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As this pandemic continues, we are making decisions month to month. The Westwood Senior Center will be closed through the Fall due to an abundance of caution to keep seniors and staff safe. Please know we are still here (in the office Monday through Friday 8-1pm – phone calls only – 781-329-8799) if you need us; the Center staff is working remotely as well as rotating coming into the office.
The good news is that a number of our classes (yoga, exercise, line dancing, and music) continue to run on cable and we now offer numerous zoom classes (Current Conversations, Pilates, Tai Chi, Cooking) with more to come this fall. If you are interested, please send us your email address, and what you are interested in joining, so we can send you information. And check out our Fall Newsletter for any updates. There are no costs to any of these programs.
Here are a few cable programs you might enjoy. ALL OF THESE PROGRAMS CAN BE FOUND ON LOCAL CABLE Comcast 8 & 12, and Verizon 32 & 42 daily. More will be added this Fall:
Monday
9:00-9:45 - Cardio Strength & Stretch
10:00-10:45 - Line Dancing
11:00-12:00 - Music Matters
Tuesday
8:00-9:00 - Floor Yoga
9:30-10:30 - Chair Yoga
11:00-12:00 - Music Matters
12:00- Medical Proxies with MetroWest Legal
12:15- Scam Prevention with Dedham Savings
1:00- Coronavirus 101 with Big Y Pharmacist
Wednesday
9:00-9:45 - Sit and Get Fit
10:00-10:45 - Line Dancing
11:00-12:00 - Music Matters
Thursday
8:00-9:00 Floor Yoga
9:30-10:30 - Chair Yoga
11:00-12:00 - Music Matters
12:00- Medical Proxies with MetroWest Legal
12:15- Scam Prevention with Dedham Savings
1:00- Coronavirus 101 with Big Y Pharmacist
Friday
9:00-9:45 - Cardio Strength and Balance
10:00-10:45 - Line Dancing
11:00-12:00 - Music Matters
Meals on Wheels continues to grow and are delivered daily; any Westwood resident 65 or older needing a meal please calls HESSCO at 781-784-4944. We are also available to grocery shop for homebound at risk elders, just give us a call at the Center and we can set this up for you.
Transportation Update: We now grocery shop with our van, on a very limited basis (Tuesdays and Wednesdays only) and offer medical rides on Mondays only. A COA fall newsletter went out with all details and can be found on the Town’s website or call us and we will send you a copy.
Westwood Writes: We have partnered with Youth and Family Services to create a new intergenerational program that will match seniors with students in a one to one pen pal relationship. Seniors and students will exchange letters on a monthly basis from October through May. If you are interested, please call the center (781-329-8799) and sign up.
Please know we are still here (in the office Monday through Friday 8-2pm) if you need us; the Center staff is working remotely as well as rotating coming into the office.
Stay safe!
Updates:
- Additional Barrels (Trash & Recycle) are temporarily suspended
- Sewer Mark-Outs and Inspections are on a limited basis due to skeleton crews
Save The Date:
- Yard Waste Collection will resume the week of September 14, 2020 and then
- October 5 – 9
- November 2 – 6
- November 9 – 13
- November 16 – 20
- November 23 – 28
- *Yard waste/ Trash & Recycle delayed 1 day due to Holiday
- November 30 – December 4
For more details, please visit our website.
- Westwood Bulk Collection Event is scheduled for the week of October 12, 2020 on your regular scheduled trash day. For more details, please visit our website.
- Westwood Recycling Day is scheduled for Saturday, October 17, 2020. For more details, please visit our website.
Monthly Focus:
Two years ago, Massachusetts MRF operators told us that they would accept pizza boxes (containing no pizza) for recycling. However, the controversy and confusion around pizza boxes has continued. Now, at last, the paper industry has spoken. Last month, the paper industry launched a new outreach campaign to promote pizza box recycling. American Forest & Paper Assn, West Rock, and the Fibre Box Association all agreed that West Rock’s study on the effect of grease at mills accepting recovered fiber (pizza boxes) is accurate. Grease is NOT a problem.
