More than you really want to know about Wellesley, Mass.
The Wellesley Council on Aging seeks seniors to volunteer as pen pals for 6th grade students at Tenacre Country Day School.
The commitment is 1 letter per month, September through June.
Those interested should call 781-235-3961 to get on the list.
Please send tips, photos, ideas to theswellesleyreport@gmail.com
Blooming flowers and trees weren’t the only colorful things in Wellesley this past spring weekend.
Dozens took part in the Upham Color Dash, a Holi festival-inspired fun run at Upham Elementary School where participants are sprayed with colored dust as they traverse the course. Those dishing out the colors seemed to be having a little too much fun…
Across town at Tenacre Country Day School, kids and adults were having fun at the annual Tenacre Fair, an inflatables-filled fun fest.
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The latest Wellesley school news:
A groundbreaking ceremony will be held for the new Hardy Elementary School at the site on April 6 at 9am. The paparazzi will score shots of town officials with shiny shovels and hard hats over on Weston Road.
Site prep, soil work, and a Rte. 9 driveway are all underway.
Four fifth graders at Tenacre Country Day School in Wellesley were honored for their essays in the 2023 Will McDonough Writing Contest, which was inspired by the famed Boston Globe sportswriter. Tenacre students who earned awards:
More than 1,000 students in grades 4-12 from across New England participated in the contest. The winners were chosen by Boston Globe sports editors.
First-place winners, along with their families, writers and editors from the Boston Globe, and members of the McDonough family will be invited to participate in an award ceremony on April 5 at TD Garden, followed by the Boston Celtics vs. Toronto Raptors game.
Winners will also receive a Kindle and have their essays featured in the Will McDonough Exhibit in The Sports Museum at TD Garden.
Every member of the 5th grade class at Tenacre submitted a 400-word essay to the contest as part of a class assignment.
Congrats to Alton Miles, a 2021 Wellesley High School graduate who is now a sophomore at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, as he recently won a CyberCorps Scholarship funded by the National Science Foundation. The scholarship obligates recipients to work for the government in cybersecurity for summer internships and post-graduation.
Miles’ mother, Laura Beusch, says her son “enjoys a new challenge and government cybersecurity involves staying a step ahead of cyber criminals, some sponsored by other countries. As others try to find new ways to compromise our national security, he wants to be part of a team working to protect it. He finds this work both interesting and important.”
Star Academy, a private school with locations in Watertown and Wellesley, is celebrating the success of its 6th grade math team, which just won the New England Mathematics League, beating out 40 other teams. The Star Academy students all attend school on the Wellesley campus.
The in-person competition involved a test taken on March 2. Each student competed individually on 35 math problems of increasing difficulty, and the top 5 scores were combined into the team score.
Star Academy Director Margarita Druker attributes the student’s success to their hard work and dedication, as well as the school’s math program, which exposes kids to “advanced and unusual math topics at a young age.”
Separately, Star Academy students shined at the Massachusetts Future Solving Program State Bowl, held at Clark University in Worcester. The competition, for students in grades 4-12, saw top performers qualify for the International Bowl at UMass Amherst in June.
The academic program challenges students to research topics related to business/economics, science/technology, and social/political themes. This year’s topics were: digital realities; e-waste; the robotic workforce; the throwaway society; and currency. Students research the topics and devise 6-step processes to deliver solutions.
Star Academy students in grades 5-8 swept the divisions in which they competed, according to the school.
More: Other recent school news
Private schools in Wellesley (and beyond), sponsored by Riverbend
Four Tenacre Country Day School students were recognized in the annual Boston Globe-sponsored writing contest, named for the late, legendary sports writer, Will McDonough. More than 1,000 students in grades 4 – 12 from across New England participated in the contest. The winners were chosen by Globe sports editors, who judge the 400-word essays based on topic development, organization, style, and mechanics.
Every member of the fifth-grade class at Tenacre submitted an essay to the contest as part of a class writing assignment.
Congratulations to all.
A number of Tenacre Country Day School fifth graders, including seven Wellesley residents, were recognized for their essays in the annual Will McDonough Writing Contest, named in honor of the legendary Boston Globe sportswriter. Over 1,200 students in grades 4 – 12 from across New England participated in the contest. The winners are chosen by Globe sports editors.
All Tenacre fifth-graders submitted a 400-word essay to the contest as part of a class writing assignment.
Congratulations to all.
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.
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.
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:
Send in a short blurb and/or picture about news and events going on at your school. Email: deborahcb100@gmail.com
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
Check out the fun video of Upham Elementary School greeting TV news viewers with a big Good Morning.
Three Wellesley sixth graders are asking State lawmakers to help towns protect residents and the environment from harmful pesticides.
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).
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 mburke@tenacrecds.org
The 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.
Wednesday, November 20, 7:30pm
Thursday, November 21, 4pm
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.
This week’s Wellesley Schools Roundup is sponsored by Dedham Country Day School. You are invited to come see DCD in action during Classroom Observation Day on Wednesday, November 13. Visit and get a sense of how DCD students learn to think creatively and critically. You’ll see that from Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 8, kids are being kids — and being themselves. You’ll witness them tackling hands-on projects, collaborating, taking risks, solving problems, and most of all, enjoying their experience. Register here.
