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Needham Bank, Wellesley
Write Ahead, Wellesley

The Wellesley Schools summer reading books aren’t going to read themselves — here’s an inspiring video by Sprague teachers

August 4, 2018 by Caleb Brown Leave a Comment

The Sprague elementary school teachers have outdone themselves once again in their annual short film encouraging students to push through their summer reading even when the going gets tough. Sprague students are encouraged to read about 30 minutes per day during the summer. (You can check out all Wellesley schools’ suggested summer reading on our Wellesley Summer Reading page.)

The film stars Ms. Fiore as an enthusiastic reader who must overcome a difficult section of her once-beloved, The Book. The film begins with Ms. Fiore having fun with The Book (played by Ms. Bartelloni), but things go sour when Ms. Fiore reaches a difficult part of The Book. After pushing The Book away, the rest of the story follows the path that leads Ms. Fiore to give The Book another chance, and it turns out the hard part can be overcome after all.

Highlights include a fantastic junk food binge scene and some expertly choreographed dancing. The soundtrack was full of hits, from The Turtles to Sinead O’Connor.

This masterpiece was directed by Mr. Craig, and his choices of the film’s various sets will be familiar to Sprague kids and parents. The story features various classrooms, hallways, the cafeteria and, of course, the library.

The inspirational messages at the end had me putting War and Peace and other classics on my summer reading list. I can read them after all!

Wellesley Sprague School video
We weren’t able to upload the video, but if you go over to the Sprague School’s site at this link, you can see The Book and The Reader and in all their dramatic glory.

Filed Under: Books, Education, Kids, Sprague Elementary School, Uncategorized

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Linden Square, Wellesley
Wonderful Wellesley, Lockheart
Write Ahead, Wellesley

Take me to temple in Wellesley — Temple Beth Elohim

July 6, 2018 by Caleb Brown Leave a Comment

Part of a weekly series of posts profiling places of worship in Wellesley

Temple Beth Elohim Glass, Wellesley

Wellesley’s Jewish community does not have many local houses of worship compared to the plethora of churches in town, but Temple Beth Elohim has stepped up to the challenge of serving not just the Wellesley community, but much of the surrounding area as well.

The temple began as a Jewish community organization in 1949, however the group did not establish its own building for a temple until 1961. The current temple was built in 2010 in light of a steady increase in membership, and can be found at 10 Bethel Rd. near Schofield Elementary School.

Since 2000, Temple Beth Elohim has been headed by Senior Rabbi Joel Sisenwine. He has been widely recognized  as a leader in the larger Jewish community, having served on several statewide and national councils.

Temple Beth Elohim is affiliated with the Union of Reform Judaism, a popular branch Judaism which boasts over 800,000 members.

Summer Services:

Shabbat Services:

Fridays 6:00pm

Saturdays 10:30am & 5:00pm

Filed Under: Churches, Religion

Page Waterman, Wellesley
London Harness, Wellesley

Take me to church in Wellesley — St. Paul Church

July 6, 2018 by Caleb Brown Leave a Comment

St Paul's Church, Wellesley

Part of a weekly series of posts profiling places of worship in Wellesley

St Paul Church, the spiritual home to over 1500 Catholic parishioners, is one of two Catholic Churches in Wellesley. St. Paul began in 1906 as a spin-off of St. John the Evangelist Parish in Wellesley Hills, but quickly outgrew its secondary status. The Church, which stands at 502 Washington St. opposite Wellesley Town hall, was constructed in 1915.

The parish shares a head pastor with St. John’s in Reverend James Laughlin, who assumed leadership in 2015 after the decision to form a St. John – St. Paul Collaborative. The two churches have separate services, but share an overarching leadership vision. Laughlin was appointed to the collaborative in part because of his experiences overseeing a church merger in his previous pastoral residency.

St Paul’s Summer Services (starting July 1):

Sunday Mass at 7:30am and 11am
Saturday Vigil Mass, 4pm (confessions heard 3:30 – 4pm or by appointment)
Daily Mass: Monday – Saturday, 9am

Filed Under: Uncategorized

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Take me to church in Wellesley — St. John the Evangelist Church

June 30, 2018 by Caleb Brown Leave a Comment

St. John's Church, Wellesley

Part of a weekly series of posts profiling places of worship in Wellesley

St John is one of two Catholic outposts in Wellesley (along with St. Paul) and is located at 9 Glen Rd., just off Washington Street. St John Church holds the distinction of being the oldest religious building in Wellesley, having been established in 1881 as an offshoot of St. Mary’s in Newton — it assumed its independence and current name nine years later.

The pastor at St. John is Reverend James Laughlin, who works as a a part of the St. John – St. Paul Collaborative to oversee services at both churches. Laughlin took over in 2016, having previously worked as pastor at Good Shepherd Parish in Wayland. Laughlin was reassigned by the Archbishop of Boston in hopes his experience overseeing the merger of St. Ann’s and St. Zepherin’s parishes into Good Shepherd Parish in 2011 would be relevant in establishing the new collaborative between St. John’s and St. Paul’s.