Recycling
- Put this item in your recycling bin.
Instructions
- You can put your EMPTY pizza box in recycling. Grease is okay.
- Helpful suggestion: Fold the box inside out before you put it in the recycling. This will make sure that the box is completely empty so there are no surprises at the sorting facility.
- Liners and pizza savers (pizza tables) should go in the trash. The food can be composted or put in the trash.
All administrative staff will be working remotely until further notice. Any questions or concerns can be emailed directly to:
lfiske@townhall.westwood.ma.us - Administrative Assistant
khiggins@townhall.westwood.ma.us - Interim Administrative Assistant
cbarenth@townhall.westwood.ma.us - Office Manager
jmccarthy@townhall.westwood.ma.us - Facilities Manager
bryan@townhall.westwood.ma.us - Assistant Director of Public Works
tkorchin@townhall.westwood.ma.us - Director of Public Works
For more information, please visit:
https://www.townhall.westwood.ma.us/departments/public-works
Voter Registration
- The deadline to register to vote or change party enrollment for the November 3rd, 2020 State Election will be on Sunday, October 24th, 2020.
- Please be aware that if you are a new resident you must re-register to vote in order to vote in Westwood.
- Voter Registration FAQ’S
- Click here to check your voter registration status
- Register to vote online
- Register to vote my Mail
- If you are not able to register online or download an application please contact Town Clerks office by telephone:781-326-3964 or via email: townclerk@townhall.westwood.ma.us and one will be mailed to you.
- In-person registration will be offered from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the last day to register or change party enrollment, Saturday, October 24th, 2020, at Westwood Town Hall, 580 High Street, practicing all social distancing guidelines.
Early Vote by Mail
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FAQ’S
- In July, a new law was passed to allow all registered voters in Massachusetts to (Early) vote by mail in any 2020 election, with no excuse needed.
As required by the new law, an (Early) Vote by Mail application was mailed by the Secretary of State to every person who was registered to vote on or before July 1, 2020 and who had not already requested an Absentee ballot for the State Primary or for all elections this year. A second mailing will be sent out in September to all voters who have not already applied for a (Early) Vote by Mail ballot for the November election. The applications are pre-addressed to your local election official (Westwood Town Clerk) and no postage is necessary.
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(Early)Vote by Mail applications must be delivered to your local election office (Westwood Town Clerk) no later than 4 business days before the election. For the State Primary ballot, your application must reach The Westwood Town Clerks office no later than October 29, 2020.
- If you wish to (Early)Vote by Mail, you are strongly encouraged to return your application as early as possible, to make sure that you will receive your ballot in time to return it and have it be counted
- If you do not receive an (Early)Vote by Mail application please click here to download one or contact the Westwood Town Clerk by Telephone: 781-326-3964 or email: votebymail@townhall.westwood.ma.us and one will be sent to you.
- Applications for mail-in ballots are acceptable if they are submitted by US Postal Mail, Email: votebymail@townhall.westwood.ma.us or Fax: 781-948-4573 provided the signature is visible and it is signed in substantially the same manner as a handwritten signature. This includes applications signed with a mouse, stylus, or finger. Applications with typed signatures are not acceptable.
Early Voting in Person- October 17-30, 2020.
- Will be conducted in the Jaillet Meeting Room at the Westwood Police Station, 588 High Street.
Hours will be as follows:
- Saturday, October 17-9:00AM-1:00PM
- Sunday, October 18-9:00AM-1:00PM
- Monday, October 19-TBD
- Tuesday, October 20-TBD
- Wednesday, October 21-TBD
- Thursday, October 22-TBD
- Friday, October 23-TBD
- Saturday, October 24-12:00PM-4:00PM
- Sunday October 25- 11:00AM-3:00PM
- Monday, October 26-TBD
- Tuesday, October 27-TBD
- Wednesday, October 28-TBD
- Thursday, October 29-TBD
- Friday, October 30-TBD
Mailing Ballots
- Early & Absentee Ballots have been mailed to registered voters who have submitted an (Early) vote by mail application or an Absentee Ballot application to the Westwood Town Clerk’s Office.
