The Swellesley Report

More than you really want to know about Wellesley, Mass.

All about “agency” at school event this Thursday night

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Agency: The latest academic buzzword or a legit approach to achieving goals and overcoming anxiety?

Find out for yourself at an event on Thursday, Nov. 21 at Wellesley High featuring Dr. Anthony Rao and Paul Napper, authors of the book The Power of Agency.  The event is sponsored by the PTSO/WHS Challenge Success teams.

Organizers stress that while the event is co-sponsored by the PTSO and is being held at the high school, this is a topic that those with younger kids and who are generally interested in education are welcome to attend. Agency, according to the organizers, is for students, teachers, parents and more, and it appears to align with the message of self-advocacy that the school system has encouraged in recent years.

You can RSVP here.

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Wellesley schools roundup — student safety; Hardy author visit; Upham kids on TV; at State House against pesticides; Tenacre Curriculum Night; Dana theater

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Wellesley Middle School students and internet safety

Katie Greer, internet safety expert
Katie Greer, internet safety expert

Katie Greer, national expert in youth technology and cyber-safety, came to Wellesley Middle School (WMS) to speak to 6th and 7th graders about the latest in internet risks, safety, and responsibility. Later that evening, in an effort to promote communication between parents and their children, Greer spoke with the Wellesley Public Schools parents. The engaging and informative presentation provided parents with answers to help their kids stay safe in a technology-driven world. This WMS PTO funded event allowed parents to prepare for tough, but essential, conversations about responsible internet use with their children. Topics included social media sharing, cyber bullying, privacy, sexting, gaming and parental controls. The WMS PTO thanks all the WMS families who have donated to the PTO annual drive, which makes such lectures possible.

Active shooter training at WHS

In a Nov. 13 post on the Wellesley High School website, Principal Jamie Chisum reminded the school community that all students need to be out of the high school the afternoon of Thursday, November 14 from 2:45 until 3:30.  During this time the faculty and staff will be doing a joint active shooter training exercise with the Wellesley Police Department. All the school’s internal organizations this affects have been notified and are prepared for this occasion. This is the only day WHS will have to do this for the year.

Hardy School hosts author Lisa Rogers at Book Fair

Author and Wellesley resident Lisa Rogers was on hand at the Hardy School Book Fair to showcase her new nonfiction picture book 16 Words. The 40-page hardcover book, geared toward readers ages 4 – 8, tells the story of how beloved American poet William Carlos William’s process of mindfulness helped him come up with his well-known 16-word poem “The Red Wheelbarrow.”

At the Book Fair, Rogers helped children pick out books and then read to them from 16 Words. “The children were so excited to ask her questions about her book and the process she went through to come up with idea, write the story and to see it in final print.,” said Hardy parent Jamie Fussner.

Williams’ poem has a special place in The Swellesley Report’s household. The wise words were long ago inked onto the interior of Mrs. Swellesley’s backyard shed for her to ponder as she heads out into the garden:

Mrs. Swellesley's shed

Here’s how to get your school’s news into Swellesley’s weekly Schools Roundup post:

Send in a short blurb and/or picture about news and events going on at your school. Email: [email protected]

Stuff that’s newsworthy:

Upcoming events such as bake sales, book sales, fairs, etc.

Dates such as for Back to School Night, meetings, etc.

Pictures of events that may not have been open to the public but that give people an idea of great things that are happening in your school, such as author’s visits.

Congratulations to faculty/staff who are retiring, or who are new hires.

The weekly deadline is Wednesdays at noon. The post will appear each Thursday.

Interested in underwriting our Wellesley Schools roundup? Here’s how to Advertise and/or Donate to support our independent journalism venture

Upham Elementary School’s Early risers

Check out the fun video of Upham Elementary School greeting TV news viewers with a big Good Morning.

Students Speak at Statehouse Against Pesticides

Three Wellesley sixth graders are asking State lawmakers to help towns protect residents and the environment from harmful pesticides.

Natural Resources Commission, pesticides
NRC Director Brandon Schmitt; Rep. Alice Peisch; Jack Burkhead; Kavin Shah; NRC member Raina McManus; Natalia Medina; and NRC Chair Katie Griffith. Photo: Town of Wellesley

The students joined members of the Natural Resources Commission (NRC) at the Statehouse on November 12  to advocate for local legislation relating to Pollinators, Pesticides and Miscellaneous Matters.

