ForWard 03.06.22
Upcoming Events
Tuesday, March 8, 2022
Anti-Racism Challenge Culminating Zoom Gathering
April 4-14, 2022
PTO Planning Survey
April 27, 2022
Spring PTO Meeting - Zoom
Saturday, April 30, 2022
Spring Mystery Dinner
Sunday, May 1, 2022
NewtonServes - Ward School Projects
May 2-6, 2022
Teacher Appreciation Week
Wednesday, May 11, 2022
International Night
Sunday, May 22, 2022
Ward FORJ Picnic
News
Mystery Dinner Call for Hosts
Our Annual Mystery Dinner is fast approaching on Saturday, April 30th. This is a fun night out getting to know other community members and is one of the PTO’s biggest events/fundraisers of the year. We need hosts! If you are interested in hosting a dinner for 8-12 people, please contact Tracy bucknertracy3@gmail.com or Bekka rebecca.cirel@gmail.com. Thank you for your support!
Help Support Ward School donations to the Newton Community Freedge - Volunteers Needed
We need your help to deliver food donations to the Newton Community "Freedge" (run by the Newton Food Pantry). Cafeteria food that will expire (or otherwise cannot be saved) may be redistributed to the Freedge, located at 420 Watertown St. (in the parking lot of Central Drapery and Dry Cleaning). Please contact Maria Sullivan to get involved.
It is a very easy and a small time commitment to collect the food from Ward and deliver it to the Community Freedge:
Delivery is outside in a parking lot, is contactless, and takes only 5 minutes.
You can sign up for one or two days a month.
The items we donate are needed, appreciated, and are gone in a matter of minutes.
It is very rewarding to deliver food that will otherwise go in the trash, to those in need.
Annual Fund Recap
Thank you to our tremendous community for supporting the Ward PTO Annual Appeal campaign. This is our largest fundraiser and supports so many of the activities sponsored by the PTO. Here are the final tallies:
Ward Families & Staff (64): $19,012
Matching employer donations: $4,391
Matching employer donations are a super easy way to double your impact. This year, the Ward PTO received matching donations from: Baupost Group, Comcast, Fidelity, Novartis, Pfizer and Sanofi. Thank you to all our donors for making the extra effort to secure these donations.
Asher Nichols Challenge donation: $5,000
Annual appeal total: $28,403
Teacher Appreciation Week - Volunteers Needed
The highlight of Ward School is our dedicated team of teachers and it is time we show them how much we appreciate them! The PTO will be coordinating efforts to express gratitude during Teacher Appreciation Week (May 2-6) and we could use some help! Reach out to copresidents@wardpto.org to learn more!
End of Year Picnic Coordinator(s) - Volunteers Needed
Remember that fun fall night on the field with pizza and games and SO many Ward families? Great news - this is a tradition we also share in June with our “End of Year Picnic”. To keep this tradition going, however, we are seeking an event chair (or 2 or 3 - grab your friends!) for the 2022 End of Year Picnic. This is a one-time commitment with all planning done from home/on your own time and even an opportunity to help choose the date that works for you (proposed date is Monday June 13 with a rain date of the 15th)! Please email copresidents@wardpto.org if you are interested in helping.
Seeking a Blender
Have an old but good condition/usable blender you would like to get rid of? The art room could use it! Please contact copresidents@wardpto.org if you can help!
Ward Cares Can Help With Spirit Gear
With spirit days approaching this spring - if you are unable to purchase a Ward School T-Shirt for your student(s) - we can help! Please contact Ward Cares representative Keren Wainger at keren.wainger@gmail.com to coordinate.
Community Notes & Announcements
Center Street Food Pantry Kids Club Bags
As some of you know, the Center Street Food Pantry distributes around 100 Kids Club bags to families with children under 18 each time the Pantry is open. In an effort to better manage the influx of bags, we are asking for help. It would be most helpful if bags could be dropped off on Mondays, as our distribution day is Tuesday. Of course, we can accommodate you any time if Mondays are not convenient.
The bags should be doubled bagged with handles and contain:
1 jar jam/jelly
2 boxes mac n’ cheese
1 box of cereal
1 six-pack of applesauce or fruit cups
2 packs of cereal/granola bars
1 large bag of pretzels/chips
The items are also listed on our website. If your school is interested in participating in this great project, please sign up here.
Deborah Elliott will get back to you to confirm a drop-off date and answer any questions. You can also contact her directly at kidsclub@centrestfoodpantry.org.
Repurpose Unwanted Home Goods
Do you have gently used or new household items doing you no good? Please consider donating blenders, toasters, queen and king bedding, pots, pans, dishes, cooking utensils, silverware, towels and other basic household necessities. Welcome Home in Newton Centre collects home goods and redistributes them, at no cost, to people who need them. Please be sure your items are clean and not rusty, torn, stained, chipped or broken before donation.
Please contact us to schedule a dropoff appointment or make a request for items at www.welcomehomemass.org.
See more Community Notes at https://newtonptocouncil.org/community/