Ai3 Architects A rendering of the designs for the new Watertown High School viewed from Columbia Street.
The School Committee seeks recommendations from the public for what to name the gym and auditorium at the new Watertown High School.
People can send in their ideas to School Committee Chair Kendra Foley, she said at Monday’s School Committee meeting.
“I’d like to invite members of the community to make any suggestions for names of the new high school gym and auditorium. Those suggestions should be sent to me at kendra.foley@watertown.k12.ma.us,” Foley said. “If you plan to submit recommendations please include the name recommended for the space (gym or auditorium) and the reason why the name fit this space.”
The deadline to submit the recommendations is Monday, Oct. 7 at noon, Foley said.
The naming of the two facilities will take place over three meetings, Foley said, the first of which was Monday’s meeting. Then the submitted recommendations will be reviewed at the Oct. 7 School Committee meeting, which begins at 7 p.m.
If the Committee receives a large number of submissions, the recommendations will be discussed by the School Committee’s Buildings and Grounds Subcommittee at a meeting to be scheduled between Oct. 7 and 21. The School Committee will take a final vote at its Oct. 21 meeting.
While the school is scheduled to open in the fall of 2026, Foley said that the decision for names of facilities must be made soon.
“We have to start this process now because they are starting to do signage, believe it or not,” Foley said.
At the same time, the School Committee will be updating the policy for naming facilities.
Council President Mark Sideris, who is part of the School Committee, said he has seen some inconsistencies in the current policy. Foley said she agreed, and there is also some old language that should be updated.
“It will be on a parallel track (with the naming of the gym and auditorium),” Foley said. “The Policy Subcommittee will look at this quickly and clean up some of the language. It is a very old policy.”
See the School Committee’s Facility Naming Policy by clicking here.
It would be prudent and respectful to reach out to the Kelly family.
I also think Tom Sullivan former Director of Recreation, 36 years and one of the directors of the Paul J. Sullivan Scholarship Committee. His family have given scholarship funds to our students for 54 years.
Mr. Sullivan also made major recommendations for design and construction of the new high school gym.
Thank you
The Gym was named after the Long-Time Headmaster Dr. John Kelly. It would appear to me that it would be inappropriate and disrespectful to not keep his name. Let’s appreciate some of Watertown’s History. It is noteworthy that the School is being built on the same site as the old High School. It may have been razed and reconstructed, but it is Watertown High School to me.
Clyde L. Younger, 1. Former Watertown School Committee Member
2. Former Member Watertown Town Council and School Committee
Agreed, no need to change the name just because it’s a new building. Why open that can of worms?
The article says suggestions should be sent to Kendra Foley. It’s not clear to me that suggestions posted here will get to the right people.
Yes, if you have a suggestion please send them to kendra.foley@watertown.k12.ma.us
Why don’t you sell the naming rights?
Gym -“floor or field”