At a hearing of the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture, Jack Burkhead, Natalia Medina and Kavin Shah gave testimony in favor of House Bill 776.

The proposed bill, sponsored by Rep. Dylan Fernandes (D-Falmouth), aims to give local governments more oversight on reducing toxic chemical use on private property and encouraging organic alternatives.

The students learned about pesticide dangers last year during a 5th grade project-based learning unit at Bates Elementary School.

As part of its Grow Green Wellesley initiative, the NRC has partnered with the Board of Health to educate residents about the effect of pesticides on public health.

In addition to testifying, the students met briefly with Rep. Fernandes and Rep. Alice Peisch (D-Wellesley).

Garden Club Federation writing contest

The Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts and National Garden Clubs, Inc. is sponsoring two writing contests for youths in the interest of raising environmental awareness.
The first is a poetry competition for kindergarten through ninth grade with the theme, “Adventures in the Garden”. There is a statewide winner at each grade level. For high school students, there’s an essay contest, “Challenges in Preserving Our Natural Habitats” with a top national prize of $1000.
The deadline is December 1, 2019

Tenacre School Curriculum Night on Nov. 21st

Dive into Tenacre School’s curriculum on Thursday, November 21 at Curriculum Night. Learn from Tenacre’s teachers about specific components of the curriculum. Topics for the evening presented in brief will be 15-minute synopses including reading, writing, the arts, physical education and wellness, math, and science. For more information, contact Meg Burke at [email protected]

Dana Hall fall plays, Nov. 20 & 21

Dana Hall SchoolThe Dana Hall Middle School will present three plays: Jane Austin: Action Figure; Too Many Daughters: A Jane Austin Parody; and a Dana Hall original, Sunset in a Cup: A Letter from Emily Dickinson. The performances are free and open to the public.

DATES/TIMES:

Wednesday, November 20, 7:30pm
Thursday, November 21, 4pm

LOCATION:

Bardwell Auditorium
Bardwell Auditorium is located on the Dana Hall campus at 37 Cameron Street. Please note that Bardwell is not accessible. For more information, please call (781)235-3010 ext. 2731 or visit www.danahall.org.

MORE ON THE PLAYS:

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Business Buzz: Sue Brady Hartigan to chair event; Newton-Wellesley hospital pres to depart; The Cashmere Sale softly slips back to Wellesley; author visits at Wellesley Books

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Wellesley’s Sue Brady Hartigan to co-chair Boston Arts Academy event

Sue Brady Hartigan, Wellesley
Wellesley’s Sue Brady Hartigan

Wellesley resident and radio personality Sue Brady Hartigan has been announced as co-chair of the annual Boston Arts Academy (BAA) Honors celebratory event alongside Lee Michael Kennedy, president and CEO of Lee Kennedy Co., Inc. The event, which supports Boston Arts Academy – Boston’s only public high school for the visual and performing arts – will take place on Saturday, May 2, 2020.

Hartigan is a radio host on 100.7, WZLX, Boston’s Classic Radio. She also co-produces The Public Affairs Show for WBMX-Boston and is a contributor for Boston Common. She is involved with various organizations throughout Boston, including Boston Children’s Hospital, BAA, The Bruins Foundation, Boston Medical Center, Red Sox Foundation, Rosie’s Place, and more. She is a strong advocate for mental illness affecting children, and is the proud daughter of a veteran.

 “As a performer myself, I’m proud to be a part of this event that celebrates the amazing Boston Arts Academy students, alumni and faculty,” said Brady Hartigan. “My career in radio started at 15 years old when Boston Radio Legend Sunny Joe White hired me to work for Kiss 108FM, so I am thrilled to support the passion for the arts that is so clearly visible in each and every student at Boston Arts Academy.”

