News and Events at Odyssey Day School, Wakefield MA

Odyssey Day School: Parents and Teachers as Partners

11 Paul Avenue · Wakefield, MA 01880 · 781-245-6050

News & Events

3/2011
Math, Science and Technology Week

Odyssey Day School's annual Math, Science and Technology week was March 14 - 18, and included the Science Fair & Ice Cream Social Open House on Wednesday evening, March 16. This year's theme was "Sensing Science and the World around Us."

As in past years, the Science Fair was an all-school event. Students in Grades 3 - 8 completed individual experiments, built displays outlining their projects, and then met with judges to answer questions relating to his or her experiment and the scientific process. Based on the judges' feedback, recognition was given for each student's accomplishments.

All younger children worked cooperatively on projects within their own classes. Results of the younger children's projects were also on display during the Science Fair Open House Wednesday night. From one preschool class weighing and examining the classroom's daily trash to Grades 1 and 2 completing experiments with electricity, all students participated in projects related to this year's theme.

Students took part in other special events throughout the week:

The next special event week at Odyssey Day School will be in May.

For more information, please contact Margaret Douglas, Interim Head of School, at margaretd@odysseydayschool.org.

02/26/2011
International Week 2011

In keeping with the school's year-long theme of The World at Our Fingertips, the focus of January's International Week was Sharing Lives, Connecting Cultures. From third- and fourth-graders studying Ukraine and learning the intricate art of making Ukrainian eggs to preschoolers learning about South Korea and the Lunar New Year, the students' enthusiasm permeated the school. Their efforts and learning culminated late in the week as they shared what they had studied with their schoolmates. With passports in-hand, Pre-K through Grade 8 students visited one anothers classrooms during the school day and experienced another piece of the world by making a craft or playing a traditional game.

These are the countries each class studied:
Infant/Toddler: Japan
Toddler/Preschool: Canada
Preschool(Deb): Germany
Preschool (Kim): Italy
PreK (Julie): South Korea
PreK-K: Mexico
Grade 1-2: Madagascar
Grade 3-4: Ukraine
Grade 5-6: Ireland
Grade 7-8: South Africa
Afterschool: Australia

Odyssey students celebrated the diversity of the world while nurturing respect for traditions and for people, propelling the Odyssey tradition as a community of caring and curious learners.

12/2010
Thanks, Volunteers!

As part of its annual Literacy Week, Odyssey Day School recently invited community members to come in and read to the students, who range from infants through Grade 8. From left to right, the readers were Amy Agigian, Judy Samulonis, Katie Fauvel, Wakefield Fire Chief Michael Sullivan, Jim Ickes, Angela Merrill, and Wakefield Children's Librarian Nancy Sheehan.

10/29/2010
HIGHLAND BOUND!

NEW! Read a letter from our visit coordinator.

Students in Grades 3-8 recently traveled to Bretton Woods, New Hampshire for a one-night, two day stay at the AMC Highland Center Lodge, during which the students participated in a program entitled, The Mountain Classroom. With the support of the AMC Nature Instructors, students worked in teams to solve challenging problems, explore the vast landscape of fields, forests, lakes and mountains of Crawford Notch, immersing themselves in the natural world around them. Through games, songs, walks, crafts, observation and teambuilding, students had the opportunity to embrace their environment and gain an appreciation for all it offers and how we are forever connected to the natural world.

Thanks goes out to the wonderful AMC staff: Heidi, Link, Ruth, Jenny, and Chris who made our stay a wonderfully unforgettable experience!

9/7/2010
Odyssey Day School Begins the 2010-11 School Year

Odyssey Day School welcomed students back today during classroom Open Houses. The Open House is an annual event sponsored by the faculty and administration as a welcome to both new and returning students.