St. John is known in town for its K – 6 school, which provides a private Catholic education to 185 students from around the Greater Boston area.

St. John Summer Services, starting July 1:

Saturday Vigil: 5pm (confessions heard 3pm – 345pm or by appointment)
Sunday Masses: 7:30am & 9am
Daily Mass: Monday – Saturday, 7am

Filed Under: Churches

Call and Haul, Wellesley

Take me to church in Wellesley — St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church

June 23, 2018 by Caleb Brown Leave a Comment

Part of a weekly series of posts profiling places of worship in Wellesley, MA

 

St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, Wellesley MA

St. Andrew’s, located just off of Washington St. (79 Denton Rd.), is part of an abundant community of 180 such parishes in the Massachusetts area. An Episcopal parish, its roots stem from the Anglican Church, although the Episcopalian Church prides itself on being more socially progressive than its more orthodox English cousins. The Episcopal Church is known for supporting LGBT rights and ordaining women.

St. Andrew’s is led by Reverend Adrian Robbins-Cole, who took over as rector in 2013. The church has a variety of programs for children and youth, and engages with the Wellesley College community as well, inviting students to be active in several of their ministries.

St Andrew’s Summer Services:

Every Sunday:

8:00 AM — Holy Eucharist

10:00 AM —  Holy Eucharist

Midweek Services:

Wednesday, 7:30 PM: Holy Eucharist and Healing

Monday-Friday, 8:45 AM: Silent Contemplative Prayer

MORE: Wellesley church gets furry and fluffy with blessing of animals

Where to worship in Wellesley

 

 

Filed Under: Churches

Rumble Boxing, Natick Mall

Swimmers tour Morses Pond the best way at Wellesley’s MOPO Miler

August 3, 2016 by Caleb Brown Leave a Comment

mopo miler

The 5th annual MOPO Miler swimming event on Saturday gave 23 local swimmers the chance to complete a mile or half mile open water course around Morses Pond.

The miler, which was cancelled last year due to inclement weather, had nearly perfect conditions this year, with only a few clouds present for the event, which began at 9:30 am. The event cost $20 to enter, which included a t-shirt and pond admission for all swimmers and their families.

mopo miler

Most entrants chose to complete the full mile course, however, for those uncomfortable with the distance, there was an opportunity to peel off for a half mile version. Both courses were well marked with large orange buoys, and a full staff of lifeguards providing clear direction.

The swimmers were in good hands. With a roughly 2:1 swimmer-to-lifeguard ratio, the guards were able to patrol effectively in kayaks and keep an eye on the participants.

The miler was not a timed event, so there was no official results list handy post-race. Most of the milers were happy just to complete the course, and many stuck around to rest on the beach for part of the day.

In addition to this event, Morses Pond will be hosting a free outdoor movie, “Inside Out,” on Thursday, August 4th at 8 pm. The pond closes for the season on August 21st.

Our MOPO miler crew! What a great day for a swim! These guys crushed it ?? #wellesley #morsespond #summer

A photo posted by Wellesley Recreation (@recwellesley) on Jul 30, 2016 at 6:50am PDT

Filed Under: Outdoors, Sports

Pokemon GO invades Wellesley!

July 11, 2016 by Caleb Brown Leave a Comment

pokemon go
Pokemon Go sighting in Wellesley Hills

For most people, the news that Wellesley’s youth are increasingly wandering the streets, faces buried in their smartphones doesn’t seem revolutionary. However, the advent of new app sensation Pokemon GO, released several days ago, has caused a sudden shift in the behavioral patterns of millennials in Wellesley and beyond.

For the unacquainted, Pokemon GO is the latest installment in the internationally popular Pokemon series of video games, begun in 1996 by Japanese company Nintendo. The original games allowed players to travel several fictional continents, capturing numerous Pokemon creatures and using the critters’ powers to defeat assorted antagonists in battle. Pokemon GO includes similar features, such as the original lineup of Pokemon creatures (Pikachu, Squirtle, etc.) available for capture, but instead of finding Pokemon in a digital world, players must seek them in real world locations, with their smartphones guiding the way.

The impact of the app has been visible all over Wellesley in the last few days, as another part of the game is the existence of specific areas, PokeStops and Gyms, that players can access to acquire helpful items or send their strongest Pokemon into battle. These locations are usually notable buildings, monuments or places, and in Wellesley that means Town Hall, the Sprague Memorial Clock Tower, Morses Pond, the Davis Museum and even the spot at Wellesley College where the famed Sleepwalker statue once stood. Where such structures exist, clusters of teenagers with phones in hand are likely to be close at hand.

 

Clock Tower, Wellesley
Pokemon lurk at the Clock Tower…

The pitfalls associated with Pokemon GO are manifold, both safety-related, as people wandering around intently focused on their phones can easily run into trouble, and societally, as most parents would agree that the less time kids spend on their phones, the better. The loading screen of the app features a prominent warning urging players not to neglect their surroundings, but drivers must also be aware that, at least as long as the app sustains its current wild popularity (Pokemon GO currently commands the top spot on the App Store’s list of free apps,) extra caution should be taken in and around town center.

