Natick Report

Since 2020: More than you really want to know about Natick, Mass.

Ben-Hem recognized by state as school of recognition

by

Ben-Hem summerBennett-Hemenway Elementary School has been singled out by the Commonwealth’s Department of Elementary and Secondary Education as one of just 50-plus schools of recognition. It is the only Natick school on the list this year, and its accomplishments were highlighted during the School Committee meeting on Sept. 28 about 27 minutes into the recording.

Supt. Dr. Melissa Spash described the recognition as “a huge honor” for progress on annual accountability targets, with an emphasis on arts and math.

The state recently released MCAS results, which were a mixed bag across districts. But Ben-Hem students fared well. While MCAS test results are no longer a graduation requirement, results are still used by the state to evaluate schools.

benhem
Data shared by Natick Public Schools at School Committee meeting

 
Ben-Hem met all of the state’s accountability targets, up from 30% a year ago.

Spash was buoyed by that, as well as the fact that the lowest performing students and those with high needs saw significant improvement. She credited Ben-Hem leaders for turning to data and the school team’s voice in bringing about improvements

The School Committee will get a broader MCAS briefing at an upcoming meeting.

Members of the Ben-Hem team will be honored later on at a State House ceremony.

 
Please send news tips, photos, ideas to natickreport@gmail.com

Advertisement

 
 

Advertisements

 
 

Wellness & Resource Fair drew steady stream to Natick Community Senior Center

by

The Natick Council on Aging & Human Services hosted a Wellness & Resource Fair on Sept. 24 at the Community Senior Center.

A steady stream of attendees roamed through the gym, visiting town and third-party groups that shared info at their tables.

Veterans Services Officer John Martin, who started on the job earlier this year, said he’s been seeing and hearing from more and more veterans in recent months. He’s ramping up for the town’s Nov. 11 Veterans Day Ceremony, trying to reach as many people as possible to participate.

Representatives from the Dementia Friendly Natick initiative of the Council on Aging said they have been busy since the effort started last November. They’ve got a full slate of activities planned for the fall. Debra Budd and Paula Panchuck, who co-chair the Dementia Friendly Natick action team, are slated to be guests on Coffee With A Purpose on Sept. 28, and a recording of that session should be up before long.

A Natick police officer and firefighter at an adjacent table made available forms that people can fill out about family members, so that public safety departments can have this on hand when people with dementia go missing (we weren’t able to find the form on the police website, but forms are available at the station). Meanwhile, the officer was discussing the finer points of turning on a red arrow with one of the attendees.

Transportation, housing, and other organizations also took part at the fair.

Wellness & Resource Fair at Community Senior Center

Please send news tips, photos, ideas to natickreport@gmail.com

Advertisement

Town seeks return of Natick Center commuter rail express trains

by

The town has requested that the MBTA bring back express trains to Natick Center to provide commuters a faster way to get in or out of Boston. Natick Center express trains that skip Wellesley, Newton, and a Boston stop went away during the pandemic.

In a Sept. 16 letter titled “Restoration of Natick Center Express Service,” Select Board Chair Kathryn Coughlin makes the case that with ridership significantly increased since the newly accessible Natick Center station reopened in 2025/2026, the MBTA should bring back express trains here.

The West Natick station already has a handful of inbound and outbound express trains.

Rail trail at Natick Center train station
Rail trail extension to Natick Center station

 
The state has encouraged municipalities with access to public transportation to allow more housing to be built nearby commuter rail stations like those in Natick both to address the housing shortage and reduce reliance on motor vehicles (not that many moving into new housing don’t have cars). Multifamily housing has been going up left and right in Natick nearby the Natick Center station, though not technically under MBTA Communities zoning.

From the letter signed by Coughlin to the MBTA: “Since the newly accessible Natick Center station was reopened in 2025/2026, ridership has significantly increased. Through the MBTA’s Open Data Portal, average daily ridership in Spring 2012 was 1145; in Spring 2018, 1410, and in Fall 2024, prior to the new station opening, 824. The new station is very popular, and the MBTA’s investment in accessibility has clearly benefited all passengers in Natick Center. We are confident that ridership now exceeds 2018 levels, and will continue to grow in part because of multifamily housing that has been permitted in the station’s walkshed, consistent with the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s efforts to increase the supply of housing convenient to public transit.”

Coughlin acknowledges in the letter the challenges of changing schedules and the impact that can have on riders throughout the system.

“We are hopeful that with the new interlock at the Wellesley/Natick line, along with upgraded signals, the MBTA will be able to increase capacity so that an express train stop at Natick Center will not disadvantage riders originating or departing from stations to the west…,” she wrote, adding that town staff and the board are available to discuss this with the MBTA.

State legislators representing Natick are cc:ed on the letter.

Advertisements

Privacy policy