Welcome Home Cougars!

Back-to-School Night Script – 2025

Good evening, East Ward! My name is Nick Argonish, and it is my privilege to welcome you to East Ward Elementary School. Whether you’re joining us for the first time or returning for another exciting year, we are so glad you’re here. As both a principal and a parent, I know how much anticipation and energy surrounds the start of a new school year.

Over the past few days, you may have received an email from your child’s homeroom teacher with a Back-to-School Night presentation. If it hasn’t arrived yet, you’ll receive it before our Open House. This year, we’ve included short videos to give you a preview of what students will experience in the months ahead. Please watch them at your convenience prior to our Open Houses:

• Tuesday, August 19 from 6–7 PM — Grades 3–5
  
  

• Wednesday, August 20 from 6–7 PM — Grades K–2
  
  

When you attend, you’ll have the opportunity to meet your child’s teacher, see the classroom, and explore our building to meet other staff members. Here at East Ward, we believe that Everyone Matters. That belief is at the heart of our school-wide positive behavior program, Cougars Care, which focuses on being Respectful, Responsible, Safe, and Kind. Every day is an opportunity to be a little better than the day before, and we work hard to instill that mindset in all our students.

East Ward is a strong community because of the commitment of our families. Our Home and School Association plays a big role in that. Mrs. Desai, one of our HSA co-presidents, will now share more about the association, introduce the officers, and explain how you can be involved in this important volunteer work.

EW HSA Video:

Hello East Ward families!

Welcome back! We are your Home and School Association (also known as the HSA), and we're so happy to kick off another fantastic year at East Ward!

The HSA is a team of caregivers, just like you, who volunteer their time to work with our amazing teachers and staff to make our school a fun and special place for our kids.

For Our Students: We plan fun events that have evolved into cherished traditions and lasting memories.

This year, get ready for our Fun Run on October 3

Book Fair in late October

Trunk or Treat before Halloween

Donuts with Santa in December

Pizza Bingo in January

and Spring Fair in early May.

We also help fund special guests and assemblies that aren’t just fun, but also enriching learning experiences such as author visits.

For Our Teachers: We love to show our teachers and staff how much we appreciate them.

We host special lunches and events, like our Back-to-School luncheon in August

Soup Day in February

and Teacher Appreciation Week in the spring. This helps teachers know we care and gives them more time to focus on teaching.

For Our Caregivers:

The East Ward Home and School Association is a resource and support system for every caregiver. While we organize fun events for students and show appreciation for our teachers, our core mission is to strengthen the connection between home and school, which ultimately benefits caregivers by:

Building a Community of Support: The HSA provides a built-in network of other caregivers who are actively involved in the school. By attending meetings or volunteering, you'll meet other parents and guardians, which can lead to new friendships, shared advice, and a sense of belonging. This community is a valuable resource for everything from understanding school procedures to finding a playdate.

Providing a Direct Link to the School: The HSA acts as a bridge between the school administration and families. Our meetings are a place where you can get updates on school activities, ask questions, and share feedback. This gives you a voice in your child's education and ensures that your perspective is heard.

Creating Opportunities for Involvement: We know that caregivers are busy, so we offer many different ways to get involved that fit various schedules and skill sets. Whether you have an hour to spare to help at the book fair, or you're able to plan an event, the HSA gives you a structured way to contribute to the school community. This involvement is a powerful way to show your child that you are invested in their school life.

Fundraising for Enhancements and Enrichment: All of our fundraising efforts go directly back into the school to fund programs that enhance the educational experience. These include special assemblies and author visits. The HSA helps to provide these "extras" that make Eastward such a great place to learn and grow, without placing a financial burden on individual families for every event.

Simplifying Family Fun: We work hard to plan fun, low-stress family events like Pizza Bingo and Trunk or Treat. These events are designed to be easy for families to attend and enjoy, providing ready-made opportunities to spend quality time together and with other Eastward families.

Our board members, Parul Desai, Sarah Peters, Charita Dudrick, Adam Shoffner, Liz Brown, Alaena Silva, and Shannon Latino, are here to lead, but we can't do any of this without you!

If you're attending the K-2 night on August 20, you can participate in our Handel's Dine & Donate event.

Please stop by our table at Back to School Night and to get your fridge magnet with the East Ward HSA website QR code. Our site is your go-to source for:

Downloadable and printable versions of all HSA fliers and forms (including the monthly letter day calendar and full year event calendar)

Access links to EW grade level Facebook groups to connect with other caregivers, and our HSA Facebook Page and Group to get updates on upcoming events and activities.

Active Sales - if you need tickets to an HSA event or New Spirit Wear, links will be posted on our site

Opportunities to volunteer your time or donate through our Sign Up Genius links

When we all work together, we can do so much good because at East Ward, everyone matters.

Thank you to Mrs. Desai and our HSA officers for all you do to support our students, staff, and community.

Beyond your child’s homeroom teacher, we have many other educators who play an important role in your child’s day — specialists, support staff, and additional faculty who enrich our programs. You will have an opportunity to meet many of them at Back to School Night! During Open House, I’ll be in the lobby and office area, and our staff will be in various locations throughout the building — please say hello!

Before the first day of school, I’ll also share important information with you, including links and forms that explain our arrival and dismissal procedures, how to use Pickup Patrol, an introduction to Class Dojo, and how to pre-order school lunches. I often send information more than once so you have plenty of opportunities to review it.

I use S’more for my written communications, which allows you to select your preferred language for translation. Please remember to click and open the full message — I occasionally update details, and opening the message ensures you see the most current version. Class Dojo will also be a key communication tool this year, with built-in translation features to support families. Your child’s teacher will share more, but one important note: you never need to pay for any Class Dojo upgrade.

We are in this together. If you have any questions, please reach out — we are here to support you and your child. Thank you for your involvement and commitment to our school. Let’s make this an outstanding year, Cougars!