THE BURR PTO PRESENTS 

The Auction Starts TODAY!


Bid Early and Often - HERE 

The annual online auction is one of our biggest fundraisers of the year and will run from TODAY until Monday, March 4.  We have some really exciting items up for bid this year, so get ready!  Items that will be up for bid include: 
  • Gift Certificates, Services and Items: Big Picture Framing, mulch from Nicolazzo and Sons Landscaping, Barrett Tree Service East, Newton Marriott, Elements Massage, the Dog Scoop, Learning Express, Carvalho & Roth orthodontics, Kiwi Crates, Blackearth composting, Henry Bear's Park, the Dog Scoop

  • Kids Activities and Camps: Fessenden Day Camp, NEOC, Camp Grossman, Class/camp at the New Art Center, Bay State Skating, Dexter Southfield Summer Camp, Fun and Games, Action Athletics, Creative Steps Dance Studio, Jammin with You music lessons, JamZone classes, birthday party at Energy Fitness & Gymnastics, All That Jazz, Giroux Brothers birthday party, Goldfish Swim School, Hip Stitch, Mass Gymnastics Center, Mathnasium, The Dance Academy, Code Ninja, Newton Little League, Joann Langione Dance Center, The Dance Academy, The Chestnut Hill School Summer Camp, Creation Station, All Newton Music School

  • Tickets and Passes: New England Revolution, Launch Framingham, Plimouth Patuxet Museums, Swan Boats, Treetop Adventures, Discovery Museum, Puppet Showplace Theater, Level 99, Larz Anderson Museum, Peabody Essex Museum, Essex Steam Train and Riverboat, Hyline ferry passes, Sturbridge Village, York's Wild Kingdom, Santa's Village, Bay Spirit Tours, Newport Mansions, the Audrain Museum, West Newton Cinema, Museum of Science, Trustees of the Reservation 

  • Food: Homemade cupcakes, Ward 4, decorated cookies from Kneads More Sprinkles, Sweet Tomatoes, Paddy's, Chiqui's Kitchen, Boston Organics, Judith's Kitchen, Tom's Pizza and Sandwich Shop

  • Student Experiences: Special Burr only experiences for our students- put a joke on the school sign, choose a school spirit experience for your grade, class pet axolotyl for the day, breakfast with Principal Johal, snack and read aloud with Ms. Schechner, class mindful eating exercise, a visit from Leo the Community Resource Dog

  • Health/Fitness/Memberships: YMCA family membership, Acupuncture session, JCC family membership, Barry's Bootcamp, Fit4 Newton, Newton Community Golf, Central Rock Climbing, Cardio High, BeLymbr, Paddle Boston boat rental and more
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Kaleidoscope Bags are now available



Kaleidoscope Bags are now available in the Burr School library for students to check out, take home, and share with their families. 

The bags contain age-appropriate books, games, and other activities that create opportunities for families to explore societal diversity.  There is one bag for each grade level, and the materials within each bag differ by grade level. 

We hope that you will encourage your child to take a Kaleidoscope Bag home, explore and enjoy it as a family, and use it as an opportunity to support family discussions about diversity. The bags are intended to strengthen our community’s core value of respect for human differences. 

If you have any questions about the bags, please reach out to Burr FORJ: BurrFORJ171@gmail.com.
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The Auction is Coming!




The annual online auction is one of our biggest fundraisers and is coming:
February 25 - March 4, 2024

Do you have something to share for the auction?  We are asking our community to consider sharing an item or a skill that we could include in the auction. There are so many talented people in our community- and this is a great way to use those talents to help raise funds to support our school. 

Please SIGN UP HERE by February 22nd if you can help. Email amie@burrpto.org with any questions.  Some ideas community members may be able to share: 
  • Event tickets or passes:  Sports tickets? Museum passes? 
  • Share your skills: Photo session? Videography? Piano lessons?
  • Time: Could you be a personal assistant for an afternoon (running errands, grocery shopping, dropping dry cleaning, etc)? Review a resume? 
  • Prepare a meal or dessert: bake a stellar blueberry pie? A homemade Indian family dinner? Consider offering dessert once a month for a year? 
  • Donate an item or gift certificate: do you have unused gifts or gift cards lying around? 
Get Ready to Bid: We have some really exciting items up for bid this year, so get ready!  Items that will be up for bid include: 
  • Gift Certificates, Services, and Items: Big Picture Framing, mulch from Nicolazzo and Sons Landscaping, Barrett Tree Service East, Newton Marriott, Elements Massage, the Dog Scoop, Learning Express, Carvalho & Roth orthodontics, Kiwi Crates
  • Kids Activities and Camps: Fessenden, NEOC, Camp Grossman, Class/camp at the New Art Center, Bay State Skating, Dexter Southfield Summer Camp, Fun and Games, Action Athletics, Creative Steps Dance Studio, Jammin with You music lessons, In-Home Jams music lessons, birthday party at Energy Fitness & Gymnastics, All That Jazz, Giroux Brothers birthday party, Goldfish Swim School, Hip Stitch, Mass Gymnastics Center, Mathnasium, The Dance Academy, Code Ninja, Newton Little League, Joann Langione Dance Center, The Dance Academy, The Chestnut Hill School Summer Camp, Creation Station
  • Tickets and Passes: New England Revolution, Launch Framingham, Plimoth Patuxet, Swan Boats, Treetop Adventures, Paddle Boston boat rental, Discovery Museum, Puppet Showplace Theater, Level 99, Larz Anderson Museum, Peabody Essex Museum, Essex Steam Train and Riverboat, Hyline ferry passes, Sturbridge Village, York's Wild Kingdom, Santa's Village, Bay Spirit Tours, Newport Mansions, the Audrain Museum, West Newton Cinema, Museum of Science
  • Food: Homemade cupcakes, Ward 4, decorated cookies from Kneads More Sprinkles, Sweet Tomatoes, Paddy's, Chiqui's Kitchen, Boston Organics, Judith's Kitchen
  • Fitness/Memberships: YMCA family membership, JCC family membership, Barry's Bootcamp, Fit4 Newton, Newton Community Golf, Central Rock Climbing, Cardio High and more

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 THE BURR PTO PRESENTS 


SEPAC Meeting




For Families of 5th Graders with IEPs/504 plans:

The Newton SEPAC is hosting a "Special Education Transition-to-Middle School Presentation” on February 15, 7:30-8:30 PM. Zoom info below. 


