May Newsletter

April wasn't the warmest month, but we did take advantage of some of the warm sunny days we got. We played at the park which is a favorite, indulged in Earth-friendly activities, created artwork out of recycled materials, and picked up trash along the Mystic River to celebrate Earth Day. We toured the Massachusetts State House, enjoyed lunch in the Boston Commons, and hiked trails at the Middlesex Fells Reservation with our friends at Big City Mountaineers. But, the fun didn't stop there! We laced up our skates and roller-skated at Roller World and ate some delicious pizza at Prince Pizza. April wasn't the warmest month, but we hope April's showers bring May's flowers, warm weather, and endless sunshine!

Lisa and Alissa from the Somerville Food Security Coalition joined us alongside a cherished Mystic Community member, and explained to us different initiatives in Somerville that help increase food access for residents. One of those programs was the Cab to Health program where residents are able to access a free taxi cab ride to get to the grocery store and doctor appointments. We are so grateful for our golden agers and our friends at the Somerville Food Security Coalition for joining us. Our next Golden Gathering will be held on May 13th from 11-12… we are welcoming all!

With the help of Mudflats Studios we were able to get our pottery on April 23rd! The studio and Mystic Learning Center accommodated around 18 individuals to create some marvelous pinch pots and other figurines like snowmen, bird’s nests, etc. Thank you Mudflats Studio for all of your expertise and thank you families for participating. Until next time!

We can't say thank you enough for taking time out of your busy college schedules to spend some time with us and our youth! You've helped our students complete their homework, read books, played four square, chased them at the park, made friendship bracelets, served up some tasty plastic meals at the MELC's play kitchen, and played hair salon. The smiles you brought to their faces were endless, but more importantly, you created bonds with the kids; that they will never forget!

Happy Birthday!

• Darien: 05/14
• Kevin A.: 05/16

Holidays!

• Sunday, May 1st- Tuesday, May 31st: Asian & Pacific American Heritage Month
• Monday, May 2nd: Eid al-Fitar
• Thursday, May 5th: Cinco de Mayo
• Sunday, May 8th: Mothers' Day
• Monday, May 30th: Memorial Day

The MLC & MELC will be open as early as 12:00 pm.

• Somerville Public Schools: Wednesday, May 11th
• Prospect Hill Academy: Wednesday, May 18th
• Medford Public Schools: Wednesday, May 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th
• Stoneham Public Schools: No half days this month

Thank you for understanding that the MLC & MELC will be closed. We appreciate your consideration during our planned closing on the following day:

• Monday, May 30th: Memorial Day
• Friday, June 3rd: Staff Professional Development Day

New month, new fun activities! Every day of the week, we create lesson plans according to our daily themes:

Movement/ Mindfulness Monday: Activities to get the body moving, whether it's yoga and connecting with their minds, playing kickball, or a game of capture the flag.

STEAM Tuesday & Thursday: Science, math, technology, arts and crafts, oh my! These activities focus on creativity and building.

Service Learning Wednesday: Activities focused on giving back to our community, whether it's making a card for the elderly or picking up trash in our neighborhood!

Fun Friday: Activities based on all things fun! The activities range from cooking and baking to playing at the park.

• Hawaiian Lei & Grass Crowns
• Chinese Fans
• Hawaiian Paper Dolls

For more activities visit the Asian Pacific Heritage Pinterest Page!

Our Parent Meeting will be on Monday, May 9th, from 6:00-7:30 pm. in the community room.

• Meetings are on the second Monday of the month unless stated otherwise.
• Parents are responsible for picking up their children at 5:30 pm, eating family dinner together in the community room, and signing them back in for childcare during the meeting.

Family Events and Fundraising (FEF) Committee Monthly meeting will be on Monday, May 16th, from 6:00- 7:30 pm at the Mystic Learning Center.

• FEF meetings are on the third Monday of every other month.

Every second Friday of the month, our golden agers in the community (50 years+) are welcomed to join us at the Mystic Learning Center, Room 103 for coffee and donuts. We will leave an hour's time for relaxing, socializing, and donut munching with our awesome Mystic community members. This social event is meant for ensuring no one here feels isolated, especially coming out of these trying times of COVID-19. We are excited to see our golden agers come out and enjoy these breakfast essentials all together!

