The January 14 News Acorn about automatic voter registration should have said that only first-time registrants will be registered as unenrolled; anyone already registered will retain their current party affiliation. The original post has been updated.
News acorns
LSB Players present “Beanstalk!”
LSB Players, the theater production company of Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School, present “Beanstalk!” by Ross Mihalko and Donna Swift on Friday, Jan. 17 at 6 p.m. and Saturday, Jan. 18 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. in the Kirshner Auditorium. The 11 a.m. show will be a special sensory-friendly performance. Audiences of all ages will enjoy this fun adaptation of a classic fable. There will be lobby activities for young children. Ticket prices are $10 for adults, $8 for senior citizens/students, and $5 for children age 5 and under. Tickets may be reserved at LSBtickets@gmail.com and will also be available at the door.
Town Meeting warrant now open for citizens’ petitions
Residents who are interested in sponsoring a citizens’ petition at the Annual Town Meeting on Saturday, March 28 must submit paperwork by the close of business Monday, Jan. 27. Petitions often take the form of resolutions urging local, state or national leaders to take certain action on legislative or public policy matters, or proposed town bylaw amendments. Petitioners are urged to consult with the Town Clerk or Town Administrator’s office to ensure that proper process is followed, and that any contemplated petitions are legally valid.
Massachusetts automatic voter registration now in effect
As of January 1, 2020, Massachusetts has implemented Automatic Voter Registration (AVR) to make registering to vote as streamlined as possible for eligible Massachusetts residents. AVR comes into play when visiting the state Registry of Motor Vehicles and state agencies within the MassHealth and Health Connector programs. Individuals who visit these agencies and are eligible to vote will be registered as Unenrolled voters will (no party) unless they decline the option of registering to vote completely. Only first time voters will be registered as unenrolled; anyone already registered will retain their current status. Lincolnites can still register to vote or change their voter registrations at the Town Clerk’s Office or online at www.sec.state.ma.us/ovr/.
If you are registered as Unenrolled and would like to join a party, come to the Town Clerk’s Office to fill out a Party Enrollment Card, or change your party online (see above). Also note that any name changes when filling out agency paperwork (for example, using a middle initial instead of your full middle name) prompts a notice of change to your voter registration, and you will receive an Acknowledgment Notice by mail from Lincoln’s Town Clerk. Anyone with questions may call Town Clerk Valerie Fox at 781-259-2607.
Architecture documentary, Holistic Wellness Fair during Winter Carnival
Friends of Modern Architecture will show Visual Acoustics on Thursday, Jan. 30 from 6:30–9 p.m. at the Lincoln Public Library. The film explores the charming and productive life of Julius Shulman, widely regarded as the greatest architectural photographer of the twentieth century, who played a significant role in bringing to light the architectural Modernist movement. Refreshments and conversation after the film.
The fourth annual Lincoln Holistic Wellness Fair organized by the Lincoln Area Wellness Collaborative takes place on Saturday, Feb. 1 from 1–4 p.m. in the Pierce House. The event is part of the Parks & Recreation Department’s Winter Carnival. Visitors can learn about holistic health methods such as acupuncture, Ayurveda, BEMER therapy, higher brain living, Kundalini yoga, massage and bodywork, reflexology, sound and energy healing, therapeutic touch, zero balancing, and more. Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Starbucks, and Debra’s Natural Gourmet will donate refreshments. Practitioners will offer free sample treatments, short classes, demos and presentations. For more information or to sign up in advance for demos, email Jai Kaur San Antonio at asanajai@verizon.net.
Click here to see the full list of Winter Carnival events taking place from January 30 to February 2.
