Acera School Relocating From Melrose to Winchester

With plans to expand in the future, the Acera School will be relocating from Melrose to Lowell Street in Winchester in September.

With its eyes set on expansion, Acera, the Massachusetts School of Science, Creativity and Leadership, will be relocating from Melrose to Winchester in September, according to a press statement. In late March, the Winchester Zoning Board of Appeals approved Anova Inc's request for a special permit and site plan review to relocate the school to Lowell Street.  "Acera will expand into (a) high school in coming years to keep pace with current students," reads the statement. Acera, which serves students from communities such as Somerville, Newton, Belmont, Winchester, Medford, Lexington, Woburn and Melrose, has an enrollment of 59 students in grades K-8, according to founder and co-director Courtney Dickinson. The Acera School, which used to …

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Vocational School Students From Winchester Helping Repair Fire Damage

Woodshop area damaged in January fire expected to be back in use around the start of the next school year.

Back in January, firefighters from Wakefield and four surrounding communities put out a fire at Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational School that left significant damage to the woodshop area and which at one point had flames showing from the roof.  The fire-damaged area is expected to be ready for the start of the next school year - and some current electrical and carpentry students, including Winchester students, will have the distinction of having worked to repair their own school. Students from Malden, Melrose, North Reading, Reading, Stoneham and Woburn that attend the school will also be assisting with the repair work. According to Principal David DiBarri, the roof was repaired shortly after the fire to prevent further damage …

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'Alice in Fashionland' Show a Hit at Winchester High [PHOTOS, VIDEO]

Check out images from the "Alice in Fashionland" show at Winchester High School Thursday night in the Auditorium.

Several dozen turned out for the "Alice in Fashionland" show Thursday night at Winchester High School in the Auditorium. The fashion show, based off the classic tale "Alice in Wonderland," served as a fundraiser for the high school art department. Admission to the show cost $5 for students and $10 for adults. The designs were inspired by the 1951 film "Alice in Wonderland" as well as Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland" released in 2010. Check out images from the "Alice in Fashionland" show at Winchester High School Thursday night in the Auditorium.

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You Ask, Patch Answers

When is Winchester's Last Day of School?

Find out the tentative last day of school for Winchester Public Schools following several days off due to winter storms.

For our latest "You Ask, Patch Answers" column, a reader asked us: When is Winchester's last day of school? We reached out to Superintendent William McAlduff's office to find out what the tentative last day of school is for Winchester Public Schools after having to cancel school a handful of times due to poor weather. "The last day for students will be June 26," wrote Freda Canavan, administrative assistant in the superintendent's office, in an email to Winchester Patch Wednesday. She added that the last day of school is also a half day for students. Do you think there will be any more snow days in Winchester? Do you think the last day of school will ultimately be June 26? Let us know by posting a comment below.

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Winchester Scholarship Foundation Applications Ready

The Winchester Scholarship Foundation recently announced that scholarship applications are now available in the Winchester High School Guidance Office or online at winchestersf.org.

Winchester Resident Volunteers at Habitat For Humanity Housing Site

Winchester resident Bridget Hickey, a Providence College student, recently spent a week working with Habitat for Humanity as part of the college's Alternative Spring Break 2013 program.

A Winchester resident recently spent a week working with Habitat for Humanity as part of Providence College's Alternative Spring Break 2013 program, according to a press statement by the college. Bridget Hickey, a member of the class of 2015 at Providence College, was among more than 230 Providence College students who volunteered to spend their spring break working at Habitat home sites in 16 locations in the United States, according to the statement. The students participated through the Habitat campus chapter at Providence College, which is sponsored by the chaplain's office, reads the statement. Hickey worked on a home project in Georgetown, Del., according to the statement.

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Should Stand-Alone Honors Nights Be Scrapped?

One nearby school district thinks so.

Ipswich school officials have decided to fold the district's Middle School Honors Night into a wider school assembly this year, saying it made students who weren't honored feel left out, the Salem News reported this week. The Ipswich Middle School principal reportedly sent parents a letter explaining the decision, saying having an exclusive honors night can be emotionally damaging and can impact a student's academic growth. "The honors night, which can be a great sense of pride for the recipients’ families, can also be devastating to a child who has worked extremely hard in a difficult class but who, despite growth, has not been able to maintain a high grade point average,” the principal's letter read, according to the Salem News. Instead…

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Winchester Resident Receives Drama Award at Austin Prep

Senior Ryan Feir of Winchester received the Best Actor Playing Dual Roles Award in the preliminary round for his portrayal of the characters the Rev. Phelps and Dennis Sheppard in "The Laramie Project."

Letter to the Editor

LETTER: Winchester Resident Backs Mike Galvin For School Committee

A Letter to the Editor was submitted by Winchester resident Dennis France in support of School Committee candidate Mike Galvin.

[Editor's note: The following Letter to the Editor was submitted by Winchester resident Dennis France.] After watching the School Committee debate held on St. Patrick’s Day in a somewhat chilly high school auditorium, I walked home with a sense that this really is quite a special town. Here were four parents sharing their views on a variety of issues related to our children’s education, vying for two open unpaid jobs that require long hours away from family for numerous interminable meetings. One cannot fail to be impressed with this spirit of volunteerism, and the impressive crowd of interested townsfolk (that) spoke to how important these jobs are viewed. This past year saw a remarkable surge in community involvement and interest in all …

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