Schools

Security Measures Increased at Watertown Schools Following Bomb Threat

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Watertown Middle School (Courtesy of Watertown Public Schools)

Superintendent Dede Galdston announced that the Watertown Police and the School personnel increased security measures after an bomb threat was sent by email. Police and school officials do not believe the threat to be credible and the schools will remain open, she added in the statement sent to the community. See the full statement below:

Dear Watertown Public Schools Community, 

This letter is to inform you about a bomb threat that we just received. Our schools are committed to the safety and education of all our students at all times, every day. We also want to clearly communicate with parents about safety issues when they arise. The email with the threat contained erroneous information from an unknown source that led us, in conjunction with the Watertown Police Department, to determine that the threat was not credible. 

With the help of the police department and district personnel, we have added the following layers of safety to our school day:

There will be an increased police presence at schools today and in the coming day

Reviewing information from the email to determine its source

Our schools entrances are controlled, and there is no reason to believe that any device is in our schools

Out of an abundance of caution, we are conducting a perimeter sweep with canine support

The Watertown Police Department has collaborated with other local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to investigate the matter

All entrances and exits to our schools are being redundantly monitored

The police department is actively investigating the threat to determine its origin with the goal of determining the source of the threat.

Schools

2 Watertown Students Make Honor Society, College Dean’s Lists

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College students from Watertown made the Phi Kappa Phi honor society, as well as the dean’s list at Simmons University, Endicott College, and Dickinson College. See information provided by Phi Kappa Phi and from the three colleges, below:

Phi Kappa Phi

The following people recently were initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines. Coleman OBrien of Watertown (02472) at Framingham State University. Emma Grady of Watertown (02472) at Sacred Heart University. They are among approximately 25,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni to be initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year.

Schools

School Committee Wraps Up FY25 Budget, Approves 2024-25 School Calendar

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By Kendra FoleyChair, Watertown School Committee

It has been a busy month for the Watertown School Committee as we wrap up the FY25 budget process. In the last three meetings, our board has heard a number of important presentations, voted on policy changes, and celebrated major accomplishments. We have come to an agreement with Superintendent Galdston on a 4-year contract extension through 2028. Dr. Galdston has been an excellent leader for Watertown, bringing expertise, commitment and stability. We are thrilled to have her leading the Watertown Public Schools for another four years.

Schools

MassBay Community College Hosting Spring Open House

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The following announcement was provided by MassBay Community College:

MassBay Community College will hold its annual Spring Open House on Saturday, April 27, 2024, from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. on its Wellesley Hills campus. The Spring Open House is an opportunity for prospective students to talk with current students, faculty, and staff to learn about the 70 degree and certificate programs offered at MassBay. Participants will learn how to pay for college, including a financial aid session and discussion about available scholarships and the MassReconnect program (free community college for students who are 25 and older). Additional topics include how MassBay credits transfer to bachelor’s degree programs, free academic support services, information for veterans, free resources available on campus such as emergency grants and free food, information about free mental health counseling, and more. The Open House will feature a self-guided tour of campus and on-the-spot-admissions where staff will help you start the process of enrolling for college.

Schools

Watertown Schools to Add Music Teachers, Tutors & Field Trip Aid in FY25 Budget

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Watertown’s school budget will increase by $2 million, and additions include music teachers, math and literacy tutors, English as a second language teachers, and financial assistance to help all students go on field trips and school trips. The 2024-25 Watertown Public Schools budget will increase by 3.5 percent from the current year, for a total budget of $59.599 million. City Manager George Proakis said the Watertown Public Schools will receive a 3.5 percent increase when he presented the preliminary budget in October. Superintendent Dede Galdston said the budget represents a level services budget, which maintains the services provided by the district the prior year. This includes salary increases, and additional positions to maintain services.

Schools

Superintendent Given Four Year Extension Which Will Take Her to Over a Decade in Watertown

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Watertown Superintendent Dede Galdston. The School Committee thanked Superintendent Dede Galdston for her efforts in Watertown this week when they approved an extension to her contract. On April 8, the School Committee unanimously approved a four-year extension for Galdston. Her salary increased by more than $26,000 to $220,000 in the first year of the contract, with future year’s salaries to be set by the School Committee after her annual review. Galdston said she looked forward to finishing some of the initiatives that have started in her time in the Watertown Public Schools.

Schools

Watertown Student Wins Several Awards for Her Poetry in National Competition

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Watertown High School sophomore Montserrat Llacuna won five Silver Keys from the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. (Courtesy Photo)

A Watertown High School student’s poetry earned her several awards in a national scholastic writing and arts competition. WHS sophomore Montserrat Llacuna won five Silver Keys and two honorable mentions in the 2024 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Llacuna, who is also an Advisory Council Member of the statewide student leadership program Project 351 submitted several of her social justice poems.

She was encouraged to submit her writing to the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards and got help editing her work from ELA teacher William MacLaughlin and Casey Andrews, the head of the English Department. Llacuna was not the only Watertown student to earn recognition.

Schools

A Couple of Late Evenings of Construction at Watertown High School

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The following announcement was provided by project management firm Vertex:

Progress continues at the site of the new Watertown High School Project with work ongoing both inside the new building structure and around the site. In the coming days please be aware that the site may require work to extend beyond 7 p.m. due to ongoing concrete slab placements. The construction team has several slab placements on the schedule for this week and potentially long shifts on the following dates:

Wednesday April 10th

Friday April 12th

These slab placements are beginning at 7 a.m. on each of the above dates. The duration required for the slabs to be finished is dependent on the outside air temperature and weather conditions on the day of placement. Therefore, it is likely that the effort to finish the slabs once placed will continue into the evening on each of the above listed dates and have the potential to extend past 7 p.m. into the evening.