ForWard 08.16.22
Upcoming Events
Monday, August 29, 2022
New Family Meet-up at 3:30 Ward Playground
Monday August 29, 2022
Popsicles in the Park with Principal Brogadir at 4pm Ward Playground
Weds September 7, 2022
Back to School Picnic 5:30-7 at Ward Field
Tues September 20, 2022
Fall PTO Meeting, on Zoom at 7:30pm
See all events on our Calendar
News
From the Co-Presidents
Welcome to the 2022-23 School Year! We are excitedly planning for the year ahead and look forward to working with all of you.
If you no longer have students at Ward and want to be removed from this list, please follow the unsubscribe link at the very bottom of this email. Alternatively - if you have new friends and neighbors joining us, please encourage them to sign up for our directory and to receive our newsletters via the PTO website. Also be sure to make any of your own changes in the online directory too.
We always love to hear from you so please reach out to all three of us anytime via copresidents@wardpto.org.
Wishing you a wonderful end of summer and excitedly waiting to see you all soon!
Caitlin Cusick, Susan St. Pierre and Rashi Khanna
Ward PTO Co-Presidents 2022-23
Volunteers Needed at Ward for Quick End-of-Summer Projects
Mrs. Brogadir is seeking adult volunteers during the week of August 26-30 to assist with some school preparation projects. If you can help please email copresidents@wardpto.org with your interest and availability. It would be great if you could solicit a friend or two to help all on the same schedule too!
Project 1: Purchase* and install cloth to cover sound absorption boards in upper level classrooms:
Action steps: Measure boards, purchase necessary* (solid color, preferably navy or blue) cloth, install cloth (requires use of ladders which we have at school)
Materials needed: Cloth (needs to be purchased); staple gun & staples
Able Adults Needed: 2-4
Project 2: Place adhesive arrows on hallway floors
we already have the arrows
Able adults needed: 1-3
*note this expense would be reimbursed by the PTO (https://www.wardpto.org/forms)
New PTO Calendar - Subscribe now!
Our survey last spring indicated a strong interest in better calendar functionality for the PTO. Please subscribe to our calendar for the year ahead and sync to your own google calendar and/or phone.
Important School Transportation Updates
Ward School will now have ONE crossing guard for pedestrians before/after school. This guard will be placed at the intersection of Ward Street and Waverly Ave. Due to an increased staffing shortage and inability to recruit more Crossing Guards, the city has reassessed school crossing points based on usage and demand and our previous post at Ward Street and Hammond Street has been removed. Please use caution and encourage students to use the crosswalks at this intersection.
As a result of changes to crossing guard posts, all elementary families are encouraged to explore possible bus routes to school. Elementary bussing is free but does require registration.
Register here: https://www.newton.k12.ma.us/Page/806 and please note that Ward has the following 7 bus stops:
Arlington & Pembroke Dunster & Middlesex Gibbs & Sumner Hammond & Essex Holland & Lewis Priscilla & Quincy Woodman & Old England
Call for Grade-level Potluck Hosts
One of our favorite fall traditions at Ward are the grade-level potlucks. Are you interested in hosting a grade level this fall? The hosting is simple….provide a space and some paper goods and send an invite and your guests do the rest! We will guide you through it all! Last fall many enjoyed beautiful events outdoors so we encourage hosts to set a date SOON to enjoy the September weather. Please email us at copresidents@wardpto.org if you would like to learn more and/or if you are ready to sign up! Each grade level needs a host - any evening of the week is fine but the dates cannot overlap so first come-first served on date selection!
Community Notes & Announcements
Please follow Community Notes updates throughout the summer at https://newtonptocouncil.org/community/
And please continue to follow the PTO on instagram @wardelementary_pto