The School Committee voted on Monday, April 8 that the last day of school for students will be Tuesday, June 18, and the last day for teachers will be Wednesday, June 19. We had one snow day on March 4.
Early release for the last day of school is the same schedule as the day prior to Thanksgiving, and is as follows:
Newton South is released at 10:50 a.m.
Newton North is released at 11:00 a.m.
Middle Schools are released at 11:30 a.m.
Elementary is released at 12:00 p.m.
Your 2019-2020 Enrollment Plans
If it is likely that your child(ren) will not be at Ward next year, please contact the main office -- preferably via email -- ASAP.
This would include plans to enroll in private school, a leave of absence abroad, or a pending move out of district or Newton altogether.
Note from School Nurse
Dear families,
As the weather warms up, we are seeing complaints of itchy, watery eyes, stuffy noses and sneezing. The symptoms of seasonal allergies can be uncomfortable for kids and disruptive to learning. Since allergies are not contagious, our efforts at school will focus on helping sufferers feel better and get through the school day.
Suggestions for a student experiencing allergy symptoms at school might include drinking plenty of water, rinsing eyes and face with cool water from the sink, and blowing the nose frequently to avoid sucking mucous back in. I have Aquaphor students may use on chapped noses and lips. We do not stock cough drops or over the counter allergy meds in the health room.
If your child is really suffering with symptoms please consider talking to his or her health care provider about using an over the counter or prescription medication for allergy symptoms.
At home, keep windows closed on higher pollen count days and consider planning outside activities for times of day when pollen is least likely to be a problem. Weather.com and other weather websites give a daily pollen forecast that can help you plan.
As always, please call the Health Room if you have questions or concerns.
Creative Arts and Sciences Committee (CASC) Update
How do living creatures grow and change? The Museum of Science Traveling Program will be presenting its Life Cycles program to 2nd graders on Monday April 22nd thanks to funding provided by the PTO and Creative Arts and Sciences (CAS) Program.
Using up to three living things (mammal, reptile, plant), students will get to explore the variety of life cycles found throughout the living world. Through media resources, students will see the differences between egg development, live birth, and metamorphosis.
For more information, please reach out to the CAS Chair at: wardcasc@gmail.com
Volunteers Needed to Support
Creative Arts and Sciences
Dear Fellow Ward Families,
At CAS we are getting ready for the next school year. In order for this amazing program to continue with the over 30 programs we bring in a year for individual grades and the entire school, we need volunteers.
We are currently seeking volunteers for the upcoming K, 3, and 5. Volunteers can work at just their child's grade level or may choose to be involved at the district level. Without volunteers who are available for daytime meetings and events, programming for those grades may not happen.
This is a wonderful way to volunteer and partner with teachers to enrich our children's experience at Ward.
Please bring your family and friends to help on various indoor and outdoor projects - all to benefit our Ward School! This is a great and fun opportunity to do community service together with your children and get to know other Ward families as well!
All are welcome even if you can only serve for an hour! Every minute counts!
Volunteer Registration is now open on the Newton Serves website. Please register directly at the link below, under "Ward School Service Day and Food Drive"
We need volunteers to help with various indoor projects, such as painting, as well as playground and garden maintenance. We will also serve as a Newton Pantry Food drive location. Details on specific projects and pantry items to come, so please stay tuned.
Whether it's sparing an hour of your time, lending a shovel, or donating a can of soup - YOUR CONTRIBUTION MATTERS!
Did you know that you can follow Ward School on Twitter? If you have an account or plan to make one, follow us: @ward_elementary.
Make Money for Ward When You Shop on Amazon
Simply bookmark this new link and click it every time you want to shop on Amazon: http://amzn.to/2zp3zZW
Qualifying purchases made through the Amazon.com link above result in a payback range of 4% - 8.5% on total purchases.
But you have to click the link EACH time you go to shop as the cookie expires after 24 hours.
The payout percentage Ward receives on purchases through the Amazon Associates program (using the link above) is much greater than the payout percentage received through the Amazon Smile program.
The detailed update from the latest Newton School Committee meeting held on April 8, 2019 can be found here.
Community News and Advertisements
If you're looking for news about local educational and non-profit events, or services offered by local tutors, merchants, and other service providers, check out the Community Notes page maintained by the Newton PTO Council. Click here to link to their website, which you can search by category.
