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Write Ahead, Wellesley

Wellesley Mothers Forum kicks off new membership year

August 5, 2022 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

The Wellesley Mothers Forum is starting its 2022-2023 membership year with over 400 members and 40-plus volunteers from Wellesley and surrounding communities. The forum is being led by new Co-Presidents are Jenny Hughes and Jen Lord, along with a new board.

On tap are social gatherings, kids’ events, couples’ nights, and more, all within a community that supports parents. In-person networking and online subgroups offer moms support on topics such as kids with special needs, expecting a baby, and working parents.

WMF Board '22-'23
Wellesley Mothers Forum board (photo by Beth Shedd)

Please send tips, photos, ideas to theswellesleyreport@gmail.com

Filed Under: Kids, Parenting

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Private school listings in Wellesley (and beyond)

December 31, 2021 by admin Leave a Comment

iCode of WellesleyThanks to iCode, Wellesley’s premier comprehensive K-12 programs in computer science, for sponsoring The Swellesley Report’s Private Schools page.

iCode’s STEAM programs offer kids the opportunity to build soft skills and strengthen their academic skills, with options that fit their lifestyle and schedule. iCode’s dynamic, proprietary curriculum is designed to span disciplines: science, technology, engineering, arts, and math literacy are embedded throughout classes as kids learn skills that prepare them for school and beyond. Virtual and onsite classes available. REGISTER HERE.

Contact Deborah for more info on inclusion of your private school (grades K and up) located in Wellesley or elsewhere, or for advertising on Swellesley. Parents and guardians: Please let private schools know that you found them here, if you did…thanks.

Filed Under: Education, Parenting, Technology

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Wellesley Lacrosse

Wellesley Mothers Forum kicks off new membership year

June 9, 2021 by Bob Brown 1 Comment

The Wellesley Mothers Forum is kicking off the 2021-2022 membership year with almost 300 members and over 40 volunteers looking forward to a return to a more normal slate of social gatherings than were allowed during the thick of the pandemic.

Co-Presidents Rachel Dulberg and Margaret Donahue, along with a new board, look forward to re-instating in-person playgroups, couples’ nights as well as the fall carnival while adhering to all recommended CDC guidelines.

The Forum is open to mothers from Wellesley and surrounding towns, and helps them to build a long-term support network in person and online.  Groups within the Forum cater to moms of children with special needs, working moms, kids entering kindergarten, and more. 

Other Forum benefits include access to lectures on topics from parenting to health, a local merchant discount program, and access to meals for new moms and families during times of need.

The Forum charges $165 for an annual membership, which is pro-rated depending upon what time of year you join. Send email to membership@wellesleymothersforum.com with questions.

wellesley mothers forum

Filed Under: Clubs, Parenting

Wellesley Friendly Aid

Wellesley Mothers Forum helping local moms navigate the pandemic

September 20, 2020 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

wellesley mothers forum logoThe Wellesley Mothers Forum has been helping local moms learn from and support each other for more than 25 years. but perhaps it has never been needed as much as during the pandemic.

“Without normal in-person methods of meeting other families, the Wellesley Mothers Forum is more important than ever to help families share resources and form important personal connections with children of similar ages,” the forum says.

While COVID-19 is putting the kibosh on high profile in-person events, like the annual Fall Carnival, the nearly 300-plus member group is adapting to an increasingly virtual and social distanced world by adhering to state and local guidelines with its programming. This includes everything from online lectures on topics such as creating a greener home and minimalist parenting, to contactless delivery of welcome packages to new members. Co-Presidents Lillian Lau and Julie Byrne and team recently kicked off the 2020-21 membership year with an online board meeting.

Many years removed from our own babies, we wondered how the heck young parents are dealing with infant socialization during the pandemic. The forum says it offers a variety of opportunities for young children to socialize, from virtual playgroups to backyard playdates to online music classes and storytelling sessions.

While playgrounds in and around Wellesley are now mainly open, members have varied feelings about taking their kids there. Forum members share information through a members-only Facebook group and other methods on topics such as playground locations, busyness of playgrounds at different times of the day, amount of sun exposure, and mask compliance. This has helped members discover new playgrounds and decide on which are right for them.