 Newton-Wellesley hospital President leaving for Boston Scientific

Dr. Michael R. Jaff, President of Newton-Wellesley Hospital since 2016, announced that he is departing Newton-Wellesley to pursue a new role with Boston Scientific to continue his career-long focus on improving the health of patients with vascular diseases. A letter from Dr. Jaff to his colleagues reads in part:

It is with a true sense of emotion that I share with you that I am leaving Newton-Wellesley Hospital. I will be joining Boston Scientific as Vice President of Clinical Affairs, Innovation and Technology, Peripheral Interventions. On many levels, this was a difficult decision to make. I have a deep connection to you and Newton-Wellesley. Yet I feel that now is the time for me to leave the organization and pursue this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. My new role at Boston Scientific will allow me to refocus on
my roots as a vascular physician and to have an even greater impact on patients with vascular diseases around the world—whose health I have been committed to improving for several decades.

I recognize my decision may come as a shock. Of course, no time is the right time to step away, but I leave with the confidence that you are well on your way to achieving the collective vision we have been working toward together.

Got other Wellesley business tips on openings, closings or whatever, feel free to email us here: [email protected]

You can also email us if you’re interested in underwriting our weekly Wellesley Business Buzz roundup.

 

The Cashmere Sale to re-warm up to Wellesley

After taking a year off from Wellesley, The Cashmere Sale is cozying back into town at 25 Central Street (the former LF location, next to Winston Flowers) starting Thursday, October 17.

The Cashmere Sale, WellesleyThe pop-up is know for its cashmere sweaters, wraps and accessories that run in the $50 – $250 range.

The Cashmere Sale is one of 25 across the country in areas where the populace understands the need for the kind of warmth that can only be sourced from the goats of the Gobi Desert.

The shop will be keeping things soft, warm, and cozy in Wellesley through December 16, Monday – Saturdays 10am – 6pm and Sundays noon – 5pm.

Author visits at Wellesley Books

Here are the upcoming November author events at Wellesley Books. Please note that some events are free, some are free and require an RSVP, and some are ticketed.

11/5 Ann Cleeves, The Long Call [TICKETED]
11/7 Joanne Chang, Pastry Love: A Baker’s Journal of Favorite Recipes [TICKETED]
11/12 George Howe Colt, The Game: Harvard, Yale, and America in 1968 [FREE]
11/14 Jenna Bush Hager & Barbara Pierce Bush, Sisters First (picture book) [TICKETED] 
11/18 Adrienne Brodeur, Wild Game: My Mother, Her Lover, and Me [RSVP/FREE]

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Friends of Wellesley Free Library book sale, September 19 – 22

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If summer has to come to an end, the transition to Fall will be easier with some good reading material. Join the Friends of the Wellesley Free Library at the Fall Book Sale, where you surely will find some great reads from among the thousands of books available. If you can’t wait until September, visit the ongoing Friends book sale on the first floor of the main library.

Wellesley Library, book sale

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Disruption Games: Wellesley entrepreneur’s new book seeks to spark smart change

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Trond UndheimWellesley resident Trond Undheim describes his most spectacular failure as an internet incubator he started as a Ph.D. student in Norway that was 20 years ahead of its time. The venture helped dozens of startups, but not enough went public or got bought to cover the incubator’s growth expenses.

“The entrepreneurship bug had not yet hit the region,” laments Undheim, whose new book Disruption Games offers insights into innovating based on personal examples of business failure and success as well as lessons learned from observing and analyzing others’ experiences.

Undheim’s career has been varied, including stints with the European Commission, Oracle and various start-ups. While not all of his ventures have been winners, he’s had his fair share of successes. Among them: helping startups become unicorns (private companies with valuations of at least $1B) through his work as director of MIT’s Startup Exchange.

“I’ve failed or changed course a number of times and I’m getting to some more of those in my book,” he says. “In fact, when I use the term failure, sometimes that’s what it means (and that’s of course not easy to handle). Other times it is more of a temporary setback that acts as a catalyst to even more significant and focused efforts that pay off more than the original pursuit you set off with.”

Elusive Failure Stories

Writing about failures can be a challenge, Undheim acknowledges, as many are reluctant to discuss such painful parts of their past. I saw this myself for years as a tech business journalist, with potential interview subjects too worried about bad short-term PR or legal ramifications to be forthcoming. But there’s definitely an appetite for such stories (there’s even a locally-recorded podcast called Failure that focuses on this subject).

“It is not easy, and I’m still finalizing some interviews,” Undheim says. “What I’ve found is that founders who since have become successful are much more likely to share their story (no surprise).”