Screening of “Un Cuento Chino”
The Lincoln Film Society will show Un Cuento Chino (Chinese Take-Out) on Thursday, Feb. 6 at 6 p.m. in the Tarbell Room. In Spanish with English subtitles. A well-ordered hardware store owner in Buenos Aires will see his life turn upside down when he helps a stranded Chinese man who doesn’t speak a word of Spanish find his uncle in the bustling city. But can this coexistence bear fruit? (IMDb.com)
Thoreau Animal Index Blitz
Join the Walden Woods Project to co-create an index of all of the animals mentioned in Thoreau’s journals during its Thoreau Animal Index Blitz on Thursday, Feb. 13 from 1–8 p.m. at its headquarters at 44 Baker Farm Rd. in Lincoln. Like Ray Angelo’s Botanical Index, this will become a valuable resource to Thoreau scholars for years to come. We only have three and a half volumes left to index and we fully expect to finish at this event, with a champagne toast when we’re done. Click here to register.
Girls in STEM Camp at Minuteman
Minuteman High School will hold its fifth-annual Girls in STEM Camp for any interested female students in seventh and eighth grade during February school vacation, from Tuesday to Friday, Feb. 18–21 from 8 a.m.–2:30 p.m. The Girls in STEM Camp involves activities led by Minuteman High School students who are in the school’s Girls in STEM mentoring program, along with faculty advisors. The Minuteman students, who are mentored by young women currently attending college or working in a STEM field, get to share their knowledge with middle-school students during the Girls in STEM Camp experience. The camp runs twice a yea,: once during February school vacation and again in August.
Students who live in one of Minuteman’s district towns may attend for free; those from towns outside the district (including Lincoln) will be charged $149. Visit minuteman.org to register or contact Michelle Roche, Minuteman’s director of career technical education, at 781-861-6500 ext. 7236 or m.roche@minuteman.org.
Events coming up at deCordova
- Join photographer Claire Beckett and Koch Curatorial Fellow Sam Adams on Thursday, Jan. 30 from 6:30–7:30 p.m. for a tour of Truthiness and the News, which includes Beckett’s work and that of other photographers, photojournalists, and conceptual artists who test the limits of believability. Click here to register.
- Inspired by the plants in Blossfeldt’s photographs, experience a new way of arranging flowers and learn the history, styles, and concepts of ikebana arranging at an ikebana workshop led by Joanna Caccavale, president of the Ikebana International Boston Chapter, on Thursday, Feb. 13 from 6:30–8:30 p.m. Click here to register.
- Enjoy an evening of ceramics activity for couples at Valentine’s Date Night with Clay. Work as a team on the wheel, decorating clay hearts or building your own signature romantic sculptures. Workshop includes firing, materials, and refreshments. Over 1.5 hours of instruction and assistance in building a unique gift. All levels welcome (21+). Valentine’s Day is sold out, but a few spots remain on February 12 and February 13 (click a date to register).
- Artist Max Razdow will facilitate a Land Art workshop inspired by the Peter Hutchinson: Landscapes of My Life exhibition on Saturday, Feb. 22 from 10:30 a.m.–noon. The program will begin in the galleries, move outdoors to make Land Art, and then into deCordova’s studios. Participants will have a chance to creatively document their projects and bring home a record of their intervention. Click here to register.
Property sales in November 2019
11 Old County Rd. — Patrick A. Zweidler-McKay to Kennth H. Jung and Min Wu for $1,250,000 (November 27)
333 Hemlock Circle — Sara M. Patnode to John and Linda Rowe for $535,000 (November 27)
32 Tower Rd. — Lucretia Giese to Thomas M. and Maria C.L. Ruenger for 1,350,000 (November 26)
36B Indian Camp Lane — Ellen Whited to Fidel R. Tutiven for $189,156 (November 15)
9A South Commons — Jill O. Montgomery to Ephraim Arelai for $420,000 (November 14)
11 Oak Meadow Rd. — Louise L. Dunn Trust to Mark Hurrie and Parul Singh-Hurrie for $985,000 (November 8)
110 Old Concord Rd. — Martin Torriani to James and Nancy Fleming for $1,475,000 (November 8)
234 Aspen Circle — Joan Rubin to James F. MacGuire and Mary D. Gershanoff for $535,000 (November 1)
Police log for December 28, 2019 to January 9, 2020
December 28
North Great Road (10:28 a.m.) — Two-car crash at Mill Street. One vehicle left the scene driving on flat tires. Concord police later stopped the vehicle; operator was summonsed for various motor vehicle offenses.
