ForWard 01.23.22
Upcoming Events
Jan 18 - Feb 18, 2022
Support the Student Council Book Drive
Thurs, January 27, 2022
FORJ Meeting
Weds, February 2, 2022
Winter Walk and Roll to School Day
Thurs, February 3, 2022
District ELPAC Meeting
Tues, Feb. 8, 2022
Pedestrian Safety Training (Grades 2-5). Volunteers Needed
Thurs, Feb. 10, 2022
Pedestrian Safety Training (Grades 2-5). Volunteers needed.
Thurs, February 17, 2022
Winter PTO Meeting with Dr. Fleishman and School Committee Members
News
Our Blue Zone needs HELP
Did that get your attention? With safety of all a paramount concern at all times - we need to be stellar users of our Blue Zone and this is simply not happening. There are serious concerns being voiced. Please be sure you know how to use the Blue Zone safely and correctly to protect our community. Review Blue Zone protocols here. When in doubt, please park and walk. The neighborhood offers many convenient street parking spots to pull into and walk over to drop off or pick up.
Have some ideas for the Blue Zone? Want to help improve on this community resource? Please email copresidents@wardpto.org.
NPS COVID Protocols Updates
This district has asked that we share the below information to be sure all Parents/Guardians are staying up to date:
Medical Advisory Group Recommendation - January 5, 2022
The Newton Public Schools Medical Advisory Group (MAG) met on January 5, 2022 to discuss the current COVID surge and any changes or adjustments that might be necessary given the higher case counts. Topics covered included masks, meals, testing, and meeting/activities. You can review the recommendations from the meeting here: Medical Advisory Group - January 5, 2022 Recommendation.
The School Committee held a meeting on January 18, 2022 to review the recommendations with two members of the Medical Advisory Group, Dr. Ashish Jha and Dr. Dori Zaleznik. A presentation summarizing the recommendations can be viewed here: January 18, 2022 Slide Presentation. A recording of the meeting can be viewed here: NewTV Recording of January 18, 2022 School Committee Meeting.
FORJ Meeting
January 27, 2022 from 7-8:30 PM please join Newton North and Newton South FORJ Chapters for a joint event to discuss how we are building community through affinity groups. Students, teachers and administrators will be discussing the history of affinity groups, what they are (and are not) and how they function in our schools. Please click here to RSVP and to receive a Zoom link to the meeting on the day of the event.
Student Council Book Drive for More Than Words in Waltham
Support our Ward Student Council and their philanthropic efforts on behalf of our community. From January 18 - February 18 donate books for More Than Words. Students can bring books to their class collection bin as we will be having a friendly school-wide competition.
What CAN be donated: paperback or hardcover books that are new or gently used (in good condition), chapter books, art books, cookbooks, textbooks, history books, fiction, nonfiction
What CANNOT be donated: travel guides, textbooks over 10 years old, magazines, encyclopedias, books missing pages or damaged
Winter Walk and Roll to School
Warm up with a walk this winter. We’re cheering on students who walk, bike, bus or roll to school with our annual Winter Walk. Be a part of the excitement together with schools from all over Massachusetts and throughout the world and join us on Wednesday, February 2nd! Walking & Rolling to school enhances safety around our school building, is environmentally friendly and provides a great social and physical outlet to start the day! Resolve to walk and roll as you are able in 2022.
Winter PTO Meeting
Please mark your calendars for our Winter PTO Meeting on Thursday, February 17, 2022 at 7PM on Zoom. We will be joined by Mrs. Brogadir, Superintendent Dr. Fleishman and members of the Newton School Community. We will hear from them and also have an opportunity for live questions and answers across any topics that may interest you. Don’t miss this important meeting!
We will use the following Zoom link:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://newton-k12-ma-us.zoom.us/j/2039139153
Meeting ID: 203 913 9153
Passcode: Ward2022
One tap mobile
+525568269800,,2039139153#,,,,*40275179# Mexico
+525586596001,,2039139153#,,,,*40275179# Mexico
Interpretation For Families:
Interpretation for this meeting can be available. Please complete this Google form at least three days before the meeting if you require interpretation: https://forms.gle/daA8qQjm61BJDocD7.
February District ELPAC (English Language Parent Advisory Council) Meeting
The English Language Parent Advisory Council will hold its next meeting on Thursday, February 3, 2022 at 6:30 p.m. ELPAC supports ELL families districtwide and collaborates with schools and districts to improve the ELL programming. Meetings are held every other month. Interpreters and/or same language groups are provided with RSVP by January 31, 2022. The February 3, 2022 meeting topics are: Newton Free Library Resources & ACCESS Testing.