- The mailing will include a ballot, instructions, AV7 or EV7 envelope to place your cast ballot in, sealed and signed by the voter, and a postage pre-paid, pre addressed envelope(AV8) to return your ballot in.
- Your ballot can be mailed, or dropped off in a secure ballot drop box which is located in front of the Westwood Police Station, 588 High Street.
- Ballots need to be returned by 8 p.m. (the close of polls) on November 3,2020 in order to be counted.
- Any voter who has returned an early or absentee ballot that has been accepted cannot vote in person on Election Day.
Please contact Town Clerk Dottie Powers for clarification or questions you may have.
dpowers@townhall.westwood.ma.us
781-326-3964-Office
774-263-8233-Cell
News from the Chief:
The police department proudly promoted Heather Rose to sergeant on September 10, 2020. Sergeant Rose scored second in the recent promotional process for sergeant behind then Detective Don Murphy who was promoted to sergeant last year. Sergeant Rose is the town’s first female supervisor in over a decade and only the second female supervisor in the department’s history. She was hired by Chief Jeffrey Silva in 2015 after the police department came out of civil service, and was the first of three female police officers hired since then, which more than doubled the number of full time female police officers to five. Sergeant Rose attended the Boston Police Academy where she graduated in 1st place among female student officers, 4th place out of all student officers, and tied the all-time chin up record for the Boston Police Academy.
After being hired, then Officer Rose immediately began to have an effect on the department and the town. Her infectious smile and her enthusiastic, friendly personality was readily apparent. The chief said that not only has she been one of the town’s top producing officers, she frequently goes out of her way to engage in community contact, proving that community policing and law enforcement are not mutually exclusive. Sergeant Rose was recently featured in an annual town report after she was photographed stopping traffic and personally crossing an elderly resident on Washington Street by East Street to make sure she got across safely. Chief Jeffrey Silva said, “That photograph was a unique opportunity to capture the kind of things Sergeant Rose does all the time, and like so many of our officers, Sergeant Rose embodies the town’s “committed to service” motto.” Sergeant Rose was previously a Field Training Officer, tasked by the chief with training newly hired police officers utilizing her background as a former teacher, coach and a personal trainer to help shape the future generations of police officers here in town. Chief Silva recalled that when Sergeant Rose was hired, he asked her where she saw herself in five years. Without hesitation, the chief said she replied, “Working hard in the community, the department, and moving into a supervisory position.” In just over five years, Sergeant Heather Rose did just that. The town congratulates Sergeant Heather Rose on her new position and wishes her continued success in service of our community.
The 2020 hurricane season is well under way!
As of September 15th there have been 20 named storms, including seven hurricanes and one major hurricane, which is well above average. An average year produces 12 named storms, six hurricanes and three major hurricanes. Hurricanes in the Atlantic tend to pick up starting in late summer and continue until November 30th. Hurricane preparedness begins with a Family Emergency Plan. Your plan should include where to meet, developing an emergency contact list, the ability to receive emergency alerts, an evacuation plan and a plan for sheltering in place. You should practice your plan with your family 2 or 3 times a year. A Family Emergency Plan is critical in many emergency situations, not just hurricanes.
For more detailed information please visit: Massachusetts Family Emergency Planning
 The following sections are submissions provided by organizations within the community. If you have questions or would like to learn how to submit to the Westwood Wire, please email westwoodwire@townhall.westwood.ma.us
Westwood’s New High School Principal is a Familiar Face
She may not be a hometown girl, but Amy Davenport will be the first to tell you the town of Westwood feels very much like home. The Pittsburgh native has spent her entire teaching career here and this summer she officially took over as principal of Westwood High School, replacing Sean Bevan who left the district for a principal’s position at Algonquin Regional High School in Northborough.
