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Search Results for: goodwin

Sprague principal Goodwin leaving Wellesley post at end of school year

January 15, 2014 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

Sprague school exterior, summer 2013Stephen Goodwin, principal of Sprague Elementary School in Wellesley since 2011, has announced plans to leave at the end of this school year.

“As some may know, this is my 22nd year spent working in public education – 9 as a teacher, 13 as an administrator.  For some period of time now, as I eye the next half of my career in public education, I have been thinking about exploring other teaching and leadership opportunities outside the principalship.  As a result, I have begun to pursue new opportunities and wish to ensure that both Wellesley Public Schools (WPS) Superintendent Dr. David Lussier and the Sprague community have ample time to select a new principal for the 2014-2015 school year,” he wrote.

Parents have been writing to us with glowing reviews of Goodwin and say they will miss him:

“It’s a huge huge loss. He will be sorely missed. A truly gifted person.”

“I for one am a parent incredibly sad to hear that Dr. Goodwin is moving on and out of Sprague.  I know I am not alone.  He has been tremendous and there are not many like him out there.”

“I am so sad to see him leave. I have never seen a principal go above and beyond each day as he does. I wish him all the success he deserves.”

 

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Filed Under: Education

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Lecture – The Modern Classics of Musical Theater: Les Miserables

May 19, 2022 by admin Leave a Comment

Join us for a musical program with singer/songwriter Michael Goodwin on the world’s longest running musical: Les Miserables. After a bit of
a lull, the 1980s saw a revival of the Broadway musical. In this installment of the series, The Modern Classics of Musical Theater, we
will delve into what is considered one of the greatest musicals of all time: Les Miserables. As always, there will be singing, a lecture,
video clips from various shows, and many opportunities to participate.

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Wellesley Police Chief issues statement on “disgusting” behavior of officers involved in George Floyd case

June 1, 2020 by admin 2 Comments

Wellesley Police Chief Jack Pilecki issued the following statement on Monday, a day after hundreds took part in a mostly silent vigil and protest in Wellesley against racial injustice and police brutality:

The death of George Floyd as a direct result of an individual Minneapolis Police Officer’s action, coupled with the absolute inaction of three other police officers who stood by, is nothing short of disgusting. The tragic act itself, seeing Mr. Floyd plead for air, is reprehensible beyond words. It does not matter that this awful event occurred a thousand miles away in Minnesota. It matters that the most basic and sacred of trusts—that the police department is here to protect and serve the public, was violently and horribly violated. The brutal violation of that sacred trust is something that absolutely shocks my conscious, and should shock all law enforcement officials through-out the country.  Police violence towards anyone is illegal and immoral, and should never be tolerated. Abuse of police power absolutely sickens me, and I condemn it.

I have always supported positive, constructive change in law enforcement and in our own department. I will continue to work with the community, town leaders, and our officers to oppose racism and injustice anywhere. The actions of four people in Minneapolis is not, however, a reflection of all police officers nationwide, including our own men and women of the Wellesley Police Department. Wellesley Police Officers, who put their lives on the line every day, treat everyone with the respect and dignity that they deserve. We will continue to work internally with our officers to ensure that Wellesley has a well-trained and professional department that we can all be proud of.

The Wellesley Police Department, as always, will continue to keep our community safe for our residents and visitors.

(Here’s a statement from Natick Police Chief James Hicks)

Wellesley Board of Selectmen

The Wellesley Board of Selectmen has also issued a statement:

“We have all watched with heavy hearts the appalling video from last Monday of George Floyd’s detention and subsequent death at the hands of Minneapolis police officers. Reflecting indifference to the value of human life and lasting an unbearable 9 minutes, the video was at once shocking and painfully familiar. That video alone should move all people to denounce unnecessary violence and force by law enforcement officials against person of color, and people have done so many times before. Yet time and again similar videos appear and not enough changes. The Board reaffirms its pledge to diversity and in the strongest of terms condemns the treatment of Mr. Floyd and the use of entirely unnecessarily force. We offer our heartfelt support to our African-American neighbors, friends and colleagues, as well as a recommitment to work with all community partners to address underlying issues of race in all contexts. The riots, protests and violence that began in the wake of Mr. Floyd’s death and were shared on national media reflect pent-up anger, resentment, restlessness and hopelessness grown stronger during the fight against the first global pandemic in 100 years. The country’s leaders have declared throughout the COVID-19 pandemic that “We are all in this together.” Historian and author Doris Kearns Goodwin was correct, however, when she said recently, ‘We may all be in the same river, but we are most certainly not all in the same boat.’ COVID-19 has made all the more evident social ills that exist and fall disproportionately upon people of color. Communities of color are suffering disproportionally during the pandemic just as they have suffered since the founding of the country from disparities that affect all aspects of their lives, from health to education, careers to housing, mortality rates to economic advancement. And those of us outside the communities of color cannot for one moment appreciate the enormities of these challenges. It is no surprise that people of color are yet again devastated and angry. The challenges to addressing these inequities are many. Wellesley strives to strengthen community values of welcoming equity and inclusion. The World of Wellesley has for over 30 years offered programs and events addressing issues of racism and works every day to build a more inclusive community. More than 1,500 people attended a silent vigil on Washington Street yesterday to protest the death of George Floyd and to call for racial justice. The School Department has hired a director of diversity, equity and inclusion to support and recruit faculty of color, train educators, enhance communications and sensitize students in our school system. All of us must work together to address the issues and improve interracial interactions. At the heart of the town’s efforts to avoid violent confrontations with any individual, Wellesley’s police department has worked assiduously over the past decade to build a practice of community policing and develop protocols for de-escalation. Last year the department engaged the services of a social worker to support officers in challenging situations. Public safety officials and officers across the town learn that town values communication over confrontation, and humanity over force.”

