Chisum described the process in a note to WMS parents/guardians as “exhausting” and said “I realized I am not ready to leave Wellesley and I am excited about continuing my work with you all as I look forward.”

Chisum, who is listed as interim principal on the Wellesley Middle School website, was competing for the Brookline job vs. Deborah Holman, vice principal at Newton North High School.

Share/Bookmark

Wellesley Middle School took a stand against bullying/name calling on Wednesday, posting on a wall a bunch of crossed-out names that kids have been called  (photo courtesy Elaine Gillim)

Share/Bookmark

Among other things, Wellesley Middle School students will be asked to wear black and write down a name they have been called, with a line through it, and the words will be transferred to a wall display at the school.

Share/Bookmark

District-wide Awards

iPads for Language Development

For English Language Learning students, WEF will help facilitate language development and allow students to access the curriculum while improving their self-confidence and independence. This grant funds the purchase of ten iPads and various apps for the ELL program at Fiske, Hardy and Schofield Elementary Schools.  The use of the iPads will provide a multimodal learning platform tapping into students’ auditory, visual and kinesthetic modalities, a method shown to aid faster, deeper learning.

Professional Development for Teaching Grammar Grades 6-10

WEF’s grant will help develop instructional tools and strategies for teachers to teach grammar more effectively.  The grant award will fund a workshop for Middle School and High School English teachers featuring Jeff Anderson, a renowned consultant in writing and reading. The workshop will give teachers a larger repertoire of lesson plans to strengthen their teaching effectiveness and to promote greater student appreciation.

Elementary School Awards

First Grade Literacy with iPod Touches

In the first grade at Hardy School WEF will aid in literacy development. Level guided reading groups will share three WEF funded iPod touches with multiple headsets.  Children will listen to quality literature and record themselves reading aloud. This will also support the “home-school” connection by allowing the teacher to download oral reading fluency mini-lessons onto the class website so that parents may access them at home.

Digital Microscopes in 5^th Grade

At Schofield Elementary, 5^th graders will use portable digital microscopes, funded by WEF, to observe microscopic organisms while in the classroom or out in a pond ecosystem. They can then capture or modify images of video directly onto laptops from the microscope. Students will be able to record many different life forms observed at the pond without having to take so many of them back to the classroom, thus minimizing disturbance of the ecosystem.

Morning Math Group

WEF will fund the purchase of math manipulatives and other supplies to support the creation of a morning math group at Schofield School for selected second and third graders that need extra math support.

Middle School Awards

iPods for Modern and Classical Languages

Students at Wellesley Middle School will use thirty iPod Nanos funded by WEF to support authentic speaking and listening tasks in foreign language classes. Students will be able to record their responses to presentational and interpersonal speaking prompts, listen to their response, receive timely feedback from the teacher and make changes in their work immediately. Students will also be able to rewind and replay audio files chosen by the teachers, enabling them to work at their own pace.

Chromebooks

WEF’s award will extend a one-to-one computer environment in a 7^th grade classroom, allowing students to continue to benefit from valuable organizational and writing skills.  WEF’s grant will fund the purchase of 25 new Chromebooks for David Nichols’ Social Studies class. The Chromebook is a “streamlined” laptop whose primary purpose is to give the user access to the Internet and web applications at a fraction of the cost of a traditional laptop. The Chromebooks will replace the 7-year old laptops currently used in the classroom, originally funded by WEF’s laptop initiative.

Counseling Ethics

Using funds from WEF, the WMS Guidance Department will host a full-day training session on counseling ethics led by Carolyn Stone, Ed.D., and the author of “School Counseling Principles, Ethics and Law”. WMS guidance counselors will review the most updated ethical/legal standards for the profession, as well as discuss sample situations that present complex ethical dilemmas.

Risers for new Drama Room

WEF will provide critical funding for adequate seating and space requirements for the drama department.  WEF’s grant will fund the purchase of five flipFORMS risers to address problems of inadequate seating in drama classes and space constraints in after school performances.

Reading Reality

WEF will fund a literature discussion program for 8^th grade students. The goal of the program is to allow students to learn about difficult issues through literature and, during the group discussion, to connect what they have read about to their own lives. The students will read a book chosen from a list of titles focusing on difficult topics. They will then participate in small book group discussions consisting of about 10 students and one adult faculty member. Students will also be asked to write a personal reflection about their book in journals and evaluate their experience.