Undheim is marketing his pre-published new book to entrepreneurs and executives through a crowdfunding platform that will introduce Disruption Games to a bunch of publishers if enough people contribute. The book’s contents include lessons learned from startups that go bust, corporate innovation activities that fail, and missed opportunities and misunderstandings that happen when startups and corporations collaborate.

Undheim self-published an earlier book, Leadership From Below, back in 2008.

“That book took me a year to write, but I had to publish it on the one Saturday that I was not working for the European Commission (my boss said publishing a book was not allowed for EU bureaucrats) and not for Oracle (I was joining a job for them in London and did not want to start a conversation about permission to publish a book on day one of my employment). Hence, I went for an early self-publishing route.”

Hopefully, Undheim will have success with his new book. He took away these lessons from publishing his previous one:

“The experience with Leadership From Below was mostly positive. I got a ton of speaking requests in the years following the book (probably for 3-5 years). To know that the message resonated with a variety of people was very satisfying.”

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Time to get serious about Wellesley schools summer reading, 2019

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Not to be a summer buzzkill or anything, but Wednesday, August 28 is the the first day of school for all Wellesley Public School kids. Those summer reading books aren’t going turn their own pages, so it’s time for students to get down to it. Wellesley’s teachers and librarians have put long thought into what makes a riveting summer read, the type that will encourage students to cozy up and enjoy the pleasures of a good book. So whether your readers are at home, on summer vacation, or at camp, supply them with a pile of reading material, then stand back and let them do their thing.

Generally, elementary students are encouraged to read at least 30 minutes per day. At the middle school each student must read two books of their choice, and each grade has an assignment attached to those books. At the high school level the assigned book(s) depends on which class the student is taking.

The Wellesley Free Library main branch has a summer reading display on the second floor (pictured) and also in the Children’s Room.

Summer reading, Wellesley elementary schools

Elementary school students are encouraged to keep a list of some of their summer reading titles and to read approximately 30 minutes per day. You can access the entire elementary schools summer reading list here. The titles on the extensive list was put together by a dream team of library teachers representing each of the seven elementary schools in town.

A new Summer Reading Challenge has been rolled out this year. Students are asked to keep track of books they’ve read such as “a Caldecott award winner” or “an audiobook I listened to.”

There’s also a “Book Buzz” form that asks six questions about their summer reading (examples:  “The book that surprised me most was…” and “The most unusual place I read was…”).

More information on this will be announce by teachers in each individual elementary school.

Summer reading, Wellesley Middle School

There are three WMS summer reading lists, one for entering sixth graders, one for entering seventh graders, and one for entering eighth graders. Each list has an assignment on the final page. The list includes genres such as realistic, historical, graphic, action, adventure, non-fiction, and much more.

Summer reading, Wellesley High School

Wellesley High School students are required to read the text assigned for their specific English course plus one book of their choice. At the start of the year, their English teacher will explain how summer reading will be assessed. In the past, some examples of possible assessments are in-class essays, a Socratic seminar, a test, or a book review. See Guide to Success in English for general active reading strategies. Here’s a link to the Wellesley High School summer reading list.

WHS English Department Head John Finneron notes, “If a course has two texts listed as required, a student is not required to also read an additional choice text. This is particularly relevant this summer because we have two courses requiring two specific books. Our purpose with summer reading is to foster a sense of life-long learning and a love of reading, and we strive to make book choices to this end.”

Here is the WHS list for most of the individual English classes

9CP, 9ACP, and 10CP – The Poet X, Elizabeth Acevedo
9H – Frankenstein, Mary Shelley AND The Poet X, Elizabeth Acevedo
10ACP –  The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
10H – Behold the Dreamers, Imbolo Mbue AND Cannery Row, John Steinbeck
11CP – American Born Chinese, Gene Luen Yang
11ACP – The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates, Wes Moore
11H – 1984, George Orwell
12CP – The story “The Body” from the book Different Seasons, Stephen King
12ACP – On Writing, Stephen King
12H – The Namesake, Jhumpa Lahiri
Beyond the Binary – The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood
DAV – The Autobiography of Malcolm X: As Told to Alex Haley
Evolutions – The Evolutions Primer; (link on Evolutions website)
Senior Creative Writing – On Writing, by Stephen King
World Lit – Nervous Conditions, Tsitsi Dangarembga

Summer reading, Dana Hall

Here are some of the titles the all-girls independent boarding and day school recommends for its upper grade students. You can see the whole list for grades 5 – 12 here.

