The Town of Watertown declared a Snow Emergency due to the impending snow storm forecast to hit the area on Monday afternoon through Tuesday. Also, the Watertown Schools will dismiss early on Monday, but the status of Tuesday’s school day has not been announced, as of 9:50 a.m. Monday.
Superintendent of Schools Dede Galdston announced early dismissal times for the Watertown Public Schools on Monday. She did not announce plans for Tuesday, but said if a snow day is declared, there will be no remote learning, it will be like a normal snow day. See more details below.
Also, the Recreation Department seeks students to help older residents shovel outside their homes, and is offering community service credit and pizza to volunteers. More details below.
Snow Emergency
(The following announcement was provided by the Department of Public Works)
The Superintendent of Public Works is declaring a Snow Emergency effective 12:00 Noon, Monday, February 01, 2021.
Watertown is expecting approximately 12” of wet snow. The Snow Emergency shall remain in effect until further notice. On street parking will be banned and any motor vehicle left on the street will be subject to towing.
The Superintendent would like to thank you in advance for your cooperation during the snow emergency and would request that every resident assist in clearing of fire hydrants and catch basins in your area. Also, clearing of the sidewalk in front of your property would benefit all.
Please check on the elderly population in your neighborhood.
Additionally, starting Tuesday trash and recycling will be delayed a day for the remainder of the week. Further up-dates will be posted on the Town of Watertown’s web site: www.watertown-ma.gov and the DPW Website at: www.watertowndpw.org
We are all in this together.
Thank you,
Gregory St. Louis, PE
Superintendent of Public Works
School’s Dismissing Early
(The following information was provided by the Watertown Public Schools)
Dismissal times for tomorrow, February 1
Due to the ever-changing forecast for the incoming storm with snow predicted to start in the later morning tomorrow, Monday, February 1st, we will be making the following changes for dismissal times for tomorrow only:
– High School students will be dismissed at 12:30, with a modified class schedule for the morning
– Middle School students who are in person on Mondays will be dismissed at 12:30
– Elementary students who are in person on Mondays will be dismissed as usual at 12:15
– Preschool students will be dismissed at their regular times
Students who normally engage in remote learning on Mondays will continue to do so as usual with synchronous and asynchronous work along with scheduled remote interventions continuing as usual. The ACCESS test for ESL Students will continue.
School and district offices will likewise be closing at the corresponding times.
Decisions regarding school closure for Tuesday, February 2, will be made tomorrow. If school buildings were to be closed on Tuesday, we will have a traditional snow day without remote learning. If there was a need to extend the school building closure into Wednesday, we would engage in remote learning at all levels.
With kind regards,
Dede Galdston, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
WPS School Nutrition Food Distribution
Free meal distribution will take place in schools for students who are in-person tomorrow and in the high school parking lot for all remote learners from 11:30-1:00. The Monday evening food distribution tomorrow will be canceled due to the storm.
If you need food assistance later in the week, please email the School Nutrition Director, Brandon Rabbitt, at brandon.rabbitt@watertown.k12.ma.us.
Students Wanted to Help Seniors Shovel
The Watertown Recreation Department seeks students to help Watertown senior citizens with shoveling. The Town has received requests from 25 seniors but more students are needed to help out, according to Watertown Recreation Director Peter Centola.
“As you know, there is a big storm coming Monday night and it would be awesome to have a shoveler for every senior citizen who needs our help,” Centola said. “Please remember, this is a great cause, you will receive community service, a stipend thanks to the generosity of the Marshall Home Fund and a Pizza Party.”
If interested, please fill out the Snow Removal Program application which can be found on our website by clicking here. Or call 617-972-6494 or 617-312-9007.