2022 Spring Carnival

The beloved Underwood Spring Carnival is BACK! Save the date for Friday, June 3rd from 3pm-7pm. This is our biggest event of the year – and it is entirely run by volunteers! We need your help! Please sign up for a one-hour time slot: https://bit.ly/2022carnival-signup The 2022 Carnival will feature: Food trucks Games Inflatables Prizes Sand art Snow cones Face painting A dunk tank and a beer garden! More details about tickets will be released shortly!

NewtonServes Day is Sunday, May 1st

Newton Parks, Recreation & Culture Department is excited to share that NewtonSERVES 2022 will be on  May 1st.   This year we are looking to focus volunteer efforts on cleaning and improving our parks, school grounds, open space areas, and conservation lands.  These areas have been so important these past few years and really could use some community TLC! Mr. Gluck is leading our annual Underwood Garden and Playground Cleanup.All ages are welcome and you can sign up here: https://newtonma.myrec.com/info/activities/program_details.aspx?ProgramID=30256 – scroll down to Underwood School Garden! Volunteers should come to Underwood anytime from 9am – 3pm and bring their own gloves and masks – a rake or shovel from home would be helpful, too!

FUEL Program Ongoing Food Donations

The Underwood PTO collects food donations on an ongoing basis to benefit the FUEL Program, which distributes a weekly bag of food to Newton families, including those in the Underwood community. We invite Underwood families to support our neighbors and fellow Newton residents by contributing nonperishable items for distribution. Click here to find the list of accepted items (please do not drop off any items not listed).  Parent volunteers Nicole Peterson and Diane Martel collect donations of the above items at 34 Eldredge Street (blue house directly across the street from the school) or 14 Shornecliffe Road on the front porch. For the month of March, we are encouraging each grade to bring a specific item to ensure a variety of donations – see below. Please direct any questions to Nicole at nmprairie@gmail.com. March Donations Kindergarten – Chicken (canned 12.5oz) READ MORE

Holiday Gift Card Drive

It is that time of year again when the Underwood family joins together to help members in our community who could use a little boost around the holidays. The Underwood PTO will be collecting gift cards or donations to buy gift cards for our Holiday Gift Card Drive through Monday, December 13th.  100% of any funds donated will be used to purchase gift cards.  All cards donated will be distributed to Underwood families in need, for their direct benefit.  Gift cards for area grocery stores, pharmacies, retail stores and gas stations are all useful. Donations to purchase gift cards can be made:– via check mailed to Underwood PTO 101 Vernon Street, Newton, MA 02458– Venmo @underwoodpto (Adam West)– Paypal at https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/underwoodpto. Please specify the Holiday Gift Card Drive in the notes! Please send any gift cards to: Underwood PTO Attn:Gift Card Drive at 101 Vernon Street, Newton MA 02458, READ MORE

New England Camp Fair is Saturday, November 13th!

Did you know that many summer camps start registration in NOVEMBER? The 4th annual New England Camp Fair will take place this Saturday, November 13 from 11am-2pm at Underwood Elementary School in Newton, MA (101 Vernon St, Newton, MA 02458) and is sponsored by the Underwood PTO! Showing up with your prospective campers is a HUGE help to the PTO (lots of attendees=happy camps!) and we do have a few hour-long volunteer opportunities on Saturday and would love your help: https://docs.google.com/…/1_hKLfYtuqbZB2vUmZcyQ…/edit… Come meet 20+ day and overnight camps, including traditional sleep-away options and sports, arts, STEM, and special interest-focused camps! The New England Camp Fair is FREE for kids and their grown-ups, and features free coffee and donuts (while supplies last!) Learn more here: https://www.newenglandcampfair.org/

Shop with AmazonSmile, Send .05% to Underwood

AmazonSmile helps combine your support for the Underwood PTO with your everyday online shopping. It’s a simple and automatic way for you to support the PTO every time you shop, at no extra cost to you. Underwood will earn 0.5% on eligible purchases! AmazonSmile is a simple way for you to support your favorite charitable organization every time you shop, at no cost to you. AmazonSmile is available at smile.amazon.com on your web browser and can be activated in the Amazon Shopping app for iOS and Android phones. When you shop with AmazonSmile, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added benefit that AmazonSmile will donate 0.5% of your eligible purchases to the charitable organization of your choice. We invite you to support the Underwood PTO at http://smile.amazon.com/ch/22-2562184. Note: Purchases must be made on smile.amazon.com! FAQs How READ MORE

Underwood-Ward Task Force

As many of you remember, in early 2020 NPS and the School Committee formed an Underwood-Ward Task Force to address the long term future of both Underwood and Ward. As Superintendent Fleishman wrote to the community at the time “…our two oldest elementary schools are now our two smallest elementary schools. Given our commitment to offering a rich menu of program options for students, as well as modern school facilities, we believe it is an opportune time to develop a plan for the future of Underwood and Ward. We are eager to explore the facilities and educational needs of both schools, as well as determine their optimal school community size.”   The task force was charged with presenting options to the School Committee and Superintendent Fleishman on the future of both school buildings by the end of the 2019-20 school year, but the group was READ MORE

Community Garden

Help keep our community garden beautiful this summer! Dear Underwood School families: Our community school garden is now in full bloom! Thanks again to all parent helpers who helped us plant! The water will be on all summer (the hose valve is next to the big composter on the building brick wall). If things look dry give them a little drink and feel free to do some weeding too. Many thanks for keeping our garden beautiful. Mr. Gluck 🙂