Watertown News (https://www.watertownmanews.com/category/schools/page/21/)
Friends of Watertown Music is excited to announce the return of MusicFest! Come see local musicians and enjoy the musical instrument petting zoo on Friday April 28 from 5:30 pm to 9:00 pm at the Watertown Middle School. All proceeds benefit music programs in Watertown schools. MUSICIANS! Please sign up to participate using the QR code or go to https://watertownmusic.org/ to sign up.
A student from Watertown made the Fall 2022 Dean’s List at the University of Maine. See the announcement below:
The University of Maine recognized 3,010 students for achieving Dean’s List honors in the fall 2022 semester. Of the students who made the Dean’s List, 1,983 are from Maine, 957 are from 45 other states and 70 are from 25 countries other than the U.S.
To be eligible for the Full-time Dean’s List, a student must have completed 12 or more calculable credits in the semester and have earned a 3.50 or higher semester GPA. Students who have part-time status during both the fall and spring semesters of a given academic year are eligible for Part-time Dean’s List. They must have completed 12 or more calculable credits over both terms and have earned a combined GPA in those terms of 3.50 or higher.
The following information was provided by the Watertown Community Foundation:
The Watertown Community Foundation (WCF) in collaboration with Life Sciences Cares and five Watertown-based life science companies has awarded record setting $45,000 in grants for Watertown Public Schools. Now in its second year, the STEM Fund, continues to build on Watertown Community Foundation’s annual school-based educational grants program to support instruction and learning in and beyond the classroom. Support from five corporate contributors — C4 Therapeutics, Enanta Pharmaceuticals, Kymera Therapeutics, Landmark Bio and Vigil Neuroscience, Inc. — and Life Science Cares, increased the foundation’s capacity to provide greater financial support for science, technology, engineering, and math programming. “With this support, our students are extending what they learn in the classroom by engaging in real science facilitated by experts from the greater Watertown community. We can bring hands-on programs that spark their curiosity, and the students are excited to find out more.” said Elizabeth Kaplan, Math/Science Coordinator for grades K-7, Watertown Public Schools. This collective giving program also allows companies, leaders, and employees in the burgeoning Watertown life sciences field to learn about Watertown Public Schools and forge deeper relationships with the school STEM community.
A screenshot from the Krikorian Foundation Scholarship website. The following information was provided by the Arisdine Krikorian Family Foundation:
The trustees of The Arisdine Krikorian Family Foundation, a section 501(c)(3) organization, launched its first annual scholarship award program. The Foundation was created by Rose and Sybil Krikorian, who were raised in Watertown and later moved to Belmont where they lived for many years. They were the daughters of Arisdine and Panos Krikorian, who were born and raised in Armenia. The last survivor of the Krikorian family, Rose, died in August 2021 at the age of 96.
Watertown teachers will soon have a new contract. The Watertown Educators Association and the School Committee announced Tuesday that a settlement had been reached, and it must now be ratified by the union and then approved by the School Committee. Details about the contract have not been released. At the most recent School Committee meeting union representatives spoke about some of the areas they sought more from the district, including salaries in line with neighboring districts and guaranteed parental leave for both parents of a newborn. Teachers went to work to rule in late January to show their displeasure with the fact they were working without a contract and wanted a contract that would put them on par with other districts in the area.
Charlie BreitroseVictory Field is home to Watertown High School’s football team, along with the field hockey, girls and boys soccer, boys and girls lacrosse, and baseball teams.
On Feb. 6, the School Committee supported the recommendation to replace the artificial turf surface at the field most used by Watertown High School’s athletic teams, however some did so with strong reservations because it would be a different type of artificial turf. The artificial turf field at Victory Field is nearing the end of its recommended life. The City plans to replace it with another artificial turf, but with an organic material between the plastic blades of grass. The final decision on whether to approve the project will come from the City Council, and the funding would come from the City’s budget, not the Schools.
Charlie BreitroseThe first three modular sections that will be part of the temporary Watertown High School were delivered to Moxley Field on Friday. The first sections of modular classrooms arrived at Moxley Field Friday, and will continue to trickle in until there are enough to build a two-story temporary campus to house Watertown High School during the construction of the new building. The interim campus will go up on what was the grassy area near Watertown Middle School. The high schoolers will also utilize an area of the Middle School during their three years at the site. When all are delivered, they will be installed.
Watertown teachers rallied in Watertown Square calling for settling their contract. Photo courtesy of Watertown Cable News / Maya Shwayder. Watertown’s teachers spoke out about their desire for a “fair contract” during Monday’s School Committee, and responded to the statement from the School Committee about the negotiations made during the previous meeting. The teachers contract has expired, and the teachers union — the Watertown Educators Association — has met more than a dozen times to discuss the contract with representatives from the Watertown Public Schools. Last week, to demonstrate their frustration with the negotiations teachers went to “work to rule,” where they only work contracted hours and duties, and would not do any volunteer work.