SoundField System for WMS

WEF has awarded funds for a voice amplifying SoundField system, to be installed in a 6^th grade classroom.  This system will provide a wide array of educational benefits including aid for students with quiet voices, undiagnosed hearing disabilities, English language learners, and attention difficulties. In addition, research has shown that these systems provide widespread educational improvements for all students.

High School Awards

Ceramic Potters Wheels

WEF’s grant will extend the hands on time for students using ceramic pottery wheels by reducing clean up time and improving safety issues. The grant funds five new pottery wheels for the Art Department, benefiting ceramics classes as well as students participating in the open ceramics workshops and the popular lunchtime program “Clay with Keough” in which students throw on a potters wheel alongside Principal Andrew Keough.

Forming and Raising into Jewelry

Further expanding the Art Department’s jewelry offerings, new jewelry making tools will be purchased using WEF funds to allow students to create jewelry in a 3D format and also to begin to work in the realm of sculpture and sculptural objects. The grant will facilitate a transformation to a jewelry/metals studio.

Digital Interactive Response System

A Digital Interactive Response System (Senteo), funded by WEF, in CP/ACP chemistry sections will allow the teacher to better assess all students learning. Students will be required respond to questions using the hand-held Senteo rather than by speaking aloud in class. This will allow the teacher to know immediately if students understand the material. Benefits of this technology include greater student engagement and greater awareness of individual student comprehension. 

Two Document Smart Board Cameras

To help engage students in formative language learning activities and to provide immediate clear feedback to teachers, WEF will fund the purchase of two Document Smart Board cameras, one for use in a Spanish class and one to share in the Classical and Modern Languages Department.  Document cameras will enable students to share their writing assignments with the class, thereby helping to enhance writing skills. Teachers will use to project pictures to present new vocabulary and to display homework activities.

Gene Exploration of Brassica Rapa and Other Bacteria

New equipment will expose students to true science lab experiments involving genes and DNA.  Students will perform a series of experiments to extract DNA from Brassica plants.  Results of the experiments will be sent to Dana Farber to discover the difference in gene structure between plants that were planted.  This equipment will be used in AP Biology classes this spring and by all biology students undertaking independent research projects.  WEF funds will allow for the purchase of water baths, centrifuges, a light bank, an incubator, test tubes and funds for sequencing. 

Share/Bookmark

The group’s description reads in part:

Enough is enough! The administrative lapses this year at Wellesley public schools, especially the middle school, are inexcusable. At WMS alone, we’ve hired workers with criminal records (including assault and battery), suffered thefts of $20,000 in computers and jewelry art supplies, had $170,000 of “misplaced” bills, experienced rodent infestation in the kitchen, and lived through numerous problems with the cafeteria.

These are issues of safety, health, and fiscal responsibility.

These are just the problems we know about.

We pay taxes for the schools. The School Board has oversight. It’s time to hold them accountable.

The group (currently consisting of “a handful” of parents) encourages other concerned residents to attend upcoming School Committee meetings, including the next one on Dec. 6,  and write to various media outlets to urge them to look into more stories. Those who are interested are invited to join the group in person at Peet’s in Wellesley Square at 6:30pm before the School Committee meeting this week.

RELATED: “Like” The Swellesley Report on Facebook

Wellesley School Superintendent Bella Wong resigns

Share/Bookmark

Wellesley Middle School held its annual Turkey Promenade on Wednesday, an event during which students celebrate home room spirit and dress up according to various themes, such as superheros or sports. They also brought in food and household products to support an outfit called Voices against Violence.

Above is the tremendous Stanley CornuCupia of Plenty, honoring both Thanksgiving and the Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins, as it opens to reveal a turkey. Thanks to reader CH for sending along the photos.

