Family Resources / New Families

Welcome to the Sumner School!

Navigating a new school and new school district can get overwhelming, so we have tried to capture some of the most useful information to make it a bit easier to find. We also have notes from current Sumner School parents with children entering K1, K2, or older grades for the 2023-2024 school year. They can serve as a point of contact to help you navigate your new school community. Our school Family Liaisons, Erin O'Brien and Ms. Dee Fortin (ellas hablan español) are also a wonderful resource (Ms. O'Brien: eobrien3@bostonpublicschools.org, 781-572-7496; Ms. Dee: dfortin@bostonpublicschools.org, 857-244-0034). Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions you might have!

Special Events for new and returning families:

Popsicles with the Principal: Tuesday August 29th 5-6:30pm @ Sumner Lower Playground (15 Basile St, Roslindale) Share a summer treat and meet the school principal, play on the schoolyard, and connect with other families!

Playground Meetups:

Connect with new and current families, play in the schoolyard, and enjoy some snacks! Returning, newly admitted, and prospective families are welcome to these meetups.

Saturday September 9th 2:00pm-3:00pm @ Sumner Lower Playground (15 Basile St, Roslindale)

K1 Family contacts: Mimi Lai

Hi, my name is Mimi Lai and I'm a Sumner Family Council Room Champions coordinator, a voluntary program designed to foster connections between families and staff. My daughers, Victoria (1st grade) and Diana (K1), are excited to meet their classmates and teachers this fall. We have many events planned to welcome you to the Sumner--some of them include smaller meet-ups to get to know new classmates and staff (Step Up Day and Playground Playdates) or bigger events to give you a taste of our exciting and fun community (Sumner Bash), If you have any questions, please reach out to me at mimitlai@gmail.com

K2 Family contacts: Nadia El Tayar (elle parle français)

Hi! My name is Nadia El Tayar and my daughter, Amina, is currently in K1 (and will be entering K2) at the Sumner School next Fall. The Sumner is such a special and happy place! There is a strong sense of community and the programming is outstanding- Amina is learning so much and has been lucky to have had wonderful dance classes, art, theater, and music as well as nature days at the arboretum through a partnership with BOPN. I look forward to meeting you and answering any questions. You can reach me at nadia.eltayar@gmail.com

Upper Grade Family contacts: Elizabeth Ferrenz (ella habla español) & Meg Rotzel

Hi, my name is Elizabeth Ferrenz and my daughter Batya will be in 3rd grade in September 2023. I have been a Sumner parent since Batya started in K1 and I'm currently the Sumner Family Council Co-Chair. We love the Sumner community and appreciate the excellent teaching and warmth of the school. Batya also has fun at the Before/After School program and would be happy to show you the kung fu and tennis skills she's learned. I look forward to meeting you and answering any questions. Please reach out to me at eferrenz@gmail.com

Hello! My name is Meg Rotzel. My child, Joy Christensen, will be in 5th grade in September 2024. We became part of the Sumner community in 2023 when Joy was transferred after a school closure. We have been welcomed generously by the Sumner, are grateful for the teachers, staff, and families for being so kind during what could have been a difficult transition. Joy has participated in Dance Club and Girls on the Run, and has made strong friendships in the past months. I would be happy to discuss transitions, and look forward to meeting you. Feel free to reach out to me at megrotzel@gmail.com

Helpful information to get you started:

Communications and Engagement: Communications from the Sumner School and district can come via different platforms. Below are three of the most used platforms used by our school community. You can always reach out to your homeroom teacher for more information.

Class Dojo: a web-based and mobile device app that many teachers at the school use to communicate with families including pictures of classroom activities and other updates. There is also a "School Story" in which staff and family council can broadcast announcements to the whole school. Please follow this link for step-by-step instructions on how to get started on Class Dojo.

School Messenger: The Sumner School and Boston Public Schools District uses the SchoolMessenger app to broadcast messages through phone, email, and text messaging. Families can use the "Infocenter" to manage your communication preferences and read previous messages. For more information and to get started with the School Messenger app, please visit this page.

Sumner Families Facebook group: Sumner School families and some staff have formed a private Facebook group to share resources and ask any questions as they come up. To join the group, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SumnerSchoolParents/

Before and After School Programming: The Sumner Before & After School Program is an in-house program for K1 thru 6th grades (including our 4-year old students!). The Before School Program operates from 7:00 am until the start of the school day and the After School Program operates from the end of the school day until 5:45 pm. Families can sign-up for as many days per week as are needed. The current rates for the 2023-24 school year (full and reduced price options based on need) are as follows:

Both (Before and After School)

Before School Only

Afterschool Only

5 Days-Weekly $120 ● Reduced $60

4 Days-Weekly $110 ● Reduced $55

3 Days-Weekly $100 ● Reduced $50

2 Days-Weekly $70 ● Reduced $35

5 Days-Weekly $50 ● Reduced $30

4 Days-Weekly $45 ● Reduced $28

3 Days-Weekly $40 ● Reduced $25

2 Days-Weekly $30 ● Reduced $20

5 Days-Weekly $70 ● Reduced $50

4 Days-Weekly $60 ● Reduced $40

3 Days-Weekly $50 ● Reduced $35

2 Days-Weekly $40 ● Reduced $30

The Sumner Before and After School Program is committed to accepting families regardless of what they can pay. If the current rates present a hardship for your family, please reach out to the Program director, Mr. Eric Shelton, to discuss options.

To register for the before and/or after school program, fill out the form here.

Please contact our Program Director, Mr. Shelton, with any questions.

Sumner School Cliffs Notes: A quick reference guide loaded with information about the Sumner School and BPS!

Sumner School Frequently Asked Questions: We've tried to answer some of the most common questions incoming families have. There is a wealth of information on the school website and don't hesitate to reach out to our parent reps listed above if you can't find an answer to your question!

BPS School Year Calendar

Summer learning: Educational and cultural activities for Sumner families to enjoy over the summer.

School supplies lists: Recommended (but not required) items by grade level for you to send in with your Sumner School student in the Fall. Check in with your class room champion and/or homeroom teacher to see what items are most needed for the classroom. Donations are always welcome. The most important supplies to obtain are a backpack (that can fit a folder), a water bottle, and if you choose to send a lunch packed from home, a lunch bag. For K1 students, a sheet or lightweight blanket to use during nap time and an extra change of clothes to keep in their classroom cubby are also recommended.