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ForWard
The John Ward Elementary School PTO Newsletter
September 29, 2008
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Dear WardPTO Notice,
Welcome to the latest edition of the Ward Elementary School Newsletter ForWARD.
* To stop receiving this newsletter, or update your email information please use the links at the end of the newsletter.
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 Mark Your Calendars
- Monday, September 29th...............................................First full day of Kindergarten
- Tuesday, September 30th..........................................Rosh Hashanah NO SCHOOL
- Wednesday, October 1st (5:45 PM)......................Halloween Costume Charity Sale
- Friday, October 3rd (8:10 AM)...............................Halloween Costume Charity Sale
- Monday, October 6th (3:00 PM)............................Halloween Costume Charity Sale
- Thursday, October 9th........................................................Yom Kippur NO SCHOOL
- Saturday, October 11th..................................................................Family Picture Day
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From The Principal's Desk
It was wonderful to greet so many parents at Curriculum Night last Wednesday. The staff and I look forward to continuing the conversation of how we can best work together in the year ahead.
MCAS Results
By the end of September, parents of students currently in grades four and five should have received the results of the MCAS tests taken last spring. They are being mailed from central office. I am pleased to report that our school results were extraordinary. While this is only one measure of student performance, it is affirming to see such a high percentage of children demonstrate that they are meeting or exceeding curricula expectations.
For children in grades three, four and five, the MCAS testing schedule for spring of 2009 is detailed below. We appreciate your cooperation in making sure children are in school during these tests. Please avoid scheduling appointments during this period. It is very difficult to conduct make-ups due to the regulations for test administration.
Schedule 2009
March 30th - April 14th - Grades 3, 4, 5 Reading Comprehension
March 31st - Grade 4 Composition
May 11th - 31st - Grades 3, 4, 5 Mathematics; Grade 5 Science and Technology/Engineering; and Grade 5 History and Social Science
Please note this change in schedule for all elementary school students: on Tuesday, March 31st, all Newton elementary students will be dismissed at 3:00 PM due to the state mandated testing date for grade four composition. On Wednesday, April 1st, all students will be dismissed at 12:30 PM.
International Walk to School Day
Join us on Wednesday, October 8th by walking or biking to school. If you have a long distance, consider walking part of the way.
Fifth Grade Parent Meeting
On Thursday, November 6th, Ms. McClellan, Ms. Addleman, and I will provide an overview of the special events for the fifth grade class. We welcome parent participation in planning for the year ahead. We will be meeting in Ms. McClellan's room from 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM.
As you upgrade your home televisions, please consider donating VCR, DVD players and appropriate cables. They must be in good working order.
Thank you,
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School News
Halloween Costume Charity Sale: Have your kids outgrown old costumes that are in great condition? Donate them! Bring used costumes to the Ward Lobby before Wednesday, October 1st. Costumes and accessories we collect will be available for purchase on Wednesday, October 1st (5:45 PM), Friday, October 3rd (8:10 AM), and Monday, October 6th (3:00 PM). Proceeds go to UNICEF and left-over costumes will be donated to children at a local homeless shelter. Questions? Email Miriam Soibelman at msoibelman@caa.columbia.edu.
Stock up on gift wrap for the holidays and support the PTO: This week you will receive the order information from Innisbrook Gift Wrap. Orders are due back by Friday, October 10th. Please place all completed orders in the marked box outside the office. This program offers a beautiful array of different types of wrapping paper and other products.
Family Picture Day: There are still a few appointments open for Family Picture Day. This is a great way to get a beautiful professional family photo session in an outdoor setting in time for holiday cards. Our school photographer, Coffee Pond Productions, donates the sitting cost to Ward PTO. Interested? Leave your name, phone number, email and a $30 check made to Ward PTO in the Family Photo Box. Move fast before all the best time slots are taken. Appointments are available Saturday, October 11th (raindate Sunday, October 12th); Saturday, October 18th (raindate Sunday, October 19th); Saturday, October 25th (raindate Sunday, October 26th). Follow-up instructions will be emailed to you. For more info contact Amy Silberstein (617) 964-8344 or amyjim45@comcast.net.
Mystery Dinner: This new fundraiser set for Friday evening November 14th. The evening will begin with everyone gathering as one group for appetizers at one home. From there the group will split into smaller groups for a variety of themed dinners at Ward School parent homes. The night then culminates with everyone reconvening as one group for coffee and dessert. It will be a great way to get to know your fellow parents while supporting the PTO! The "Mystery" will be whose house you head to for the dinner and dessert festivities!
At this point we are seeking 8-10 families willing to host a dinner in their home. You decide the menu (we can help if you need ideas) and number of guests you can accommodate. Feel free to team up with a friend if one has the house and the other likes to cook! There is a sign up sheet on the board in the Ward School lobby or contact Beth Coomber email coomber@rcn.com or phone (617) 417-6886. For those not planning to host, line up a sitter so you can participate as a as a guest!