Sudbury Road, Concord (12:43 p.m.) — Concord police requested assistance with horses running on Rte. 117 just over the line in their town.
Cambridge Turnpike westbound (3:55 p.m.) — Vehicle was stopped and a passenger (Alexis MacLeod, 35, of Hyde Park) was arrested on two outstanding traffic offense warrants. She was later bail to appear in Dedham District and Ayer District Court
Old Conant Road (9:10 p.m.) — Caller reported her daughter received several disturbing texts from an unknown phone number. Report taken; appears to be a prank.
December 29
Cambridge Turnpike westbound (1:42 a.m.) — Jonathan Alex, 22, of Lancaster was stopped and later arrested for OUI/liquor.
Winter Street (5:13 p.m.) — Caller reported a vehicle ran a red light in Waltham and is traveling towards Lincoln; concerned that the driver is intoxicated. Area checked; unable to locate.
December 30
Oak Knoll Road (7:30 p.m.) — Caller reported they can’t get up Oak Knoll Road due to icy conditions. DPW notified.
December 31
Trapelo Road (7:40 a.m.) — Caller reported a wire down on the road. Officer checked; it was a rope lying on the ground.
Minebrook Road (10:48 a.m.) — Caller requested a well-being heck on a resident. Officers checked and all is fine.
South Great Road (11:28 a.m.) — Caller requested a check of the house after seeing someone on their video camera at the house. Officers checked; appears to be a delivery driver.
Meadowdam Road (2:12 p.m.) — Caller reported receiving harassing texts. Report taken.
Trapelo Road (4:31 p.m.) — Caller reported a wire is down on the pole in front of their house. Officer check and found it belongs to Verizon; Verizon notified.
Beaver Pond Road (8:25 p.m.) — Resident reports fireworks going off in the area. Officers checked and unable to locate, all is quiet.
Beaver Pond Road (8:49 p.m.) — Resident reported fireworks going off again. Officers responded and spoke to a neighbor, advise them to stop.
January 1
Walden Pond Boat Ramp, 915 Concord Rd. (3:36 p.m.) — Walden State Park staff reported an injured deer near the boat ramp. Officers checked and were unable to locate the deer.
South Great Road (5:46 p.m.) — Concord Police requested assistance in looking for a shoplifter in their town. Officers given the information but unable to locate.
January 2
Meadowdam Road (11:07 a.m.) — Caller reported receiving harassing texts from a former friend. Officer followed up with the involved party. Report taken and person advised of their legal options.
Lincoln Road (4:59 p.m.) — Caller reported their vehicle was struck on Lincoln Road near Codman Road by a vehicle that didn’t stop. Report taken; unable to locate the other vehicle.
Donelan’s Supermarket (5:16 p.m.) — Caller complained about a bus parked in the Donelan’s Lot. Bus was legally parked.
Southborough, Mass (6:03 p.m.) — Det. Spencer assisted Southbourough police with an investigation.
January 3
North Great Road (3:24 p.m.) — Bicyclist who was operating without any lights was stopped.
January 4
Tower Road (12:14 a.m.) — Caller reported a pothole in the road. DPW notified.
Sandy Pond Road (12:17 a.m.) — Officer found a vehicle pulled over near the water treatment plant. Operator was sent on their way.
January 5
Cambridge Turnpike eastbound at Gerard’s Farm Stand (1:25 a.m.) — Officer checked on a vehicle parked at the farm stand. Everything was fine; driver was making sure he didn’t have a flat tire.
January 5
Lincoln School (12:55 p.m.) — School staff reported a power outage at the school; Eversource notified.
Longmeadow Road (8:08 p.m.) — Caller reports hearing what sounded like a gunshot. Officers checked the area and found all was quiet, source of sound unknown.
