Welcome to Lawrence!
We’re so glad you’re here. Joining a new school comes with new systems, unfamiliar acronyms, and plenty of things you may not even know to ask yet. Whether you’re joining in Kindergarten or transferring in during a later grade, this guide will help you get oriented and connected.
Start Here
Three useful places to bookmark as you get settled.
Family Resources
Find commonly used links for menus, calendars, supply lists, activities, volunteering, and more.
Explore Family Resources →Lawrence Family Handbook
Review official information about school procedures, arrival and dismissal, lunch, attendance, and day-to-day routines.
View Family Handbook →Lawrence School Website
Find school administration, staff contacts, student services, academics, athletics, and official school information.
Visit Lawrence School →Lawrence & PSB Lingo
A few acronyms and systems you’ll hear about soon.
Aspen
Public Schools of Brookline’s student information system. Families use Aspen for registration-related information, report cards, student records, and other district information.
Open Aspen →MTK / Membership Toolkit
The PTO’s family platform for newsletter signup, volunteer opportunities, the school directory, event purchases, and other PTO activities.
Open Membership Toolkit →LEDP
Lawrence Extended Day Program, the on-site after-school care program for students in grades K–6.
Visit LEDP →LSA
Lawrence Special Activities, an independent nonprofit offering seasonal after-school enrichment classes for Lawrence students.
Explore LSA →Looking for more programs? Explore After-School & Enrichment Resources →
Good to Know Before School Starts
A few Lawrence routines that aren’t always obvious to new families.
Homeroom assignments come later
Student homeroom assignments are typically announced in mid-August. Don’t worry if you don’t know your child’s classroom earlier in the summer.
Supply lists are grade-wide
You can review the grade-level supply list before homeroom assignments are released. Families may also have the option to purchase a preassembled school supply kit during the spring and early summer.
View Supply Lists →Join PTO communications early
Signing up for Membership Toolkit and the PTO newsletter is one of the easiest ways to learn about events, traditions, volunteer opportunities, and other community information.
Sign Up →Everyday School Logistics
Useful details for navigating a typical school day.
Arrival, dismissal & lunch
The Lawrence Family Handbook contains the official procedures for arrival, dismissal, lunch, and other day-to-day routines.
View the Handbook →Absences, late arrivals & early dismissals
When possible, let your child’s teacher know in advance and copy school secretary Madeline Billiel.
Email the School Secretary →Absence Line: 617-879-4343
Good to know: nuts at school
Classrooms and classroom snack times are nut-free, but the cafeteria is not. If your child brings something containing nuts, such as a PB&J, make sure they know it should only be eaten at lunch and not during classroom snack.
Who Runs What?
It can take a little while to figure out which organization handles what.
Public Schools of Brookline (PSB)
District-wide services including student registration and enrollment, district policies, academics, and official district communications.
Registration & Enrollment →Lawrence School
Your child’s teachers and school administration handle classroom questions, day-to-day school routines, attendance, student support, and Lawrence-specific communications.
Visit Lawrence School →Lawrence PTO
Community events, educator and classroom support, enrichment funding, volunteer opportunities, family resources, and many Lawrence traditions.
Learn About the PTO →After-School Programs
Lawrence families use a mix of school-based programs such as LEDP and LSA, along with community options for care, enrichment, arts, athletics, recreation, and more.
Explore After-School & Enrichment Resources →Stay Connected
School and PTO communications serve different purposes, so it’s helpful to follow both.
School Communications
Watch for emails from Lawrence administration and your child’s teachers for classroom, academic, scheduling, and official school information.
PTO Newsletter
Community events, reminders, volunteer opportunities, fundraisers, family resources, and other PTO news.
Subscribe →School Directory
Membership Toolkit includes the Lawrence family directory. Families can manage what contact information they choose to share.
Open Membership Toolkit →During the School Year
A few things you’ll encounter once the year gets underway.
Parent-Teacher Conferences
In grades K–5, conferences are generally held twice each school year. Your child’s teacher will share scheduling information directly.
Middle-school conference information is shared separately as the dates approach.
Room Parents
All classrooms have volunteer room parents who help with class communications, community-building, and occasional classroom or grade-level activities.
Not sure who your room parent is? Ask us →Events & Lawrence Traditions
PTO events and school traditions happen throughout the year. The PTO calendar is the easiest place to see what’s coming up.
View the PTO Calendar →Volunteering
You can help with a single event, classroom or grade-level activities, or an ongoing PTO role. No prior PTO experience is needed.
Explore Volunteer Opportunities →Joining Lawrence in a Later Grade?
Welcome! You haven’t missed the orientation manual. Much of what long-time families know was simply learned over time.
Middle School at Lawrence
Students in grades 6–8 have additional opportunities for leadership, activities, athletics, and social events.
Leopard PAC
The Principal Advisory Council, or Leopard PAC, is a group of middle-school students selected to represent their peers and work with school administrators on leadership, advocacy, service, and school spirit.
Middle School Athletics & Intramurals
Middle-school students can participate in a variety of Lawrence athletics and intramural programs during the school year.
Explore Lawrence Athletics →Brookline Teen Center
The Brookline Teen Center is a community space where students can hang out, play sports and games, make music, cook, and participate in programs and activities. After-school programming is available beginning in 4th grade.
Explore the Brookline Teen Center →Brookline Recreation
Brookline Recreation offers additional programs and events for older students, including sports, seasonal activities, vacation programming, and town-wide middle-school events such as RAFT dances.
Keep an eye on the Lawrence Community Bulletin Board , grade-level WhatsApp groups, and Brookline Recreation announcements for upcoming opportunities.
Explore Brookline Recreation →A Few Lawrence Tips
A few things families often learn simply by being here for a while.
- School and PTO communications are separate, so keep an eye on both. Together they provide a more complete picture of what’s happening at Lawrence.
- Grade-level WhatsApp groups are informal, parent-run spaces and can be useful for reminders, questions, and connecting with other families.
- Many Lawrence traditions and routines are simply learned over time. If something seems obvious to everyone else, don’t hesitate to ask.
- Families join Lawrence at every grade. You haven’t missed anything by arriving after Kindergarten.
- Once you’re settled in, bookmark the Family Resources page for quick access to commonly used links.
Still not sure where to start?
That’s exactly what this page is for. Email the Lawrence PTO and we’ll be happy to point you in the right direction.