Stay Connected with Westwood
Staying on top of what's going on around Westwood is easier than ever! The town has several options - on a variety of platforms - for all residents to stay on top of public safety information, school, and town business.
Effective Monday, October 2, 2023
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Town Hall Departments with new hours: Accounting, Assessors, Collectors, Finance, Human Resources, Select Board/Town Administrator, Town Clerk and Treasurer.
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Carby Street Municipal Departments with new hours: Building, Community & Economic Development, Conservation, Health, Planning & Housing and Zoning & Licensing.
Office hours for all other departments (Council on Aging, DPW, Fire, Housing Authority/ Westwood Affordable Housing Associates, Information Technology, Library, Police, Recreation, Youth & Family Services, and Veterans' Services), will remain the same. Please check the department's webpage for details.
If you have any questions, please call the Town Hall at 781-326-6450 or email the Select Board's office.
Did you know...
...that this is National Hispanic Heritage Month (Sep 15th - Oct 15th)?
The Town of Westwood values and seeks to recognize the diversity of our community. Please reach out to westwoodwire@townhall.westwood.ma.us, with any suggestions for these monthly highlights.
The Norfolk County ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) Program funds were recently distributed to the Town of Westwood to fund multiple programs including; School Street Playground Reconstruction, HVAC work at the new Pine Hill Elementary School, HVAC work at the Main Library, and for Social Services Programming.
L to R: Rep. Paul McMurtry, Recreation Director Rich Adams, Select Board member Robert Gotti, Norfolk County Commissioner Richard Staiti, Select Board Chair Marianne LeBlanc Cummings, Norfolk County Commissioner Joseph Shea and Select Board member Joseph Previtera.
Job Opportunities: Westwood Youth and Family Services Department
Immediate need for part-time, Youth Services Counselors (YSC) for Westwood’s Youth and Family Services Department. Grant funding has created an opportunity to add several part-time YSC positions to assist our current Youth and Family Services staff in providing direct counseling, advocacy and case management services for the community. Flexible hours.
Please check out all of our current job openings here.
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Visit the MA Online Voter Registration System
- Register or Pre-Register to Vote
- Update Name, Address and/or Party
Please contact Town Clerk, Dottie Powers at townclerk@townhall.westwood.ma.us or 781-326-3964 if you have any questions.
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Most seniors love autumn as the days get cooler and nights longer; it's no wonder that this may be your favorite time of year here in New England! Here at the Center, we are preparing for the fall with our regular programs and many new special programs. It's always a great time to join us at the Senior Center.
Please check out the COA's Newsletter for all the details!
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A few of the COA's October Special Programs...
Author Talk
COA's Annual Fundraiser
The Westwood Commission on Disability is pleased to share this information about a series of events hosted by the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Persons with Disabilities.
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NO DELAY in trash & recycling collections on Columbus/Indigenous Peoples' Day, Monday, October 9th. |
Everything (trash/recycle/yard waste/bulk, etc.) for collection must be at the curbside by 7 am on your scheduled day. Any missed pick-ups (that were at curbside by 7 am) must be reported. Please email dpw@townhall.westwood.ma.us or call 781-251-2587 within 24 hours of your scheduled day.
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Download the free Recycle Coach App for our calendar, reminders, events, do’s & don’ts and what goes where at your fingertips. |
Construction of the Downey Street sidewalk has begun and will be completed by the end of November. Downey Street will be passable throughout the entirety of the project and will only require a single-lane closure during different phases of the project. |
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Medical Reserve Corps
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Flu Information
Protect Yourself from the Flu
Remember, frequent hand washing is the best protection from influenza and other illnesses.
- Wash hands with warm water and soap and lather for at least 15 seconds.
- Avoid people you know are ill, stay home if you are ill, and seek medical care if you develop flu-like symptoms.
Let’s keep Westwood Healthy! We hope to see you at the clinic.
Click here to make an appointment for the Wegmans Flu Clinic!
For more information, please contact pharmacywellnessne@wegmans.com or call (781) 234-0345.
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Covid-19 Test Kits
Westwood - A Better, Brighter, Future is our campaign for a just and sustainable future – our Town government is stepping up to lead by example! Over the course of 2023 and 2024, we will collect and analyze data, complete a series of community assessments, engage Town staff, residents, and other key stakeholders to complete a Climate Action, Resiliency & Sustainability Plan (CRS Plan) for the Town of Westwood. We will build on our Town's great climate and energy work as well as strategic investment and commitment to excellence as we take collective action for a just and sustainable future. The Climate Action Taskforce will embark on a nine month process to collect data and information and get feedback from stakeholders to draft and finalize the CRS Plan.
Please join us and participate in our Community Visioning Sessions!