January 6
Hanscom Air Force Base — Hanscom security reports someone at Gate 1 with an arrest warrant for traffic offenses. Officers arrested Samantha Lopez, 43, of 189 Main St. in Maynard.
Mill Street (10:22 a.m.) — Caller who was out of state reported that the temperature in his house was higher than what he set it at. Fire Department checked; all is fine.
Sudbury Road, Concord (10:29 p.m.) — Concord police requested assistance for a possible burglary in progress. Units cancelled; Concord officers found that the person on site was an employee.
January 7
Sandy Pond Road (11:53 a.m.) — Caller reports her dog was bitten by another dog on the trails behind the deCordova. Animal control officer notified and will follow up with both dog owners involved.
Old Road To Nine Acre Corner, Concord (5:05 p.m.) — Concord police requested assistance in locating a vehicle traveling with no lights on the wrong side of the road in the area of Sudbury Road and Rte. 117. Officer checked Sudbury Road to Rte. 2 but was unable to locate the vehicle.
January 8
Tower Road (2:57 p.m.) — Caller reported goats running in the roadway. Animal Control notified.
Weston Road (5:46 p.m.) — Weston police requested assistance with a vehicle they stopped on Weston Road at Moccasin Hill after being involved in a hit and run.
January 9
Hanscom Air Force Base gate (1:55 p.m.) — Brandon Merkman, 37, of 11 Bayberry Rd. in Buzzards Bay was arrested for an outstanding traffic offenses warrant. He was bailed to appear in Natick District Court on 1-10-2020
Hanscom Air Force Base gate (3:20 p.m.) — Heidi Saddler, 54, of 74 Wells Rd. in Lincoln was arrested for an outstanding traffic offenses warrant. She was bailed to appear in Concord District Court.
South Great Road (5:59 p.m.) — Caller reports striking a deer. Officers responded and took a report; vehicle was towed from the scene.
Lexington Road (7:58 p.m.) — Officers delivered paperwork to a resident.
Baker Bridge Road (8:05 p.m.) — Officers attempted to make contact with a party regarding a civil matter.
July 4 fireworks canceled due to school project
The traditional Lincoln Fourth of July fireworks show in Codman Field has been canceled this year because of the upcoming school construction project and won’t resume until work is done.
In a letter to the Lincoln community posted by the Lincoln Police Department and the Parks and Recreation Department, Chief of Police Kevin Kennedy and Parks and Rec Director Dan Pereira said the school campus won’t have sufficient parking or pedestrian access while construction is going on. There isn’t any other site in town that can accommodate the show, which attracts over 5,000 spectators and 1,000 cars each year, they said.
Construction work on the two-phase school project is slated to begin this June and be “substantially complete” in June 2022.
“An event of this scale cannot be run safely in the reduced space. We have not yet determined when the campus will be ready to resume this tradition, but will keep you informed,” the letter said.
All July 4th morning activities (the road race, reading of the Declaration of Independence, children’s bicycle parade, main parade and Boy Scout lunch) are expected to run as usual, and the Codman Pool will remain open and free for community use that day.
“We are always looking for new energy and ideas to invigorate our public events, especially during the temporary loss of this beloved tradition,” the letter says. Anyone interested in helping out should contact the Parks and Recreation Department at 781-259-0784.
Farmers protest sudden end to lower water rates
By Alice Waugh
The Water Department recently stopped allowing rate caps for agricultural users of town water, but after farmers were taken by surprise and objected, officials decided this week to study the matter further.
The issue of water rates is a sore subject for the town. To help pay for an array of capital projects and new equipment, residents voted to approve bonding totaling about $2 million at Town Meetings in March and November 2019, and the department has been in a financial and staffing crisis for some time.
Because of the expenditures, water bills went up by 25% last year, and another significant increase is expected when next year’s rates are set. The Water Commission plans to propose the new rates on January 21 and hold a public hearing on February 4.
