The Swellesley Report

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

Wellesley, Massachusetts college campuses: cornavirus updates

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coronavirus imageDozens of colleges across the country have responded to coronavirus concerns by trading in classroom instruction for online learning, or by taking even stronger measures by requiring students to move out of dormitories. The three colleges located in Wellesley — Wellesley College, Babson College, and MassBay — have put forth three markedly different responses to what the Centers for Disease Control calls an “emerging, rapidly evolving situation.”

Wellesley College says it so far “has not yet made a decision to do remote instruction at Wellesley, but we are giving that option serious consideration and will make a decision by the end of this week” in response to coronavirus concerns. Students have not been asked to leave school.

The College has, however, decided to temporarily suspend access to events for visitors from outside the Wellesley College community. The Carillon Open Tower (March 12) and the Midday Muse (March 19) have been cancelled. As of now, later events such as concerts and recitals will take place as scheduled, but only Wellesley College students, faculty, and staff may attend (with College ID).

MassBay also continues to hold classes at its Wellesley location, as well as its Ashland and Framingham campuses, and says it is “actively monitoring the global, national and regional news and information around the COVID-19 disease. There have been no reported cases of COVID-19 among our students, faculty, or staff” as of March 10th. Students commute to the state school campuses, which do not have dormitories.

The Wellesley Symphony Orchestra, in residence at MassBay, has pushed off its family concert scheduled for Sunday, March 15. The orchestra hopes to reschedule the event.

As we reported yesterday, Babson College in Wellesley has announced that all students must be out of residence halls by March 21, and that all classes will transition to fully online by March 13 and will remain online through the end of Spring semester.

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Linden Square

Wellesley road safety concerns yield meeting on March 10

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The Wellesley Traffic Committee will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, March 10, at the Wellesley Police Department to discuss safety improvements at 2 intersections.

Residents and neighbors are invited to give feedback on a plan to add additional stop signs at the Curve Street, Sunset Road and Harvard Street intersection. Discussion will begin at 6 p.m.

 

 

curve st
Danger zone: Curve/Harvard/Sunset intersection

According to Wellesley Police Lt. Scott Showstead, the police have had “a lot of complaints from the Harvard/Curve Street residents about vehicles cutting through the neighborhood while traveling between Weston Rd, Linden St, and Oak St. Harvard and Sunset cross each other and then Harvard intersects with Curve. None of the intersections are currently posted with any signage. It is somewhat of an untraditional intersection, so we explored some options that would make the right of ways and rules of the road clearer to vehicles traveling on what were traditionally less travelled neighborhood roadways. There is no significant crash data, however, the geometry of the intersections and data we collected on traffic patterns lends enough support to discuss the potential installation of 1 to 3 stop signs.”

At 7:30 p.m., you can give feedback on a plan to add a stop sign on Linden Street at the intersection of the Rockland Street bridge.

According to Lt. Showstead: “When the Rockland Street bridge was redone some years ago the installation of a stop sign was discussed for Linden Street traffic heading east, however, a warning sign about traffic crossing from over the bridge was installed instead. Over time that intersection has been the topic of numerous complaints and inquiries about who has the right of way. We asked Beta Engineering to look at the intersection and after consultation with the Traffic Committee it was determined that the installation of a stop sign would improve safety and clarify the right of way at the intersection. There is no significant crash data for this intersection either, but there are many passed on stories of near misses and confusion.”

If you are unable to attend the hearing but would like to send comments prior to the meeting date, please email Wellesley Police Lt. Scott Showstead.

MORE:

Wellesley electrical box artists chosen

More about the future of Wellesley’s streets

Wellesley Square redevelopment plan raises parking, traffic concerns

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Wellesley Health Dept. offers CPR & AED training

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Wellesley Health Dept.

 

Wellesley Health Department is pleased to offer a free American Heart Association (AHA) CPR/AED course taught by Wellesley Fire Department personnel. Upon completion of the course, you will receive a certificate from the AHA.  If you took the course last year, you do not have to take it this year- the certificate is valid for two years. Applying for Continuing Education Units (CEU’s) for nurses Wednesday, February 26, 2020 only. Refreshments provided. RSVP: [email protected]

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Wellesley Health Department issues Coronavirus update

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Warren Building, Wellesley RecreationFrom the Wellesley Health Department:

Wellesley Health Department (WHD) is monitoring the recent outbreak of Coronavirus. So far no one in Wellesley has been diagnosed with the virus. As of Saturday, February 1, 2020, there has been one confirmed case of Coronavirus in a Boston man in his 20s. The risk to the public from the Coronavirus remains low in the state, according to a statement released by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) and the Boston Public Health Commission.

