The Guild School offered a special curriculum this summer focused on land and water. Topics included the environment, wildlife, safety and habitats.

The curriculum featured classroom learning and projects, school-based activities, and community outings.

“The students really enjoyed our unique summer curriculum,” says Casey Russo, The Guild’s assistant director of curriculum and instruction. “I think they really appreciated the hands-on learning projects and the opportunity to further their learning during community-engagement outings.”

From jumping in the bouncy house to a competitive tug-of-war game, students, their families and staff celebrated the impending end of summer at The Guild’s 18th annual Field Day.

The pirates-themed day lightheartedly celebrated the summer curriculum topics of land and water. Along with a bouncy house, Field Day featured a dunk tank; lawn games; basketball; face-painting; arts and crafts; music; and swinging, sliding and spinning on the playground.

The work is both enjoyable and meaningful. For Guild School student Korey Myers, that’s a “fruitful” combination.

Her title is chief education officer at The Guild School, but perhaps it would be more appropriate to refer to Annie Willis as chief student supporter/cheerleader.

Annie, who joined The Guild on July 22, enthusiastically embraces the school’s foundational commitment to integrating students into the communities where they live and learn through a wide variety of enrichment and engagement activities. Throughout her career in special education, she has pushed to ensure that individuals with disabilities are not segregated.

July 18, 2019

Jeffrey Thielman, Esq., CEO
International Institute of New England
2 Boylston Street, 3rd Floor
Boston, MA 02116

Dear Jeff,

Antoinette “Annie” Willis will join The Guild as chief education officer on Monday, July 22, Chief Executive Officer Amy C. Sousa announced.

Students in Liz’s classroom learned an important lesson about goodwill this spring as they organized a bake sale at school and then presented the proceeds to a nearby animal shelter during their recent visit.

When she first arrived at The Guild for Human Services as a teaching assistant in 1999, Sharon DiGrigoli-Couture did not expect to stay long. A certified guidance counselor (grades 5-12) with no experience in special education, she figured she might remain a year.

For the 12 years he worked for and later helped manage the Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center’s after-school program in the Josiah Quincy Elementary School, Andrew Kilgore often fielded one particular question.

“You are so good with the kids, why don’t you become a teacher?” parents and colleagues would frequently ask him.

“I don’t know – maybe someday,” the Boston University graduate typically answered.

Several weeks ago, Guild School student Thomas “T.J.” Sheppard was scheduled to have his wisdom teeth removed. To help the difficult procedure go smoothly, The Guild offered to send a member of the residential staff to accompany T.J. and his mother, Karen.

To the surprise of no one, Renel Desjardins, assistant residential manager of Cedar House, joined the Sheppards. T.J. and Renel have established a close, trusting relationship over the last year, a bond that has eased T.J. during challenging times and helped the 20-year-old cope better.