3/30/2010
Odyssey Day School Celebrates Science/Math/Technology Week

Last week students at Odyssey Day School immersed themselves in a variety of Science related events. Beginning Monday morning, younger students in Preschool through 2nd grade participated in a variety of hands-on science related activities. Meanwhile, older students attended a workshop at M.I.T. Later in the week, the school community embraced its annual Science Fair and Ice-Cream Social, during which student science experiments and other projects were showcased. During an assembly Friday afternoon, Mr. Chris Murphy, parent of two students at ODS, and a Network Engineer at M.I.T., presented an hour-long talk about the relationship between engineering and the scientific method.

2/1/2010
Odyssey Day School Celebrates International Week

Last week, the Odyssey Day School community embraced international culture through its celebration of International Week. This is an annual event during which classrooms learn about various countries of their choice. Through an integrated theme-based approach, students and teachers work together to create a multicultural experience.

As a kick-off to the week, an Opening Ceremonies is held. During this assembly, the students march in carrying the flag of their country of study. This year we were honored with a guest speaker, Mr. Carey Dardompre, who was born and raised in Haiti. At the age of 20 he immigrated to the United States. He now lives in Arlington with his family and teaches French at Tufts University. In the wake of the earthquake disaster, Odyssey is sponsoring a school-wide fundraiser to support the Haiti-based, Pure Water for the World organization. Mr. Dardompre's visit was a wonderfully inspiring message of hope, as he spoke to the "resilience" of the Haitian people and communicated to the students the history and vibrancy of the culture.

12/9/2009
Odyssey Open House - January 27, 6:30-8:00 p.m.

Please join us for an Admissions Open House during our annual International Week Fair.

11/19/2009
Sergeant Dragan Visits Odyssey

At a recent Odyssey Day School assembly, retired Army Staff Sergeant David Dragan, father of teacher Valerie O’Brien and grandfather of students Amanda and Hannah O’Brien, demonstrated the proper way to fold the American flag. He also explained to the students the rules for raising and lowering the flag, and the guidelines for respectful treatment of the flag. This was the first in a series of assemblies planned for the year that will focus on citizenship and patriotism.

11/2/2009
Wakefield Fire Trailer Visits Odyssey

The K-8 students at Odyssey Day School in Wakefield, MA, were treated to an important safety exercise on November 2, 2009, presented by the Wakefield Fire Department. The “Fire Trailer” was brought on campus and students went class by class into the trailer to hear from firefighters about how to escape burning buildings safely. At the end, a smoke simulation was done and students practiced climbing out the window and down a ladder at the back of the trailer. Pictured here is Alexander Hubik, Grade 8, from Reading, MA.

11/2/2009
Odyssey Halloween Party

A spooky-fun time was had by all at the Odyssey Halloween Party. Many had their first experience with a real-live Fortune Teller, and who knew kids could eat donuts on a string in less than five seconds, or spit pumpkin seeds so far? Face painting was a big hit, as was the Haunted House (special thanks to Jamie for her Haunted creation), and much tasty food was enjoyed along with Halloween candy! A big thank you goes out to the more than 40 students, teachers and parents who helped in one way or another to make it fun - your time and effort made it the great night it was!

10/29/2009
2009-2010 Student Council Election Results

On Thursday, October 22nd, Odyssey Day School held Student Council Elections for the 2009-10 school year. Students in grades 5-8 are eligible to run for office and are responsible for "running a campaign" and are required to deliver a speech as part of their candidacy. The following students are the newly elected officers.

Congratulations to all who ran, and to this year's Officers:

President - Erin Murphy
Vice President - Samantha Ross
Recording Secretary - Danielle Beaulieu
Corresponding Secretary - Jacqueline Jutras Treasurer - Jeremy Wilkins-Keene

Looking at private schools for your child? Odyssey Day School, in Wakefield, MA., provides an excellent independent school education for boys and girls, Infant - Grade 8.

Learn more about our small, private, independent day school serving a unique community of families in and around Wakefield, MA.

Odyssey Day School is conveniently located just minutes from Stoneham, Woburn, Reading, Peabody, Winchester, Melrose, Malden, Lexington, Saugus, and many other cities and towns. We are approximately one mile from the intersection of I-93 and I-95, and just a short walk from the Wakefield MBTA station.