RELATED: Stanley Cup comes to The Cottage

MORE SWELLESLEY REPORT? Like our Facebook page

Share/Bookmark

UPDATE (10/28/11): Seems Wellesley Middle School principal’s original statement to be delivered to students Friday morning didn’t fly with all parents, so he got some help editing it, and here’s the New & Improved! version:

As you know we have been experiencing a series of thefts in the building over the last several months that have left us all concerned about the safety of our belongings. On Wednesday afternoon an individual who has been working as a night custodian was taken into custody at his home and charged with these crimes. The Wellesley Police Department have recovered some of the items and are continuing their investigation. The court has ordered this person not be allowed on school property. We are continuing to evaluate our security procedures to ensure our school is the safest place possible and I am confident that it is.

As a school community we are left to grapple with the human toll of the thefts. When someone steals from you there is more taken than just physical property. There is a violation of trust. I want to caution us all not to jump to conclusions about why someone committed these crimes. I want to remind you not to make assumptions about the individual who was arrested. We don’t’ know that the person arrested did commit these crimes because he is in fact innocent until proven guilty by a court of law. We do not know why the thefts were committed. We only know that they were and what the police have told us about the progress of the case. It is at a moment like this where our core values can be tested the most and I want us all to remember two in particular today. The first is our respect for human differences. If we truly hold this at our core we will not make generalizations about people who commit crimes. The second is our commitment to community. Our entire community was hurt by these acts and we will only move beyond it if our entire community comes together to support each other and that includes, students, teachers, assistants, administrators, parents, cafeteria workers, support staff and especially the other custodians. I thank you all for our holding these values dear during this difficult time.

Here’s what Chisum originally planned to tell students on Friday regarding the arrest of a suspect in the recent thefts of tech gear and student jewelry projects/materials:

As you know we have been experiencing a series of thefts in the building over the last several months that have left us all concerned about the saftey of our belongings. On Wednesday afternoon an individual who has been working as a night custodian was taken into custody at his home and charged with these crimes. The Wellesley Police Department have recovered some of the items and are continuing their investigation. The court has ordered this person not be allowed on school property. We are continuing to evaluate our security procedures to ensure our school is the safest place possible.

As a school community we are left to grapple with the human toll of the thefts. When someone steals from you there is more taken than just physical property. There is a violation of trust. I want to caution us all not to jump to conclusions about why someone committed these crimes. I want to remind you not to make assumptions about the individual who was arrested. The reasons someone has for stealing have nothing to do with things like the job they have, the color of their skin, or their ethnic background. We do not know why the thefts were committed. We only know that they were and what the police have told us about the progress of the case. It is at a moment like this where our core values can be tested the most and I want us all to remember two in particular today. The first is our respect for human differences. If we truly hold this at our core we will not make generalizations about people who commit crimes. The second is our committment to community. Our entire community was hurt by these acts and we will only heal if our entire community comes together to support each other and that includes, students, teachers, assistants, administrators, parents, cafeteria workers, and support staff. I thank you all for our holding these values dear during this difficult time.

Share/Bookmark

The Wellesley Police Department has announced the arrest of a Wellesley Middle School custodian in the recent string of technology equipment and student jewelry project/materials thefts.

Gino Lister of Holliston was arrested Wednesday and is being charged with larceny over $250, receiving stolen property over $250 and on 2 counts of receiving stolen property under $250.

Detective Christopher Connelly was the lead investigator into the theft of Apple Macbooks and iPads, other electronic equipment, plus silver and silver jewelry made by students. Ten of the stolen Apple products have been recovered so far from parties who appear to have been unaware of where the items originated and no charges have been brought against these people. Others who know Lister were said to have sold the items, and police continue to search for other stolen items.

There was no forced entry into any of the locked classrooms or locked storage cabinets where the thefts occurred, except on one occasion, according to police. Lister had access to the building, classrooms and cabinets, according to the police report.

The thefts outraged parents, who expressed their frustration to school officials. Superintendent Bella Wong responded to the concerns recently, noting that some details of the situation needed to be kept under wraps during the investigation.

Wong wrote to parents on Thursday regarding the arrest and said in part: “I share with you a tremendous relief to have this part of the matter come to an apparent close. At the same time, we still need to come to terms that the suspected instigator was one who worked among us. We need to allow ourselves time to process and resolve feelings of betrayal and loss that may linger. To support this process and rebuild our sense of security, we will continue our increased level of securing items of value and remain proactive in assessing further improvements.”

