Around Town

Watertown Woman Creates Historic Boston Book from Her Huge Postcard Collection

By |

With a collection of tens of thousands of historic post cards, Watertown’s Kathryn Alpert had a wealth of choices for her new book “Lost & Found: Historic Boston in Post Cards.” Watertown News spoke with Alpert about the creation of her book. Alpert worked in public relations for years, and was able to get a piece about one of her biggest clients, Tweeter, on the front page of the Wall Street Journal in the 1990s. Then she started a greeting card company in the early 2000s. She is also a member of the Ephemera Society, which focuses on historic items, mostly paper items.

Her 206-page softcover book contains more than two-hundred colorful vintage postcards of historic Boston.

Schools

Special Education: Director of Student Services to Step Down, Plans to Improve Program Discussed

By |

Watertown’s Director of Student Services will be stepping down before the beginning of school in September. The announcement came after parents of students in the special education program aired their complaints at the second straight School Committee meeting. A group of more than 100 parents also signed a petition requesting that the School Committee take a vote of no confidence for the Director of Student Services, who oversees the special education program. At the meeting on July 22, members of the School Committee requested that the Watertown School administration make special education its priority. Some committee members also asked for the creation of a subcommittee to focus on special education so that they can hear directly from parents, students and others.

Weather

UPDATED: Temps to Hit 100 in Watertown This Week, See How to Stay Cool

By |

(UPDATED July 2, 8:55 a.m.: The library will be open until 7 p.m. Friday.)

With temperatures forecast to reach 100 degrees this week, the City of Watertown has compiled a list of places to keep cool during the heatwave. The National Weather Center has issued an Extreme Heat Warning from July 1 at 10 a.m. to July 4 at 8 p.m. As of Tuesday at 11 a.m., the forecast highs are 95 degrees on Wednesday, 100 degrees on Thursday and Friday, and 95 degrees on Saturday, which is Independence Day. With high humidity expected, the high “feels like” temperature will be over 100 degrees from Wednesday to Friday, topping out at 109 degrees on Thursday. The City of Watertown put together information during the heatwave at watertown-ma.gov/warm-weather-updates. The City provided the following information:

Watertown is expecting very hot temperatures this week with high humidity.

Environment

Watertown Resident Nominated for Commonwealth Heroine Award for Environmental Work & Actvism

By |

Watertown’s Eileen Ryan was nominated as a Commonwealth Heroine by State Sen. Will Brownsberger. (Courtesy of Will Brownsberger’s office)

Watertown’s Eileen Ryan was one of 147 women from across Massachusetts to be nominated for the Commonwealth Heroine Award. She was nominated by State Sen. Will Brownsberger. See more information in the announcement about Ryan, and nominees from Watertown’s State Representatives in the announcements from the legislators’ offices, below. On Wednesday, June 24, 147 women from across the state gathered to be honored at the Class of 2026 Massachusetts Commonwealth Heroine Awards Ceremony.

Schools

Students & Parents Ask for Armenian Classes to be Expanded; French Most Popular World Language Unavailable at WHS

By |

The sign for the temporary Watertown High School at PFC Richard Moxley Field. (Courtesy by City of Watertown)

Watertown High School students, alumni, and parents of students who took part in the Armenian language program urged School officials to bolster the program for fear of losing the classes that are more than just about learning a language. At Monday’s School Committee meeting, several people spoke about the Armenian classes, which are part of the World Language offerings at the High School. During the meeting, the School Committee also heard a report about the district’s World Language Program, a survey of what languages students and parents are interested in, and the progress of students who have been in the elementary school Spanish immersion program. The speaker noted that the Armenian teacher recently resigned, and said that having students with four levels of proficiency in the same class is not something that other languages or subjects would have to do.

Schools

New Head of Perkins School for the Blind Looks to Build on Legacy, Advocate for the Visually Impaired

By |

Perkins School for the Blind President and CEO David Barth, right, speaks with a student during the White Cane Walk. (Courtesy of Perkins School for the Blind)

David Barth did not take the most direct route to becoming Perkins School for the Blind’s President and CEO, but he told Watertown News that the work helping some of the most vulnerable children get the education, services, and rights that they deserve is something he has done during his whole career. Barth joined the Perkins team in September 2025, after many years working on behalf of children around the globe with the U.S. government (including USAID) and non-governmental organizations, most recently as Vice President of International Programs at Save the Children. Barth is Perkins’ 11th director, and he said taking over an institution with a long and storied history of work for the blind and visually impaired is an awesome responsibility. “So this job is a privilege, because you get to conduct this orchestra of really, really, really talented people who are really, really committed,” Barth said.

Government

Unwanted Surprises Drive Up Cost of Renovation of the City’s Parker Annex Building

By |

The Parker Annex Building (Courtesy of City of Watertown)

City officials have learned what it’s like to renovate a 100+ year old building, and the unwanted surprises that come with it. On Tuesday night, the City Council approved a $373,000 budget transfer to cover the cost of unexpected additional repairs, as well as to insulate the Parker Annex. The former elementary school on Watertown Street opened in 1914, and was sold by the Town in 1986. In 2022, the now City of Watertown bought back the building, which has been turned into office space. Since then, the City has been planning to turn Parker in to a City Hall annex, and hired contractors to renovate the building.

Schools

Students, Families Formed “Bike Bus” to Get to Hosmer School This Spring

By |

A group of Hosmer Elementary School students met at Casey Park on Fridays this Spring to form a Bike Bus and ride to school. (Contributed Photo)

During the spring, a group of students and their families rode their bicycles from the Southside to Hosmer Elementary School, forming what became known as the Bike Bus. The first Bike Bus took place on May 1, and continued every Friday (weather permitting) and concluded on Thursday, June 18 before the Juneteenth holiday. “The kids would start at Casey Park and make multiple stops along their way to Hosmer to pick up more friends,” said Maureen Schrader. “This all stemmed from Jennifer Beatty’s son, Rory, wanting to ride his bike to school.”