Schools

St. Stephen’s Armenian School Hosting 40th Anniversary Gala

By |

The following information came from St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School:

St. Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School (SSAES) will celebrate its 40th anniversary with a gala on Saturday, November 16, 2024 at the Hyatt Regency in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The gala will honor Houry Boyamian, who presided over the school as principal for 35 years until her retirement over a year ago. Boyamian led the school from its early days with a handful of students to a well-established educational institution.

Schools

City Council Suggesting New WHS Auditorium be Named After Former Town Manager

By |

Ai3 ArchitectsA rendering of the designs for the new Watertown High School viewed from Columbia Street. The City Council joined the people submitting suggested names for facilities at the new Watertown High School by submitting the name of the man who enabled the City of Watertown to build the new school without a tax increase. On Tuesday, the City Council voted to allow City Council President Mark Sideris to send a letter on behalf of the Council suggesting that the auditorium be named after former Town and City Manager Michael Driscoll. “I do think it is appropriate for a number of reasons,” Sideris said. “Michael Driscoll was the author of many of the things that went on in this community and the new high school, as well as the two new elementary schools, would not be going on right now if not for his guidance to this Council and the community and the School Committee on how to approach this.”

Schools

Take a Look Around the Half Completed New Watertown High School

By |

Architects showed the tour the inside of the new auditorium at Watertown High School. The balcony can be seen on the left side. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

While still a mesh of steel, concrete, and wood, visitors can get an idea of what the future home of Watertown’s high schoolers will look like when it opens in 2026. With construction of the new Watertown High School at the midpoint, the designers of the new school led a group of Watertown School and City officials around the four-level school building taking shape between Common and Columbia streets. City Councilor President Mark Sideris, left, and Council Vice President Vincent Piccirilli stand outside the Watertown High School construction site.

Schools

Watertown Public Schools Hosting Family Meet and Greet Series

By |

The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Public Schools:

The Watertown Public Schools Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging is inviting members of the community to a series of caregiver “meet and greets” this fall. These informal forums will give families and caregivers an opportunity to meet one another and will be led by Watertown Public Schools’ Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Director Dr. Ceronne Daly. “We are so excited to launch this series of meet and greets,” said Dr. Daly. “We are hoping these sessions will give us an opportunity to connect in an authentic way with our families and caregivers. It is critical for families and caregivers to know they have access to Watertown Public Schools and they see the district as partners in the education of their children.”

These gatherings are born out of the Office of DEIB’s goal to plan, execute, and attend events that engage staff, families, students and the community in the work of DEIB.

Schools

Suggestions Wanted for Names of New High School Gym & Auditorium

By |

Ai3 ArchitectsA 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.

Schools

Watertown High School Students Could Sit on School Committee

By |

The sign for the temporary Watertown High School at PFC Ricard Moxley Field. (Courtesy by City of Watertown)

Members of the School Committee may have Watertown High School students sitting with them during meetings, and the students may even be able to propose motions at meetings if policy changes being considered by the Committee are approved. Currently, WSH has two student representatives, who typically provide updates on student life at the high school, including the flow of the academic year and updates on extracurricular activities. A proposed change to the Watertown Public Schools’ policies would give the students a more significant role, School Committee Vice Chair Lily Rayman Read said at the Aug. 26 School Committee meeting.

Schools

New Watertown High School on Track to be Net Zero Energy

By |

The entrance to the new Watertown High School is taking shape. (Photo from Watertown School Building Committee meeting)

Progress has been made on the new Watertown High School, and the goal of having the building produce all the energy needed to operate is closer to becoming a reality. When the high school project was approved, it was designed to be Net Zero energy and also meet the LEED Platinum standards for energy efficiency and sustainability. Since being approved in June 2021, the project budget has increased significantly mostly due to the rise in construction costs. City Manager George Proakis told the City Council that the project would be completed, with a net zero energy building, and not borrow more than $150 million to cover the cost.

Schools

Unlike Other Districts, Watertown Prepares to Open School With Nearly Full Staff

By |

Watertown Superintendent Dede Galdston was interviewed by WBZ Channel 4 about hiring teachers. (Screenshot from WBZ)

On Monday, Superintendent Dede Galdston welcomed 42 teachers who are new to the district during the orientation at Hosmer Elementary School. When school opens on Sept. 3, Watertown will be in a position that is enviable to other communities. According to WBZ Channel 4, there are nearly 4,800 open teaching positions in Massachusetts, and the TV station approached the Watertown Schools while doing the story, Galdston said.