Letter To Wheelock Families And Members Of The Community

Dear Wheelock Families and Members of the Community,

We’re writing to share some exciting changes to the 3rd grade Medfield tour field trip this year
and provide some clarity around misleading reports shared in our community. After careful
consideration and discussions with the 3rd grade team, we’ve decided to revamp the local
history unit to better align with our Social Studies curriculum and the standards we are working
to achieve in the classroom.

It is important to understand the standards referenced in the traditional format of the trip are
based on K-5 standards, not standards specifically required for 3rd grade. Conversations have
already taken place with teachers and administration at Dale St. School to carry on the tradition
of the town field trip in future years. In terms of curriculum, we believe grades 4 or 5 are
potentially a more appropriate place to pursue this trip. To be clear, the changes are driven by
curriculum and student experience and are not being driven by transportation costs.

In addition to the curriculum changes, we have encountered several challenges with organizing
the town field trip over the past several years. This includes both volunteer difficulties and
logistical issues. The historical volunteer who previously helped organize the trip is no longer
able to continue, and as a result, there was no one to coordinate with the multiple town historical
organizations this year. Despite many efforts to involve several local historical organizations, the
process became too complex, and unfortunately, recent disagreements among town historical
groups further complicated the planning.

Additionally, our 3rd graders have 2 other curriculum based field trips: The Rocky Woods
Experience and a trip to Plimoth Patuxet. Both of those trips are closely tied to our Social
Studies standards. To improve the alignment and ensure a more enriching experience, we’ve
reimagined the traditional field trip to support our current classroom work.

In collaboration with the Medfield Foundation, members of the 3rd grade team received a grant
and have been working over 50 hours with Rob Gregg of the Peak House (sometimes referred
to as “Medfield’s Plymouth Rock”) to create a “traveling trunk” that will be introduced to all 3rd
grade classes. This new trunk was built with reclaimed wood from the historical Clark Tavern in
Medfield, now the site of townhouses on Main Street. We’re excited to share that this will
provide an interactive experience, with 6 different stations that connect directly to our 3rd grade
Social Studies standards. We also plan to include representatives from various town
organizations in these interactive experiences. We have not yet spoken to them, but plan on
reaching out as the event always takes place in late May.

This revised format will provide a more inclusive experience, featuring engaging stations that
cater to a wide range of learners. Our teachers have worked very hard to develop this engaging
event for our students and are excited to implement this unit!

Here’s a quick overview of the adjustments:
● Students will participate in interviews with a panel of local town officials, learning about
how they contribute to our community.
● Each class will rotate through 6 dynamic stations that tie directly to the DESE K-5 Social
Studies Frameworks and our Investigating History curriculum, currently in pilot with three
of our teachers.
● The Peak House traveling trunk will be used to enhance the learning experience and
provide more interactive, hands-on activities for all of our students.

We are excited to bring this new, thoughtful approach to life for our 3rd graders and believe it
will be a more enriching experience that supports their learning. In addition, we felt it was
important to set the record straight and present accurate information to the community regarding adjustments we are making to our students’ learning experience.

Thank you for your support as we continue to find meaningful and impactful ways to engage our
students!

Warmly,
Principal Holli Caulfield and the Third Grade Team