WMS principal Jamie Chisum plans to address the issue with students on Friday.

RELATED: Wellesley Middle School hit with jewelry heist

How did $20K worth of Apple & other tech gear go missing from Wellesley Middle School?

Share/Bookmark

Asked whether this is a bigger challenge in a town like Wellesley filled with well-to-do residents, Bigelow says not necessarily.

“I could argue in the lower socio-economic towns where folks may not be able to pay for college for their kids they might be even more intense and overzealous because they would think that sports excellence might yield a scholarship down the road,” he says. “What you get in places like Wellesley (not that you don’t get this in Natick, Framingham and other places) is the intensity of excellence. Not only are you going to do well in school and go to Yale or Harvard, but you’re also gong to do well on the basketball court, ice rink or soccer field. That can ratchet up the blood pressure of both adults and kids.”

Among the big changes over the past 20 years that have intensified youth sports has been the proliferation of private sports lessons, which Bigelow said used to be mainly for more individual sports like tennis and golf.  “You now have kids from team sports getting lessons,” he says. “The good news with baseball is if your team has 10 kids who can now hit .300, it’s probably going to affect the team positively. However, if you have a basketball team of kids who have been taught shooting and have five kids on the floor with one ball,” there might not be enough balls to go around to satisfy the kids or their parents.

Bigelow says every dollar and hour you lay down in your child’s athletic career trying to make him or her better is going to make your expectations that much more out of whack.

He also says that, logically enough, intensity rises for kids and adults involved in travel team sports, which have now crept down into the elementary schools. Parents and coaches become less likely to keep their egos and tempers in check when not entirely among neighbors, when their kids are playing what Bigelow refers to as “dumbed-down high school varsity sports.” When teams are playing strictly within towns, “it softens the gladiatorial effect,” he says. In Winchester, where Bigelow lives and started a youth basketball program 20 years ago, kids don’t travel until 6^th grade and anyone who wants to travel, travels. He says programs that start cutting kids at younger levels are “overtly or subliminally telling kids they are going to be high school basketball players even though none of them can really play a lick – the caste system is already being determined with a bunch of 4-foot-6, 82 pound kids.”

Bigelow on other topics:

*Girls: “Conceptually in team sports, girls get it earlier. 7^th and 8^th grade girls basketball players can actually get some things that you teach them more so than 7^th and 8^th grade boys basketball players… Often you see men coaching girls at the middle school level and some of them don’t have a clue because they didn’t grow up girls…”

*Bad behavior by pro athletes: “15 years ago someone asked me ‘How do I explain Dennis Rodman to my 12-year-old?’ Maybe the only question in the history of these talks I haven’t been able to answer… The good news is that no matter how much negative press these professional sports teams get, it’s almost to the point where there’s so much of it, how many 12- or 13-year-old kids really follow it that closely? It’s just part of life.”

For more info on Bigelow’s visit, check out the Wellesley Youth Basketball website.

RELATED: New ball game for Wellesley Youth Basketball

Share/Bookmark

Dear Middle School Families and Staff,

I am writing about the recent ongoing security issues at the Wellesley Middle School. Some of you have also written to express concerns. These concerns are absolutely justified in light of the fact we have been subject to several varied incidents of theft these past months. All of us in the Central Office and Middle School have been deeply troubled by each instance and have been frustrated by the incessant recurrence. While any of these losses has been difficult, loss of staff and student personal items has been particularly distressing.

Our reporting of the facts of these events has been conservative to support the investigation and resolution of this ongoing issue. We have been working closely with the Wellesley Police Department, and I very much appreciate    the commitment of support, time and expert guidance they have given us. They are as frustrated by these incidents as we are.

Several steps have been taken to improve security in the building since the initial theft was discovered and reported. However, recent acts of theft have circumvented some of these measures, resulting in destruction to as well as loss of property. At this time, I strongly encourage that students and staff do not leave unsecured items of value in the school overnight. I also suggest, unfortunately, that even items that might be secured in school be taken home at the end of a school day if reasonable to do so.

Jamie Chisum and I will continue to keep you apprised. However, please do not hesitate to forward any questions you may have, and we will do our best to address your concerns.

Sincerely, Bella Wong

Share/Bookmark