Natick student art showcased at Page Waterman’s Virtual Gallery juried exhibit

May 10, 2021 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

Natick High School artists shine this year at Page Waterman Gallery’s 5th annual juried exhibition, NEXT UP!, taking place online through May 28th. It’s been nice to see that Natick entrants have increased their presence in the prestigious show—four painters, drawers, printmakers, and photographers have entered their talents this year, up from one last year.

The NHS artists are: Rabkwan Chaimattayompol; Shanna Deng; Tia Perkins; and Rebecca Riley.

Natick HS, Page Waterman — Rabkwan Chaimattayompol; Natick High School; Mixed media (watercolor, collage, color pencil)

138 art submissions have been entered. First-, second-, and third-place winners will be chosen, plus honorable mentions and people’s choice awards, in the following categories:

Painting, drawing and printmaking
Photography
Sculpture

NEXT UP! jurors are Keris Salmon, a former network long-form news producer now working as a photographer, filmmaker and textile designer, as well as a media consultant on independent television and film projects; and Allison Tolman, owner at The Tolman Collection of New York who has worked as a private dealer of contemporary Japanese works on paper for 25 years.

Winners will be announced May 16.

Here’s how to support your favorite artists by casting a People’s Choice vote.

About Page Waterman, Gallery & Framing

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Natick Class of 2021 to create their final high school memories on Memorial Field

May 7, 2021 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

Although the desire for area high school seniors to hold Prom has intensified with students returning to full in-person learning, the Department of Elementary & Secondary Education (DESE) has not changed its guidance on proms. DESE earlier this month strongly discouraged schools from hosting them, citing the continued risk by students and staff of exposure to COVID.

Natick High School Memorial Football Field and Track — Memorial Field will be the site of some important events for NHS’s Class of 2021.

Specifically, the DESE guidelines say, “Prom is an inherently high-risk activity, as it is a social gathering that involves dancing and singing (both of which are activities with increased respiration), and also presents concerning opportunities for students to break health and safety protocols in a relaxed environment.”

Keeping DESE concerns in mind, Natick High’s 400+ seniors instead of a traditional prom will enjoy a semi-formal senior dinner, which will take place on June 1 at 7pm on Memorial Field. The outdoor fun will include dinner catered by local restaurants, DJ music, a hypnotist, laser tag, a PTSO sponsored raffle and more. The event will mark the first time the Class of 2021 will celebrate together over a year.

Masks and safety protocols will be enforced at the outdoor events. Although Natick’s COVID vaccination rate continues to climb, with over 67% of its population having had least 1 dose, up from 62% a week ago, only 9% of Natick residents aged 0-19 are partially vaxxed. Anyone aged 16 and older who lives, works, or studies in Massachusetts is eligible to get vaccinated.

Two days after Prom, the Class of 2021 will hold its graduation rehearsal and senior picnic, also on Memorial Field. Food trucks and COVID-safe games will be part of the year-end events.

And then, finally, graduation will take place on Fri., June 4th, 7pm, at Memorial Field, with a Sun., June 6th, 7pm rain date. Grads can have five guests, and only immediate households may sit together. Family pods will sit six feet apart from other pods per DESE graduation safety standards.

Last year’s senior were feted in a car parade that streamed through town in May, and a late-summer graduation ceremony took place at Memorial Field.

Natick Service Council program to aid women reentering the workforce

May 5, 2021 by Admin Leave a Comment

The Natick Service Council’s Brack Career Development Center is kicking off a four-part online workshop series starting in May for women who are reentering the workforce. Those interested can sign on at no cost for the whole series or only those workshops that are a fit.

Overcoming Obstacles to Reentry, Part 1

May 18th, 11:30am

You’ll hear from women who have successfully rejoined the workforce and hiring experts with tips on how to move through the interview process to a job offer. You’ll also network with other women who are working towards a similar goal. Studies show that up to 80% of people find employment through networking so you won’t want to miss out on this unique opportunity.

The Right Mindset, Confidence is Queen

June 3, 11:30am

Confidence is a key contributor to a successful job search and career. Hiring managers are attracted to people who demonstrate presence and are clear about the value they bring to an organization. Women can struggle with self confidence, advocating for themselves, and speaking up even when they feel strongly about what they have to say. Many women worry about how others will view them and how they will come across so they do not put their best selves out there for people to see and hear.

Please join Denise Rosenblum, President and Co-founder of Dynamic Development as she discusses why women lack confidence and presents strategies to be your strong authentic self.

If you’re Not on LinkedIn you don’t Exist

Jun 10, 11:30 AM

LinkedIn is the cornerstone of your job search. Employers review your profile to gain additional intelligence about you and your qualifications. Additionally, recruiters find you there, it’s a top job board and networking is ripe for the picking.

If you don’t have a robust LinkedIn profile you can’t fully leverage your network and it can be a turnoff to hiring managers. Getting started or freshening up your profile can seem daunting. In this session join Amy Canty, Manager of Learning & Development at Eliassen, to break down how to create and update your LinkedIn profile to ensure it’s working well for you.