Wellesley Public Schools statements

Wellesley Public Schools Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Charmie Curry letter to colleagues:

Colleagues,

We are in desperate times. As educators, we have a unique responsibility to moderate these times for our students, and our wider learning communities. This responsibility cannot be understated, especially in such a time as this.

At the onset of the COVID19 crisis, we bore witness to the racial prejudice directed at Asian Americans. We continue to read about bias-based behaviors that wrongly accuse Asian Americans of being responsible for the virus’s spread. Concurrently, we are bearing witness to the disparate treatment of African Americans at the hands of police. This is not new. We continue to witness the devaluing of Black lives, and the everyday indignities faced as a result of unconscious racial bias. In the last few weeks, and last week in particular, we have been mourning Ahmaud, Breona, George. In years past, we have mourned with the families of Amadou, Abner, Mike, Oscar, Philando, Sandra, Sean, Stephon, Tamir, Trayvon, the members of Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina …

Our students and faculty/staff are watching the news reports; they are experiencing all the emotions that can be associated with routinely bearing witness to such inhumanity. These realities are weighing on them.

I want to share a resource from Sheldon Eakins, PhD and the Leading Equity Center that you may find helpful as you speak to students, families, faculty/staff about the current national climate. I encourage you to check in on students, families, and faculty/staff specifically about these issues. The costs of not engaging are far too great.

Please reach out should you need additional resources/support.

In solidarity,

Dr. Curry

 

Separately, Wellesley Public Schools Supt. David Lussier issued this statement over the weekend:

Dear Members of the Wellesley Public Schools Community:

In a spring that has been defined by COVID-19, it might be easy to overlook the recent events highlighting the deep racial divides that still exist in this country.  The video footage of Ahmaud Arbery being attacked while simply jogging down the street and George Floyd pleading for his life are far from isolated incidents and are, in fact, emblematic of realities that our communities of color face in this country every day.  And as horrifying as these examples are, I know that I can leave my house right now and feel no anxiety that my skin color might put my life in jeopardy.  My white privilege affords me that luxury.

But then I think about our students, their families, and staff of color who attend our schools.  What are they feeling when leave their homes?  How are they feeling after watching the same haunting videos I have seen? They don’t have the luxury to compartmentalize their reactions from their daily routines.  In short, they don’t share in the same privilege that I and others possess.

We are a school district that prides itself on a set of core values to which we strive to adhere every day.  These values are largely grounded in how we treat one another. It is in this spirit that I have to acknowledge that our communities of color are experiencing a great deal of pain right now.  And as members of our broader school community, it is important that we speak with one voice to both object to the attitudes and actions behind these recent events and to stand in support our families and colleagues who are uniquely impacted by them. That’s what One Wellesley is all about.

Please continue to stay safe and take good care of each other.

Sincerely,

Dr. David Lussier

Superintendent of Schools

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Filed Under: Education, Government, Police

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Wellesley’s Sprague School principal to step down

March 4, 2019 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

Wellesley, Susan Snyder
Sprague School principal Susan Snyder

Wellesley’s Sprague Elementary School is seeking a replacement for Principal Susan Snyder, who is retiring in June after running the 369-student K – 5 school since 2015.

Snyder came to Sprague from Hannah Elementary School in Beverly, Massachusetts, where she had served since 2006.

“I am proud to work in a school where students are respectful, and speak their minds,” Snyder said in a letter to the Sprague community, “where they are kind and empathetic, and where everyone is welcome. I know Sprague will continue to be this kind of school for as long as its doors are open. For now, I plan to keep on enjoying Sprague and am committed to giving you my best until the day I leave in June.”

Snyder named the pilot and implementation of Spanish Foreign Language for Elementary Students (FLES) instruction and the ongoing work supporting improvement in curriculum and instruction as two of the most noteworthy and rewarding projects on which she worked.

