From the Co-Presidents:

Dear Ward Families,

As we enter spring, our PTO calendar and events list grow longer! We work hard to highlight these events so you don't miss them, knowing how busy everyone is. More individual emails will be sent to emphasize events that are especially important. Thank you all for your cooperation!

Speaking of fun events and upcoming emails, Mystery Dinner on May 16 is fast approaching. Keep an eye out for an invitation within the next two weeks. We are still looking for a couple of hosts for dinner parties of 8-14. If you are considering it and would like more information, please email Betsy Blazar (betsyblazar@gmail.com) and Emily Derr (emilyjderr@gmail.com). This night wouldn’t be possible without our wonderful community.

We also wanted to highlight the School Committee Meeting happening tomorrow night, Monday, April 6, at 6:30 PM. Tune in tomorrow night via Zoom or join in person in the Education Center’s Frazier Room (#210) at 100 Walnut Street. The School Committee will likely vote on next year’s budget.

As always, please reach out to us at copresidents@wardpto.org with your 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 2024-27

Upcoming Events

School Committee Meetings - 6:30-9:30 PM on 4/6, 5/11, 6/15. You can join in person at 100 Walnut St. or via Zoom. It’s budget season, and there is still a gap between the mayor’s allocation and what Superintendent Nolin is asking for next year. We encourage you to join, even if you can only watch part of the meeting. Your engagement truly matters! More information can be found here.
Ward After-School Play - Wednesday, April 8 *AFTERNOON SHOW IS 2:00 (not 1:30)- The third through fifth graders of Ward After-School are proud to present "The Wizard of Oz" on Wednesday, April 8, at 2 pm at the Ward School gym. Please note that all students MUST be accompanied by an adult (before, during, and after the show). We thank you for your cooperation and hope to see you there! Doors will open at 1:45 pm (please enter through the playground door). Admission is free; however, any student not accompanied by an adult will not be allowed to attend. Thank you!!
Community Budget Forum #2 - Thursday, April 16, 7-8 PM. Charles E. Brown Middle School: Learn how the superintendent's proposal affects each sector of the school budget and programming. The superintendent and district administrators will present the impacts of a Level Service Budget. Zoom link here.
Newton Serves/Ward Community Day - Sunday, May 3 - Come help to beautify our school for this family-friendly community volunteer day! Newton Serves is an annual citywide event that focuses on building community through the clean up and “greening” of public spaces, and our school is included! Past efforts at Ward have included clearing debris and spreading mulch, trimming branches, tidying flower beds, and adding new plantings. More information to come! Many thanks to Jessie Jackson and Katie Shearer for organizing and leading this! Sign up here!
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. More information coming soon about how to purchase tickets for this amazing night.
Internet Safety PTO Coffee Meeting - Friday, May 22 - Save the date for this informative meeting led by Mr. Tugwell. More information to come!
Ward Family Fun at Fenway - Saturday, May 23 - Grab your peanuts and Cracker Jacks because we’re heading back to Fenway! Join us for an afternoon of baseball as the Boston Red Sox take on the Minnesota Twins on Saturday, May 23rd at 4:10 PM. Information on how to buy tickets is below!

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

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)
June 11 - Techsploration (Grade 3)
June 17 - All-school assembly featuring violinist Adrian Anantawan

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. 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.

Ward Community Day/Newton Serves - Add this to your calendar now!

Don't miss this annual community service event—join Ward families in giving back to our school and beautifying the grounds. It's a family-friendly occasion that feels great to contribute to, whether you can spare 30 minutes or a couple of hours. This is a citywide event, and our school is a sponsored location. Please inform your friends and neighbors to join—everyone is invited to help!

Sign Up Here!

Ward Garden Committee: Do you enjoy gardening, getting your hands dirty, or having an excuse to get outside? If so, this is the committee for you! The Garden Committee is looking for new members to help, and no experience is necessary. Some responsibilities include garden maintence and helping with the Spring Planting days (where each grade gets to plant something in the garden!) Please reach out to the Garden Chair, Sara O’Conner here to learn more!
250th Anniversary Salute to Service Parade - Newton’s annual parade will take place this year on Sunday, May 17th at 3 pm. Mayor Laredo is encouraging schools to participate by marching or creating floats to expand community involvement and honor those who have served. We are reaching out to see if anyone would be interested in organizing and leading our Ward community to do this. Reach out to us at copresidents@wardpto.org.
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!
Mystery Dinner Hosts - We’re still looking for a couple more dinner hosts for Saturday, May 16. Do you love to host or know a Ward family who does? Reach out to Betsy Blazar (betsyblazar@gmail.com) and Emily Derr (emilyjderr@gmail.com) if you’re interested or have any questions!