The forum understands that Zoom fatigue is real, especially for working parents. It offers online information sessions but also small socially distanced outdoor gatherings where appropriate to help members learn and connect.

Use of the forum’s Facebook discussion group has skyrocketed over the past year, with more than 200 active members. Participants share information on everything from services like contractors and counselors to nanny-sharing and gently-used items. A poll on the best face mask brands for kids proved popular, as has a rising subgroup for parents of rising kindergarteners in light of many schools starting remotely. Information on local merchant discounts available to members can also be found here.

While the group won’t have its usual Halloween costume party due to gathering restrictions, it does plan for a family-friendly Halloween scavenger hunt along the Morses Pond trail. Members and the general public can take part at their leisure during the last week of October.

New members and renewals receive 20% off before Oct. 1.


swellesley ad family friendly

Filed Under: Kids, Parenting

Petition urges Wellesley schools to adopt a hybrid, in-school model for September

August 3, 2020 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

Wellesley Middle School
Wellesley Middle School

An online petition has been circulating among Wellesley Public Schools families asking for signatures of support in exhorting the WPS administration to adopt a hybrid, in-person learning  model for the fall. The goal: to get the town’s 1,500+  K-12 students and their teachers back into the classroom in September.

The petitioners start out by saying, “We implore WPS teachers to get back into the classroom at the start of school in September. Wellesley students’ education has been waylaid since March 13th, and every delay creates a wider and wider gap in their core and fundamental learning. We have seen the concerns about returning to school put forth by our teachers through Wellesley Educators Association. While we share the goals of safety and optimal learning approaches for our students, we strongly believe this can be accomplished in a hybrid back-to-school model. Fortunately, much has been learned about safety and health protocols with Massachusetts leading the charge, and we find ourselves in a strong position to move forward with school in the classrooms beginning in September. Wellesley parents believe this is the best approach for our students and our town.”

From there petitioners, who identify as Wellesley Public School Parents & Families, lay out their beliefs in the efficacy of a hybrid model; what they say is the need for students to have direct interaction teachers and peers; and their recognition that things may change at any time.

The petition has over 400 signatures.

The Wellesley Educator’s Association last month in a letter to the editors of The Swellesley Report agrees that a hybrid model is the way to go. However the Association maintains that the best approach is to start school in a remote setting and transition to a hybrid model after staff training, safety, and needs assessments.

Upcoming big dates:

  • August 6: WPS administration to present to School Committee three models: full in-person, hybrid, and full remote learning
  • August 10: Final draft of WPS SY20-21 reopening plans due to Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education
  • August 13: WPS SY20-21 reopening plan shared with the community

Filed Under: COVID-19, Education, Health, Kids, Parenting, Safety

Deland, Gibson, Wellesley
Rick Cram, leader

Wellesley School Committee meeting: schools will likely take on a hybrid model for fall 2020

July 23, 2020 by Deborah Brown 2 Comments

The Wellesley School Committee (SC) met on July 15th via Zoom meeting to discuss the results of the Family and Educator surveys, which were sent out online earlier this month. Wellesley families were asked to complete the survey to help the schools collect essential data on key reopening topics.

The major issue that the SC and school administrators are grappling with right now is what school will look like in the fall for the Wellesley Public School system’s 5k+ students.

The upshot according to Superintendent David Lussier: “My expectation is that we’ll be coming back in a hybrid schedule…We don’t want students away from school for more than needed.” He says at this point Wellesley administrators will be devoting their energy to what such a model will look like.

Online learning “extraordinarily difficult”

The meeting started off with public comments, with parents of school-age children coming to the virtual microphone to air their concerns. Commenters agreed overall that online learning was, as one parent put it, “extraordinarily difficult…And we are in a best-case scenario family. We have one working parent. I am a stay at home mom. We have internet and devices for everybody.” Even with these advantages, she said the school year from March on was challenging, and she wants to see kids in the classroom.