 

 

The Clock Tower is the site of a Pokemon GO gym
The Clock Tower is the site of a Pokemon GO gym

The fear that the app will drive kids even further into their phones is legitimate but the game is also a prime avenue for social interaction. In order to progress, players must congregate at the PokeSpots and Gyms, and so far, such locales have been consistently populated, which make them great places to meet people who clearly have something in common.

The public health benefits of the app could also have a positive impact on generally sedentary video game players. The game periodically rewards players with Pokemon eggs, and the only way to release the Pokemon inside is by walking, either 2, 5, or 10 kilometers depending on the egg. Pokemon GO is forcing people to walk around outside, and while this does put them at risk for bodily harm if they don’t take proper care, attentive players should have no problem avoiding catastrophe, and might even improve their cardiovascular health in the process.

Pokemon GO is chronically glitchy, battery-consuming, and continues to be confusing even for people who downloaded the app the second it debuted. However, Pokemon GO is having a visible effect on Wellesley, and if the game proves to have staying power, people may have to get used to watching out for teenagers even more clueless of their surroundings than usual.

The Davis Museum and even some sculptures on the @wellesleycollege campus are pokéstops! We’re closed for reinstallation, but stop by the Davis Plaza & discover our outdoor sculptures to refill your pokeballs! #pokemon #pokemongo

A photo posted by Davis Museum (@thedavismuseum) on Jul 11, 2016 at 10:21am PDT

Filed Under: Entertainment, Technology

Wellesley High football at Fenway: Family, friends, fun and yeah, some frustration

November 26, 2015 by Caleb Brown Leave a Comment

football at fenway wellesley needhamFootball at Fenway turned out to be slightly less fun for Wellesley High than it was for Needham High, as the Raiders concluded their up-then-down season with a fifth consecutive loss after winning their first six. But the atmosphere at Fenway, with thousands of Needham and Wellesley fans interspersed and crowded into the grandstand section, was one that no one who attended will forget anytime soon.

Raiders letterman jackets were aplenty, some fitting more snugly than others on the alums who took in the 128th meeting of these rivals in which Needham prevailed 12-7 on a mostly sunny morning.

If the jackets fit…. #footballatfenway #Wellesley @raider_fb #thanksgiving2015

A photo posted by theswellesleyreport (@theswellesleyreport) on Nov 26, 2015 at 8:48am PST

The Raiders looked to be carrying all the momentum approaching halftime, leading 7-6 on a second quarter TD run by WHS senior QB Jake Mohan and driving the ball deep into Needham territory, until a key interception and 97-yard return by Rockets linebacker Joe Gowetski gave Needham the lead with time expiring in the first half. It turned out to be the last trip to the end zone for either team.

The Raiders had several opportunities in the fourth quarter, failing to score from Needham’s two-yard line in a critical 4th and goal situation following a near-epic 17-play drive. A strong defensive effort, including Raiders defender Will Cramer throwing down Needham’s John Andre behind the line,  plus a solid punt return by Myles Cole, gave Wellesley one more chance, but 35 yards proved too much to gain in the final minute. Needham batted away a pass intended for Wellesley’s Griffin Morgan on the final play of the game.

Even the enthusiasm of the newly created WHS cheerleading team was not enough to deliver a victory for the Raiders, who averaged just 7 points per game for its last 5 games. However, that group showed its skills both at halftime and intermittently throughout the game. The WHS step team also performed at halftime, and its synchronous hand and foot rhythm helped to drum up school spirit as well.

1st time I've seen so many #Wellesley people in Fenway cheap seats #FootballatFenway pic.twitter.com/Q8llT77bTD

— swellesley (@swellesley) November 26, 2015

Representing Wellesley music was the WHS pep band, which played motivational tunes for the players and fans during the game. Also, WHS’s Keynotes and Rice Street choral groups performed the national anthem to kick things off.

image
Some fans couldn’t resist the fancy seats
image
WHS pep band belted out the tunes

The abundance of Wellesley programs in attendance, and the swarms of alumni, parents, and students packing the stadium was a major change to the Thanksgiving Day tradition, and confirmed that the oldest public high school rivalry in the country is not even close to getting old.

MORE: Recap from ESPN Bostonimageimageimage

Filed Under: Sports, Wellesley High School

Wellesley’s fastest want to wash your wheels on Saturday

September 23, 2014 by Caleb Brown Leave a Comment

car wash cross country wellesley high 2013If your car’s not looking quite as shiny as you’d like, make sure to stop by the Wellesley High School Cross Country team’s car wash on Saturday, September 27th.

If your car looks as good as new, the team encourages you to lend your support to the fundraiser anyways — this event is a primary source of funds for the team.

The event will be held from 10am-2pm in the Wellesley High parking lot, and the team has high hopes that this year’s car wash will be just as successful as the one held last fall.cross country car wash

Filed Under: Sports, Wellesley High School

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