THE BURR PTO PRESENTS 

🐺 WOLF FUND: WE DID IT! 🎉

What an incredible month! Thanks to this amazing community, the Wolf Fund campaign raised over $18,000 from 80 donors, blowing past our $16,915 goal from last year!

We started at $9,012 with 41 donors on May 11th, and in just one month, nearly doubled our total and nearly doubled our donor count too. That's the power of the Burr community coming together.

Because we hit our goal, every classroom will celebrate with a popsicle party on May 17th! 🍭

As an extra thank-you to our incredible teachers and staff for everything they do, we're using some of these funds to provide golf umbrellas for all staff, available starting Fall 2026 to help keep everyone dry during dismissal in rainy weather.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to every family who donated, shared, and supported this campaign — this wouldn't be possible without you.

And if money isn't something you can give, that's okay too, there will be plenty of opportunities to donate your time this coming year. Stay tuned for those in upcoming Burr Buzz emails!

Have a safe and fun summer, everyone!

Thank you from the PTO 💜 

Help Our Garden Grow This Summer!

Thank you to all who helped make Garden Days a huge success! We had fun planting things like milkweed, gourds, oats, and the Three Sisters… ask your kiddos about it.

Now we need your help. If you are around Newton over the summer, consider signing up for a week to take care of the Burr Garden. Volunteering primarily includes watering but can also include weeding, harvesting, and training our vining plants. No experience needed!!

If you are interested, please find the sign-up here. For questions, contact Erin Fichot at erin.fichot@gmail.com.

Retirements of 

Virginia Studley and Sonja Robinson

This year, Burr Elementary School celebrates the retirements of Virginia Studley and Sonja Robinson. We are deeply grateful for their years of dedication, service, and commitment to our students, families, and staff.

Virginia and Sonja have requested that no retirement party be held in their honor. Instead, those who wish to recognize their retirement are invited to make a donation to one of their favorite charities:

• Virginia – American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org)

• Sonja – The Bruno Project (www.brunoproject.org)

We will miss them dearly and thank them for the countless contributions they have made to the Burr community. We wish them both all the best in their retirement and the exciting adventures that lie ahead!

6th Annual Newton 

Juneteenth Celebration 2026

Come celebrate. Come connect. Come feel the JOY—this is more than an event, it’s a celebration of resilience, unity, and community pride.

Start your day with an exciting kickoff at Newton North High School hosted by Newton Community Education, and then join us at the Hyde Community Center from 3PM for an unforgettable celebration of culture, heritage and tradition. 

Starting at 3 PM you can look forward to:

🎤 A party atmosphere  hosted by DJ Firestarta

🛍️ Shopping unique finds from local artisans & craft vendors

🎶 Live performances that move your spirit (African dancing by Afro Diamond, Newton reggae artist DJ Everla$t)

📣 Meet the New England Patriots cheerleaders

🍴 Two food trucks serving up delicious Caribbean flavors: Reggae Foods and Gourmet Kreyol

🎤 A Summer Concert Series event featuring hip-hop cover band sensation The GRV from 6–8 PM

🎬 Stretch out under the summer sky for an 8PM screening of Black Panther, the critically acclaimed box office delight that defines Black Excellence.

This year we reject division and instead embrace 'JOYFUL RESISTANCE!' Together, let's uplift the value and richness of African-American culture and Black Excellence. All residents and visitors are invited to help celebrate 161 years since the emancipation of enslaved African-Americans.

Speaking of excellence, we honor the service of featured guest, Dr. Henry Turner, Newton North High School Principal of 10 years who departs to assume his new role as Superintendent of Reading Public Schools.

We are proud to partner with the Hyde Community Center to seamlessly incorporate Juneteenth into their Friday Summer Concert Series.

Follow the evolving details of the event on Eventbrite or Facebook, and please help us to spread the word far and wide!

Want to get involved?

• Are you a Black-owned business or a community partner? Sign up for a booth here or email questions to juneteenth@forj.org.
• Want to help with preparations beforehand and/or join our fun crew on the day of the event? Volunteer here.
• Help fund the festivities! Please click here to donate. Donate a minimum of $10 and get a free stylish Juneteenth waterbottle while supplies last!

Thank you to our partners and sponsors!

Our partners include our fiscal sponsor, Families Organizing for Justice (FORJ), the Newton Coalition of Black Residents (NCBR) and FORJ@Newton North High School (FORJ NNHS). We are grateful for generous support from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, Harmony Foundation and Village Bank. This Linda Plaut Festival of the Arts program is supported by Spark Newton in collaboration with The City of Newton.

The Burr PTO is Recruiting!

For the next school year, Burr PTO has many roles open. Our main goals are to support our students, teachers, and school community through events, programs, and fundraising efforts and you can be a part of it. Here are our openings:

• Co-president 

• Education Chair

• Events Co-Chair(x2)

• Fundraising Chair

• DEI Chair 

Our board consists of 10–12 volunteers, each serving a 2-year term. With new members filling in the positions, it will tremendously help our Burr Community. Board roles require a commitment of about 6–12 hours per month, including monthly meetings (usually held via Zoom in the evenings) and other event planning or committee work. Click here for more information on responsibilities for each role.