For questions, contact SEPAC member Kim Gallaugher via our listserv. No RSVP is needed; just come with your questions!

Topic: SEPAC Transition to Middle School
Time: Feb 15, 2024, 7:30-8:30 PM
Passcode: sepac

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Garden City Kindergarten Soccer at Burr


Garden City Kindergarten Soccer is a non-profit program that offers co-ed soccer programs in the Spring and Fall for PreK and kindergarten kiddos at Burr Elementary School in Auburndale.  Proceeds go to Newton Public School PTOs of the participants.

Spring 2024 season runs Saturdays, starting in April 20th - June 8th (no games May 27th)
  • 9:00am-10:00am for the Pre-K Soccer League
  • 10:15am-11:15am for the K Soccer League
Please see the website for more details.
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 THE BURR PTO PRESENTS 


Information Regarding Teachers’ Strike

Dear Burr parent community:

As our children have missed 4 days of school, we recognize that it’s a difficult time for all of us. Complex feelings and a wide range of opinions are all over the place. We PTO exists to support parents, teachers, and students. Hereby, we will be distributing information and resources daily.

The Newton Public Schools (including Burr) remain closed as the strike continues. There will be No School tomorrow, Thursday, January 25th, 2024.

Latest News and Resources:

  • The School Committee engaged in a very productive day of bargaining with the Newton Teachers Association, but still have not reached agreement. Productive plans for small group work in mixed NTA and administrator groups will start in the morning and the larger group will reconvene in formal mediation after lunch.

  • The NTA is facing a $175,000 fine (Monday $25,000 + Tuesday $50,000 + Wednesday $100,000)

  • Middlesex Superior Court Judge Christopher Berry-Smith will schedule a hearing for January 26, 2024, at noon if the strike does not end after January 25, 2024, at 8 pm.

Burr Teachers:

Burr Teachers will be standing out at Burr school from 8:30 am - 9:00 am and then will move to other locations.

Please contact Angie Kim(angie@burrpto.org) about a more detailed schedule.

Message from Teachers:



Action You Can Take:

  • Email your opinion to the Mayor/City Council/School Committee (fuller@newtonma.gov; schoolcommittee@newton.k12.ma.us;citycouncil@newtonma.gov )

  • Sign up to support our teachers and Burr staff.

  • Read about the Petition made by Newton Parents.

Resource for Children:

Academic resources:

Food Service:

Newton Public Schools will offer Grab and Go meals, similar to what we did during COVID on Thursday, January 25, 2024 (4-day breakfast and lunch). Pick-up locations and times are as follows:

Location and time

  • Newton North (457 Walnut Dr.) – Tiger Drive 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

  • Newton South (140 Brandeis Rd.) – Wheeler entrance 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

METCO Headquarters (for Boston Families) – 11 Roxbury Street, Boston, MA 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Please feel free to contact info@burrpto.org if there is something we can do to help or if there are questions or concerns about topics that need to be covered.





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 THE BURR PTO PRESENTS 


   Chipotle Dine Out Fundraiser February 4th 4:00-8:00PM


    Our Chipotle Fundraiser is coming up next month and we are excited for this one. We have an open window to order on February 4th from 4:00 pm - 8:00pm at 847 Washington St, Newton, MA 02460. 

    You can Order online and pickup at 847 Washington St for our fundraiser by using the Promo Code W3R7LJJ on the Chipotle app or website ONLY. Please note that fundraiser online ordering is only valid through pickup during the fundraiser’s scheduled date, time, and assigned restaurant. Ordering delivery for fundraisers is not permitted at this time. For buying in person please use the flyer that will be sent it out in your kids folder, or order online with the code provided. Please share with family and friends and make this a successful fundraiser for our school. 
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Get a Donation Match Today!

Did you know that many employers will match employee donations to non-profit organizations like the Burr PTO? Check with your company TODAY to find out if you can double your impact without costing you anything!  Even if you've already donated, it may not be too late. 

Each year Burr PTO gets a number of these matches and it really helps amplify the generous donations from all of you. If you have any questions about the logistics, email treasurer@burrpto.org. 

Your gift in any amount helps support our school community.


Giving is easy. Choose any of these ways to give to the Wolf Fund:
  • Give online. Click here to use your credit card, Paypal, or Venmo.
  • Text BURRPTO to 53-555 to donate.
  • Send a check made out to Burr PTO to school in your child's folder.
  • Mail a check made out to Burr PTO to Burr PTO / 171 Pine St. / Auburndale, MA 02466.
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 THE BURR PTO PRESENTS 


HAPPY NEW YEAR TO OUR BURR COMMUNITY


After a December vacation week, we are back and ready for what the rest of the year brings. We are thankful for all of our volunteers and the great community that Burr Elementary can count on. We had great events during our fall session. 
We are looking forward to our next winter and spring events, like Lunar New Year, our Online Auction, Mayfair and many more. Please be on the lookout for more details to come, and if you want to be a part of these events, you can contact us at info@burrpto.org.
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