Community Outreach

The Mason-Rice community is strong and vibrant, and part of a larger community in Newton and the greater Boston area. The PTO’s Community Outreach team works to raise awareness and understand the differences and complexities of our larger community and share resources and support. We also work to care for our school community by supporting various student groups, caring for our school garden, and participating in Newton Serves to clean up and repair our school grounds.

We know that when we engage with our larger community and the institutions in our city and region we help ourselves and others. To support these efforts, the M-R PTO has organized some committees and teams and provides funds to enable us to support many outreach programs including Green Team, Families Organizing for Racial Justice (FORJ), Community Liaisons (METCO, SEPAC, ELPAC), School Garden & Newton Serves, Safe Routes to School, Gift of Giving, and the Social Action Committee. For more information or to get involved, please contact masonricepto@gmail.com.

Families Organizing for Racial Justice (FORJ)

If you’re not sure how to talk to your kids about racism, we can help.  FORJ Families generate understanding and curiosity about differences in our society, and work together towards racial equity. Learn more about it on the FORJ page.

Safe Routes to School

Newton Safe Routes to School (SRTS) works to promote walking, biking, and taking the bus to school through encouragement, education, infrastructure improvements, and safety enforcement. Our goal is to create a healthy community for everyone.

Green Team: “To promote earth-friendly practices within our Mason-Rice community.”

Compost, Recycle, Carbon Footprints, Sustainability, “Go Green” – – what do these mean?   Why should we care?  The Green Team is a group of parents who have shared interest in learning, practicing, and educating our children about how we can take better care of the earth and, ultimately, ourselves. Want to get involved? email masonricepto@gmail.com.

Mason-Rice Garden

We also help support and maintain the Mason-Rice Garden. If you are interested in getting involved, email masonricepto@gmail.com.

PTO Speaker Events

Each year, the Mason-Rice PTO sponsors speakers on key topics. If you have ideas for topics, please email them to masonricepto@gmail.com.

Connections to Our Community

Mason-Rice families are connected to our broader community in many ways. If you are already a part of one of these groups and would like to help our PTO better coordinate with them, please reach out to our co-presidents. If you’d like more info on one of these groups, please follow the links below or reach out to us and we can help connect you.

  • Newton ELPAC is the Newton English Language Parent Advisory Council. More information on the NPS ELL program is available here.
  • Newton SEPAC is the Newton Special Education Parent Advisory Council.
  • M.E.T.C.O. – the Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity is a state-funded educational program designed to eliminate racial imbalance through the busing of children from Boston and Springfield to public systems in surrounding suburban metropolitan communities.
  • Newton Public Schools Department of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
  • The Newton Schools Foundation advances excellence and equity in the Newton Public Schools by making grants in 3 strategic areas.