The WHD is receiving regular updates from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on this situation.

The Coronavirus is a respiratory illness that was first identified in Wuhan, China, by authorities in late December 2019 and has sickened a growing number of people in Asia, Australia, Europe and the United States. Some symptoms of this virus are similar to those experienced with colds or the flu.

Information about Coronavirus can be found on the CDC website.

MORE:

Wellesley Public Schools issue Coronavirus memo

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Wellesley Schools Roundup—report cards; crossing guards shortage; online info on diversity, equity, and inclusion; Dana Hall PUFFS play

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Wellesley elementary schools report cards coming out

Families of K – 5 students will receive the Wellesley Public Schools Standards-Based Report Card (SBRC) on Jan. 31. Administrators say the purpose of the SBRC, which rolled out this academic year, is to clearly communicate student progress and performance towards Massachusetts’ grade-level standards and expectations to students and families. The SBRC measures student learning against a consistent set of academic criteria. Students are assessed using end-of-year grade-level expectations.

Families will receive an indication of student performance as outlined below:

Performance Indicators (students are assessed using end-of-year grade-level standards
M — Meeting the standard consistently and independently
P — Progressing towards meeting the standard
B — Beginning to progress towards meeting the standard
N — Not yet demonstrating progress towards meeting the standard
* — Asterisk indicates that this standard has not been assessed during this particular term. Some units of study are taught at different times of the school year

Here is a link to get a look at what a report card will look like for each grade.

Wellesley needs crossing guards

Wellesley kids could use some help crossing the street. There are multiple crossing guard vacancies in town, and the Police Department is unable to cover all of them. If you’re interested in the safety of Wellesley’s students, the WPD seeks dependable individuals to assure the safety of school children crossing the streets as they go to and from school. Interested individuals need not be Wellesley residents.  The morning shift is from 7:55am – 8:25am, and the afternoon shift is generally from 3:05pm – 3:35 pm.  On Wednesdays, the afternoon shift is from 12:05pm – 12:35pm. Salary is $15.82/hour plus a $7.50 stipend for each shift.

Fresh air and smiling children’s faces are included.  Please apply at the Human Resources Department, Town Hall, 525 Washington Street, Wellesley, MA 02482. More here.

New Diversity, Equity, Inclusion online resource

Wellesley’s Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Dr. Charmie Curry, has created a page on the WPS website to keep the community informed about ways in which everyone can confront and interrupt inequity in all its forms.  The page includes information on upcoming events; information on the METCO program; spotlights on student groups such as Young Ethnic Scholars, the Asian Student Union, GLoW; and more. 

Early release day, all Wellesley Public Schools

The next early release day for all Wellesley Public Schools will be Wednesday, Feb. 5.

Dana Hall student-directed play: PUFFS on Feb. 7

Dana Hall School presents its student-directed play, PUFFS, on Friday, Feb. 7, at 7:30 p.m., in Bardwell Auditorium. The performance is free and open to
the public.

PUFFS, written by Matt Cox and produced by special arrangement with Samuel French, tells the tale of seven years at a certain school of wizardry, but not from the perspective of who you’d expect. The production is directed by Katherine Ward ’20, Katherine Profy ’20 and Madi Kastner ’23.

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

Puffs play, dana hall

Kindergarten Round-up dates

Please note the two dates for Wellesley Public Schools Kindergarten Registration for academic year 2020 – 2021 for children 5 years of age on or before August 31, 2020. Please bring registration forms and required documents to the Round Up. More here.

DATES: Wednesday, February 12, 2020 at 3:00-6:00 PM (snow date 2/26/20)
Saturday, March 7, 2020 at 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM (snow date 3/14/20)

LOCATION: Sprague Elementary School Library, 401 School St, Wellesley MA 02482

If required, nurse follow-up and English Learner screenings will occur at individual schools by appointment. Questions regarding Kindergarten registration should be directed to District Registrar Nancy Costigliola at 781-446-6210 ;5600 or [email protected]

TenAcre School art students tear it up

Tenacre, Wellesley
Photo credit: Tenacre School

Torn-paper artist Wanda Edwards of Torn Paper Paintings worked with Tenacre sixth-graders earlier this month, sharing the process she uses to create torn-paper collages.

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Beloved Hunnewell School White Oak tree gets “high risk” safety grade

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Hunnewell Elementary School’s venerable 200+ year-old White Oak tree that stands sentry outside the front entrance of the 28 Cameron Street school in Wellesley Square has been deemed a “high risk tree” in a report commissioned by the Natural Resources Commission. The report is embedded at the bottom of this post.