For Davenport, who moved east to attend Boston College, the Westwood Public Schools are like home. “I started my career at Westwood in 2006 right after finishing at BC,” said Davenport. “I was hired to teach 10th and 11th-grade English.” Eight years later, she was promoted to the role of Dean of Students for the high school
Westwood Superintendent of Schools Emily Parks was the high school principal who initially hired and brought Davenport to the district. “It’s been a pleasure to watch Amy’s leadership skills and career develop,” said Parks. “She has a wonderful rapport with students and staff as well as a love for learning and a passion for education. We’re excited to see her grow in this role.”
Davenport takes the reins at a most challenging time in public education. She has spent much of her summer working on plans for the school year that will largely be defined by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Critical decision-making was not part of Davenport’s early career plans. She thought she might be a writer because she has always loved English and working with children. Her teen years were spent as a camp counselor and babysitter. “I used to put flyers in people’s mailboxes looking for babysitting jobs,” Davenport said. “Do you remember the book series The Babysitter’s Club? That was me!”
It wasn’t until Davenport got to Boston College that she decided on a teaching career. “My grandmother, who is now 98 years-old, taught at a school for deaf children. Teaching was such a respected profession in my family, and I think she was a huge influence on my life and career choice.”
Davenport said being a high school principal was not necessarily what she set out to achieve. “But I’ve always wanted to be part of how school gets better. This role will allow me to have that kind of impact,” she said, recalling that her transition from teacher to dean helped prepare her for this. “At first, I missed being in the classroom, but I soon realized as dean I could impact students during all four years of their high school careers.”
She praises the voice students have in Westwood, stating that the school administration and teachers care deeply about what kids think. “I’m so lucky that this is the place where I really learned how to be an educator. The teachers are highly skilled and have high expectations for themselves and our students,” she said. “Everybody believes in our schools. This has never been a community that is complacent. We are always striving for excellence.”
For this unusual school year, Davenport is “confident we are going to find a way to keep our students learning and connected and [keep] everyone safe.” She is looking forward to the challenges and to maintaining a consistent dialogue with students so “they can knock on my door and talk to me at any time,” said Davenport.
She’s also looking forward to rooting for her favorite football team this fall. “I love it here, but I’m still a Steelers fan, even in Patriots country,” she said.
Fall Programs
We will be hosting two programs this fall – both on Zoom through a wonderful collaboration with the Westwood Public Library. Please visit the library website (or call 781-320-1045) and register for each program individually. Once you find the program(s) you want, use the “Click to Register” button to sign up. You will receive an e-mail the day before the event with the Zoom information you need to join us.
October 13, at 7:30 p.m. Thirteen Days in October/The Untold Cuban Missile Crisis
Michael Tougias has conducted extensive research on disasters and historic moments in our history. During this program, Michael will share his knowledge about the strategic wisdom of John F. Kennedy and the U-2 aerial spy program. This edge-of-your-seat slide program will reveal four incidents during the crisis that “had us a whisker away from nuclear war” and the lessons learned.
November 10, at 7:30 p.m. Tracing Your Family History
Joy Marzolf has always had a passion for genealogy. Join Joy on a virtual adventure through the past, following what she thought was her mother’s early family history through to Nova Scotia and England. In pursuing one family line, Joy discovered more about her ancestors and much about herself. Joy will also talk about her methodology and the resources she used in her search.
As always, if you can suggest potential presenters (including yourself), do let us know! Just send an e-mail to westwoodhistorical@comcast.net.
Quarter Century Award. Watch our website (Westwoodhistoricalsociety.com) and our Facebook page for more about this year’s recipient.
Contributed by June Cassidy, Board member
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