To Molly Weiner, it’s a straightforward concept: “We have to take care of each other,” The Guild School counselor declares, “so, in turn, we can take care of the students.”

Molly and her colleague Jovana Bass did just that last month, soliciting money from fellow employees to express their gratitude to The Guild’s hard-working day housekeeper, Fanny Martinez. They presented her with a generous gift card, flowers, teddy bear and a thank you card. One of the Bridge classroom students carefully selected the teddy bear and card, and led the presentation.

For Julie Finke, collectively creating beautiful music has nothing at all to do with the quality of the sound.

As a music therapist at The Guild School, the object of her sessions with individual classes is to provide students with non-musical personal growth benefits: enhanced communications, strengthened connections to peers, feeling a sense of mastery and improved cognitive skills.

The monthly menu reads like that of a popular neighborhood restaurant: grilled salmon with brown rice and seasoned broccoli; lemon chicken with quinoa and roasted carrots; and three-bean soup with zucchini sticks and pineapple.

These are not the dinner options at a four-star restaurant, but are among the typical daily offerings on the lunch menu at The Guild School’s cafeteria. The focus on nutritious, wholesome meals prepared from scratch is a key ingredient (pun intended) of The Guild’s commitment to healthy eating.

Once reluctant to shave at all, Peter Anastasi now confidently gives himself a close shave with an electric razor.

“I like shaving,” the 21-year-old tells Nicole Anulewicz, his occupational therapist at The Guild School, during a recent OT session.

The Guild for Human Services has renamed its library in honor of Anna Thorpe, a longtime advocate for individuals with special needs and their families who recently retired after five years as director of admissions at The Guild.

Anna began her 45-year career in 1973 as a special education teacher and went on to coordinate team evaluations for Framingham Public Schools and serve as the administrator of special education in Dover. She also worked at the Massachusetts Department of Education and managed a program for adults with special needs in Waltham.

Five members of The Guild School’s Speech and Language Department presented the findings of their innovative research study, which examined a method to train teachers and aides as “communications partners,” at the prestigious American Speech and Hearing Association Convention in November in Boston.

The study, Efficacy of High-Frequency Consult Services with Communication Partners of Students Who Use AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication devices), was conducted with four students, two lead teachers and two teaching assistants at The Guild earlier this year.

What began as an educational lesson in The Guild School’s Bridge classroom grew into a collaborative class project to support individuals impacted by the Merrimack Valley gas explosions.

Steven Belec, MBA, MPA joined the The Guild for Human Services as chief admissions and outreach officer on Sept. 10.

In this role, he will lead a five-person team responsible for The Guild School day and residential admissions for students under 22, along with marketing, communications and fundraising.

The Guild’s new Coffee Shop opened for business on Aug. 27, and students have been serving staff members beverages and baked goods for an hour every weekday since. Students operate the cash register, prepare food, fulfill orders and make deliveries around the school.

Jennifer Magnuson, BCBA, oversees a team of approximately 20 caregivers and is responsible for the creation, implementation, evaluation, and integration of clinical supports and techniques for students and adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities, mental health disorders, and autism.