Stop Applying to Jobs Online

Jun 17, 11:30 AM

Online job applications are a big black hole. Often you never hear back from employers or you receive an automated rejection email from the applications system. In a saturated and competitive market it is increasingly difficult to stand out and that’s why up to 80% of people find their next job through networking. Join Amy Canty, Manager of Learning & Development at Eliassen, to hear more about proactive job search strategies and how you can increase your likelihood to find gainful employment through tactics other than online job boards.

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It’s all about soldier readiness and safety at Natick Soldier Systems Center (aka Natick Army Labs)

May 4, 2021 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

We’d always been curious about the Natick Soldier Systems Center, often referred to around town as the Natick Army Labs, so when the opportunity came up to attend a Zoom meeting to learn more about the only active Army installation in New England, we jumped at the chance. Hosted by the Natick Historical Society, NHS director Niki Lefebvre introduced Col. Frank Moore of DEVCOM Soldier Center, one of Natick Lab’s research and technology collaborators. Lefebvre welcomed Moore and asked the occasional clarifying question as he led over 70 participants through a fascinating Power Point presentation about the 174-acre site that includes 459k square feet of lab space and 75 family housing units for active military personnel.

Moore provided an overview of the 15 tenant organizations operating at the Systems Center, all of which are dedicated to one goal: working together to optimize soldier readiness and safety. About 1,500 people are employed at the facility including 1,188 civilians, 90 military personnel, and 220 contractors. The Systems Center takes great pride in the brainpower concentrated in that small corner of Natick—it’s a smart bunch that collectively holds over 1,231 college and university degrees.

A large part of what happens at the Systems Center involves clothing. Both the US Navy and the Coast Guard run research and development on clothing design and textiles. Some other partner organizations work on soldier protective equipment including combat equipment and weaponry systems.

The conversation focused on the Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Soldier Center (DEVCOM), where Moore works. The stated mission of DEVCOM, the national and international leader in warfighter science and technology development, is to “provide the Army with innovative science and technology solutions to optimize the performance of our soldiers” by “ensuring dominance through superior scientific and engineering expertise.”

That group’s 903 employees, made up of a combination of military and civilians, work on parachute design and parachutist safety; military nutrition; fiber and textile science such as camouflage concealment and ballistic protection; optimizing and enhancing soldier performance; soldier protection through enhanced equipment design, environmental protection; chemical biological protection; and Army training tech that includes live training exercises.

Moore says DEVCOM is known as “the soldier’s research center”, meaning that everything done there focuses on keeping soldiers safe and optimizing their performance.

Durning the Q & A period, several residents fondly remembered back when the Army Labs opened up to the pubic for tours and asked if that would be repeated in the future. Moore said due to COVID that’s not possible for now, but hoped that is something that could happen in the future.

Moore did seem confident that a ribbon-cutting ceremony could take place in 2023, when an under-construction $50 million dollar 4-story facility is slated to be completed. This new building will house the Soldier and Squad Performance Research Institute, a research lab the Army says is, “designed to inform and optimize soldier and squad lethality and combat readiness.”

Until then, Moore said the Systems Center is always looking for qualified candidates to fill a host of jobs. A quick google search showed they are in search of a textile technologist; a general engineer; an architect; a warehouse/inventory control specialist; and more.

Watch Col. Moore’s presentation on youtube at this link.

Next up on the Natick Historical Society’s calendar: a presentation by Boston University American Studies PhD candidate Mariah Gruner titled, Ten Thousand Digital Absurdities: the Power of the Needlework in 19th Century America.

DATE: Tuesday, May 4, 2021
TIME: 7pm-8pm

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US News & World Report 2021 high school rankings: where Natick fits in

April 27, 2021 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

According to the new US News & World Report Best High Schools rankings, Natick High School this year is ranked #66 out of over 300 public high schools in Massachusetts, up from #79 in 2020.

The 1,600+ grades 9 – 12 school has a graduation rate of 99%.

The top-ranked high school in the state this year was once again Boston Latin School, which came in #36 in the national rankings.

How some nearby high schools fared:

Dover-Sherborn, #8
Weston, #9
Hopkinton, #10
Medfield, #14
Needham, #16
Wayland, #18
Wellesley, #26
Newton South, #34
Newton North, #37
Ashland, #46
Holliston, #89
Framingham, #122
Keefe Tech (in Framingham), #302

National ranking

Natick was ranked #1,557 nationally this year, up from #1,923 in 2020. US News & World Report sorts schools based on their performance on state-required tests, graduation rates, and how well schools prepare students for college.

Three Massachusetts schools this year cracked the national top-100 list—Boston Latin School (#36); Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School (#40); and Advanced Math and Science Academy Charter School in Marlborough (#93).

As for the #1 school in the country in 2021? Same as last year—Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Va.

Read about US News & World Report’s methodologies.

Among factors taken into consideration when ranking schools:

student-to-teacher ratio: (14:1)
math proficiency: 80%
reading proficiency: 79%
percentage that participate in AP exams: 62%
graduation rate: 98%

Click here to see Natick’s High School’s profile and for the full list of 365 Massachusetts secondary schools.