Ward Volunteer Positions:

Looking ahead, we would love to welcome additional members to the PTO board next year. If you think you might be interested, please reach out to us at copresidents@wardpto.org—we would be happy to discuss what involvement might look like.

Board Member, Treasurer: This essential role manages PTO funds, tracks expenses, and ensures transparent financial reporting. We are planning ahead and looking for a treasurer for Fall 2027-Spring 2029. Training will take place in the Spring of 2027.
Teacher Appreciation Chair: Starting in the Fall of 2026, this rewarding role organizes all teacher appreciation meals and grade-level kitchen restocks. Our current longstanding chair, Melissa Prokop, graduates out of Ward this spring.
Ward Auction Co-Chair: The Ward Auction in December was a HUGE success. As we look ahead at next year, we are looking for an additional volunteer to help set up the auction items online (this is very straightforward) and get it organized. This is a great way to support our PTO and work in partnership with the PTO board.

Get your tickets before they sell out!

Grab your peanuts and Cracker Jack because we’re heading back to Fenway! Join us for an afternoon of baseball as the Boston Red Sox take on the Minnesota Twins on Saturday, May 23rd at 4:10 PM.

Seats: Right Field Box – $65 each

Transportation: You’re on your own—carpool, Uber, or take the T

Limited tickets available – don’t wait! If interested, text Kevin Woo at 857-472-1092 and send payment via Venmo.

Ward School Garden Committee

The Garden Committee is getting ready to start their exciting season of making the Ward Garden beautiful again. - and they are looking for some new members to help out! No experience is necessary and any time is appreciated. Please reach out to the Garden Chair, Sara O’Conner here to learn more!

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

Join us on Saturday, May 9, 2026 as we come together to run, remember, and celebrate Meghan--a daughter, sister, teammate, and bright light in so many lives. Last year, the first annual Meghan's 5K, was a beautiful day with almost over 400 volunteers and participants, who showed up to support their community, and overall - enjoy a day of Meghan's light and laughter.

We hope this year, more than ever, our community shows up - to support one another, to honor Meghan, and be part of something bigger than ourselves. Whether you run, walk, volunteer, or simply come to cheer others on, your presence means everything. Register now through the link in our flyer or by scanning the QR code! Let's run for Meghan!

Upcoming Event Highlights

Mason-Rice Speaker Series Invitation: RSVP for a special evening with Boston Globe Correspondent, Kara Baskin!

When: Monday, April 6th, 2026 at 7:00 PM; Mason-Rice Elementary School in the Centre

Who and What: Join us for a special evening in our PTO Speaker Series featuring Kara Baskin, parenting columnist for The Boston Globeand the author of the upcoming book Everything to Everybody: How to Wrangle Kids, Work, Aging Parents, and Spouses ... When All You Want Is a Nap (Hachette/Grand Central).

Kara’s writing explores the realities of modern family life—balancing work, kids, aging parents, and the feeling that there just aren’t enough hours in the day. She’ll share insights from her reporting and discuss themes from her book, offering perspective, reassurance, and laughs for parents navigating the beautiful chaos of raising families today.

Kara is also a longtime food writer/critic for the Globe, so bring your questions about Boston’s restaurant scene and dining trends!

This FREE event is open to all Mason-Rice parents and NPS Elementary Schoolparent community -- spread the word and join us for what promises to be an engaging and relatable conversation. Following the event, make a night of it and join friends at Baramor in Newton Centre for post event drinks and snacks!

For planning purposes, please RSVP here. To pre-submit questions to Kara, please reach out to Colette Hanna.

New Art Center Spring Camps

April Vacation is the perfect time to get creative at the New Art Center. We’re offering engaging Art Camps for students in grades K–6, along with a range of dynamic intensives for teens looking to dive deeper into their artistic interests. Whether your child wants to explore, experiment, or build skills, there’s something for everyone—join us for a week of creativity, connection, and fun. Learn More

Newton’s Earth Day Festival - May 3, 12 pm-3:30 pm

Join us for Newton’s annual Earth Day Festival, a celebration of all things green for the whole family! Groove to live music and savor delicious food while discovering countless ways to make a positive impact. Explore booths hosted by local businesses and nonprofits, offering guidance on everything from going solar and choosing electric vehicles to home insulation and composting.

