Greetings! It's that time of year!
Join us for DSNI's Annual Meeting Wednesday, June 27, 6:30 pm at Saint Patrick's Church 400 Dudley Street Enjoy dinner and live music with friends! Program Highlights include: - State of the Village, including the Dudley Village Campus Report Card
- Proposed changes to By-Laws regarding DSNI Board of Directors Composition
- Launch of the Dudley Village Campus Visioning Process
Come share your ideas about creating a vibrant community where all children, youth, and families can achieve, connect, and thrive! Keep saving the dates for these upcoming events: - Multicultural Festival - Saturday, August 11
- Walk for Dudley - Saturday, September 22
|
|
|
Families Jump at the Chance to Word Build!
 As you can see from the vibrant pictures, Dudley Children Thrive launched its Word Build Literacy Campaign in style on April 28 with 60 adults and 87 children in attendance!
Next, in partnership with Families First and Countdown to Kindergarten, Dudley Children Thrive is offering parents a free workshop on how to get their children ready for Kindergarten. Parents must commit to attend both Thursday evening sessions: May 17 and 24, from 6 - 8 pm. To sign up, contact Ayesha Rodriguez at 617.442.9670 x240 or at arodriguez@dsni.org.
On May 19 from noon - 2:30 pm, Dudley Children Thrive parents will be hosting a Family Fun Fair at the Vine Street Community Center, 339 Dudley Street. Bring your young children for face painting, dancing, snacks, information, and a chance to win raffle prizes. For more information, contact Towanna at 857.249.6373.
 
 
|
|
School Beat
 The vision for the Dudley Street Neighborhood Charter School is becoming a reality. Charter in hand? Check. Principal on board? Check. Students and families revved up and ready to go? Check! Principal Christine Landry is hard at work hiring teachers and putting other important details in place. Job openings at the school are posted at: www.dudleystreetschool.org. An Open House was held on April 3 at Hibernian Hall to welcome the 132 students who have been enrolled. (Just one 1st grade seat remains; it will be filled on a first come, first served basis.) Principal Landry was there, along with Simon Hess and Jennie Brown from Boston Teacher Residency, to answer parents' questions and concerns. The school yard is also being readied for the opening in September: partner Boston Teacher Residency worked with Boston Natural Areas Network, Grow Boston Greener and Lawyers Accountable To The Earth to plant 16 new trees recently! 
|
|
|
Many Ways to Eat Local and Healthy!
 The Food Project has kicked off the warm season right with a beautiful new sign at the Dudley Greenhouse and lots of gardening-related activities. City Farm Fest was held on May 12, and featured a workshop on pests and diseases. The Dudley Farmer's Market will open in June and run every Thursday through October on Dudley Town Common!
Through the Farm2Family program, The Food Project (TFP) is partnering with Project Hope to make available subsidized CSA shares for low-income families. CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture and a CSA is like a subscription to a farm. In return for an initial investment, shareholders receive a basket of whatever vegetables are available weekly throughout the season. Shares support TFP's farm and youth programs. Market rate CSA shares can be purchased at the Dudley Farmer's Market or you can contact Cecilia at 781-259-8621 x21.
Caught the gardening bug yourself? If you would like assistance constructing a raised bed in your yard, contact: the Build-a-Garden coordinator at 617-442-1322 x12 or buildagarden@thefoodproject.org.
|
|
In the Neighborhood:
Remembering Julio Henriquez
Julio "Rick" Henriquez, a much-beloved member of our community, left us after a long battle with cancer on Jan 12, 2012. All are welcome to join the Henriquez family for a memorial on June 16th 2012 from 10am -1pm at St Patrick's Church, 10 Magazine Street, Roxbury. On behalf of the family, we are asking friends to share photos (digital or analog) to possibly be included in the memorial. Please email them to: voteforCarlos@gmail.com or mail to: Henriquez, 20 Judson Street, Dorchester, MA 02125 *****
Let's Play Ball When: Saturday, May 26, 2012 10am - 2pm Where:Whittier Street
Health Center, 1290 Tremont Street. Let's Play Ball is a city-wide registration fair for parents looking for fun activities for kids, sponsored by the Young Professional Network of the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts, Whittier Street Health Center, Domino's Pizza and the men of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.
Let's Play Ball is similar to a job fair but kids and families have the opportunity to connect with non-profits that are serving youth. Organizations offering a variety of spring, summer and fall enrichment, sports and recreational activities will be on hand to talk with parents and register one-day children and youth between the ages 5-18 for the activities they and their families choose. If you would like to register your organization for the event please contact: William Watkins of the Urban League of Eastern Mass at: (617) 442-4519 |
|
|
About DSNI
Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative is a resident-led, community change collaborative in the Dudley area of the Roxbury and North Dorchester neighborhoods of Boston.
Our mission is to empower Dudley residents to organize, plan for, create, and control a vibrant, diverse, and high-quality neighborhood in collaboration with community partners.
DSNI Leads Boston Promise Initiative
As the lead agency for the Boston Promise Initiative, DSNI is working to align the efforts and resources of families, community and faith-based organizations, schools and universities, businesses, government agencies, and private funders to create a Dudley Village Campus--a community that supports students as whole people, preparing them to attain excellent educations. Currently we are making use of a Promise Neighborhoods planning grant and working to prepare our application for a large implementation grant.
|
|
|
| |
 | | Photo: Pete Souza, White House |
A Singular Honor In recognition of its extensive and successful use of arts in its turnaround process, the Orchard Gardens Pilot School has been selected as a Turnaround Arts School, by the President's Committee on Arts and the Humanities! Nationwide, only 8 schools were selected for this honor and for the additional resources that accompany it. Recently, a group of OGPS students displayed their spoken-word talents, reciting "I Have A Dream" at the White House for President Obama (above). Congratulations students, parents and faculty of OGPS!
|
 Featured Article | | Our Schools, By the Numbers:
- 1 Charter establishing the Dudley Street Neighborhood Charter School, in hand!
- 7 Tutors served at Burke Sat school during the 2011-12 school year! Thank you!
- 16 Trees planted in the DSNCS school yard!
- 24 Students participated in the Burke Saturday School!
- 27 Tutors served the Dearborn Saturday School! Thank you!
- 65 Students participated in the Dearborn Saturday School!
- 132 Students enrolled in DSNCS (one spot left in 1st grade. First come, first-served!)
- 275 8th and 10th graders received letters of encouragement before MCAS testing! Thank you!
|
|
|
