Schools

School Committee Gives Superintendent High Marks

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The following School Committee Update was provided by Kendra Foley, the Chair of the Watertown School Committee:

The Watertown School Committee has been active this summer, meeting monthly to prepare for the upcoming school year and to address routine business. At our July meeting, the School Committee presented its annual evaluation of Dr. Galdston’s work as Superintendent. The review found that Dr. Galdston is meeting her goals, with all 7 members of the School Committee giving her a proficient or exemplary rating in her overall job performance. You can read the full review, with comments from each member of the committee, here. The committee is grateful for the Superintendent’s steady and thoughtful leadership. We are lucky to have her leading the Watertown Public Schools.

Schools

Stormwater Drainage at 2 Schools Need to be Repaired

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A pond has formed in a rain garden that is not draining at Hosmer School, near the corner of Mt. Auburn and Boylston streets. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

Rain gardens at two Watertown schools that should be trickling water into the ground after storms have not been draining properly and have become standing ponds. The stormwater systems will have to be reinstalled so they work properly. The rain gardens were installed at Hosmer and Cunniff elementary schools during the construction of the new school buildings.

Schools

Watertown Students Earn Honors at Tufts, Champlain College

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Several students from Watertown earned academic honors at their colleges during the spring of 2023. The following announcements were provided by the institutions:

Tufts University

Tufts University recently announced the dean’s list for the spring 2023 semester. To qualify for the Dean’s List, students must earn a grade point average of 3.4 or greater. The following earned Dean’s List honors:

Gracie Denneen of Watertown

Evan Fleischer of Watertown

Ahmed Khan of Watertown

Leyla Mandel of Watertown

Kinan Rabbat of Watertown

Oliver Rabinov of Watertown

Antoine Warde of Watertown

Tufts University, located on campuses in Boston, Medford/Somerville and Grafton, Massachusetts, and in Talloires, France, is recognized among the premier research universities in the United States. Tufts enjoys a global reputation for academic excellence and for the preparation of students as leaders in a wide range of professions.

Schools

Dozens of Watertown Students Earn Academic Honors at Their College

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More that two dozen students from Watertown earned academic honors this spring at 14 colleges and universities. The information was provided by the schools to Merit. Bryant University

Bryant University is pleased to recognize the students who have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to academic excellence and achievement and have been named to the spring 2023 President’s List. The President’s List is an academic distinction reserved for Bryant’s highest achievers who earn a GPA of 4.0 for at least 12 semester hours of work. Congratulations on this outstanding achievement!

Schools

Watertown Student Awarded Charles River Chamber Scholarship

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Zuhayr Masud

The following announcement was provided by the Charles River Chamber:

The Charles River Regional Chamber is once again awarding four scholarships to deserving seniors from our core communities. This year’s Watertown recipient is Zuhayr Masud. Zuhayr Masud is a 2023 graduate of Watertown High School who is “a unique individual who is curious, collaborative, and extraordinarily intelligent,” said teacher, Vivienne Mulhall. As the class president, Alex has a variety of extracurricular activities and talents, including the impressive art portfolio of his artistic evolution in high school. Zuhayr outreached and lead a school campaign to advocate for the Fair Share Amendment that resulted in the school committee’s endorsement.

Schools

LETTER: Candidate Joins the Race for Watertown School Committee

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Jen Nicholson

Jennifer Nicholson for School Committee: 2023 Campaign Announcement

I am delighted to share that I will be running for one of the three School Committee seats up for election in November. I am a K-12 graduate of Watertown Public Schools and a strong proponent of public education. I’ve had the pleasure of working in a few different roles within our district, including last year as a Math Interventionist at Cunniff, where my own two children are rising third and fifth graders. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Human Resources from Boston College and a Master of Arts in Elementary Education from Regis College, along with nine years of teaching experience. 

My candidacy is an extension of my ongoing civic engagement. Since the 2021 election, I maintained my leadership position with the Cunniff PTO and also joined a number of boards and committees, including Watertown SEPAC, Watertown Cable Access Corporation, Watertown Boys and Girls Club, and the WPS District Improvement 2.0 Team. Additionally, I collaborated with district leadership on a school lunch allergy initiative, which provides a meal option that is free of the top 9 major allergens and available daily at all three elementary schools.  

During my campaign, I look forward to sharing community building initiatives as well as outlining specific and actionable ways that I can help improve our district. As a School Committee member, I will also work to find new approaches to meaningfully engage the entire community and actively promote public dialogue. I plan to advocate that our School Committee members hold regular meetings (open forums) with the public, similar to what the charter requires of our City Councilors.  Personally, I commit to monthly opportunities to be available to listen to all stakeholders in this capacity, while also ensuring the public is well informed. I’m running for Watertown School Committee because I am a lifelong learner who is committed to giving back to our community. I value two-way communication so I will always prioritize community outreach and continuously work to find ways to increase public participation in decision-making. I look forward to many opportunities to engage with community members as well as continuing to collaborate to provide all of our children with the most meaningful and successful educational experiences possible. 

Jen Nicholsonnicholsonforwatertown@gmail.com

Schools

14 Students from Watertown Make MassBay Dean’s List

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The following announcement was provided by MassBay Community College:

The following local students have been named to the MassBay Community College Dean’s List. They achieved this outstanding academic honor for the spring 2023 semester. * Alan Siedman of Watertown, who studies Engineering Design

* Evan Raftes of Watertown, who studies Liberal Arts – Psychology /Sociology

* Naomi Zoberg of Watertown, who studies Liberal Arts – Communication

* Jacob Belouin of Watertown, who studies Mechanical Engineering

* Cathy Logakis of Watertown, who studies General Studies

* Astrik Kostanian of Watertown, who studies Liberal Arts

* Kristen Hantout of Watertown, who studies General Studies

* Viviane Soares Da Silva of Watertown, who studies Computer Science

* Benjamin Fandetti of Watertown, who studies General Business – Hospitality Management

* Davit Arzumanyan of Watertown, who studies Computer Science

* Thiago Da Silva of Watertown, who studies Cyber Security

* Catalina Gomez Castellanos of Watertown, who studies General Studies

* Melissa Aguilar of Watertown, who studies Computer Science

* Mason Harris of Watertown, who studies Cyber Security

To be eligible for the MassBay Dean’s List, students must complete at least six credits of college-level courses, be in good standing with the College, and earn a grade point average of 3.5 or higher. To learn more about MassBay, visit massbay.edu. About MassBay Community College

MassBay Community College is the most affordable higher education option in MetroWest Boston, offering a robust portfolio of courses and more than 70 associate degree and certificate programs with flexible day, evening, and weekend classes in Ashland, Framingham, Wellesley Hills, and online.

Schools

School Committee Member Will Not Be Seeking Another Term

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Lindsay Mosca

School Committee member Lindsay Mosca announced this week that she will not be running for re-election in 2023. Mosca is one of three people on the School Committee whose terms are up at the end of the year. The election will be held. Nov. 7, 2023, and the deadline for candidates to submit signatures to the City Clerk’s office is July 31.