Working together for our kids
and for a strong community
We are moms, dads, aunties, litos, babas and more from every part of the world, brought together by a shared commitment to the children in our community. We are fortunate to be able to weave this rich tapestry of cultures, languages and ethnicities to enrich our children's education and experiences at Burr.
Fundraising is a big part of what we do. Through our annual giving program, The Wolf Fund, and various events throughout the year, we raise money to bring cutting-edge technologies and curriculum-aligned programs to Burr School. Every child in every grade benefits from the Burr PTO.
ABOUT OUR PTO
Our Mission
The mission of the PTO is to strengthen Burr School’s capacity to provide quality education to all our children by:
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Serving as a communication link between parents, the school and the broader community
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Raising funds to support the education of our children
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Providing supplemental educational programs within the school and
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Building community among Burr families and faculty.
Where does the money go?
The Burr PTO infuses more than $40,000 into our school each year, and these funds help to provide the technology needed in today’s classrooms, as well as the programs, services, and community events that help make Burr the wonderful place that it is. The Wolf Fund campaign is one of two primary source of funds for the PTO’s annual budget, and every penny raised through Burr Wolf Fund goes directly to the school. The remainder of the annual budget is raised through our spring online auction, as well as other events with community building and/or academic support elements, such as the Book Fair, as well as indirect fundraisers like Amazon Smile (see home page).
The PTO fully funds the Creative Arts & Sciences program at Burr, an unfunded mandate from Newton Public Schools, which gives Burr students the opportunity to write and illustrate stories and poems with published authors, design and build mini water distribution systems, dance with Chinese ribbon dancers, hold creatures from the depths of the ocean in their hands, and more. These programs are chosen with the teachers and tie-in with the grade-level curriculum, enhancing and enriching the academic experience.
Meet Our Board
The PTO Board is comprised of Burr parent volunteers, who meet throughout the year to oversee numerous community events and fundraisers, manage the PTO budget and perform other essential PTO functions.
Amie Butler
Co-President
Amie Butler and her husband, Grant Butler, moved to Auburndale in 2016 with their son, Grayson (now in 3rd grade). Amie has enjoyed serving on the PTO Board for the last few years as a Co-President and volunteering at many of the Burr events like May Fair and Book Swap. She loves the community at Burr, which is so integral to our kids' elementary experience, and is excited to continue to help strengthen that community. In our free time, the Butler family can often be found on some of the great local hiking trails or on a soccer field.
Angie Kim
Co-President
Angie Kim currently has a 4th grader at Burr. She and her family moved to Auburndale the summer of 2020. Although new to the school and also to the city, she has actively taken on roles to be an active member with our Burr community. She is currently co-room parents for her son’s class. She is also on the board for ELPAC & part of the Hospitality Team. She wants to make sure that our children’s memory of school is fun, engaging, exciting, but most of all a community.
Julie Swersey
Secretary
Julie Swersey’s daughter Sadie is a 3rd grader at Burr. She also has a daughter in 6th grade at Oak Hill. Julie is an Educational Advocate, and volunteers with the Federation for Children with Special Needs. This was her first year as part of the Burr community, and she loved being part of such a warm and welcoming group of people. Julie is looking forward to being a part of the PTO board and giving back to Burr. In her free time she enjoys family movie nights, hiking with her dog, and doing nothing with her two cats.
Mariko Wong
Education Chair
Mariko Wong has a 3rd grader (Emily) and a kindergartener (Samantha) at Burr. She loves being part of the Burr community and was inspired by other amazing Burr parents to join the PTO. She works as a geriatrician (medicine doctor for older adults). In her free time, she enjoys gardening, yoga, skiing, and going hiking with her family and her 1-year-old cavachon, Teddy!
Grace Huang
Communications Chair
Grace Huang's son, Jace, is currently in kindergarten. I am also the co-room parent of my son's class. I enjoyed sending emails out and organizing events this year. I moved to Newton in 2016. I work as a software developer at a law firm. I like doing crafts for my kids and friends when I am free. I tried crochet, bollom twisting, embroidery, hair bow ties, and more.
Amir Moghimi
Co-President
Amir Moghimi was born in Tehran, Iran, and grew up going back and forth between Iran and the United States. He has lived in Newton for four years with his wife, Akram, and two children, Maya (kindergarten) and Daniel (incoming kindergartener). He currently works for Bose as a research engineer, researching and designing speech and audio processing algorithms.
Jyoti Shah
Co-President
Jyoti Shah is a mom of three and has been a long time Burr parent. Jyoti and her husband, Aalok, moved to Auburndale in 2011. Two of their daughters, Aneesha, will be a 5th grader and Ishika, a second grader in Fall 2023. Their oldest, Shivangi, goes to Newton North. Jyoti is a Biomedical engineer and a Computational biologist by training and works for Merck where she truly enjoys working with scientists on applying technological innovations to accelerate science. Jyoti has supported the Burr PTO over the years through May Fair, Burr cultural events and several other volunteer activities. She is looking forward to joining the PTO board and taking a more active role with the committee. Jyoti loves to read and go for nature walks and hikes with her family. On weekends, when the sun is out, you will see her around Cove, biking with Aalok and the kids.
Casey Kudesia
Treasurer
Casey Kudesia has a 3rd grader and a kindergartener at Burr. She enjoys supporting her kids as a cheerful soccer parent (with Garden City Kindergarten Soccer!) and an assistant leader of a Newton-wide Girl Scout troop. Casey works for Mass General Brigham where she uses her background in instructional design, leadership development, and learning management systems to advance compassion in healthcare around the world. Nothing makes her happier than a well-formatted spreadsheet and a balanced PTO budget. You've probably seen her out for a run or walking her perfect dogs, Bog and Addie.
Kayla Noblecilla
Co-Events Chair
Kayla Noblecilla has a 2nd grader and a Kindergartener at Burr. She moved to Newton in 2019, is originally from Puerto Rico, and really enjoys this community and the season changes. Prior to joining the board this year, Kayla has enjoyed volunteering for activities like Teacher Appreciation Week and being part of the Burr Buzz emails. Kayla is currently a stay-at-home mom and takes care of her 2-year old full-time. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her family on hikes, bike rides, and snowboarding in the winter.
Shannon Derick
D.E.I. Chair
Shannon Derick is the mother of Maddie, a Burr 2nd grader. She and her husband grew up in the Greater Boston area and moved to West Newton in 2005. Shannon is a social worker in Early Intervention by profession and passion. She is currently a co-room parent and relishes being an active part of the Burr community. Her family enjoys participating in the Trunk or Treat and volunteering/attending other school events. She can be found walking, biking, and scootering in and around West Newton with her family.
Interested in taking on a leadership role on the PTO? Please don't hesitate to reach out!