RSVP to the meeting here:
Once you RSVP, you will be sent a Zoom link to attend the meeting virtually.
Safe Routes to School Pedestrian Safety Training: Volunteers Needed!
All students in grades 2-5 will participate in Pedestrian Safety Training this February. Trainings will be led by Massachusetts Safe Routes to School but we need a couple of parent volunteers for each training too. Ideally we are looking for parents who are interested in supporting children but also learning from SRTS representatives so that we can continue to offer trainings on our own at Ward in years to come. Volunteers are needed on two dates: Tuesday February 8th and Thursday February 10th (weather dependent as these will be held outdoors). Email copresidents@wardpto.org for more information and/or to sign up to join us!
NCE Winter and Spring Offerings at Ward School
Newton Community Ed will be offering new classes at Ward this winter and spring! For more information and/or to get registration information please contact Anna Ford McKeown of
Newton Community Education at mckeowna@newton.k12.ma.us or visit https://www2.newtoncommunityed.org/registration/.
Winter offerings include:
Spring offerings include:
Ward is fortunate to have a site coordinator to assist with the transition from the end of the day to the beginning of class. The site coordinator handles this completely and no one has to come and pick up their child/children in the interim time period. There is, however, no lunch period or snack time, but kids can have a water bottle in the class for sipping.
Community Notes & Announcements
Stem Enrichment Program Spring Semester
Our names are Yuen Ler Chow and Elena Su, and we are current freshmen at Harvard and MIT. We are the co-founders of the Greater Boston STEM Program (gbSTEM), an enrichment program that delivers free introductory computer science, math, and engineering courses to elementary and middle school students in the Greater Boston area. Since March 2020, our team of dedicated high school volunteers have brought free lessons to over 600 Massachusetts youth. Classes will be held through Zoom, and we pride ourselves in our innovative curriculum and collaboration-based learning model.
We are delighted to announce that we will be offering a spring semester of gbSTEM to Ward students, which will run from March 14th to December 12th, 2022!
The registration deadline is March 6th, 2022.
Information about our program and the registration form can be found at our website: https://gbstem.org
If you have any questions, please contact gbstemprogram@gmail.com. We are so excited to work with your family this fall!
Adaptive Dance Program
The Dance Academy in Newton has recently launched an amazing new adaptive dance program for kids with developmental delays, ASD, Down Syndrome, Sensory Processing Disorder, and other learning disabilities. We have a class for ages 1.5-5 and a class for ages 6-10 starting this January! There is more info on the website here. Contact holly@siagel.com to learn more.
Ski Vermont Fifth Grade Passport
Ski Vermont is a program provided by the Vermont Ski Areas Association that enables 5th graders to get free lift tickets to Vermont ski resorts is being expanded this year to 6th graders, as well.
Ski Vermont 5th Grade Passport for the 21/22 season is now available for purchase. Ski Vermont will be extending the Fifth Grade Passport for the 2021-2022 season to Sixth Graders since we were unable to offer the program last winter due to COVID restrictions. Proof of grade is required for all participants.
Starting this year all Ski Vermont Fifth Grade Passports will be issued digitally and sold through Ski Vermont’s Pass Portal. No physical product will be mailed. All applications will be reviewed and approved before a passport can be issued. Approval takes approximately 2-3 business days (processing M-F).
Purchase online https://skivermont.com/fifth-grade-passport or at skivermont.com under our programs.
Lacrosse Registration Open for Boys and a Winter Clinic.
Boys: Register at www.newtonyouthlacrosse.com, open to boys in grades 1 – 8 who live in Newton or attend a school in Newton.
Winter Indoor Clinic: Get ready for spring with a winter lacrosse clinic run by Newton South! A great way to build skills and have some winter fun at a great price. Open to grades 4-8, the sessions are run by Newton South coaches and upper-class team members on Sunday mornings at 9AM. Proceeds support the NSHS Lacrosse team. Sign up today!
Dates: January 30, February 6,13 & 27 and March 6 & 13
WHERE: Newton South High School Field House, 140 Brandeis Rd., Newton, MA
Contact: briggsm@newton.k12.ma.us
See more Community Notes at https://newtonptocouncil.org/community/