Save the Date -- Fun-a-thon: Early Release Thursday, October 23rd 12:30 PM - 3:00 PM.
The Fun-draiser where your child can shoot basketballs, jump rope, freeze dance and play wall ball. Raise money to fix the pavement in the wall-ball/four square area. (estimated cost is $4,300). Pledges will be taken by Paypal.
We are looking for a Ward School parent to join the School Council: Section 53 of Chapter 71 of the Acts of 1993 calls for the establishment of a School Council at each elementary, secondary and independent vocational school in the Commonwealth.
The purpose of the School Council is to:
1. Assist and advise the principal in adopting educational goals for the schools;
2. Assist and advise the principal in the identification of the educational needs of the students;
3. Assist and advise the principal in the review of the annual school budget; and
4. Assist and advise the principal in the formulation of a school improvement plan.
If you are interested, please contact Mindy Frankel Peckler at mpeckler@hotmail.com.
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And Now a Word from the PTO
We would like to welcome all returning parents and children back to school and extend a special welcome to families who are new to the Ward school community. We hope your year is off to a great start and that you and your family are settling into your new routine. There are lots of exciting things happening at school and we hope you will get involved. No matter how much, or little, time you have, there is always an opportunity to help our children, our teachers and faculty, and the Ward community as a whole.
In case we haven't met you, we would like to take this opportunity to introduce ourselves as the PTO Co-chairs for the 2008-2009 year. Beth Coomber is the mother of two Ward School students, a son in second grade and a daughter in kindergarten. Batya Benmayor is the mother of a son in second grade and a future Ward student who is still in pre-school. Helen Ceres-Marsh will serve as vice-chair after just completing 2 years as co-chair. Helen has a daughter in fifth grade and a son in third grade.
Please do not hesitate to contact us. We are always open to your questions and suggestions. And we look forward to helping you find a way where you can best volunteer.
Beth Coomber coomber@rcn.com and Batya Benmayor bbenmayor@hotmail.com
Our next PTO meeting is Friday October 17th, 8:40 AM. All are welcome to attend.
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What's New at Ward After-School?
It has been an incredibly smooth start to the 2008-2009 After-School year! The kids have come back full of energy and enthusiasm, and so has our creative After-School staff. We are looking forward to a fun year ahead!
I am so
appreciative of my wonderfully supportive Board of Directors. I thank
Nancy Israel, Lisa Nachtigall, Drou Rus, Ali Burk, Jan Qin, Susan
Haber, Chris Smith, Marc Zwetchkenbaum and Claire Wadlington for their
time and dedication to our program.
For those not
enrolled in our program, I would like to point out that our program
cannot be used as a "drop off" program for those times when you may be
running late or need emergency child care. We are a licensed, private,
non-profit program not affiliated with Newton Public Schools, and
cannot accommodate children not enrolled in our program. If you are
interested in signing up for the school year, please feel free to
contact me at wardafter@juno.com or at 617-965-3087, and I would be
happy to discuss the options.
Sincerely,
Donna Marohn
Director
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Newton News
Newton Community Preservation Program Fall 2008 Public Hearings on Future Funding Priorities: The Community Preservation Committee invites the public, community groups, elected officials, and City commissions and departments to suggest and discuss long-term priorities for funding of:
- Historic Resources - October 22nd, 7:00 PM, Newton Free Library Auditorium
- Open Space and Recreation - November 19th, 7:00 PM, City Hall Cafeteria, Lower Level
See details at www.ci.newton.ma.us/cpa: statement of goals for these hearings, list and map of all projects funded to date. Contact: Alice E. Ingerson, Community Preservation Program Manager,
(617) 796-1144 or aingerson@newtonma.gov.
The Newton Parent's Advisory Council for Special Education
announces the first meeting of the 2008 - 2009 year. A Conversation
with Stephen Shore on Monday, October 6th at 7:30 PM at the
Education Center, 100 Walnut Street, Room 210. Light refreshments and
networking from
7:15 PM to 7:30 PM. For more information, visit www.newtonpac.org or email info@newtonpac.org.
Stand for Children Sponsoring Community Education Forum on Question 1: This November, Massachusetts voters will be asked to vote on Question 1, a ballot initiative that would completely eliminate the state income tax. State income tax accounts for nearly 40 percent of state revenue. If the income tax is repealed, the result could be devastating for our schools, not to mention roads and bridges, public safety and the hundreds of other services that rely on state funding. On October 7, Newton Stand for Children, the education advocacy organization, will host a forum to discuss the potential impact of an income tax repeal and how Massachusetts residents who care about education can work together to preserve this critical source of state funding.
Question 1 Educational Forum
October 7th, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Newton Senior Center, 345 Walnut Street, Newtonville
For questions or to RSVP, contact Allison Balter at abalter@stand.org or (781) 891-1300. For more information on Question 1, visit the Stand for Children website at www.stand.org and click on "Massachusetts."
