
This Week's Winchendon News
Murdock 2025 Graduation Ceremony Begins with a Procession and Ends with Showers (of Confetti)

from left, Karen Kast-McBride, Dr. Marc Gosselin, Charlotte King, Kelsey Garcia, Stephanie Rondeau (at lectern), David Fredette, Andrew Collins and Andrew Bloch congratulate graduate Emily Lopez as she receives her diploma.
Photo copyright Town of Winchendon
The Murdock Class of 2025 graduated in Murdock High School's 136th commencement ceremony on Sunday, June 1, at 2:00 p.m. School staff, family members, friends and well-wishers gathered in the Murdock High School gymnasium to listen and applaud as 52 graduates sang with the Murdock chorus and played with the band for the last time, gave their last speeches as Murdock students, and received the diplomas they had worked so hard for through four years of post-COVID adjustment, changes in staff and changes in administration in the Winchendon Public Schools.
The Murdock Chorus began by singing "The Star Spangled Banner." Class President Emily Bradley then introduced the class Salutatorian, Avery Murphy, saying, "as the student with the second highest GPA in the class, Avery is a nationally recognized athlete competing in track and field events and cross country. She will be continuing her academic and athletic career this fall, attending the University of Vermont to study exercise science and compete as a division one runner. Avery participated in our dual enrollment program as both a junior and a senior and will graduate with 33 college credits."
Ms. Murphy spoke about patience and growth. "If you know me, you know patience doesn't come naturally," she said. "I'm often the first to panic when things don't fall into place right away. But over these past few years, I've learned more about how growth and progress don't always happen on a schedule. Many of us have something we're passionate about, something we drive to be better at...Oftentimes we find ourselves loving our passion but also feeling like it may be holding us in one place. We compare ourselves to others, thinking we need to be ahead of where they are, or moving faster than we are." She went on to say that she'd expected to grow in the same direction as in the past, "but life had different plans." She went on, "Growth isn't comfort. It's doubt and it's persistence. It's how you decide to continue on. It's dedication and hard work. It's showing up when things get hard, when life feels heavy. It's the quiet work and the resilience to keep moving forward." Success isn't always winning, she said; sometimes it's just as important to "find your peace."
Murdock High School Principal David Fredette spoke next. "So we've come together today to celebrate a milestone. Graduation is a turning point. It marks the end of a chapter that at times felt like it would just never end, especially during midterms, MCAS testing, or those mysterious fire drills that just happened to fall during your least favorite class," he said. Students were leaving high school to enter a faster, shinier world. But it's human traits that will matter most, he said. Accountability is the first--"owning your choices, not shifting the blame, not making excuses." Next is humility. "Humility is what keeps you learning. It's what helps you grow from mistakes, accept feedback and admit when you don't know something, you don't need all the answers. You just need the willingness to ask better questions." Grit is important, keeping on when motivation isn't enough. "It's choosing effort over comfort. You all have it. You've shown it just by being here today, sitting in those chairs, wearing those gowns and everything it took to get to this moment," he said. Finally, "just be a good person...what this world will always need is people who are kind, people who notice when someone's struggling, who put down their phones at dinner, who say, thank you, I'm sorry, without a prompt. You don't have to change the world in a day, but you can change the moment you're in by how you treat the people around you."
The Murdock High School Chorus rose to sing "For Good," from the musical Wicked.
Winchendon Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Marc Gosselin came to the lectern next. He began, "As our singers just said, because we knew you, Class of 2025, Murdock is forever a better place. You left this place far better than you found it." He spoke of eating lunch with the seniors and hearing "lots of ideas" but a big one was "reignite school spirit." He went on, "This class was one of the first classes to come back to full time school after COVID. So they inherited lots of systems that needed a reboot and recharge, and so the class officers and all the students in the class did a great job of modeling for their peers what it means to show up, get involved. They won the class cup, and they also, day in and day out, modeled what it meant to be kind, mature and responsible students." He told a story about working with some Amish when he was at Pennsylvania State University and asking them how they managed to plow their field in such perfectly straight rows. His Amish friend explained that they used trees on the horizon as guides.
"I thought about that lesson and what it meant about finding your tree to guide your way...whenever you're faced with uncertainty, always seek to find your tree. It'll always be that thing that centers you and guide you along your journeys," he said.
