Dedham Elementary Schools Celebrate School Lunch Superhero Day

Students at Oakdale, Avery and Riverdale schools celebrated School Lunch Super Hero Day, honoring their cafeteria staff.

  School Lunch Super Hero Day, honoring their cafeteria staff, was inspired by the Lunch Lady books, written and illustrated by Jarrett K. Krosoczka.  They are graphic novels (comics) about a lunch lady that saves the day with high tech kitchen gadgets when she is not serving meals to students.  Dedham students are going bananas over these fun books.  Oakdale students celebrated their school lunch workers in a number of different ways. To better understand School Lunch Superhero Day the school lunch workers were presented with a copy of Jarrett Krosoczka’s very first lunch lady graphic novel, Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute.  Class cards as well as personal thank you cards were made for the school lunch workers during library time. …

• Photos (3)

Dedham Education Foundation Brings Scientific Fun to Avery Students

Through funding from the Dedham Education Foundation, the Avery School was able to invite Kinetic Katie to teach a variety of science-based activities.

  During the fall, the 5th grade teachers at the Avery Elementary School applied for a grant from the Dedham Education Foundation. The teachers asked for funding to provide a special science program for their students. Through the funding, the school was able to bring Kinetic Katie from Hightouch Hightech New England on April 10.  The program involved a variety of hands-on activities for the 5th grade class. "Kinetic Katie taught students all about the food chain, the food web, primary producers, primary consumers and various animal adaptations," Michelle Luongo said. "Students had a blast and thought the program was both informative and fun; they even got a change to dissect owl pellets."

•  1 Comment
• Photos (2)

Avery Celebrates Dr. Seuss’s Birthday and World Read Aloud Day

  On Mar. 6, the students at the Avery School had an afternoon of celebration to recognize Dr. Seuss’s birthday and World Read Aloud Day. The afternoon began as the students enjoyed music by the Roots Music Collective: The Roots of American Music. They learned the origins of American popular music and how its roots teach us about cultural identity in the United States. This group is part of the Young Audiences of Massachusetts and is supported by a grant from the Dedham Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. After the performance, the students who came dressed as their favorite book character introduced themselves and their characters. The students chosen with the most …

• Photos (4)

Pic of the Day: Avery Bookmark Contest

  Congratulations to seven winning Avery artists who submitted entries to the Avery School Library bookmark contest. The theme of the contest was "School Libraries - Books and Beyond!" 54 students submitted bookmarks to the contest. These students were chosen because of their creativity and because their artwork best reflected the theme. Their work has been submitted to the statewide contest, sponsored by the Massachusetts School Library Association. Congratulations to Tierney Smink, Grade 1, Jason Walsh, Grade 2, Trinity Vo, Grade 3, Juliana Velazquez, Grade 3, Eleanor Pearrow, Grade 4, Cecilia DiFlaminies, Grade 4, and Francesca Gentile, Grade 5.

• Photos (2)

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.   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…

• Photos (29)

Avery Institute Begins Seventh Year

This year, the Summer Institute offers 28 different courses, and boys and girls can choose among a wide variety of options.

  Back in the Summer of 2006, Avery Elementary School Principal Clare Sullivan began a program at her school, to run during the month of July. Modeled after the successful Wrentham Summer School program (now in it's 18th year), the plan was to offer the children of Dedham (grades K - 5) something fun to do in  the Summer, at a safe environment, along with their peers. That first year, a handful of children signed up, but the response and positive feedback that Sullivan and her staff received motivated them to continue. The following year, nine different courses were offered and approximately 70 boys and girls signed on. Since 2007, the Avery Summer Institute has continued to evolve and expand. Now for the first year in their new building, …

• Photos (10)

Town Meeting Gives Selectmen Authority to Lease Old Avery

The Board of Selectmen now will draft a request for proposal.

  After more than 30 minutes of debate, Dedham Town Meeting members voted by voice vote to give authority to the Board of Selectmen to enter into a lease agreement for the former Avery Elementary School. Selectmen now will look to draft a request for proposal, likely for an arts and community center. The non-profit group Mother Brook Arts and Community Center is the only entity to show interest. Proponents of the article, seen by some Town Meeting members as a referendum on an arts center, said it filled a desire in the town, worked to revitalize East Dedham and would re-occupy the vacant school building quicker than any other project. "This is a great position to be in because this body, a few years ago, voted to believe and reinvest in …

• Photos (2)

SBRC Approves Trees for Dirt Pile, Far Below Keegan's Promise

Neighbors displeased with the vote, saying they were looking for many more.

  Homeowners on Whiting Avenue and Hazelnut Place will get some measure of privacy and shade back after the School Building Rehabilitation Committee voted Monday to spend up to $25,000 to plant trees - enough cash for up to 35 trees. Construction crews began chopping down the trees last fall without notifying the SBRC, members said at the time - then the committee approved removal of other trees during the final phases of the new Avery Elementary School project. In all, according to a town document, 96 trees were cut down; 21 near a new practice field and 75 along an old railroad bed, where the committee authorized to store roughly 11,000 cubic yards of fill. "That's a long railroad bed to put 35 trees," said Whiting Avenue resident …

•  3 Comments
• Photos (2)

Telling it like it is

4:28 pm on Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Elizabeth how short sighted you are. It's really only $100.- per tree. And $600.- per for the cop working the detail, staring at the hole being dug.   more ›

Needham Bank Gives $2,000 to Dedham Music Program

The funds will help support the summer band and string program.

  Needham Bank donated $2,000 to support the inaugural summer band and string program, developed in partnership between the Dedham School of Music and the Dedham Public School’s “Avery Summer Institute.” The program created for Dedham students grades third through fifth will run during the month of July at the Avery Elementary School. Students will be able to participate in daily private instrumental lessons, as well as band and chamber orchestra rehearsals. The four-week session will conclude with a concert showcasing all students enrolled in the summer band and string program. “Thanks to the generosity and support of Needham Bank, we will be able to offer the summer band and string program at a very affordable tuition,” said Gabriella …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

VIDEO: 'Cornerstone' of East Dedham Opens

Officials praised the opening of the new Avery Elementary School, and students will move after April vacation.

  Principal Clare Sullivan - a 30-year Avery School stalwart - planned to hold a closing ceremony Friday for the current and about to be "old" Avery Elementary School. She'll take down the Avery Pride banners that line the gymnasium and watch as schoolchildren play on a grass-less playground for the final time. In less than 18 months, Avery students went from digging the first dirt to welcoming parents and state officials to their new $21 million school Thursday morning. "I can remember a few short months ago when we gathered at what is now the 50-yard line of the new athletic field to celebrate the setting of a ceremonial beam on this new magnificent structure. At that time the discussion focused on a vision we had for the new Avery …

• Photos (16)
• Videos (4)