This is a free event. People of all ages are welcome!

Around Hear presents a program of music and poetry with roots in Armenia, Somerville, Brooklyn, Uruguay, the planet Saturn, and more! We are especially excited that this event will include the return of guest performers Nisreen Nor (bassoon) and Tamara Plummer (bassoon and spoken word) from Brooklyn, who last performed for Around Hear in 2018. We'll be starting the event early, at 11am, (on Saturday, May 14th, 530 Mystic Ave: Activity Center) in the so that adventurous listeners can continue to indulge their musical appetites at PorchFest, Somerville's decentralized citywide music extravaganza, at porches and yards all around Somerville throughout the afternoon.

We can’t believe the school year is almost over!

April has been a great month for night groups. We have been working with Mud Flats since February creating individualized tiles that will be attached to our new bench at the Community Garden within the Somerville Housing Development. We have had a small group of participants and have enjoyed them attending. Their dedication to this project is inspiring. The youth come every Tuesday night and are working to create different tiles for this project.

On Thursday evenings, the youth have been doing a variety of activities. We have gone to the park, played sports and video games, done art activities, prepared meals and ice cream treats. The group is small, and they continue to come each week. We still welcome any children who would like to join.

We are here on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6-8 pm. We offer a wide variety of activities and welcome input from the children. Programming for night groups will end on May 19, 2022. We are planning an end of the year celebration for the children on May 19.

Come Join Us!

Click below to learn all of the information about our programs! We're licensed; by Massachusetts to provide child care for youth between the ages of 2.9 - 13 years old. Youth with special needs can attend up to age 16. We are currently enrolling and open spots are filling very quickly!

Do you enjoy working with children? If yes, join us at the Mystic Early Learning Center today and work with an energetic and great group of students! We are now hiring for a Lead Preschool Teacher.

Are you 21 years of age? Have an Associate Degree in education or a related field? Can you work independently, support team needs as they arise, be flexible, and work in a fast-paced environment? Do you relate well with a diverse low-income community and local community agencies? If yes, click the link to learn more about the Lead Preschool Teacher position!

Hiring for the 2022-2023 school year. ** $1,000 sign on bonus, $500 after the first week of employment; $500 after 3 months ** This position is 30 to 40 hours a week. Start Date: Immediately

Do you enjoy working with children? If yes, join us at the Mystic Learning/Mystic Early Learning Center today and work with an energetic and great group of students! We are now hiring for multiple group and assistant group leaders, just in time for the best summer ever!

Are you 18 years of age, and have at least a high school diploma? Do you have previous experience working with children? Do you have good communication skills and work well with others? Do you enjoy weekly trips to the beach and the pool (summer only)? Then this is the job for you!

These positions are 40hrs a week when school is closed (13 weeks)- Summer and School Vacations, and 30hrs a week when school is open (39 weeks)- School year.

** $250 sign on bonus after the first week of employment; $250 after the first two months.** Start Date: Immediately

The Human Service Division of the City of Somerville Department of Health and Human Services is now available to take online referrals for services through a new online contact form. Referrals may be completed by individuals directly seeking services, parents or guardians, service providers, or community partners.

The services provided are available at no cost to Somerville residents of all ages and include:

• Supportive counseling for individuals and families
• Briefcase management
• Service coordination for individuals and families
• Information and Referral to services
• Including mental health services, utility and benefits assistance, workforce development, housing support, youth services, financial literacy, legal assistance, survivor services, literacy, and language development, public health services, substance misuse services for youth.

• School consultation, support, and advocacy

• Text Jess, Nita, and Tracey by 11:00 a.m. if your child will not be attending the Mystic that day. We need to let our staff, who do school pick-ups know when they are not picking up your child. Thank You!
• The MLC and MELC close at 5:30 p.m. If you're running late, please give us a call.
• Only persons listed on your child's pick-up list will be allowed to sign them out. If you'd like to add more people to the pick-up list, contact us in writing.
• Between the hours of 3:20 and 5:00 p.m., students will have their phones stored away in their backpacks until the end of choice time. You can call the main Mystic number or contact Jess or Nita if you need to reach your child(ren).