Diary of a Tokyo Teen: A Japanese-American Girl Travels to the Land of Trendy Fashion, HighTech Toilets, and Maid Cafes, Christine Mari Inzer
Every Day, David Levithan
The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien
I Believe in a Thing Called Love, Maureen Goo
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou
Hidden Figures, Margot Lee
How to Understand Israel in 60 Days or Less, Sarah Glidden
If You Could Be Mine, Sara Farizan
Into Thin Air, Jon Krakauer
Jellicoe Road, Melina Marchetta
East of Eden, John Steinbeck
The Elegance of the Hedgehog, Muriel Barbery
Everything I Never Told You, Celeste Ng
The Fifth Season, N.K. Jemisin
Freakonomics, Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner

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Crawl, don’t run or walk, to Wellesley and other libraries during Aug. 1 event

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Wellesley Fells Library
Wellesley Fells Branch

Wellesley’s three public libraries — the Wellesley’s Hills Branch (210 Washington St.), the Fells Branch (308 Weston Rd.), and the main library (530 Washington St.) — will take part in the 2019 cross-community Minuteman Library Crawl on Thursday, August 1, 10am – 5pm.

Start and end where you want on this self-guided tour of libraries in over 25 area towns. The challenge is to visit as many as you can and take a picture of yourself with a designated item in each library – it’s a 21st century scavenger hunt! Post your pics and tag the libraries #mlncrawl2019. Each library will have handouts and giveaways – show your pictures to a librarian (or if you don’t have a camera, just tell a librarian you’re on the crawl (they’re pretty trusting), and receive a prize.

Here are some libraries that jumped out at us:

The Fells Library is participating for the first time since its major renovation. If you haven’t been to Fells recently, you haven’t been to Fells. Enjoy a photo op at the Entering Wellesley sign that’s inside this magical early literacy library.

Chestnut Hill: Annenberg Library, Pine Manor College, 400 Heath St. Chestnut Hill, MA 02467 (10-4pm) will feature The Giving Tree (real tree, not the book!).

Framingham: Christa McAuliffe Branch, 746 Water Street, Framingham MA 01701 will have a popcorn machine.

Medfield Public Library: 468 Main Street, Medfield, MA 02052 has a sculpture made of recycled objects.

Questions? Send them along to [email protected]

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Wellesley Business Buzz: Wellesley Bank to get a face-lift; everything must go at CouCou; author visits

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Here’s a round-up of the latest Wellesley, Mass., business news:

Wellesley Bank in Wellesley Square to take a summer break

Wellesley Bank will close for renovations starting July 22nd for approximately four weeks  to refresh and revitalize the interior. They plan in keeping the ATM up and running as much as possible during the renovation. Also, the Linden Square location will remain open for all your banking needs.

There seems to be a bit of a bank-renovation trend moving through Wellesley. Last month, Needham Bank celebrated its spruced up digs, complete with a ribbon cutting and a nice buffet lunch.

CouCou clearance in Wellesley

CouCou, the stylish kids’ clothing & more store that opened on the Belclare retail strip last summer, will close its Wellesley shop later this summer and concentrate on its Boston and online businesses. As they move toward moving out, they’ve priced all the merchandise to move.

CouCou is on a reduced schedule, so make sure you call and make sure they’re open before you go in (781-489-5168). Right now, they’re on a  Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, 10:30am – 6pm schedule (closed July 4, of course).

Town of Wellesley looking for an IT pro

Welleley is looking for a full-time IT Applications and Project Manager to work closely with Town managers to review current procedures and practices and make recommendations for strategic improvements. The right candidate will be a change agent who uses sound project management practices to identify the appropriate resources, assembles project teams, and manages the budget, scheduling, and delivery of assigned initiatives. Anticipated hiring range, $82-95K. More information here.

Wellesley author visits

Wellesley Books will host the following authors this month:

7/22 Caitlin Krause – “Mindful by Design: A Practical Guide for Cultivating Aware, Advancing, and Authentic Learning Experiences” [free]
7/23 J.A. Walsh – “Purpose of Evasion” [free], in conversation with William A. Gavin

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