Other parents echoed the sentiment that online learning just didn’t work for their kids and beseeched the SC to reopen schools in the fall. Judy and Nate Walsh asked the SC when considering hybrid models to keep in mind families in which both parents work. “One week on and one week off is hard,” Nate said.

Betsy Komjathy said the schools must address systemic racism and social justice, commenting on the urgency and need for concrete actions. “I urge you all to prioritize this work…Students have shared their painful experiences and they need the WPS to show that you hear them.”

Educators are with Komjathy on this point as reflected in the survey in which they rated anti-racism education as a top personal development need, along with remote learning support.

Survey says…

The SC has been in data-gathering mode as they’ve sifted through the results of the comprehensive, non-binding surveys that were sent out to both families and educators. Anne Beauchamp, Coordinator for Curriculum, Assessment & Accountability, and Joan Dabrowski, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning, presented the results of each survey. The Family Survey, answered by 2,754 parents and guardians, covered learning model options; transportation; before and after school care; and meals in school. The 733 educators who answered the survey included over 80% of Wellesley’s teachers. The educators weighed in on their thoughts on  returning to school buildings; remote and hybrid models; and needs and concerns.

You can see the survey results at this link.

Generally speaking, families were split down the middle between those who want to see kids go back to a full in-person model of schooling, and those who want to see a hybrid model put into place. More families preferred a within-week hybrid (for example, alternating between one day in school, one day at home) over a by-the-week hybrid model (one week on, one week off). Educators rated by-the-week and within-week hybrid models similarly.

Two out of three educators responded that they can return in person, however three out of five said they are nervous about returning, citing concerns about safety protocols and procedures.

Which comes first?

“The biggest chicken and egg dilemma in all of this work is we want to know from parents their intention, to help build a schedule, but they can’t tell us their plans until they know the schedule,” Lussier said.

The superintendent expressed the need to start making some concrete decisions so that the schools can then ask parents and staff what their intent is for fall 2020. “At a certain point, it has to be binding,” he said.

For staff, yes, at some point they will have to make a binding decision—are they in, or are they out? Families, however, are not under contract to the school system and have the right to withdraw their student at any time. Under Massachusetts law, parents or guardians may teach their school-aged (six to sixteen) children at home as long as they notify the local school district and receive approval for a home schooling/otherwise educated plan. (Students older than 16 may legally discontinue their public school education.)

So if families find a hybrid model objectionable, they may just not come back at all. Or even worse, they could bail part-way through the school year. Already we hear all sorts of creative schooling ideas being bandied about. The most popular seems to be  the home-school co-op model. Families who get going on that would each kick in a monthly amount (we’ve heard numbers that range from $500 to $1k/month) to hire a teacher who would come to them and educate their group of kids. Think of it as the English governess model, American-style.

And there’s always home-schooling of course, for those parents with inclination, patience, and confidence to make it happen.

Don’t stand so close to me

The idea of social distancing loomed large at the SC meeting, and how effectively students and educators can be kept six feet apart. Lussier noted that some some studies suggest that a three-foot minimum might be sufficient for social distancing, noting that “the science is still very much emerging”

Emerging science notwithstanding, Lussier said that after conversations with the Wellesley Board of Health, he is convinced that  six feet should be the absolute minimum standard for social distancing. “We believe we have to be stewards of great caution.”

The SC passed unanimously a motion put forth “To support planning with a six-foot minimum standard for social distancing and initial reopening”.

The SC still must work up a fully remote option for those who can’t come back due to personal concerns or because they are part of the 1 in 6 families that have a medical need for a full remote model.


I watched the WHOLE School Committee meeting and then wrote this up! Please consider contributing to Swellesley to sustain our independent journalism venture


Upcoming big dates:

  • July 31: An overview of WPS SY20-21 reopening plans is due to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE)
  • August 6: WPS administration to present to School Committee three models: full in-person, hybrid, and full remote learning
  • August 10: Final draft of WPS SY20-21 reopening plans due to DESE
  • August 13: WPS SY20-21 reopening plan shared with the community

No graduation outside

Although it was a nice idea, the kibosh has been put on a hoped-for late-July graduation event on the Connor Darcy Memorial Field. The Board of Health got to be the bad guys on this one. When asked by school administrators to weigh in on whether kids can and/or should get together for a field graduation, the Board’s sympathy for what the Class of 2020 has lost did not outweigh the dangers of bringing together a large group of people.

