Audrey Peller served Newton schools for more than four decades

by | Oct 2, 2017 | Newton | 4 comments

| Newton MA News and Politics BlogWe’re sad to report that long time Ward School Principal Audrey Peller passed away this weekend.

Peller, who was recently profiled by the TAB,  worked for the Newton Public Schools for  43 years and was the Ward School for two decades.  Audrey was also Village 14 blogger Adam Peller’s mom.

4 Comments

  1. Gail Spector
    Gail Spector on October 2, 2017 at 1:03 pm

    Audrey was a beloved principal. Every Ward parent I ever talked to loved her. She will be missed.

    My heartfelt condolences to Audrey’s son Adam and to the rest of her family and loved ones.

    • Greg Reibman
      Greg Reibman on October 2, 2017 at 1:58 pm

      Here’s an excerpt from David Fleishman’s email to the Ward community sent over the weekend.

      Dear Ward Community,

      It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that I write to let you know that Audrey Peller passed away last night following a lengthy battle with cancer. Audrey was a very private person so I realize this news may come as a great shock to the Ward community.

      She cherished her role as a principal and persevered through this difficult challenge over the past few years. Audrey was most fulfilled when she was working with faculty, staff and students in her quiet, thoughtful and caring manner. As I said in the TAB this week, that is how I will remember her.

      Audrey cared deeply about the Ward community and I know so many of you are grateful for all she did to make Ward a cherished place for students, staff and families. The skilled and dedicated faculty and staff that she has hired and mentored will be her lasting legacy.

  2. Brenda Noel
    Brenda Noel on October 3, 2017 at 8:17 am

    I never had the opportunity to meet Audrey Peller but I have many dear friends who attend the Ward school and have shared many lovely Ms. Peller stories with me. One of them, who has a rather “spirited” son shared with me that her son was so sad to hear the news of Ms. Peller’s passing and is quick to point out to anyone who inquires that he practically spent “all of first grade” in her office, so they were very close. ;0)
    Newton is so lucky to have so many caring, creative and dedicated educations. She will be missed.

  3. Adam
    Adam on October 8, 2017 at 1:14 am

    Thank you all for your thoughts. It was a beautiful tribute to shut down the school early so that the staff could attend the funeral. I enjoyed hearing praise from her friends and colleagues at the service for her calm and caring style of leadership. My mom truly loved her work as principal. She must have touched the lives of thousands of students over the years, and we have felt the gratitude from so many over the past week. I’m tremendously proud of what she accomplished in her life and grateful to the community for the outpouring of support we have received.