"You grew up in a small town, you attended a small school, and some might say that that limits you, but I reject that," Dr. Gosselin said. "I say that instead, it actually prepares you in a small town. You're not anonymous. People know your name. Sometimes they know your dog's name, maybe even what you have for breakfast. And while that might feel overwhelming at times, it also means that you've been seen, supported, encouraged, every step of the way in a small school. You don't just learn in classrooms, but you also lead clubs, captain teams, perform on stage and serve in your community, and many of the students in this class have done all of those things...That just speaks to the type of kids that we have in our community. They grew up multitasking, collaborating and learning to make a difference. And that's not a limitation. That's a gift. You become the kind of people who show up for each other, for your town and now for the world."
The next speaker was Chair of the Winchendon School Committee, Karen Kast-McBride. "I'm sensing a theme to these speeches," she began. "You've already shown us that you are exactly what the world needs. You made it here today with hard work, dedication, empathy, caring, humor...all while persevering through major challenges that many of us, sitting up here, sitting out there, could have never imagined when we were graduating high school, including, as has been mentioned, living through a pandemic while trying to keep up with your education. I know how hard that was on all of you, but you handled it." She urged the students to always be a part of their community in some way, because the world needs them, and to remember that learning is a life-long journey no matter what they do in life. "Keep an open mind. Keep exploring, questioning and growing. It is only when you stop learning that you truly become old and really who wants to do that? Definitely not you guys," she said.
Responsibility, teamwork, accountability, integrity, acceptance and empathy--"With these skills, you will be able to go anywhere, handle anything, and work with people from all walks of life, so please keep honing those skills," Ms. Kast-McBride went on. "Everything in every single one of you epitomizes the saying, 'shine so bright that it burns their eyes.' Please, never stop shining...The future belongs to those who dare to believe in the beauty of their dreams."
Andrew Collins, the advisor to the Class of 2025, came to the lectern next. He began by saying that of the 52 graduates, all but eight had been one of his students, "many of them taking every class I offer. I shared with them the credo that I've secretly tried to impart to them their entire time here. Be happy, stay well, do good, leave a legacy." Murdock was "kicking them out of the nest" and it was time for them to "do your part to make the world a better place." He then read a piece he had written for the Class of 2025 titled, "They Were Here."
Class Treasurer Emma Blake and Class Historian Cohen Veilleux then came forward to honor members of the high school staff with "superlatives" and give gift bags to staff members who they judged had gone above and beyond in supporting the seniors and serving as models for the students.
Finally, Emily Bradley, Valedictorian of the Class of 2025, rose to give her speech. Mr. Collins introduced her, saying, "Emily was recognized as our class Valedictorian with the highest GPA in the class. Emily has served as a class president all four years, the Vice President of the National Honor Society this year, and was a member and captain of the nationally recognized Murdock cheer team. Emily participated in our dual enrollment program, both as a junior and a senior, and will be graduating with 33 college credits. She'll be continuing her academic and athletic career this fall, attending Florida Atlantic University to study criminal justice."
Ms. Bradley thanked her coaches, her teachers, her friends and her family--especially her mom, who kept on pushing and pushing her, already an honor roll student athlete, to aim for Valedictorian. "Her constant encouragement opened my eyes to my own potential. So thanks to her persistent nagging," Ms. Bradley said. She went on, "To quote Zach Ryan, ask yourself, how lucky are we? How lucky are we to have stuck together and overcome countless pivotal moments, from sharing our adolescence to stepping into this next chapter of our lives. We have grown side by side. I cannot wait to see each of us branch out into our own unique and admirable futures. For the past four years, we have walked into this castle-like school at 7:30 a.m., Dunkin in hand every morning, we learned laughed and sometimes cried. Over these years, we've built unbreakable connections with both students and staff, learning lessons that will stay with us for the rest of our lives." She urged her classmates, "don't become strangers to one another. We have shared years together." Share the weddings and baby showers, get together for a night out. "I have come to deeply value community, my sports communities, my work community and my town community. Community makes humanity beautiful. The ability to connect with others is a gift that many of us don't cherish or use enough. So don't burn bridges. Check up on old friends," she said.
With all the inspirational "speechifyin'" concluded, the graduates were called onstage individually by Student Activities Advisor Stephanie Rondeau, given their diplomas by Murdock High School Vice Principal Andrew Bloch and Mr. Collins, and congratulated with handshakes by Director of Pupil Services Kelsey Garcia, Assistant Superintendent Charlotte King, Dr. Gosselin and Ms. Kast-McBride.
As Ms. Bradley led her classmates in turning their mortarboard tassels from the right side to the left, a few of the graduates leaped up with confetti cannons they'd smuggled in under their gowns to fire volleys of confetti high into the air.