Those high school doors haven’t entire slammed shut on the 2020 grads. Principal Jamie Chisum always leaves a light on for the kids, so maybe something can be organized for them to connect at a later time.

High school students step up

High School Student Advisory Reps Ian Lei and Rachel White have created a website to help keep WHS students informed about all upcoming educational matters. The goal is to keep students informed about the issues that affect them. Here’s a link to the site.

Hunnewell design gets thumbs up

The SC voted to accept the Hunnewell School schematic design. The estimated cost of the school is expected to be $45.1 million.


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Filed Under: COVID-19, Education, Health, Parenting

Keep your Wellesley dog cool as temps soar over the weekend

July 16, 2020 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

With a heat wave forecasted to hit Wellesley (and other places) starting this weekend, Animal Control Officer Sue Webb reminds pet owners to take extra precautions with their animals to keep them safe. “Watch your dogs in this heat,” she says. “Walk them early or late, not in the high heat of the day. One dog had to go to the emergency vet when he collapsed on a walk in the woods. Also if you can’t walk on the pavement in your bare feet, don’t expect your dog to want to walk on it either.”

wellesley dogs
Duke, a cockapoo (left) and Whistler, a Whoodle, are two Wellesley dogs who really know how to keep their cool during the summer.

Fortunately, Webb reports that the dog who needed emergency attention has recovered fully, but she says people should take it seriously when they notice their dogs panting more, getting tired, and wanting shorter walks. The loyal nature of dogs can be their biggest downfall. Webb says that when dogs are out on walks , “They try to keep going with their owner. If the owner has a way to go back to the car, they may end up having to carry the dog, which isn’t easy when it is a medium-to-large dog like a Labrador.” (There are 392 Labs registered in Wellesley, making them the most popular dog breed in town.)

What can drive problems

The summer months are not the time to bring your best bud along to ride shotgun during errands. Don’t leave your pet in a car on hot days, ever. Not even for a quick minute, or if you leave the windows open, or even if the car is running and the air conditioner is cranked up. Car temperatures can easily rise to over 100 degrees within ten minutes. After that, they can get up to 120 degrees or higher, fast. Dogs don’t have a chance against that kind of heat. Also, it is illegal in Massachusetts to leave animals in vehicles where they are subject to danger from extreme weather conditions.

A little time at the spa

Let your pet laze around and enjoy this time that’s named just for him — the dog days of summer. During the intense mid-day heat, keep walks to a bare minimum. Better yet, limit walks to early in the morning or after the sun goes down.

If your dog really needs some outside time, park your pooch under a shade tree for a little while, with his water bowl close at hand. Add ice to his water every now and then. If you have one of those elevated pet cots, now’s the time to break it out. They increase air flow on alls sides of your pet, which helps keep him cool. A baby pool filled with cool, refreshing water would complete the spa environment.

Just know that shade doesn’t provide all that much protection, so keep his time outside limited. The best place for your dog during extreme heat is inside.

Danger signs:

If your pet is suffering he won’t be subtle about letting you know. Look out for these signs of trouble, which could indicate heatstroke or dehydration:

  • heavy panting
  • glazed eyes
  • rapid heartbeat
  • difficulty breathing
  • excessive thirst
  • lethargy
  • lack of coordination
  • profuse drooling
  • vomiting
  • body temperature of over 104 degrees (normal is 101 – 102.5)
  • a deep red or purple tongue
  • seizure, collapse, or unconsciousness

If these signs present, seek immediate medical attention for your dog.

Let’s all keep Wellesley’s 2,800 registered dogs nice and safe all summer. Heaven knows, they’re worth the extra effort. Who’s a good human friend? You are, that’s who.

Filed Under: Animals, Health, Outdoors, Parenting, Safety, Weather

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