From the Co-Presidents:

Dear Ward Families,

We hope all of our families and Ward staff had a restful and enjoyable February Break with time to relax and recharge. As we return to school, we’re looking forward to settling back into our routines and getting back on schedule. Here’s to a strong and successful rest of the school year! Can you believe we have just four months to go??

International Night is next month, on Thursday, March 26th, from 5:30-7 PM in the gym. This is a treasured tradition that showcases the amazing diversity here at Ward. We are looking for volunteers to host a table to represent their country - whether this means having a poster with information, sharing a tradition or game, or bringing food. This can look however you’d like! If you are interested, please sign up here or email our wonderful International Night Chair, Cristina Garcia, at cristina@wardpto.org for more information. Thank you so much to those who have already signed up!

Upcoming Events

School Committee Meetings - 6:30-9:30 PM on March 9, March 16, and March 23rd You can join in person at 100 Walnut St. or via Zoom. We encourage you to join, even if you can only watch part of the meeting. Your engagement truly matters!
International Night - Thursday, March 26 - We’re excited for this every-other-year tradition to return. This is one of our most favorite 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.

Upcoming CAS Events (Your PTO donations are going to work!)

February 26 - Taiko Drum (Grade 4)
March 23 - Botany Workshop (Grade 2)
April 17 - Origamido (Grade 3)
April 29 - A Day in Ghana (Grade 2)
May 14th - Scott Magoon author visit (K and Grade 1)
June 2 - Rob Buyea author visit (Grade 5)
Jun 11 - Techsploration (Grade 3)

As a reminder, Creative Arts and Sciences (CAS) is our biggest PTO spend item and accounts for about 1/3 of our budget. Through CAS and your donations, we’re able to bring up to 3 programs to each grade level each year. Think of these programs as enriching in-school field trips that are tied to the curriculum. Stay tuned for more information about an all-school CAS assembly coming later on this spring - your generous donations have made this possible! Huge thank you to our Ward families for all your support and to our CAS volunteers (Anita He, Ceri Evans, Chloe Comins Jessica Harkiewicz and Jaclyn Rubin) for coordinating and planning these events.

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 in March! We hope you’ll consider hosting a table to showcase your culture. 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!

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.

Interest Form

Upcoming Event Highlights

Trivia Night to Benefit Newton Schools Foundation

Friday, March 13, 2026 7 pm to 10:30 pm at the American Legion Nonantum Post 440, 295 California St., Newton. $45 per person - $270 for a team of 6. Participants must be at least 21 years old. Doors open at 7 pm for socializing, snacks, and refreshments (cash bar) with multiple rounds of entertaining, interactive, and challenging trivia hosted by Games with James to follow. Prizes will be awarded to the top three teams.

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

ForWard 2.22.26