Seniors process to their seats to "Pomp and Circumstance" played by Ms. Alison Manion and members of the MHS Band
Photo copyright Town of Winchendon

The Murdock High School Choir sings "Because I Knew You"
Photo copyright Town of Winchendon

Murdock Class of 2025 Valedictorian Emily Bradley gives her last speech as a Murdock student
Photo copyright Town of Winchendon

After the graduates turn their tassels from right to left, they surprise the audience with a few confetti volleys
Photo copyright Town of Winchendon
Watch the full video of the 2025 Murdock Graduation!
Community Connector Brings Public Transit to Winchendon in Official June 1 Launch

Some of the vehicles used by Winchendon's new Community Connector microtransit service
Photo by Inanna Arthen
For some months now, Winchendon residents have been hearing about "The Community Connector"--an expansion of the rides service that the Senior Center has been offering to seniors for years. No longer just for seniors--although seniors and folks with disabilities have first priority--rides are now available to anyone who needs them. Vans bring groups of people to Our Neighbor's Kitchen suppers at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Winchendon, Winchendon Winds band concerts, and other events around town. Then there's this thing called a "Toy Town Trolley" that runs regular routes, round and round, around Winchendon, up to the shopping centers in Rindge and back, on Saturdays. What's this all about? Is Winchendon getting its own small version of the T?
Sort of! At least that's the ultimate vision. It's called "microtransit" and it's getting to be quite a thing in small towns like Winchendon. The state legislature is supporting it with funding in the state budget. The Courier sat down with Winchendon Transportation Coordinator Katie Johnson to find out how Winchendon and microtransit are working together.
"The Community Connector is a microtransit system, and basically that means that traditional fixed bus routes don't work in this area because it's a rural area," Ms. Johnson said. "It's a very large area in Winchendon, and traditional bus routes don't tend to meet the needs of most of the residents who don't have cars. So instead of doing fixed bus routes, we're doing curb to curb service. We pick people up at home and we bring them to their destination, or we bring them to other transportation hubs, like a bus stop or a rail station. It's a microtransit system started by and for Winchendon residents. We just launched it, and we have an app for folks to request rides, or they can call and request rides, and we can do recurring rides for folks."
The project became possible last year thanks to a grant from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT). "Our initial grant was $500,000, so quite a lot," Ms. Johnson said. "We got that in April 2024, and we've been using that do some research planning. We have a Transportation Task Force made up of community members that's helping us along the way. We've hired quite a few drivers and we're paying their salaries through this grant. That initial grant is ending June 30, so this month, we've embedded the transportation into the town budget a little bit. We already had two full time drivers at the Senior Center and a dispatcher. So that's part of the Senior Center budget that passed at Town Meeting. We also have 10 hours for the Transportation Coordinator, and we have added one full time driver to the town budget starting next fiscal year, July 1."
Ms. Johnson continued, "We have another $50,000 from MassDOT, which is extremely reduced from the initial amount we got, but that does cover about one driver's full time salary for the year."
Rides have been free for the last six months, but with the grant funding dropping way down, the Community Connector will start charging fares as of July 1. Riders will pay in advance when they schedule their ride, so the drivers won't be handling payments or cash. Riders can pay in person at the Senior Center, use a credit card over the phone, or pay through the Community Connector app, which is already live and available in both the Google Play and Apple app stores. The app is a feature provided by the system's new scheduling software package, Via.
Fares will be half-price for seniors, people with disabilities, veterans, active military personnel, youth under 18, and CAC members who are low-income. The regular fares will be $2 each way within Winchendon, $4 each way outside of Winchendon within 10 miles, $6 each way between 10 and 20 miles outside of Winchendon, and $8 each way for destinations 20-30 miles from Winchendon. Rides of more than 30 miles, such as to Worcester, will be $10 each way.
