Week in Review: Needham Celebrates Aly, Schools Get Ready for Students

Life gets busy, and Patch certainly understands that. So with that in mind, here are a few stories you might have missed on Needham Patch this week:

MORE ON ALY RAISMAN

— and the sidewalks lining Highland Avenue were alive with excitement as thousands of area residents gathered to welcome home gold-medal winning Olympian Aly Raisman on Sunday, Aug. 26.

—The Olympic gymnast dined with friends and family at Blue on Highland on Sunday, following the town parade and rally in her honor, and received a surprise honor.

—The Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company on Tuesday unveiled a banner congratulating Aly Raisman on her Olympic medals.

—Aly Raisman will be inducted into the Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in April 2013.

OTHER NEWS

—When Needham students return to the classroom on Wednesday, Sept. 5, they will see quite a few new faces—about 55 new teachers and administrators were hired over the summer—and participate in new classes and programs, such as a Mandarin course and one-to-one iPad initiative at .

—State officials are advising Needham residents to take extra precautions against mosquito bites now that the Massachusetts Department of Public Health has increased the West Nile virus threat level to "moderate" in Needham, Wellesley, Waltham and Weston.

—Fall sports will soon be kicking into high gear, and Patch wants to help you share every exciting moment with the community. We are looking for athletes, coaches, parents, booster club members and fans who are ready, willing and able to share their team spirit on Patch. News about any team—high school, middle school, rec teams, etc.—is welcome!

Meet the Artist… This week, Patch chatted with “A Chair To Remember” artists and .

READER CALLOUTS

Needham Patch is all about you—the news and issues that matter to Needham readers. That’s why we occasionally ask readers to respond to polls, talk about local or state issues and submit their own photos and videos as part of our online community. Here's a look at some of the callouts posted this week on Needham Patch:

—Patch editor Becca Manning traveled to Budapest, Hungary on vacation—check out photos from the trip and add images or video from your own travels this summer.

—While many people seemed to enjoy the Aly Raisman parade and rally on Aug. 26, some have said they felt the program featured too many politicans and too little of Aly. What do you think?

Did we miss something? Send news tips, comments and suggestions to Becca.Manning@patch.com.