Not sure about committing to a board position? We have many more opportunities that you can help with, such as BooFest Committee, May Fair Committee, World Cultures Fair Co-Chairs, Lost & Found Coordinator, and many more. Check out here on what you can help with! 

All events at Burr rely on volunteers like you to make it happen. Please consider signing up!

Question? Please contact info@burrpto.org.

Important Upcoming Dates

June 19 - Juneteenth  - No School

June 24 - Moving on Ceremony  (5th Graders)

June 25 - 5th Grade Clapout

June 25 - Last day of School - 12:10pm dismissal 

 THE BURR PTO PRESENTS 

🌈 Burr Color Day is Coming! 🌈

Let's get ready for one of the most exciting and spirited days of the school year — Burr Color Day! This special community event celebrates teamwork, movement, cooperation, and fun as students work together through activities and games at Auburndale Cove. While everyone is encouraged to do their best, the focus is on teamwork and school spirit rather than competition.

📅 Date: Wednesday, June 10, 2026

⏰ Time: 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM

📍 Location: Auburndale Cove

(Students will leave Burr at 8:30 AM and walk to the Cove together.)

⚠️ Important Reminder: Parents/Guardians must complete and return the field trip permission form to your classroom teacher by Monday, June 8, 2026, in order for students to participate.

Students Should Bring:

Water bottle

Snack(s) in a brown paper bag or a plastic bag with your child’s name on it

Sneakers/active gear

Wear your grade color gear! Feel free to get creative with hats, socks, accessories, and more!

If you have any questions, please contact Shannon Komow. We can’t wait for a colorful and fun-filled day together!

Wolf Fund Final Push!  

Help Us Earn Popsicles! 

We’re in the final week of this year’s Wolf Fund campaign! Thanks to the generosity of our Burr community, we’ve reached 56 donors and raised $13,011.65.

To earn a popsicle party for every classroom, we need to either raise $3,903 more to beat last year’s total or add 30 more donors by June 12.

We’re also excited to announce a $1,650 Match Challenge. A group of Burr families has secured matching funds, meaning every dollar donated will be matched dollar-for-dollar until the challenge is exhausted.

Every gift counts. Donate today and help us cross the finish line: https://givebutter.com/burr25-26

Thank you for supporting the programs, events, and enrichment opportunities that make Burr such a special place for our students!

6th Annual Newton 

Juneteenth Celebration 2026

Come celebrate. Come connect. Come feel the JOY—this is more than an event, it’s a celebration of resilience, unity, and community pride.

Start your day with an exciting kickoff at Newton North High School hosted by Newton Community Education, and then join us at the Hyde Community Center from 3PM for an unforgettable celebration of culture, heritage and tradition. 

Starting at 3 PM you can look forward to:

🎤 A party atmosphere  hosted by DJ Firestarta

🛍️ Shopping unique finds from local artisans & craft vendors

🎶 Live performances that move your spirit (African dancing by Afro Diamond, Newton reggae artist DJ Everla$t)

📣 Meet the New England Patriots cheerleaders

🍴 Two food trucks serving up delicious Caribbean flavors: Reggae Foods and Gourmet Kreyol

🎤 A Summer Concert Series event featuring hip-hop cover band sensation The GRV from 6–8 PM

🎬 Stretch out under the summer sky for an 8PM screening of Black Panther, the critically acclaimed box office delight that defines Black Excellence.

This year we reject division and instead embrace 'JOYFUL RESISTANCE!' Together, let's uplift the value and richness of African-American culture and Black Excellence. All residents and visitors are invited to help celebrate 161 years since the emancipation of enslaved African-Americans.

Speaking of excellence, we honor the service of featured guest, Dr. Henry Turner, Newton North High School Principal of 10 years who departs to assume his new role as Superintendent of Reading Public Schools.

We are proud to partner with the Hyde Community Center to seamlessly incorporate Juneteenth into their Friday Summer Concert Series.

Follow the evolving details of the event on Eventbrite or Facebook, and please help us to spread the word far and wide!

Want to get involved?

• Are you a Black-owned business or a community partner? Sign up for a booth here or email questions to juneteenth@forj.org.
• Want to help with preparations beforehand and/or join our fun crew on the day of the event? Volunteer here.
• Help fund the festivities! Please click here to donate. Donate a minimum of $10 and get a free stylish Juneteenth waterbottle while supplies last!

Thank you to our partners and sponsors!

Our partners include our fiscal sponsor, Families Organizing for Justice (FORJ), the Newton Coalition of Black Residents (NCBR) and FORJ@Newton North High School (FORJ NNHS). We are grateful for generous support from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, Harmony Foundation and Village Bank. This Linda Plaut Festival of the Arts program is supported by Spark Newton in collaboration with The City of Newton.