The Community Connector doesn't do airport runs, Ms. Johnson explained, because it's just too far. Ms. Johnson can sit down with people one-on-one and help them coordinate their transportation using a combination of services. People often request rides to medical appointments in Boston, which is also beyond the Community Connector's range. The Community Connector can, however, take riders to the Fitchburg MART station where they can catch the MART bus to Boston. The MART bus will drop riders off very early in the morning and pick them up when their appointments are done.
The Community Connector coordinates closely with the MART bus system. "We have two MART routes," Ms. Johnson said. "There's the Winchendon link, which we've had for many, many years, that goes to Heywood and Lake Denison and Mount Wachusett. And we just recently, this year, got a route that goes through Ashburnham and Winchendon, and it brings folks to Price Chopper and Heywood." Riders are encouraged to use the MART bus when the routes work for them. The Community Connector has a contract with MART and utilizes two MART vehicles. Winchendon is reimbursed by the mile, for gas, and for driver hours. MART also trains the Community Connector drivers.
Maintaining a fleet of vehicles is expensive, Ms. Johnson affirmed. Grant funding covers a large part of the costs. MART maintains its vehicles, and the CAC van is a town vehicle so the Winchendon DPW takes care of its maintenance.
A microtransit system has advantages for car owners as well as those who don't have their own vehicles. Ms. Johnson said, "A big advantage is, if your car breaks down, we've got you for rides. There's a safety net. And especially the more people using a service like this, we do ride shares. You might not be the only person going to your appointment, say, in Athol. You might have a couple people on the bus with you. That reduces emissions and it reduces the amount of cars on the road. So it makes traffic better for everyone, including people who own cars. It's reducing emissions, which is helpful for the environment. So there are pros to using it as a car owner."
Although the system has been running in "beta mode" for some months, Ms. Johnson explained, "We waited to launch to the public until we had a more robust software. The software we were using before this was not ideal for running the amount of vans we were doing. It was designed for senior centers, not a full microtransit system. So we wanted to get that software. We wanted to get used to that before we launched. And we've also been ramping up rides as we have the grant money. Last month, we did over 800 rides."
Rider fares will never be enough to cover most of the costs, unless they were prohibitively expensive. Fares might cover the salary of one part-time driver if the system is getting a healthy level of use by residents.
In addition to the on-demand rides, "The Toy Town Trolley is a fixed route that we're running as a town," Ms. Johnson said. "It stops at all the apartment complexes in Winchendon. We also go along stops on Central Street, and we bring folks up to Rindge so people can access the grocery stores. It's a much shorter ride than the MART route for Price Chopper. It's also a Saturday option, because MART only runs Monday through Friday in Winchendon. So it's a Saturday option for folks if they want to get their grocery shopping done Saturday, if they want to go to Walmart or Tractor Supply, or even if you live in Goodrich or Hyde Park, and you want to check out something on Central Street, you want to go to the coffee shop, or if you want to go to CVS or something like that."
The Transportation task force is working on marketing and messaging now, getting the word out to residents that this service is available. There will be an official ribbon cutting for the Community Connector at the big Food Truck Festival on Saturday, June 28, probably right at the beginning of the event. State Representative Jon Zlotnik and town officials are expected to attend.
The Community Connector is offering rides to Central Street for the Solstice Fair on June 14. You can book a ride through the app or call 978-297-3155. To download the free app, go to the Google Play or Apple app stores and search for "Community Connector Transit" app. It will come up saying "Via Transportation Inc" and will have the Community Connector icon, as seen to the right.
The Community Connector is hiring--if you're interested in being a part-time driver, contact Katie Johnson at Katie@communityconnector.co. No CDL license is needed, just a regular MA driver's license. The full employment posting is here in the Courier, on the Toy Town Notices page.
Murdock Cheer Team Leaps to National Title

