ForWard 1.25.26
From the Co-Presidents:
Dear Ward Families,
Thank you to everyone who attended our last PTO meeting on January 15th! It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces and to welcome new members as well. Your ideas, questions, and enthusiasm make our school such a supportive and connected community.
We were honored to be joined by Superintendent Anna Nolin, Mayor Laredo, Josh Morse (COO), members of the School Committee, and City Councilors—including Alicia Piedalue (School Committee Chair and Ward mom) and Becky Grossman (Ward 7, Finance Chair, and former Ward parent). For a full recap of the meeting, please see Mrs. Brogadir’s most recent newsletter.
Earlier this week, Ward was honored at the State House for being one of just 63 “Schools of Recognition” for its high achievement in ELA and Math MCAS. We want to take a moment to celebrate Ms. Brogadir, our amazing teachers, and all Ward students. Go Ward!
Upcoming Events
NPS Elementary Family Literacy Night - Wednesday, January 28, at 6:30 PM, at 100 Walnut Street, Curriculum Resource Room (2nd floor). Are you interested in learning more about Newton’s work to help your child become a strong reader and writer? Join this information session to learn more about the books your children are reading, the projects they are working on, and the skills they are building. This is a family-friendly event! For more information, contact the Director of English Language Arts, Dr. Kloker, klokerd@newton.k12.ma.us
Making Sense of Student Data - Monday, February 9, at 6 PM at Bigelow Middle School - Save the date for this information session, which will help parents make sense of all the data we receive on our students’ academic performance. NPS Literacy Specialists will lead these meetings and the Q&A and will bring together families from the other two schools that feed into Bigelow Middle School (Ward, Underwood, and Lincoln-Eliot). More information to come as we have it!
International Night - Thursday, March 26 - We’re excited for this every-other-year tradition to return. This is one of our most treasured Ward events and will be held indoors in the gym. We are looking for volunteers to host a table to represent their cultures. See below for more information.
Mystery Dinner - Saturday, May 16 - You don’t want to miss this fun night, so be sure to get those babysitters lined up. This doubles as both a fundraiser and a community event and is a great way to build connections throughout Ward.
As always, please reach out to us at copresidents@wardpto.org with any ideas, questions, concerns, or suggestions on how we can help you. You can also subscribe to our PTO calendar here.
- Elizabeth Loehr + Elizabeth Weinberg, Ward PTO Co-Presidents 2024-26
Ward Library Volunteers - Our wonderful librarians are looking for help shelving books in the library every Monday and Thursday from 10-10:30 AM. Please sign up here! Thank you to the many volunteers who have already signed up!
International Night - host a table: This every other year tradition is back this year! The International Night Committee is starting to plan and will share more details soon. In the meantime, please think about whether you would like to showcase your culture by hosting a table. How you do so is completely up to you - whether it’s sharing savory delights, intriguing giveaways, or finding a way to share different elements of your culture. Sign up to host a country here! Questions? Reach out to Cristina Garcia at cristina@wardpto.org.
Mystery Dinner Hosts - Do you love to host or know a Ward family who does? Would you be interested in hosting a dinner party for 8-16 people at your home on May 16? Reach out to Betsy Blazar (betsyblazar@gmail.com) and Emily Derr (emilyjderr@gmail.com) if you’re interested or have any questions!
The Reading Symphony Podcast is a warm, practical podcast for parents who want to learn more about how kids learn to read and what to do when reading doesn’t come easily. Each episode breaks down the science of reading into simple, actionable steps you can use at home and in conversations educators.
Hosted by Katie Megrian (a longtime literacy educator and school leader in the Boston area, and a mom of two Ward kids), the podcast features conversations with leading reading experts and honest, helpful insights for supporting confident, joyful readers without the overwhelm.
Listen to the podcast here or on your preferred streaming service.
Celebrating 100 Years of Ward — 1928 to 2028
In 2028, our school will mark an incredible milestone: 100 years of learning, growth, and community. As we prepare for this once-in-a-lifetime celebration, we’re inviting you to play a special part.
Our centennial events will bring together students, alumni, families, and the community. To make it unforgettable, we’re building a dedicated team of volunteers and school alumni to support planning and day-of activities.
Be part of a historic milestone
Connect with other parents and staff
Help create meaningful memories for students
Show your pride in our school community
We Need Our Community. Join Us in Honoring the Legacy by filling out this form to let us know if you are interested in attending or participating in the Ward School's 100th Celebration, which will take place in Spring 2028.
We're currently only collecting contact information; the celebration committee will get in touch as we get closer to the event.
Upcoming Event Highlights
Feb. 5th Early Release Day at Service Stars
Join Service Stars for an afternoon of community service, team building, and fun! We will be baking Valentine cookies, making cards, and walking them over to the fire station! Registration is required; sign up here.
Free LEGO Robotics & Scratch Coding Classes - on the next Early Release Day, 2/5
Newton Penguin Coding School is excited to offer two free enrichment activities for Ward Elementary students! Come see how much fun STEM learning can be through hands-on building and creative coding.
When: Thursday, February 5th (Ward Early Release Day) 1:30 – 3:30 pm
Where: Newton Penguin Coding School 1223 Centre St, Newton Centre
Who: Students in Grades K–5
Cost: Free (Courtesy of Penguin Coding School; Organized by Ward PTO)
Session 1 - Scratch: 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM
Session 2 - Lego Robotics (join the waitlist!): 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM
Space is limited, and registration is required. Students are welcome to sign up for one or both activities!
NCE Beginner Level Chess Class at Ward - only a few spots left!
First class starts on Wednesday, January 28. Interested in learning the world’s greatest strategy game? Move beyond the basics and dive into the world of Chess. From perfect board setup to mastering the "geometry" of the game, we’ll show you how the pieces move, what they’re worth, and how to use them like a pro. This club isn't just about learning the rules- there will also be plenty of opportunities to play the game! Sign up here.
After-School & Weekends with NCE
Newton Community Education is offering fun and engaging programs for students this season, including Buildwave, Weird Science Television, Cinema Kitchen, Dungeons & Dragons, Comics & Digital Animation, Kangaroo Math, and Winter Swimming & Diving Lessons. If a club has already started, give us a call—we’ll do our best to include your child.
We're excited to announce the launch of Special Early Release Afternoon Programming at Bowen, Burr and Mason-Rice! Starting on October 28th, each club runs from 12:15-4:00 pm and features STEAM-related fun and activities.
NCE Summer Camps & Swim Lessons
2026 summer camps are now live, with offerings such as 3D Printing, Glass Art, Creative Filmmaking, Wide World of Storytelling, Art Adventures, Swim Lessons, and so much more! Families can view full camp listings and register through the new NCE Registration Portal. Scholarships are available through NCE’s Financial Assistance program
Click here to learn more and register!
If NCE is not yet at your school, email Sarah Housman at housmans@newton.k12.ma.us and we'll work with you to get clubs started!
Please reach out to us by emailing copresidents@wardpto.org