Update 1/7/20: The School Committee has given the Department of Public Works the go-ahead to cut down the tree.

 

Hunnewell White Oak, summer 2018
Hunnewell White Oak, summer 2018

The dire news has led Principal Ellen Quirk to make the front entrance of the school off limits, which includes the entire courtyard area, so that students, faculty and staff, and visitors will not have to pass near the tree to enter the building. Quirk has alerted families on alternative ways to access the school.

Visitors to the school should enter through the original 1938 entrance. The door will be locked for security reasons, and a monitor will be there to assist visitors.

The over 30-foot tall tree serves many purposes from providing shade to teaching tool to wildlife home. With the report from arborists Carl and Dan Cathcart from Plant Healthcare Consultants, it seems likely that the deciduous landmark may not survive to celebrate its tricentennial. The full report will be available shortly, and we will update this post accordingly.

Hunnewell tree
Hunnewell tree now off-limits

 

Risk/benefit analysis

NRC Director Brandon Schmitt said, “A high-risk tree implies that there are structural or other issues with the tree that make it more likely to fail, either in-part or completely, PLUS a clearly defined target — in this case the school building itself and the students, parents teachers and staff who occupy it. It’s really a measure of the probability of failure combined with the consequences of that failure.”

Schmitt noted that although White Oaks have an average life span of 300 years, their longevity depends on location and care.

For example, out in an open meadow subject to minimal people-pressures, a White Oak can thrive. The White Oak at Hunnewell however, has been subject to many people-pressures such as a limited root growth zone, and soil compaction from foot traffic as well as the 1995 construction of the school wing.

Town Landscape Planner Cricket Vlass said the Cathcarts performed an International Society of Arboriculture Level III Tree Risk Assessment, which includes a visual assessment and measurements from a Resistograph, a high-resolution needle drill resistance measurement device.

“They determine the tree to be at High Risk due to a 3’ vertical trunk crack on the west side, which has formed within the past six months, with several crack beginning to form on the east, slow compartmentalization of old pruning cuts, cavities in the limbs, included bark at branch unions, stress cracks in several major limbs and a lean toward the building without the supporting buttress roots. All of these factors, along with the school as a target, have led the assessors to deem the tree to be High Risk, ” Vlass said.

As part of the School Committee (SC) meeting on Tuesday, January 7, 6:30pm - 9pm in the Juliani Room at Town Hall, the SC will discuss the arborists’ report on the tree and the appropriate next steps.

Although the NRC was involved in commissioning the report, any decision on the tree’s fate will ultimately be up to the SC because the tree is located on school property and is not considered a public shade tree. Neither the NRC, the Park and Tree Division, nor the Planning Board are decision-making agencies regarding the potential removal of trees on school property.

The potential destruction of the Hunnewell White Oak has been a hot-button topic since 2018. At that time during a joint meeting at Town Hall of the School Building Committee and the Board of Selectmen, stakeholders including concerned Hunnewell School neighbors and parents voiced their opposition to a Hunnewell School construction project that would lead to the destruction of the tree.

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LINX Camps spotlight: Bullying and the Mitigating Effects of Camp

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SPONSORED POST: Bullying is a purposeful, repetitive, worldwide epidemic that is seen across all races, classes, ages, and genders. While bullying can happen in the workplace, it tends to be most prevalent in school settings among youth:

  • Nearly 1 in 5 students (21%) reports being bullied during the school year, impacting over 5 million youth annually. National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), 2018

  • 160,000 kids per day skip school for fear of being bullied. American Society for the Positive Care of Children, 2018

    LINX, Wellesley
    A LINX Camps counselor and two campers show their Green Team spirit while participating in the annual Eagle Games tradition.

  • Approximately 30% of young people admit to bullying others. Bradshaw, Sawyer, & O’Brennan (BS&O), 2007

  • Bystanders make up the largest group of students affected by bullying in school, with 71% of students saying they have witnessed bullying within the last month. BS&O, 2007

  • Almost all forms of bullying peak in middle school with 6th grade students reporting the highest percentage of bullying (29%). NCES, 2018

LINX, Wellesley
A LINX Camps counselor encourages a camper after a successful execution of a new skill.

Students who experience bullying are at increased risk for poor school adjustment, sleep difficulties, anxiety, and depression. Studies have found the effects of bullying to be serious and long lasting on one’s mental health and overall well being. It is important to note these negative outcomes affect all involved in bullying — the bullies, the bullied, and the bystanders.

Noted educator, author, and psychologist, Dr. Peter Scales says, “Camp is one of the few institutions where young people can experience and satisfy their need for physical activity, creative expression and true participation in a community environment.” Continue reading…

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