistive Technology, from the Integrated Center for Child Development in Newton and Canton.  Ms. Reilly has over 24 years of experience in regular and special education, and is a Technology-Curriculum specialist and Assistive Technology specialist.  Education Center Room 210, 100 Walnut Street.  Questions to: info@newtonpac.org.  www.newtonpac.org.

The John M. Barry Boys and Girls Club wants to hear from parents like you!  The Club is actively seeking out new ideas.  In past years, this has been a committee primarily comprised of board members.  We are re-launching it and opening it up to the general public in hopes of getting new ideas and feedback.  Ever wonder why certain programs are run at the Club while others are not?  Have suggestions for what programs should be offered or what program areas should be focused on?  Want to see more or different options for your child?  Want to know more about what kids do while they are here?  Have concerns about your child's behavior or their friends?  Now's the time to contribute your time just once a month to help create great opportunities for the kids of Newton.  The committee meets just once a month, on the last Wednesday of each month at 6:00 PM.  The first meeting of the Program Committee---Wednesday, January 28th at 6:00 PM at The Club 675 Watertown Street, Newton---will be hammering out future plans, and considering new offerings for the spring.  This committee meets on the last Wednesday of each month at 6:00 PM.  For planning purposes, please let me know you are coming -- but drop-ins more than welcome.  Bring a friend!  David Sellers, Executive Director: dsellers@newtonbgc.com. or (617) 630-2066.

Values and Priorities for 21st Century Education: A Community Conversation about our Strategic Plan.  Come learn about the exciting new vision for the Newton Public Schools and seize the opportunity to weigh in on the proposed strategic initiatives.  In this meeting, citizens will:

• Be briefed on the key concepts that are driving the movement for 21st century education
• Hear about Newton's current programs that promote 21st century skills
• Learn about the proposed initiatives for educational innovation in Newton
• React to the strategic plan (strengths, gaps, and priorities)

When and Where: Tuesday, February 10th, 7:00 PM - 9:00PM, Oak Hill Middle School Library (130 Wheeler Rd.)  OR Thursday, February 12th, 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM Newton Free Library Druker Auditorium. (The same program will be held twice to accommodate different schedules.)  Community members interested in the future of our children's education are encouraged to participate in one of these conversations.

Raising a Student-Athlete - Optimizing Performance and Personal Growth, A Family's Guide for Navigating Competitive Sport:  You are invited by Mason-Rice Elementary and Pierce Elementary to a talk by Adam Naylor, Ed.D., AASP-CC, Director of the Boston University Athletic Enhancement Center February 3, 2009 at 7:30 PM in the Mason-Rice Auditorium, 149 Pleasant St., Newton Centre.   This discussion will provide guidance and support to parents, coaches, and administrators of youth and adolescent athletes.  It will discuss the mental and emotional demands of sport from a developmental perspective.  A strong focus will be given to preventing burnout, while nurturing timely learning of sport and life skills.

Sleep and the School-Age Child:  How to help your child get a good night's sleep - and out of bed the next morning!  Join Dr. Dennis Rosen, a pediatric pulmonologist and sleep specialist at Children's Hospital Boston, on Tuesday, February 24, 2009, from 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM at the Williams Elementary School, 141 Grove St., Auburndale.

Getting children up, out of bed, and off to school in the morning can be a difficult and frustrating endeavor - matched only by the challenge of getting them into bed and asleep at night! How much sleep do children really need? What processes drive sleep and determine how easy (or not) it is for children to fall asleep and wake up? Why do some children have trouble keeping their eyes open past 8:00 PM, while others seem to catch their second wind at that hour? Learn the answers to these questions and others, and review strategies for improving children's sleeping patterns and habits. Although this talkwill focus primarily on elementary school-age children, many principles discussed will be applicable to all ages.

This is the second in a series of free presentations sponsored by:  Newton PTO Council, Newton Parent Advisory Council, Project INTERFACE at WarmLines, a subsidiary of the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology, and Newton Safe Schools/Healthy Students.

Relay for Life of Newton-Brookline:  Has cancer touched your life?  Learn how to get involved with your community's fight against cancer at our informational celebration:  February 8, 2009, 3:00 PM  The Village Bank, 125 Adams Street, Nonantum.  Visit our website (Sponsored by the American Cancer Society).

Eating Disorders Awareness Week begins February 23rd:  A panel of recovery will be presented at College of the Holy Cross on Monday, February 23rd at 7:00 PM.  This panel breaks the silence that traditionally surrounds eating disorders, the mental illness with the highest fatality rate in this country. Eating disorders are real, complex, and devastating conditions that have serious consequences for health, productivity, and relationships. On Thursday, February 26th, at Buckingham Browne and Nichols School there will be a presentation of "The Thin Line". Doors open at 6pm. Performance at 7:00 PM. Please contact Holly Hemenway at (617) 558-1881 #15 to reserve your seats. "The Thin Line" is a 30-minute story of one girl's struggle with her eating disorder and the struggles of those close to her in their efforts to understand and help. For more information, www.medainc.org.