Everyone who uses town-supplied water must pay according to how much water they use each quarter. There are three usage tiers: 0–20,000 gallons, 20,001–40,000 gallons, and 40,001 gallons or more. As an incentive to conserve water, the fee climbs steeply from one tier to the next: $5.08 per 1,000 gallons for users in tier 1, rising to $10.71 for tier 2 and $25.03 for tier 3. Local farms can use more than 100,000 gallons per quarter in the growing season.
In keeping with Lincoln’s agricultural character, former Water Department Superintendent Greg Woods (who left about two years ago) capped the rate at Tier 1 for some farming operations in Lincoln. The policy was on an informal case-by case basis; Lincoln does not have a written policy regarding rates for agricultural water use.
Water Department Superintendent MaryBeth Wiser drafted a proposal with suggested criteria for an agricultural rate last year, but in June 2019, the commission voted not to adopt it and to discontinue the water rate caps for farms. Water customers were notified in their July bills that farms would no longer receive special treatment and would be charged according to water usage the same as everyone else starting October 1, 2019. Since farms use a lot of water, the change could mean added costs amounting to tens of thousands of dollars a year. The only alternative is to pay for digging a private well, which can cost upwards of $20,000.
Although the notice went out in July, some farmers didn’t realize a change had been made until they got their water bills in November, as there was no outreach or publicity from the Water Department aside from the notice in the summer bill.
“Agricultural water rates are important to the viability of farms in Lincoln,” Agricultural Commission co-chair Ari Kurtz said at the Water Commission’s January 7 meeting. “Farmers use town water to wash vegetables, maintain community gardens, and water crops when wells are not available or treated water is required. Building wells is a significant expense that many small farmers cannot absorb and would discourage small startup agricultural operations… If water conservation or the need for increased revenue for the Water Department were significant drivers of the decision to rescind agricultural water rates, we would like to have the chance to examine alternatives that are less damaging to the farming community.”
Kurtz was reading from a letter that he and Agricultural Committee co-chair Louise Bergeron wrote to the commission.
“These will be crippling rates for many people,” said Steven Kanner, who owns Kanner Family Orchard on Bypass Road, which supplies fresh fruit to customers including the Lincoln schools and Codman Community Farms (CCF).
“For us, the situation is critical,” said Pete Lowy, manager of CCF. “We would have to double or triple rates for garden plots.” CCF leases more than 100 community gardening plots to residents.
The Water Commission approved an interim agricultural rate structure in 2017, though it’s unclear who now qualifies for that rate. After extending an exemption for Brian Turnbaugh of 153 Lexington Rd., the commission approved an interim fee structure whereby Tier 2 would encompass 20,001–100,000 gallons per quarter. This was proposed as an “interim measure” by commission member Packy Lawler, who advocated a rate structure for agricultural use that encourages water conservation, according to meeting minutes.
“We’ve had agricultural water rates on our agenda or list of things to do for about five years,” commission member Ruth Ann Hendrickson said at this week’s meeting.
Wiser’s June agricultural proposal wasn’t useful for Lincoln, Hendrickson said. “It was sort of a generic proposal that MaryBeth had picked up from various sources on the Internet. It was really more appropriate to a place like the Midwest,” with its massive amounts of livestock and farming acres. “It was more complicated than we needed.”
As the commission was discussing the issue this week, it was apparent that they did not have current data on the number of farms in town, how a farm is defined, how much water they use, and which have separate water meters for agricultural uses such as watering animals and irrigating crops as opposed to regular indoor use. This stems in part from difficulties some officials have had in using Munis, the town’s financial data system.
“What we really need is some data,” Hendrickson said. “How much water are we talking about? It’s a balancing act between supporting the town in its desire to have farms vs. asking to what extent do our customers want to subsidize the farmers. That’s the question we’re going to have to wrestle with… Every year we already overdraw our [state DEP] permit. We’re between a rock and a hard place.”
The commission decided to appoint a subcommittee to study the issue of agricultural water rates, chaired by member Michelle Barnes and including Agricultural Commission members. But they’re under a tight deadline, with the public hearing on new rates set for February 4.