Photo courtesy of Sammi Salem

Photo courtesy of Sammi Salem
A long year of practice, competitions of increasing difficulty, and steadfast determination brought Murdock High School Varsity Cheer Team to the national spotlight at the Great Smoky Open Nationals Competition held on May 10, 2025 in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. The eight-member team competed in the School/Rec division against ten other national finalists. Their routines were judged across several categories such as difficulty, execution, creativity and performance quality. Not only did Murdock place 1st in their division--they outscored every team across all School/Rec divisions, earning Murdock the "High Point Champion" title with their personal best score of 91.56.
The national championship team included Seniors/Captains Emily Bradley and Lily Cyganiewicz, Junior/Captain Clayton Tenney, Sophomores Emily Croteau and Addison Miller, Freshmen Meghan Wightman and Breelynn Anderson, and 7th grader Macy Rose. Leading the intrepid athletes is Head Coach Sammi Salem, who stepped into her role only this year. Sammi spoke with admiration,"“While we started the season a bit rocky, the team came together with incredible determination, hard work and heart. The progress we made in just a few months was nothing short of inspiring, and it's been amazing to watch this group grow into strong, competitive athletes."
The path to nationals was not guaranteed. The team's journey began before the start of the school year with a multi-day summer camp and an immersion weekend dedicated to forming the choreography for the competition routine. During the school year, they practiced 3-4 days a week and performed at the home football games on Friday nights. The start of competition season in October saw the addition of some Saturday practices. Beyond the gym, the team logged many hours of community service, team bonding activities and fundraising events. Sammi noted, "We believe in giving back to the town that continuously supports us, and it helps the team build strong relationships on and off the mat."
Each competition got them closer to their goal, providing experience, confidence and fine-tuning of their routine. League and regional performances and wins led to a final state championship, where they earned second place by less than a single point and secured a spot at Nationals in Tennessee.
The team returned to a well-deserved celebratory rally held at the Murdock football field on Thursday, May 15. "This championship isn't just a win for the cheer team—it's a win for our entire community," said Interim Superintendent Dr. Marc Gosselin. "These athletes represent the strength, spirit, and determination that make Murdock special, and we are thrilled to honor them for this truly exceptional accomplishment."
No time to rest on their laurels--thanks to their win at nationals and the high point title, the High School Varsity Cheer Team secured a paid bid to the international competition in Orlando, Florida in 2026. This is a first for Murdock and a significant step forward for the program. Training, fundraising and preparing will continue unabated.
Two of the national titlists are graduating and the Murdock cheer program continues to grow. Annual tryouts are held near the end of the school year. Sammi encourages interested students to attend, advising "We welcome athletes with all experience levels and are especially looking for those who are committed, positive, and team-oriented."
Murdock High School may be small, but it's making a mighty mark.

Photo courtesy of Sammi Salem

Cheerleading coach Sammi Salem (left) and assistant coach Tamara Hayes
Photo courtesy of Sammi Salem
Winchendon Youth Art Club Ends A Great First Year with Art Showcase at the HUB

Some of the students' art
Photo by Inanna Arthen

All of the artists with the Art Club leaders
Photo by Shaina Cunningham
The Winchendon Youth Art Club, made up of around 20 students from Murdock Middle School, wrapped up their first year with a party and a display of some of their art creations at the HUB on Thursday, June 5. The bowling alley was in use, music was playing, snacks were shared, and the space was crowded with students, their families, and people who came to see the art and support the young artists.
The Youth Art Club was the inspiration of its leaders Gloria Wirtz and Jaime Gaudette, and is one of the most successful projects funded through the CAC/HEAL Collaborative "mini-grants" of $1,000 that were awarded last year. Ms. Gaudette also was awarded a $300 grant from the Winchendon Cultural Council. The Art Club met in teacher Jonathan Rose's classroom with the permission of MMS Principal Dr. Mayo. The project also had the support of the Winchendon Community Heart & Soul project.
MMS student Emma Keney, one of those who had the idea for the club, told the Courier, "There wasn't really much in my school to do for fun activities. I like art. It was really fun, I really liked it." The club met on Thursdays once a month, she said. Asked if she might be interested in art as a profession, Emma said, "Yeah, I'd be down to do that. I really like art, and I feel like I'm definitely getting a lot better." She had some pieces on display at the Art Festival in Murdock High School last month.
Club leader Jaime Gaudette is also Emma's mom. The Courier asked how she got inspired to act on the idea. She said her daughter "really wanted to join an after-school activity, but she's not into sports, so she wanted to do an art club. And I had asked a couple years in a row if they were gonna do an art club, and they kept saying maybe, and it wasn't happening. And then we heard they were cutting art completely. So we decided to get a grant and just form our own art club. And luckily, they did not end up cutting art."
They applied for the mini-grant and succeeded. Under the terms of the grant, the money had to be spent within three months. The $300 additional from the Cultural Council helped pay for additional supplies.
"We didn't really know what the kids were going to want to do for the rest of the year," she said. "So it was nice to have that extra $300 so that when supplies ran out, we could go get more, because we didn't know they were going to be so into painting. We ran out of canvases and paint very fast. We had to keep making more trips back to Michaels."
Ms. Gaudette said that Ms. Wirtz and her daughter would be carrying on the club next year. The Art Showcase was organized by Ms. Wirtz. "We had planned on doing an art show, yeah, but I hadn't specifically put a lot of thought into it. Gloria actually put all of this together, and it was amazing," Ms. Gaudette said.
The Winchendon Youth Art Club isn't just about art--it's about emotional and social development, learning leadership and teamwork skills, self-discovery and building self-worth through creative expression.
For more information, see www.thehealcollaborative.org/artclub or contact Jaime Gaudette or Gloria Wirtz.

Emma Keney's pieces are on the left
Photo by Inanna Arthen

A different medium than paint
Photo by Inanna Arthen