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Schools

Avery Summer Institute a Huge Success

This year's institute hosted more than 200 boys and girls.

 

Maybe it was the lure of the newly opened school, or perhaps it was the still weakened economy, which had local parents looking for something good for their children to participate in – at an affordable price. Maybe it had to do with the wide selection of courses offered or the fact that you could enroll in a morning or an afternoon session.

It might have been all the hard work and dedication of Principal Clare Sullivan or the wonderful group of teachers that she has put together. Most likely though, it was a combination of all of this that contributed to the huge success of this year's Avery Summer Institute.  

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Six years ago, in the Summer of 2006, only a handful of children signed up for the School's first round of classes, held during the month of July. As this season's  four, one week classes come to an end, well over 200 boys and girls have participated in a wide range of courses that have been fine-tuned to meet the needs of children enrolled in Dedham Public School’s grades K – 5.

On a recent visit to the Avery Elementary School, we met with teacher Lisa Chaboudy and all of her students from the always popular “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” class. There was laughter in the air as the girls were getting ready for their end of the week carnival. Music was coming from a classroom, where students were singing along, while preparing popcorn and lemonade. Others worked hard, setting up games and tables for face painting and tattoos. The school was just alive with excitement. When asked what her “favorite” part of the Summer Institute was, Principal Clare Sullivan thought for a moment and said, “I just love the fact that students, from all over Dedham, can come together and enjoy our new school… this program has been great for everyone.” The school`s custodians went about their business as parents and siblings began to arrive, and looking around at the smiles on the faces of both young and old, you just knew that ”everyone wanted to have fun…”

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