New swap shed opens its doors
Signs at the new swap shed advised residents of the closing time (click to enlarge).
A bigger and brighter swap shed at the transfer station has opened its doors.
The new shed, with lighting and doors to keep out rain, debuted on January 4. The old shed with an entrance from the parking lot will stay, but it will serve as more of a general recycling information area as well as home to containers for people to leave recyclables such as lightbulbs and deposit bottles (the town returns them and donated the money to charity), according to Department of Public Works Superintendent Chris Bibbo.
The yellow shed will likewise continue to house donated books and other media. Bibbo noted that the feature is quite popular, and the Friends of the Lincoln Library also take some volumes for their monthly book sale. It’s unclear whether some of them can also be donated to More Than Words in Waltham, as former volunteer Ellen Raja did (she also took suitable swap shed items to Household Goods in Acton).
The new swap shed can be accessed only from the south side of the transfer station, which has several new parking spaces. It will close at 3 p.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays, half an hour before the rest of the transfer station closes. This is because “if you come and drop something off at closing time, no one has a chance to see it,” Bibbo said.
The new shed cab holds a lot more stuff than the old one, so items can stick around longer than they did in the past before being thrown in the trash. However, if and when it will be staffed by volunteers to keep it tidy is still an open question. Previous volunteers were fired in October, and Town Administrator Tim Higgins cited “tensions” between volunteers and residents as part of the reason.
The situation arose after some residents were — “I don’t know how to say this nicely — being horrible about the volunteers,” said former Recycling Committee chair Laura Berland. “It was ugly.”
“I thought the volunteers were doing a great job,” Berland said. However. there were complaints that “people who were volunteering there were taking things for themselves and getting first dibs on things,” she added. “There was an idea that [the swap shed] should all be equal somehow, that people should just take one thing and leave things for others, which is just absurd,” as long as the people are entitled to be there as Lincoln residents, she said. “The idea is that we get rid of stuff that can be reused” rather than add to the town’s trash bill.”
The Recycling Committee is now inactive since Berland and former member Bernadette Quirk resigned several months ago. Town Administrator Tim Higgins said this week that the town would “make efforts to rejuvenate the committee, likely after Town Meeting. I’m sure the Board [of Selectmen] would be happy to reappoint any remaining members that would like to continue, while also putting the call out for new volunteers. In the meantime, Mothers Out Front continues to be a partner in the compost program and a sounding board for other possible initiatives.”
Mothers Out Front – Lincoln and the DPW created the new compost recycling program for residents at the transfer station earlier last fall. The group’s primary goal nationally is to eventually eliminate the use of fossil fuels, but the local chapter also hopes to move the town toward “zero waste” and promote other clean energy initiatives.
“We see ourselves as supporting different town committees and collaborating with Green Energy or whoever else is interested,” said Emily Haslett, a member of the MOF–Lincoln’s community organizing team.
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News acorns
Lincoln Democrats meet to strategize
Join Lincoln Democrats and friends for strategizing and putting into action the “roadmap for 2020” on Saturday, Jan. 11 at 9 a.m. in Bemis Hall. In November, Lincoln Democrats voted climate change as the #1 issue but also identified gun control, health care, and immigration as “very important.” What do you think? Ideas and energy welcome.
Lincoln doctor dons skates to benefit Jimmy Fund
John Ready, a Lincoln resident and chief of orthopedic oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, will be among the Dana-Farber doctors, researchers, and staff who will play a charity hockey game against Boston Bruins alumni to benefit the Jimmy Fund. The Dana-Farber Rink Rats’ game will be held Saturday, Feb. 1 from 2–4 p.m. at Warriors Ice Arena in Boston. Dr. Ready has committed to raise $1,200. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for children, and are available online and at the door. To support Ready or other participant or to learn more, please visit www.jimmyfund.org/rinkrats.
