Dana Hall hosting forum on girls in the #MeToo era

April 28, 2018 by admin Leave a Comment

On Thursday, May 3, from 7–8:30 p.m., Dana Hall School will host The Forum: A Conversation on Girls in the #MeToo Era. This program is free and open to the public. Registration is required.

The Forum at Dana Hall School is a symposium series designed to examine a topic of particular relevance to girls and girls’ education. In May, the School will host a group of experts for a panel discussion about ongoing societal concerns regarding the prevalence of sexual assault and harassment, and the significant awareness that is being raised throughout our culture as a result. At this evening event, panelists will provide developmentally appropriate and practical strategies for parents and educators seeking to support girls and start thoughtful discourse in this complex climate.

Panelists include Mary Beth Medvide, Ph.D., a visiting assistant professor at the Lynch School of Education at Boston College and a licensed psychologist; Jen Slonaker, MSW, Vice President of Education and Organizational Development at Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts; and Linda M. Williams, Ph.D., a senior research scientist and co-director of the Justice and Gender-Based Violence Research Initiative at the Wellesley Centers for Women. Kristin Ryan, Dean of Students, will serve as the moderator for the event.

For more information and to register, visit www.danahall.org/forumspring18. Questions may be emailed to [email protected]

Dana Hall students in Wellesley walk out to protest gun violence

April 25, 2018 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

Dana Hall, Wellesley, student protest — Dana Hall student protesters, in front of Wellesley Town Hall. They walked out of classes on April 20 to protest gun violence in the United States.

About 220 students out of an upper school student body population of 351 at Dana Hall School walked out of classes on April 20 to protest gun violence in the United States. Dana Hall, located off Grove St., is an independent boarding and day school for girls in grades 5-12.

According to student organizer and Dana Hall senior Kate Okun, “We each walked out for a variety of reasons, but collectively we walked to urge law makers to construct and vote for gun control and reform policies. We also walked to encourage the citizens of Wellesley to consider gun control policies. But overall, most of us walked with the important message that silence is the same as being complicit. We walked because so many young adults and children will never get to use their voices due to the gun violence, so we must use the most powerful device we have, our voices, to make changes and be heard while we have the chance.”

Seven students first delivered speeches on campus and then the group walked along toward Washington St. and Town Hall. There were some tears during the speeches as speakers shared their personal experiences and how the after-effects of gun violence have impacted them. Okun said that overall, however, the mood was energetic and hopeful as the students worked toward making changes through taking a stance.

Jessica Keimowitz, director of the Upper School said, “I’m proud of the work that Dana Hall students did to prepare for and lead a walkout to promote gun safety and safety in schools. Our students were disappointed that they couldn’t participate in the March 14 walkout, since it happened while we were on Spring Break. Instead, they turned their attention to the National School Walkout movement on April 20. The students were very clear with adults in the community that they wanted the protest to be student-initiated and student-led. Our girls were organized, they communicated with different constituencies clearly and thoroughly, and they led a thoughtful and well-attended protest.”

The middle school student population of 131 students was not allowed to leave the campus to march with the upper school for safety reasons, but about 25 of them attended the speeches, which were delivered outdoors on campus.

In addition to the walk-out, there was a “die-in” earlier that day in which 13 students lay silent and still on the floor of the student center for 15 minutes to remember the 13 lives that were lost in the Columbine High School massacre 19 years ago. Each wore a shirt with a couple of words to spell out a Stephen King quote: “How many have to die before we will give up these dangerous toys?”

“This was an especially powerful movement because students usually pass through the area at that time to get snacks before 3rd period.” Okun said. “The mood there is usually bubbly and energetic as students are seeing their friends and having a short break from classes. However, on Friday the whole area was nearly dead silent for the whole 15 minutes as students walked through to collect their snacks.”

As part of the process, Dana students made sure they had all of their permits worked out ahead of time so that they could conduct a legal protest. Okun said that the administration cooperated with students in allowing this walkout to happen, but that it was entirely student led. As with the protest last month at Wellesley High School, Wellesley police were on hand.

More pictures…(thanks to Kate Okun for sending these along)

[Read more…]

Wellesley Choral Society benefit concert at Dana Hall

March 17, 2018 by admin Leave a Comment

Dana Hall students to perform Peter/Wendy

November 12, 2017 by bbrown Leave a Comment

Peter/Wendy in Wellesley

The Dana Hall Middle School presents its fall play, Peter/Wendy, on Wednesday, November 15, at 7:30 p.m., and Thursday, November 16, at 4 p.m., in Bardwell Auditorium. The performances are free and open to the public.

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

Dana Hall Forum on Girls and Social Pressure

November 9, 2017 by admin Leave a Comment

On Thursday, November 16, from 7–8:30 p.m., Dana Hall School will host The Forum: A Conversation on Girls and Social Pressure. This collaborative program is free and open to the public. Registration is required.

The November symposium will focus on the social choices and pressures that challenge today’s girls.

At this evening event, a group of educators, researchers and clinicians will share recent findings and shed light on current challenges as well as discuss and share practical strategies to help parents and teachers communicate with the girls in their lives about the topics they are not often eager to discuss, including sexual health, risk taking, and drug and alcohol use.

Panelists include Dr. Sarah Bagley, a primary care physician and addiction specialist at Boston Medical Center; Dr. Hila Ben-Levi, Assistant Clinical Director at the Human Relations Service and for the Counseling Center for Babson College; and Dr. Jennifer Grossman, a research scientist at the Wellesley Centers for Women. Caroline MacNichol, Director of the Middle School at Dana Hall, will serve as the moderator for the event.

For more information and to register, visit www.danahall.org/fallforum17. Questions may be emailed to [email protected]