Editor’s note: The Wanderer has invited student keynote speakers for local high school graduation ceremonies to share their speeches for publication. Below is the speech given by Old Colony Regional Vocational-Technical High School 2025 Valedictorian Madison Burnham during last Thursday night’s Commencement held on the school’s North Rochester campus. Good evening everyone, family, friends, […] Read more »
If you are among those whose preconceived ideas equate annuals with novices, think again. I used to believe that annuals began with alyssum and ended with zinnias, with impatiens and marigolds scattered in between. Thirty years as a gardener has shifted such narrow views. In fact, annuals occupy an ever-widening realm of the plant […] Read more »
A familiar feature of the Marion skyline, the Wickenden Chapel steeple will be undergoing repairs this summer. On June 16, the steeple will be carefully dismantled and removed from the top of the chapel by Ashmont Iron Works. It will be transferred off-site to repair structural members and connection points that have weakened naturally over […] Read more »
Most schools in the Tri-Town are out and graduations have wrapped up. The weather is getting warmer, and window rattlers have been installed. Spring rains are still here (seemingly nailing every weekend with calculated precision), but Memorial Day weekend heralds in the unofficial beginning of the summer season. Festivals and celebrations have already begun […] Read more »
Superintendent Michael S. Nelson and Principal Silas Coellner are proud to share that more than 130 student projects exploring important issues facing society were on display at Old Rochester Regional Junior High School during the Civics Action Project Showcase held on Tuesday, May 27. Eighth grade students who completed civics action projects over the […] Read more »
Radon is a breakdown product of uranium, which is found naturally in soil and rocks everywhere. Radon is a gas, and it is odorless, colorless and tasteless. Radon can seep into your house from the ground on which it is built and, particularly if your house is tightly-sealed, can build up. Some […] Read more »
Former Rochester Memorial School teacher and soon-to-be former Rochester and Old Rochester School Committee Chair Sharon Hartley is retiring from education after more than 50 years jam-packed with accomplishments that took her far beyond her local roots. The Mattapoisett native is soft-spoken and humble, yet obviously proud of achievements that include becoming principal […] Read more »
Superintendent Michael S. Nelson is pleased to share that Old Rochester Regional School District and MA Superintendency Union #55 were recognized for achieving Massachusetts School Wellness Champion status for meeting the requirements of the School Wellness Initiative for Thriving Community Health (SWITCH). The SWITCH program is a statewide initiative for supporting and advancing wellness […] Read more »
Editor’s note: The Wanderer has invited student keynote speakers for local high school graduation ceremonies to share their speeches for publication. Below is the speech given by Old Rochester Regional 2025 Valedictorian Caitlin O’Donnell on Saturday in the ORR gymnasium. Superintendent Nelson, Principal Devoll, faculty, staff, school committee members, administrators, family, friends, and the […] Read more »
In May, we had the long-awaited return of the Soviet Venus explorer, Kosmos 482. It returned home on Saturday, May 10, crashing somewhere into the Indian Ocean after 53 years. It was previously hypothesized and reported it would land somewhere near the United Kingdom. Only 7,000 miles off! June offers its own exciting astronomical […] Read more »