Schools

MassBay College Offering Online Summer Courses for High Schoolers

By |

The following information was provided by MassBay Community College:

MassBay Community College will add five online and remotely-formatted courses this summer to be offered for high school students, exclusively. The six-week courses start on July 6, 2020 and include Entrepreneurship, Principles of Management, Creative Writing, Drugs and Society, and Security Awareness (course descriptions are below). High school students can also enroll in other MassBay courses. “Due to the coronavirus, many high school students and their families have been contacting us to enroll in summer classes as they face limited job prospects, many uncertainties, and an empty summer calendar. Taking one or more college-level courses over the summer is great way for high school students to jumpstart their college education,” said Interim Vice President of Enrollment Management, Alison McCarty.

Schools

Members of Class of 2020 Receive Their Diplomas — Social Distancing Style

By |

A Watertown high School senior smiles for photos after getting his diploma during a unique graduation ceremony for the Class of 2020, standing next to WHS Principal Shirley Lundberg. Watertown High School’s seniors claimed their diplomas in person at Victory Field on Saturday, but that was about all that was normal about graduation day for the Class of 2020. The atmosphere around Victory Field because the frenzy of activity was just spread out throughout the day as Watertown Public School officials put on a socially distanced ceremony to comply with the state’s COVID-19 guidelines. Each half hour a set of cars pulled up, the graduate stepped out and walked up to a small stage where Principal Shirley Lundberg waited with a diploma. Meanwhile, the family could stand along the small fence along the baseball field to cheer and take photos.

Class of 2020

School Committee Decides Not to Attend Watertown High Graduation; Looks Toward Reopening

By |

One of the signs that went up around town to celebrate Watertown High School’s graduating seniors. The School Committee will not be attending Saturday’s Watertown High School graduation after most members thought it was not appropriate to be there when so many cannot attend. They also heard about the planning for reopening schools in the fall, which may include reduced numbers of students on campus each day. Traditionally, the School Committee has taken part in the WHS graduation, with one of the members standing on stage shaking the hands of graduates when the students receive their diplomas. June 20’s graduation, however, will not be a traditional one.

Floyd George

School Committee Approves Resolution in Support of People of Color

By |

The Watertown School Committee approved a resolution to “promote the needs and safety” of staff and students of color in the district, as well as people of color in Watertown and beyond. The resolution also urges state and federal lawmakers to support laws that: protect the safety of people of color and guarantee the rights of those protesting; create an anti-racist curricula and teach students about the challenges faced by people of color; and to hold public officials and police accountable. The resolution passed by the Watertown School Committee on Monday night has also been approved, or is being considered for approval, by other local communities, said School Committee member Lily Rayman-Reed, including Woburn, Cambridge, Newton and Burlington. The impetus for the resolution was the efforts that have sprung up in the wake of the killing of Floyd George by Minneapolis Police and other similar incidents. The resolution reads:

Resolution on Affirmation of Support for Staff, Students, and Community Members of Color

Whereas, People of Color face greater discrimination, structural discipline, lack of social support both in schools and in society at large;

Whereas, children, adolescents and adults in the Black community face higher rates of social and structural violence and racial discrimination,

Whereas, students’ and staff’s well-being is a fundamental concern of the Watertown School Committee and school boards across the country.

Schools

MassBay Community College Holding Fall Classes Online

By |

The following announcement was provided by MassBay Community College:

MassBay Community College courses for fall 2020 semester will be taught either online or via a remote format. Courses listed in the fall 2020 course schedule as having specific class days and times will not meet face-to-face, but will be offered remotely. Fall classes begin on Tuesday, September 8, 2020, and registration is now open to students. “MassBay is firmly committed to the health and safety of all our students, faculty, and staff, and given the uncertainty we face in the coming months, the most feasible course of action is to limit access to campus,” said MassBay President, Dr. David Podell. “This is not an easy decision as we enjoy being on campus with all our students, but we make this decision now to allow students and their families the time they need to prepare and adjust their schedules.”

MassBay defines online classes and remote formatted classes as follows:

An Online Course does not meet at a particular time or day (known as an “asynchronous course”) and all work is completed in the learning management system, Blackboard.

Schools

Watertown High Seniors Cruise in Style for Saturday’s Rolling Rally

By |

A Watertown High school senior pops stood out to get a good view during the start of Saturday’s Class of 2020 Rolling Rally. Dozens of vehicles paraded around town Saturday all decked out with balloons, streamers and signs congratulating Watertown High School’s Class of 2020. The first-of-its-kind in Watertown rolling rally was one of the ways that the school celebrated the seniors in a year when so many other events were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The seniors are trying to make the best of a very unusual situation. WHS Senior Maddie Poplawski was one first in line for the Rolling Rally celebrating the Class of 2020.

Building for the Future

Virtual Meeting About Hosmer School Project Planned, New Building Project Website

By |

A rendering of what the new Hosmer Elementary School will look like. The Watertown Public Schools will host a meeting about the upcoming construction project at Hosmer School. The district also has a new School Building Project website. The website covers the projects at Watertown’s three elementary schools, and can be viewed by clicking here. The Watertown Public Schools sent out the following information:

The new Hosmer Elementary School is coming soon to your neighborhood!

Building for the Future

First in the State: Council Funds Building Two Net Zero Energy Schools; No Override

By |

The latest rendering of the new Cunniff Elementary School, with the solar array in the parking lot. The Town Council, Watertown School officials, designers and green energy advocates celebrated the completion of what looked like a pipe dream just a few years ago: building two schools that will create enough electricity to cover their energy needs, and pay for it without raising property taxes. Architect Scott Dunlap from Ai3 congratulated the Town for building the first Net Zero school in Massachusetts. The schools will also make other history. “They will be the first Net Zero elementary schools in New England,” Dunlap said.