Newton Little League

Newton Little League is open to boys and girls ages 5–12 across all nine of Newton's elementary schools, and with multiple skill divisions available, there's a perfect team for every child — whether they're stepping up to the plate for the very first time or are seasoned players looking to sharpen their game.

Registration is open NOW, but the deadline is March 31st, so we encourage all interested families to sign up in the next few weeks to secure your child's spot on a team.

Little League is a wonderful opportunity for kids to:
• Learn the fundamentals of baseball in a fun, supportive environment
• Build teamwork, confidence, and sportsmanship
• Make lasting friendships with kids from across Newton
• Get outside and active this spring!

Ready to play ball? Register today at newtonllbaseball. org before the March 31st deadline. Questions? Visit newtonllbaseball.org or reach out to the Newton Little League board at info@newtonllbaseball.org — they'd love to help you find the right fit for your child.

Next Play Newton Youth Basketball Clinic

Registration is now open for a co-ed small-group basketball skills clinic led by Brody Ryan, a basketball coach and school adjustment counselor at Newton South High School. This spring, the program will serve students in grades 3–5, emphasizing skill development, confidence-building, and fostering a positive, structured environment for young athletes to thrive. For additional details and registration, please visit here.

ActiveMinds Tutoring

April Tutoring: Nurturing Growth, Harvesting Success
Over 15 years providing tutoring for all academic subjects, studying skills, and standardized test prep (SAT/ACT, ISEE, SSAT). Contact ActiveMinds to learn more about our personalized plans with experienced tutors. 617.227.2225 | learnmore@activemindstutoring.com| http://www.activemindstutoring.c om/

NCE Programming at Ward

The Newton Community Education (NCE) is an incredible organization that offers programs for all ages, from toddlers to adults. They also have enriching after-school classes in NPS facilities. Right now, there are two NCE classes taking place at Ward, and we would love to bring more programming to our school. If you are interested in a specific class, please reach out to us at copresidents@wardpto.org, and we can connect you to the Community Innovation Specialist at NCE.

Do you need coverage during the week of April Vacation? Check out the NCE’s programming here.

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!

Newton Girls Soccer

Girls’ soccer is having a moment! See for yourself why 1200+ girls join NGS each season to play this beautiful game. Register by February 28 to guarantee your child a spot on a spring team.

Visit https://newtongirlssoccer.org for details! Newton's premier, nonprofit girls soccer club is now enrolling PreK - 9th graders in its Junior and City Programs. (Travel and Academy Programs are accepting players to the waitlist only.) These are fun and friendly recreation-focused soccer programs for all skill levels. Players develop soccer skills while enjoying friends, exercising, and embracing values such as teamwork and sportsmanship.

The 10-week spring season kicks off on April 11 and runs through June 13. Regular fees are $220 for grades PreK - 1 and $235 for grades 2 - 9. Registration closes February 28. (Late registrations are accepted in March, space permitting.) NGS proudly provides financial aid to any player with demonstrated need. NGS strives to be welcoming, accessible, and inclusive. Our programs are open to kids living in or attending school in Newton who identify as female (including cisgender girls, transgender girls, and nonbinary individuals).

April Vacation Program at the New Art Center

Eco-Art Extravaganza! Conservation through creation at New Art! Students will learn about artists who work with recycled and natural materials, and create their own masterpieces in four mediums each day: 2D(drawing and painting), 3D (sculpture), clay, and performing arts.

Please bring a lunch and 2 snacks daily. For grades K - 6, all materials are provided. Register here!

Holiday Coding & Robotics at Penguin Coding School - Friday 4/3, and Spring Break (4/20-4/24)

Coding & Robotics Holiday for Kids. Fun, Engaging, and Perfect for Ages 6-12. Camp Hours: 9am-3pm. Sign up here.

**New One Day Game Development Program for 9-12 year olds!** 1223 Centre St (Newton Center near Tatte) Want 20% off? Use Discount Code: springcamp2026. Spots are limited!

Bright Pearl Academy

Join our Bright Pearl Academy family! Our enrichment after-school programs and summer camps offer the perfect balance of academic excellence and creative expression for your child, providing an all-in-one home for families that features immersive Mandarin language, Singapore Math, and professional dance training in both ballet and Chinese dance. In our vibrant, year-round environment, we focus on building your child's confidence and love for learning, even offering carpool and transportation assistance to help support your busy schedule. Secure your spot today by visiting us at 61 Chestnut St, West Newton, MA 02465 or online at www.brightpearlacademy.com.

Please reach out to us by emailing copresidents@wardpto.org

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