"TJ" Tedeschi, Deputy Director West Suburban Veterans' Services District Mondays 10:00 am to 3:00 pm Westwood Council on Aging (781) 489-7509 ttedeschi@westsuburbanveterans.com
Westwood Veterans may call or email Mr. Tedeschi to schedule an appointment.
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Follow us on Social Media @westwoodyfs
To learn more about our upcoming programs, mentor programs, counseling and mental health resources and services please follow us on social media @westwoodyfs.
2023 Westwood Day Memories...
Coyotes can thrive close to humans in a variety of habitats. Make your property less attractive to coyotes by following the tips provided by the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife.
The Town of Westwood assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content of this e-mail. The information contained in this e-mail is provided on an "as is" basis with no guarantees of completeness, accuracy, usefulness, or timeliness.
The Town of Westwood does not condone, agree with, or support all contents contained in this e-mail and should be viewed as information only.
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The Westwood Cultural Council is seeking applications for grants to fund local community cultural programs. Individuals and organizations may apply for projects such as workshops, lectures, exhibitions, science education and performing arts projects. Grants are awarded after consideration of the benefit to the community, the qualifications of the individuals and organizations, the planning process, community interest, and the population segment served.
All applications must be completed online and are due by October 17, 2023. For more information visit the Massachusetts Cultural Council website at www.mass-culture.org.
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The Foundation for Westwood Education Relaunches with New Mission to Provide Longer-term Financial Support for Town Grown Educational Initiatives
- After 31 Years and Over $1 Million in Provided Grants, the Foundation Pivots to an Incubator-Style Approach Providing Seed Funding to Community-Driven Multi-Year Initiatives
- First Multi-Year Grant Recipient Proving the Value of this New Strategic Approach: The Integrated Steam (iSTEAM) Recreation Program for Children of all Neurological Backgrounds
The Foundation for Westwood Education, a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization, is proud to announce a new mission that supports community-driven educational programming and learning initiatives in Westwood. Following a 24-month internal evaluation that included consultation from independent, non-profit organization experts, the board has decided to pivot away from funding dozens of annual micro-grants to incubating and accelerating substantial multi-year, educational programming within Westwood. “This pivot would not be possible without the efforts of previous board members, donors, and grantees, who have done impactful work and created a trusted and respected opinion of the Foundation within the Westwood community. We look forward to building on this reputation and hope Westwood residents will embrace this new approach, said Nigel Smith, Co-President of the Foundation for Westwood Education.
The Foundation’s reinvigorated mission is accomplished through collaboration between community members and the Foundation, whereby the Foundation acts as a thought-partner and funding source for community-led projects. The Foundation takes an incubator-style approach, providing seed funding to educational projects with multi-year timelines that will have lasting impact and the potential to become self-sustaining or town-funded beyond the Foundation’s initial support. “Westwood residents and organizations have amazing ideas, and many would like support in fleshing them into programs that can benefit all Town neighbors,” said Drew Fortin, Co-President of the Westwood Foundation for Education. The Foundation recognizes this and seeks to ignite energy and fuel these ideas by giving the most compelling and impactful projects the resources needed to gain traction.
The first beneficiary of the Foundation’s new direction is the Integrated Steam (iSTEAM) program, a series of recreation programs for children of all neurological backgrounds. iSTEAM was conceived of by Asanka Moehring, a Westwood resident who partnered with the Westwood Recreation Department and the Foundation for Westwood Education. Since 2021, the Foundation has awarded over $35,000 to the iSTEAM program with the first round of funding being used to pilot the initial program idea, and subsequent funding rounds being awarded to expand programming to reach more participants, hire and train staff, and develop sustainable curriculum materials. The iSTEAM program plans to become a permanent Westwood Recreation Department offering by 2024.
“Watching iSTEAM blossom from the initial concept of pairing neurodiverse and neurotypical children together in an after-school Lego-building program, known as Friends Connect, to what it has become today – after-school, Parents’ Night Out, and vacation programming - that is exactly the goal for our group moving forward,” said Liz Volpe, Co-President of Foundation for Westwood Education. “We want to empower community members to have bold ideas and utilize the foundation as a thought partner and funding source to move through the seed, pilot, and launch stages with the goal of those ideas becoming impactful and self-sustaining within the Westwood community.
Over the last 31 years, the Foundation has granted more than $1M to support high-quality educational programming for all Westwood residents. The Foundation’s new approach emphasizes that learning is not only associated with the school system but is ongoing for residents of all ages. Grant funding is segmented into four broadly defined areas: Recreation, Environment & Safety, Early Childhood & K-12 Education, and Adult Education. The Foundation for Westwood Education is excited about supporting community members’ project ideas and passions in these areas, as demonstrated in the organization’s new motto: Bring your idea to life. You create it, we fund it.
For more information please visit the Foundation website at www.foundationforwestwoodeducation.org, or email info@foundationforwestwoodeducation.org.
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