Snyder will leave big shoes to fill. The educator holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Gettysburg College (PA) a Masters from Lesley University in Special Education, and a Masters from Salem State University in Educational Leadership. Ms. Snyder is fluent in Spanish and is licensed as Principal / Assistant Principal and Superintendent / Assistant Superintendent through the Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education

Superintendent David Lussier said, “We remain grateful for Ms. Snyder’s strong leadership at Sprague during the past five years and for her 37 years of service in public education in Massachusetts. Ms. Snyder has touched the lives of thousands of students during her career and she will be sorely missed both at Sprague and as a member of our District leadership team.”

Lussier’s office is seeking candidates for the 2014-day work-year position who hold at minimum a Master’s Degree and licensure as an elementary school principal. Previous teaching experience and administrative experience at the building or district level is required. The job starts July 1, 2019 and the salary range is $128,265 – $147,151.

Lussier and the transition team has scheduled meetings with parents and staff to provide an overview of the search process and develop the leadership profile that will help inform selection deliberations. The staff meeting is Monday, March 11th at 3:15pm in the Sprague Library, and the parent meeting is Monday, March 11th at 6pm in the Sprague Library.

Lussier hopes to make a final appointment by the end of April.

Some past Sprague principals:

Stephen Goodwin, 2010 – 2015

Donna Dankner, 2007 – 2010

Fiske the last Wellesley school to switch up the top slot

In 2016, Wellesley named Rachel McGregor as principal of Fiske on an interim basis for the 2015-16 school year. She replaced Anthony Colannino, whose contract wasn’t renewed after three years on the job.

After a search that attracted a pool of 53 applicants for the Fiske principalship, McGregor beat them all out and was appointed to the job in March 2016.

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Filed Under: Careers/jobs, Education, Sprague Elementary School

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The latest scoop on Wellesley Yogurtology

March 10, 2015 by Bob Brown 2 Comments

Yogurtology, Wellesley SquareIt’s still too soon to say exactly when Yogurtology will open in the former White Mountain Creamery space in Wellesley Square beyond the “spring” mentioned on the sign, but we do have some fresh details on the new business that we first wrote about last month.

You might be interested to know first that it will be owned and operated by Classic Restaurant Concepts, whose Peter Sarmanian is a longtime Wellesley resident and 1989 Wellesley High grad. His fellow partners at Classic Restaurant Concepts live in Weston and Winchester. Other establishments operated by the business include Irish restaurants the Kinsale (Boston) and the Asgard (Cambridge)

Sarmanian tells us that he and his wife Helena, along with a yet-to-be-hired general manager, will be the face of Yogurtology locally. Yogurtology is a chain whose Wellesley shop will be its first outside of Florida and Arizona.

Some commented on our original post about why Wellesley TRULY needs another frozen yogurt spot, but Sarmanian is tickled PINKBERRY about Yogurtology: “We feel that Wellesley is a thriving community with a great mix of residential, colleges, businesses, retail and restaurants. There is certainly room for another choice for frozen treats.”

Sarmanian, who moved back to Wellesley in 2004 to raise his family here, claims Yogurtology is the best yogurt franchise in the country. “They have a super premium product, talented people and great operating systemsl,” he says.

Yogurtology has not begun the hiring process yet in Wellesley, but if you are interested, reach out to Director of Operations Bill Goodwin at [email protected]

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Filed Under: Business, Restaurants

Sprague School to welcome new principal

March 24, 2014 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

2013wellesleypictures 065Superintendent Lussier sent out a letter to the community welcoming Susan Snyder as the newly appointed principal of Sprague Elementary School, effective July 1, 2014.

He notes that “Ms. Snyder is currently the Principal at the Hannah Elementary School in Beverly, Massachusetts where she has served since 2006. Prior to her appointment as Principal, Ms. Snyder served as Assistant Principal at Fuller Elementary School in Gloucester, Massachusetts and classroom teacher at the Horace Mann Elementary School in Salem, Massachusetts for twenty-three years. Ms. Snyder holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Gettysburg College (PA) a Masters from Lesley University in Special Education and a Masters from Salem State University in Educational Leadership. Ms. Snyder is fluent in Spanish and is licensed as Principal / Assistant Principal and Superintendent / Assistant Superintendent through the Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education.”

Sprague principal Goodwin leaving Wellesley post at end of school year

Wellesley principal Keough among final 3 for Easton superintendent job

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Filed Under: Education Tagged With: Sprague Elementary School

Wellesley taps new Sprague School principal

February 8, 2010 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

Wellesley Public School Superintendent Bella Wong has announced that Steve Goodwin has verbally accepted her offer to take over as Sprague Elementary School principal when Donna Dankner departs following this school year. (We believe Goodwin comes from Winchester’s Lynch School.)

And as if that isn’t enough excitement for one day at Sprague, the school also was paid a visit by Fox-25 TV weather Kevin Lemanowicz, who is promising video on the 6pm newscast tonight…

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Filed Under: Education Tagged With: Sprague school

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