Government

Town’s Capital Budget Includes Nearly $300 Million for School Construction

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Watertown’s five-year capital improvement plan calls for $467.8 million in projects and equipment purchases, and the Town maintained the top bond rating — which recently paid off with several million in savings. More than half the funds in the Fiscal Year 2022-26 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) will go toward the reconstruction of Watertown’s schools, said Town Manager Michael Driscoll when he presented the CIP to the Town Council on Tuesday night. The CIP went down $56.35 million from the FY 21-25 plan. The reconstruction and renovation of Watertown’s three elementary schools will cost $89.5 million, and $200 million has been budgeted for the reconstruction of Watertown High School and related costs. The CIP calls for borrowing $157.18 million for street and sidewalk repair projects.

COVID-19

Watertown School Surveys Find More In-Person Learning Wanted, COVID Testing Popular

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The number positive tests for COVID-19 is going up for students and staff in the Watertown Public Schools, but they have remained low for those attending in-person. Superintendent Dede Galdston discussed COVID in the schools, as well as the results of the Watertown Public Schools’ surveys taken by parents, students and staff at Monday’s School Committee meeting. The district has 13 students and/or staff who have tested positive for COVID-19, but only three of those people are attending school in-person: two at the Early Steps preschool and one at Watertown High School. A total of 44 students and staff are in quarantine, including 15 at the preschool and 12 at Lowell Elementary School. Since Sept.

Schools

See the Deadline for Applying to Minuteman High School

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Students from Watertown looking to get into Minuteman High School must send in their application by the March 15 deadline. The town is not one of the nine member communities, so students cannot apply for the priority deadline. Minuteman sent out the following announcement:

The priority deadline for students living within Minuteman High School’s nine member communities to apply for admission for next school year is Monday, February 15, 2021.  

Minuteman’s nine member communities are Acton, Arlington, Bolton, Concord, Dover, Lancaster, Lexington, Needham, and Stow. Visit https://minuteman.org/admissions to apply or obtain more details about the admissions process. View a video tour of Minuteman High School. 

To meet the February 15 priority deadline, member-town student applicants should have submitted an online application, recommendation form, the last two years of school records (grades, attendance, conduct), and have conducted an interview with a representative from Minuteman.

Around Town

Free, On-Demand Tutoring Available Through Watertown Library

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The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Library:

Brainfuse HelpNow, a digital platform offering on demand learning support for all ages and levels is now available to Watertown residents through the Watertown Free Public Library. “We want to help people get through this strange and difficult time and we know that remote learning and working is a real struggle for a lot of people,” says Carey Conkey-Finn who runs the Teen Department at the library. “We’re hoping that this resource will fill a hole that COVID life has created.”

HelpNow is available to all Watertown residents with a Minuteman Library Network library card from any computer with internet connection or via mobile app. To access HelpNow, please visit the library’s website at watertownlib.org/brainfuse. For more information, contact 617-972-6436 or libraryteendepartment@watertown-ma.gov.

About HelpNow

Live Tutoring (available 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. 7 days a week): HelpNow offers live tutor access for homework help, skills building and test preparation.

Schools

COVID-19 Numbers Low in Watertown Schools, Officials Look at When to Increase In-School Time

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The Watertown Public Schools have significantly lower COVID-19 positive test rates than the Town, and more than two-thirds of students and staff are participating in the district’s free testing program. Superintendent Dede Galdston said that the staff and students tested in the district’s pool testing is 0.15 percent, which is below the most recent positivity rate Townwide, which was 4.4 percent as of Dec. 28. She discussed the COVID-19 rates and the testing program, along with what factors will be considered when looking at increasing the amount of in-school learning during Monday’s School Committee meeting. Galdston credits staff and students taking the COVID-19 protocols seriously for the low rates of the virus.

Communities United Inc.

Group Awarded Grant for Food Backpack Program, Got Assistance from Local Church

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The following information was provided by Communities United:

Communities United Inc., a non-profit organization that provides high-quality education and family services throughout 11 MetroWest cities and towns including Watertown, announced it has been awarded a $5,000 grant from the Mildred’s Dream Foundation (MDF) to support the launch of CUI’s new food backpack program. 

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic increasing food insecurities in local communities, CUI has created a food backpack program in which fresh food, including fruits and vegetables, will be distributed to local families every other week. CUI has established an Amazon Food Pantry wish list as well so community partners and donors can contribute to this important cause. Grace Chapel of Watertown, MA has been instrumental in assisting CUI in the collection of non-perishables to support the program. Due to a significant increase in food insecurities for the children and families CUI serves, the organization has instituted an extensive food backpack program. With this initiative, food will be distributed to local families every other week with an emphasis on providing fresh fruit and vegetables. CUI has established an Amazon Food Pantry wish list so community partners and donors can contribute to this important cause while also partnering with Grace Chapel of Watertown who has been instrumental in assisting CUI in the collection of non-perishables to support the program.

Schools

Watertown Schools Starting 2021 Remotely, COVID-19 Testing Available for Students

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The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Public School:

Due to our desire to kick-start our new year off well, we will be focusing on testing students and staff who may have traveled or spent extended time with people outside of their immediate household prior to the return to in-person learning. In order to accomplish this, we will start the year in our remote learning model, Monday, January 4 through Wednesday, January 6, with a return to in-person learning on Thursday, January 7. In addition to our protocols for social distancing, PPE, handwashing, and staying home when sick, student testing is one of the safety measures that has allowed us to remain open. To date, we have processed 3698 staff tests, with 5 positives, and 317 pools of up to 10 students in each pool withonly 3 positive pools. The indication from these tests is that less than .15% of our students and staff that are part of our testing program have tested positive.

Schools

Watertown Schools Receive Grant to Support Engineering Program

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The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Public Schools:

Superintendent Deanne Galdston is pleased to share that Watertown High School has been awarded a $150,000 Skills Capital Grant by the Baker-Polito administration. The grant will support Watertown High’s Engineering Technology Program, the school’s first vocational/technical pathway, which is completed over three years beginning in students’ sophomore year. There are nine courses that students complete as part of the engineering program — engineering design, principles of engineering, digital electronics, civil engineering and architecture, computer integrated manufacturing, environmental sustainability, introduction to robotics, engineering design and development, and all aspects of the engineering industry. The Skills Capital Grant will allow Watertown High School to purchase and install state-of-the-art equipment that students will use to gain hands-on experience with real-world tools used in the engineering field. The equipment includes:

CNC milling equipment3D printersRobotic arm kitsMicroscopesDigital shaking waterbathElectrophoresis kitsBand saw, drill press and laser engraverVEX kits for computer integrated manufacturingNikon AX2S auto level, and more

“The Engineering Technology Program is an exciting way for students to gain practical experience in a growing and ever-changing field, and the Skills Capital Grant will be a tremendous help as we work to make the program more immersive and engaging,” Career Technical Education Coordinator Laura Alderson Rotondo said.