ForWard 5.17.26
From the Co-Presidents:
Dear Ward Families,
This year’s Mystery Dinner was about so much more than fundraising. The most meaningful part of the evening was the opportunity to build community, strengthen friendships, meet new parents, and create lasting connections while supporting our school together. It was incredible to see nearly 130 Ward parents come together for a night of fun, laughter, and such a strong sense of community spirit.
Everyone’s generosity, creativity, and hard work made this year’s event a truly unforgettable success! A huge THANK YOU to our wonderful appetizer hosts, Lan Xue and Tim Martin, all of our fantastic dinner hosts, and our dessert hosts, Nina and Krishna Aragam, for warmly welcoming families into your homes. Thank you as well to everyone who attended and brought such wonderful energy to the evening. Finally, HUGE thanks to our Mystery Dinner Committee Chairs, Betsy Blazer and Emily Derr, for the countless hours of planning and organizing that made this event possible. We already can’t wait until next year!
Thanks to the enthusiasm and support of our Mystery Dinner community, the event raised an incredible $11,375 for our school! These funds will directly support programs, experiences, and opportunities for our students and teachers. Amazing!!
If you weren’t able to join us this year, we hope you’ll be part of the fun next year. Thank you again for helping make this year’s Mystery Dinner such a wild success!
Memorial Day Parade
A huge thank you to Kerry Reynolds, who graciously represented Ward at today’s Memorial Day parade! Kerry brought the Ward Dolphin mascot to life on the NPS float, delighting the crowd. It was fantastic to see many public school families marching alongside students from other public schools, making for a memorable community celebration.
School Supplies
As you may have seen in an email earlier this week, we are piloting a new, streamlined way to order back-to-school supplies. It’s quick and easy for families—just click the link and select your child’s grade for the fall—and it ensures teachers receive high-quality, name-brand supplies, organized and ready before the school year begins. We’re hopeful this new process will be a true win-win for both families and teachers! Order by July 1 . Supplies arrive and are classroom-ready in mid-August.
Teacher Appreciation Week
Teacher Appreciation Week was a huge success at Ward! We were so excited to celebrate our incredible teachers and staff and show just how much they mean to our school community. Throughout the week, we treated staff to a delicious bagel brunch, lunch from Anna's Taqueria, and a special coffee cart to help keep everyone fueled and smiling.
We are so grateful for the dedication, care, patience, and energy our teachers and staff bring to Ward every single day. They do so much for our children, and we loved having the opportunity to make them feel appreciated and celebrated all week long.
A heartfelt thank you to our Teacher Appreciation Chair, Melissa Prokop, and everyone who helped contribute to, organize, and support Teacher Appreciation Week — your generosity made it extra special!
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
Spring 4th-5th Instrumental Music Concert - Tuesday, May 19, at 6:15 pm in the Ward Gymnasium.
Internet Safety PTO Coffee Meeting - Friday, May 22 - Join us in the library at 8:30. The PTO will provide coffee as we listen to the expertise and experience of fifth-grade teacher Mark Tugwell and NPS Resource Officer Isaiah guide us through a data-driven session on what happens when we give young people phones and how to keep them safe online.
Ward Family Fun at Fenway - Saturday, May 23 - Tickets are sold out but hope you can join us next year!
Color Day - Wednesday, June 3rd at 8:45am.
Ward Evening of the Arts - Thursday, June 4th. Art Show starts at 6 pm, Music begins at 6:15 pm at the Ward School Gymnasium.
PTO Spring Picnic - Monday, June 8th (Rain Date: 6/15)
Upcoming CAS Events (Your PTO donations are going to work!)
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.
Screens, Social Media & Safety — Internet Safety & Family Forum. Add this PTO event to your calendar!
The PTO warmly invites you to our upcoming parent meeting on a topic that affects every family today: internet safety.
During this meeting, Mr. Tugwell will discuss:
• What happens when we give young people phones
• Data-driven research
• Dive into National and real data from Bigelow, and Grade 5 Ward students
• Social Emotional Impact from technology in and out of school
• Tips and tools for keeping kids safe online
This will be an informative and supportive conversation designed to help families feel more confident navigating today’s digital world.
Please fill out this survey to help prepare for the meeting! We encourage all parents and caregivers to attend and be part of this important discussion. We hope to see you there!
We’re always looking to grow and welcome new voices into the PTO—whether that’s stepping into a role down the line, shadowing a current board member, or simply getting more involved in ways that fit your schedule. If you’re curious or want to learn more, we’d love to connect! We are currently looking for support with the following roles:
Teacher Appreciation Committee – Coordinate bi-monthly staff appreciation efforts (such as restocks and/or breakfasts) and help organize Teacher Appreciation Week in partnership with the PTO board.
Ward Auction Committee - We’re looking for an additional volunteer to help organize and upload items to our online platform—and we’d love your ideas and creativity to help make this fundraiser a success! The process is very straightforward, and it’s a great way to support the PTO while working closely with the board.
PTO Treasurer - This board position manages PTO funds, tracks expenses, and helps ensure transparent financial reporting. We’re planning ahead and looking for a treasurer for Fall 2027–Spring 2029, with training beginning in Spring 2027.
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 maintenance 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’Connor, here to learn more!
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!
Newton Community Education (NCE) at Ward School — School Year 2026-2027
Join Destination Imagination Club Zoom info session on Wednesday, 5/13, 7-8 pm. RSVP here.
We are happy to announce that an Early Bird 10% discount for parents who enroll in a club for the whole year is now applied automatically at checkout. So no need to call our office to enroll.
Session Dates:
Fall: 9/14 -12/18
Winter: 1/11 - 3/26
Spring: 3/29 -6/11
No classes held on holidays and early release days (9/29, 10/27, 12/3, 2/4, 3/18) and 5/6/27 (make-up day). NCE plans to run all clubs for the entire 26-27 school year. You can now enroll your child for the whole year (all 3 sessions: Fall/Winter/Spring):
To ensure the club runs successfully throughout the year, we need an upfront commitment from the families. The minimum number of enrolled families depends on the club (see below)
You can also sign up for the individual sessions (depending on space availability)
STEAM Clubs with CinemaKidz will be offered for the whole year, with 3 different options:
Adventures in Animation (Fall session)
Creative Filmmaking (Winter session)
Pokémon Movie Adventures (Spring session)
For more information about CinemaKidz, please visit their website and watch the YouTube video:
Destination Imagination will be offered for the whole school year (no individual sessions). More info about Destination Imagination can be found on their website:
A Zoom info session for interested parents will be held in early May
Tuition is $1860. Payment plan
Beginner Chess Club with Santiago will run: Fall session: 9/17- 12/11; Winter session: 1/28 - 3/25; Spring session: 4/2 - 6/11
Dungeons and Dragons will run the whole year with five, 5-week sessions. Tuition for each session is $300.
Session 1 - 9/17-10/15
Session 2 - 10/29-12/10
Session 3 - 1/14 - 2/25
Session 4 - 3/11 - 4/15
Session 5 - 4/29 - 6/3
Questions? Email Monika with any questions.
NCE Summer Camps and 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!
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
Summer Art Camp in Newton!
ActiveMinds Tutoring
April Tutoring: Nurturing Growth, Harvesting Success
Over 15 years of 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.com/
Bright Pearl Academy
Join the Bright Pearl Academy family! This 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