Astrid Lindgren event at the Scandinavian Living Center, West Newton: Sunday, October 5, 2008, 2:00 - 4:00 PM. The Scandinavian Living Center, 206 Waltham Street, West Newton is inviting all elementary school age children in Newton to come play games based on Lindgren's books, learn about the author, Pippi Longstocking and other characters. The program will also include information about Swedish culture, craft table for making orange wigs and story telling. We will have Swedish treats for everyone and every child participant will receive a participation certificate. Parents may park on Waltham Street or in the large parking lot by Waltham Street at the Fessenden School. In case of rain, games will be played in the new JV basketball gym on the south side of the Fessenden campus.The program is free and open to all elementary school children in Newton. Parents should be sure to bring cameras to capture the fun.
Newton's Child Assault Prevention (CAP) program is seeking volunteers: We can't do it without you. Each year CAP volunteer Prevention Specialists present 125 workshops to students in Newton's kindergarten, second and fifth grade classrooms. Working in teams of three, we teach Newton children that they have the right to be Safe, Strong and Free with their friends and peers, with adult strangers, and with those who are trusted to take care of them. Using simple and age appropriate language we address bullying, stranger safety, and sexual assault by known persons.
We are looking for parents who are interested in becoming volunteer Prevention Specialists. Please join us. The next training (24 hours) will begin the week of October 13th. We will be offering a series of three-hour morning and evening training sessions. CAP volunteers include parents and other community members who are interested in child safety, and who can contribute six hours per month for one school year, October - May.
For more information about this training, please call Gail Sommer, (617) 969-5906, ext. 143 or by email, gailns@aol.com or gsommer@ncscweb.org. CAP is a program of the Newton Community Service Center. Visit our website to learn more about CAP and other NCSC programs, www.ncscweb.org.
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Community Classifieds And Events
Cradle to Crayons: Newton Community to help Cradles to Crayons during the Newton Time to Give Day November 8th. Organizers seeks a community member with connections to a moving or truck company to donate a truck for a day during to pick up and deliver donations to the Newton Cultural Center. Ward School is a part of this great event. For more information contact Amy Silberstein at (617) 964-8344.
Flute Instruction: Experienced, dedicated flute teacher welcomes students of all ages and levels. Specilializing in preparation for all auditions such as All City Band and Orchestra, District, All-State, Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras and Massachusetts Youth Wind Ensembles. Complimentary trial lesson. Barbara Nakazawa Flute Studio: barbara@newtonfluteteacher.com (617) 527-4413.
Knit One....Chat Too:
Adult, children, mother/child knitting groups/lessons. Offered during
the day, after school and at night in the comfort of my home. Please
contact Margot Rendall for specifics at capemargot@aol.com or (617)
965-9857.
Kids' Karate -- Free Trial Class: Friday, October 24th, 4:45-5:45 PM or Saturday, October 25th, 10:00-11:00 AM. Cost per 7-Week Session: $79 for once-a-week or $99 for twice-a-week. Beautiful space at Trinity High School, Washington and Adams Streets. Free uniform if continue. For more information, please leave message at (617) 527-8052 or see kids-karate.org.
Tutor: Newton Public School teacher with Masters in Elementary Education and eight years teaching experience is available this year to tutor students in grades 1-6 in all subject areas (reading, writing, math, etc.) for extra help, enrichment work or for general homework assistance. For more information call (617) 875-6870 or email at aliciakeat@aol.com.
Babysitting: 16-year-old twin boys (Ward School graduates) available for babysitting. Reliable, trustworthy and fun! Call Jared or Daniel Stein (617) 630-8014.
The 3 R's: During this fun and interactive recreational class children will: sing, chant, rhyme, listen to stories and complete and art activity. Each class will focus on a theme for the day. The classes are designed to provide children with opportunities to learn early literacy skills, experiment with age appropriate art materials, and socialize with peers. $170 for a ten week session. Saturdays 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM or 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM. For more information please call the Newton Parks and Recreation Department; (617) 796-1525.
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ForWARD Submissions
Next deadline: Friday, October 10th for the October 13th issue
Please send articles to news@wardpto.org
The ForWard will now be distributed
electronically every other week instead of monthly as in past years.
On weeks when the full newsletter is not distributed This Week at Ward will be used to inform you of
dates and events in the upcoming week. We hope that a single email each week will help you keep track of
important dates and events.
The
Ward PTO, at its discretion and as space is available, may permit
announcements to appear in the ForWard from not-for-profit
organizations that offer a direct service to children/families in the
Ward community and from for-profit individuals or businesses that offer
a direct educational service to children/families in our community. The
Ward PTO may edit announcements and does not endorse any individuals or
business whose announcements are published.
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About NPS TAC Support for PTO Communications
Volunteers from the Newton Public Schools Technology Advisory Council (NPS
TAC) are helping to set up and support PTO communications, including this system used by the Ward PTO.
Learn more here.
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