First Parish offers “Spiritual Autobiography” course
Join Rev. Jenny Rankin of the First Parish in Lincoln and a small group to reflect, consider your life through a “spiritual” lens and write about it in a “Spiritual Autobiography” course over five weekly sessions starting Tuesday, Jan. 14 from 7–8:30 p.m. in the parish house (14 Bedford Rd.). Through in-class exercises and short writing assignments, participants will consider the different chapters or stepping stones of their life’s journey up until now. Some things to consider: What have been the gifts and graces of your life? Where were the losses and hurts? How would you articulate your sense of the sacred, God, or whatever spiritual vocabulary do you use? What “language of reverence” do you speak? Email sarah@fplincoln.org to sign up.
Gearticks start after-school robotics program for Boston students
By Kevin Ji, Olivia Crisafi, and Prerna Karmacharya
The Lincoln GearTicks robotics team and friends have created a new program to make robotics more accessible to METCO students.
For the past eight years, the GearTicks have organized and mentored First LEGO League (FLL) teams in Lincoln. While planning for the start of the FLL season in Lincoln, the GearTicks noticed that it was difficult for their METCO classmates to participate in the FLL program due to a lack of after-school transportation, so they decided to do something about it.
To bring their idea to life, the GearTicks met with Marika Hamilton, Lincoln’s METCO director, and the METCO Coordinating Committee (MCC). Together, they were eventually able to create a pilot program as one of the activities available during the METCO after-school program from 3–4 p.m. on Tuesdays or Thursdays, when there’s a METCO late bus.
The GearTicks also needed to find mentors willing to coach the METCO teams, and also buy new FLL kits for the kids to use. Two Lincoln School teachers and three residents including Michelle Barnes, MCC’s president, stepped up to coach, and experienced GearTicks will also mentor the students as well. The team partnered with the MCC for registration costs, and the local community also provided support with donated LEGO robot parts.
So far, the program has been a success, with the kids showing a huge amount of interest and enthusiasm in learning about LEGO robotics. Jahnlius, one of the students, said that his favorite part of the program is “the programming, where we do proof of concept.” For Jaiden, his favorite part of robotics is building and making friends. For another one of the students, Deixa, her favorite part was when she “made it work!”
The Lincoln MCC is grateful to the GearTicks and Lincoln parents Alex Appleby, Dawn Palmer, and Christine Pillar for partnering with the team and Hamilton in direct, hands-on support of the first Lincoln METCO FLL team and the exciting problem-solving, teamwork, and enrichment that comes with it.
News acorns
Birches School open house
The Birches School (100 Bedford Rd., Lincoln) will hold its winter admissions open house on Saturday, Jan. 11 from 1–3 p.m. Tour the new campus set on three acres of private woodlands and speak with faculty, parents, and current students about the school’s K-8 program centered on cultivating curiosity, creativity, empathy, and self-reliance. Children are welcome to attend. Click here to register.
Introduction to L-S for middle school parents
Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School will host an information session and tour for parents of middle school students on Thursday, Jan. 16 (snow date: Tuesday, Jan. 21) from 6:30-8 p.m. in the high school library. Hosts will include L-S administrators Bella Wong and Virginia Blake as well as L-S veteran parents, who will talk about the school’s academic profile, enrollment projections, median class sizes, student clubs and activities, athletic teams, theater and music opportunities, college planning, the Global Scholars Program, and more. For further information, please contact L-S School Committee member Carole Kasper at carolemkasper@gmail.com or Virginia Blake at virginia_blake@lsrhs.net.
Free grief support group at hospice house
If you’ve recently lost your spouse or partner, join our experienced grief specialists for this support group at the Care Dimensions Hospice House (125 Winter St., Lincoln) on Wednesday evenings from February 19 to April 8 from 7–8:30 p.m. The group is free but registration is mandatory (the deadline is February 14). To register, visit www.CareDimensions.org/calendars (click on February 19), call 781-373-6530, or email grief@CareDimensions.org. Click here to see a list of other grief support groups.