Environment

LETTER: Watertown High Group’s Climate Demands

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The following information was provided by members of the Watertown High School student group, Watertown Sunrise, which advocates to stop Climate Change. The demands were presented during a march and rally on the evening of Oct. 23, 2020. WATERTOWN SUNRISE DEMANDS

We demand that the Watertown town council declare a climate emergency. We’re also asking our town government, to help call on other town leaders and to sign onto the Green New Deal pledge to fight for our futures.

Schools

Watertown Students Can Get COVID-19 Tests as Schools Move into Hybrid

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Watertown Middle School

With Watertown elementary school students already attending hybrid, and the middle school starting some in person learning this week, the Watertown Public Schools are offering COVID-19 testing for students. Watertown School staff have already had access to the testing, but Superintendent Dede Galdston told the School Committee that she just recently learned the student testing could begin. “It is a very late thing. … Last week didn’t know we would be able to start student testing,” Galston said.

COVID-19

Watertown Middle School Moving to Hybrid Next Week

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Watertown Middle School

Students at Watertown Middle School will start to attend classes in-person two days a week next week with the beginning of hybrid learning. Superintendent Dede Galdston sent out an announcement Friday evening saying that hybrid learning would start at WMS on Thursday, Nov. 12 for half the students and Friday, Nov. 13 for the other half. The school has been teaching remotely since school started in late September.

Building for the Future

Good Reviews for 3-Story WHS Design, Call to Move Non-School Functions Out

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A drawing of what the new Watertown High School could look like. The illustration of option 3D-4 shows a three-story main academic building, and a faded image of how tall it would be if it were four stories. The three-story design for the new Watertown High School got good reviews from the School Building Committee and residents who tuned into the meeting Wednesday night. Also, there were calls for the District Administration offices and the Facilities Department to another location to free up room at WHS. The main academic building, proposed the property where the Phillips School and Senior Center now sit, was shortened by a story after concerns were raised about how big it would be compared to the surrounding neighborhood at a meeting in October.

Letters

LETTER: Watertown Schools Have Asbestos, Air Flow Problems

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Letter to Editor,

This past week, the Massachusetts Department of Education & Secondary Education (DESE) conducted an audit on the Watertown Public Schools and the District’s decision to delay opening the buildings for in-school/hybrid learning. At this moment, no details have been provided to Town residents as to what the audit yielded. Information requests to the DESE have been unanswered. All the details residents know (via a ZOOM call), is that Superintendent Galdston spoke to DESE Commissioner Riley (or an associate) and that the conversation was short with few questions (according to Galdston). So what were the DESE findings and why haven’t the Middle School and High School opened yet?

School Building Committee

Preferred Design for Watertown High School to be Discussed by School Building Committee

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A drawing of what the new Watertown High School could look like. The illustration shows a three-story main academic building, and a faded image of how tall it would be if it were four stories. The latest designs for the new Watertown High School show a shorter academic building on the Phillips School site, with the gym, auditorium and dining area on the site of the current school. The design of the school will be discussed Wednesday, Nov. 4 as the School Building Committee seeks to choose a preferred design.

COVID-19

Positive COVID Test Reported at Watertown School, Reopening Still Going Ahead

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Hosmer Elementary School in Watertown. The Watertown Public Schools had a person test positive for COVID-19 in the same week that the elementary schools are preparing to welcome students back for in-person learning. Superintendent Dede Galdston announced that a person at Hosmer Elementary School had tested positive, but added that the case would not stop plans to start hybrid learning at the school on Tuesday. Watertown school staff can participate in free testing for the virus provided by the Broad Institute in Cambridge, but Galdston said that the positive test was not through that program. “…

Hybrid Learning

Parents Advocate for Earlier Start for Hybrid Learning at Watertown Schools

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Watertown Middle School

The following letter is part of a petition asking the Watertown Public Schools to move the start of hybrid learning at Watertown Middle School from Nov. 30 to the week of Nov. 9. Last week, the School Committee discussed making that change in the district’s plan to move into hybrid learning, but did not vote on that. They left it up to Superintendent Dede Galdston and the School Administration.