The Swellesley Report

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

Wellesley RDF Superintendent Azano-Brown (re)cycles into new position

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Jeff Azano-Brown at the Food Waste Drop Off area.

The Town of Wellesley has selected Jeff Azano-Brown as the Assistant Director of the Department of Public Works (DPW) where he will oversee the DPW’s Management Services division and other financial and business aspects of the department. Azano-Brown has run the Recycling and Disposal Facility (RDF), a division of the DPW, since 2016, and has been with the DPW for 17 years.

The DPW is in the process of starting a search for a new RDF Superintendent. For now, Azano-Brown will divide his time between the RDF and the DPW until a new Super is hired. Which isn’t quite as glamorous as dividing one’s time between, say, Wellesley and Chatham, as many in town do. But Azano-Brown has never been in it for the status.

His new job will allow him to take a wider view of Town infrastructure. “Working at the RDF has given me a deeper understanding of how important the RDF is to the Wellesley community,” Azano-Brown said. “I’m looking forward to supporting its mission as the Assistant Director and broadening that support to help all the DPW divisions achieve their goals.”

Here are a few things Azano-Brown has done for the dump lately:

He helped bring the Food Waste Drop-Off Program to town

Wellesley’s Food Waste Drop Off Program was introduced by the Wellesley 3R (Reduce Reuse Recycle) Working Group as a pilot project in October 2017 as a way to reduce the amount of trash going to landfills and improve the environment. It started off as a pilot program with 300 families who agreed to drop off their food scraps at the RDF. The program went from pilot to permanent earlier this year, and around 600 families now participate. Here’s how to join in.

Read all about what happens from there in our exclusive interview with Azano-Brown.

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Wellesley business spotlight: Code Ninjas in Linden Square

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Code Ninjas, WellesleySPONSORED POST: Kids love technology, games, and having fun with friends. Parents want to give their kids the best and brightest future possible. Everyone wins at Code Ninjas in Wellesley’s Linden Square. Kids learn to code through our engaging game-based curriculum that teaches teamwork, logic, math, and problem solving. They gain vital skills while having a blast. That’s the Code Ninjas way!

Start out by scheduling a tour of Code Ninjas and your kids will get a free min-coding lesson with one of our wonderful senseis. Sign the kids up and take advantage of our Founding Family special rates at savings of up to $720/year. The special ends March 31st or when we reach 75 families.

Or stop by at our Open House on Sunday, March 17, 2:30pm – 3:30pm and learn more about what Code Ninjas while your kids experience what it’s like to be a ninja at the center. RSVP online here, on Facebook, or call at (781) 591-2413.

Code Ninjas, Wellesley

More special offers

  • With our Referral Program for enrolled families, receive $100 for every new referred customer enrolled. (*$100 is received when the new customer begins their second month of the belt program.)
  • Bring A Buddy Program: Once a month, enrolled ninjas can bring a friend with them to Code Ninjas.
  • Free Hack-A-Thon event, Saturday, March 23, from 1pm – 4:30pm. The challenge: you and a partner have two hours to create an awesome video game. Win some great prizes.

Summer Camp at Code Ninjas

Code Ninjas offers eight different camps starting June 24. Early enrollment pricing of $299 ends April 1. Enroll your kids in both camps to make a full day and receive an additional 5% off.

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Wellesley’s Sprague School principal to step down

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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.

Wellesley posts planning director job: Nothing less than the future of the town is at stake

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Wellesley Town Hall bellThe town of Wellesley has posted the job of planning director, as it looks to fill big shoes vacated recently by Michael Zehner. Zehner served in the role for the past 5-plus years, but just took a new gig in North Carolina.

You’ll inherit a new housing production plan if you get the job, plus will have a hand in activities ranging from 40B developments to the possible redevelopment of the parking lots at the Wellesley Square train station.

The job description reads in part: “Reporting to the Planning Board Chair, the Planning Director manages, directs and administers municipal land use planning, zoning, and subdivision control programs within the Town as delineated by state statute and Town Bylaws and Zoning Bylaws.  The Director is the Town’s principle professional advisor and resource on planning and development issues, providing technical expertise and professional techniques for the Board and the Town.”

You should also enjoy taking part in lots of meetings, many at night. But hey, if you become planning director, maybe you can lay down some new rules about how long meetings last and when they are held. You can expect to make between about $81K-100K for starters, with good benefits.

Your first test: Get your application in by March 11. If you read about this here first, please mention us. Maybe there’s a finder’s fee.

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For mature Wellesley audiences only: civic engagement program starts up

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The Wellesley Council on Aging on Monday, Jan. 7 (1:30-2:30pm) will host an information session about Discovery Centers for Civic Engagement, a program designed to help Wellesley residents aged 55-plus lead more meaningful lives by becoming more engaged in their community.

The pilot program to be held at the Tolles Parsons Center will provide peer coaching to help people get more involved with nonprofits, government agencies, and other organizations that can benefit from their skills. Volunteers are being sought as well to become peer advisors.

If you are interested but unable to attend, please contact Gayle Thieme, Director of Senior Services at the Wellesley Council on Aging (COA).

Advance registration for the information session is required by calling the COA at 781-235-3961 or by going online.