Dana Hall School will hold an Athletics Open House for girls grades 5 -12 and their families on November 19, 5:30pm – 7:30pm. Learn about the private boarding and day school’s athletic and equestrian offerings.
Tenacre School toursTenacre School will hold its weekly Tuesday tour on November 12, 8:15am – 9:15am. No reservation required, just come on by and see what makes Tenacre an exceptional place for your child to learn and grow. To learn more contact the Admission Office at 781-235-2282.
A team of students from Wellesley High School has qualified to compete as one of 17 schools from across Massachusetts on Season 11 of WGBH’s televised academic tournament, High School Quiz Show. Tapings of the show will take place in January 2020 and tests students’ knowledge in math, science, civics, literature, history, current events and more. No stranger to the high-stakes Q & A contest, this will be Wellesley’s fifth appearance on High School Quiz Show.
Look for the show to premiere Saturday, February 1 at 6pm on WGBH 2.
Coach Carol Campbell says that “in September there is a trivia (literature/history/civics/
Students and staff at Schofield School recently collected more than 33 bags of donations (see picture) as part of a Fall Food Drive for the Wellesley Food Pantry organized by our very own Schofield CARES committee. Schofield CARES is a PTO sub-committee who’s mission is to build community through families helping families. They organize and provide meals, rides, financial assistance, and gear to families who need it in our Schofield community.
Boys Basketball (2 teams) – Grade 8
Girls Basketball (2 teams) – Grade 8
Boys Ice Hockey – Grade 8
Girls Ice Hockey – Grade 6, 7, and 8
Wrestling – Grade 6, 7, and 8
Send in a short blurb and/or picture about news and events going on at your school. Email: deborahcb100@gmail.com
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
Hardy School second graders will take a field trip to the Wheelock Family Theatre in Boston next week.
Schofield School is standing behind Team Skofield Spellarz as they prepare for the Wellesley Education Foundation Spelling Bee. The Bee takes place on Wed., November 13 at Sprague Elementary School at 7pm.
Tenacre School fifth graders recently launched their hot air balloons on Centennial Field and were cheered on by parents and other classes who came to watch the event. The students constructed the 3-meter tall balloons in class from tissue paper, glue, string, and a copper ring. This is a great example of a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) activity, because it integrates so much content across those disciplines. Some of the concepts and skills that students are exposed to during this activity are metric measurement, proportions, building models, density, gravity, buoyancy, convection, engineering, and design. The balloon launch is by far one of the favorite Tenacre experiences and captures the imaginations of students.
The School Building Committee (SBC) invites all members of the community on Tuesday, October 15, 7:30pm, at the Wellesley Middle School Auditorium to come hear about the Hardy/Upham feasibility study process and timeline, ask questions of the project consultants, and learn about future opportunities to engage and provide feedback.
Topics will include the educational visioning process, key features of today’s elementary schools, the approach to sustainability and ways stakeholders will be included as the Town develops its plan to rebuild either the Hardy or Upham School in partnership with the Massachusetts School Building Authority. The SBC welcomes your comments and input Email
Four Wellesley students have been named semi-finalists for the 2020 National Merit Scholarship Program. The semi-finalists who are among 16,000 high-school seniors who will go on to compete for the scholarships that will be offered next spring are:
More than 1.5 million students applied for the highly competitive scholarship, and the 16k semi-finalists represent fewer than 1 percent of all U.S. high-school seniors. For each state, the number of semi-finalists is proportional to that state’s percentage of the total graduating seniors in the country. Students will find out in February whether they make it to the finalist stage. The scholarship winners will be announced in April 2020.
Step-Up Day is Wednesday, October 16 for WHS sophomores and juniors. On Step-Up Day students come to school at 8am to take either the PreACT (10th graders) or the PSAT (11th graders). While no students will be turned away from testing, all students must pay for the exam in order to receive their scores. Visit the WPS Fee Payment System to register for the exam.
Dana Hall School will hold its fall Upper School Open House on Sunday, October 20, 1pm – 3pm. The event will provide prospective students for grades 9-12 and their families with introduction to the breadth and depth of the Upper School curriculum. Students and parents can visit demo classes to experience Dana Hall School’s dynamic teaching and learning. They will also have the opportunity to hear from current students, alumnae and administrators, and explore the School’s 55-acre Wellesley campus. Register here or contact the Admission Office at (781) 489-1331 or admission@danahall.org.
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SPONSORED POST:
LOCATION: Tenacre Country Day School, 78 Benvenue Street, Wellesley
DATE & TIME: Saturday, May 11, 209 from 11am – 3pm. Rain or shine (indoors if it rains)
DESCRIPTION: The Tenacre Fair includes carnival rides, games, face painting, a raffle for fantastic prizes, and other family-friendly activities. It also includes grilled and baked goods for lunch or snacks. Everyone is welcome!
COST: Admission and parking are free. Most games cost $1 and rides cost $2 to $3.
PHONE: Call (781) 235-2282 for more information.
URL: www.tenacrecds.org/fair
HASHTAG: #TenacreFair
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE
BROUGHT TO YOU BY: The Tenacre Parents Association
