Schools

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

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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

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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

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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

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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.”

Schools

New Watertown High School Nearing Completion — See Photos

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The large W adorns the wall of the glass stairwell near the intersection of Common and Spring streets. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

On a tour of the nearly completed new Watertown High School, a group saw classrooms that look ready to host classes, along with some of the gems of the new building: the gymnasium, the auditorium, and a two-story media center (a.k.a. the library). Christy Murphy of owner project management firm Vertex gave an update on the status of the project before the group toured the building. “We are about 97% complete, that’s in dollars, but there’s a lot of details (left). So, as we’re walking around, you’re going to see spaces that are shockingly done — some furniture’s here — finishes,” Murphy said.

Business

City Manager, Council President Answer Questions About Watertown Square Garage

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A rendering of what could be built in and around the Municipal Parking lot in Watertown Square, including a garage and residential building on the parking lot. The image is from the City of Watertown’s virtual open house. One of the biggest topics of discussion around Watertown, these days, is the parking garage proposed to go on the lot behind CVS in Watertown Square. People ask how big, what will it look like, how much will it cost, who will pay for it? There is a key question that needs to be answered first, City Council President Mark Sideris and City Manager George Proakis said in a recent interview with Watertown News: Should the City build a garage?

Sports

Young Watertown Cancer Survivor Takes Part in World Cup Pre-Game Ceremony

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Watertown’s Graham Phillips and his father Jonathan in the stands for the June 13 World Cup game after Graham was a flag bearer in the pre-game ceremony. (Contributed Photo)

The eyes of soccer fans around the globe caught a glimpse of a 13-year-old boy from Watertown as he took part in the pre-game ceremony on June 13 before the Scotland-Haiti game in Foxborough. Graham Phillips served as an official Coca-Cola Youth Program flag bearer for the first FIFA World Cup 2026 game at Boston’s World Cup venue. He represented Boston Children’s Hospital as a former patient and cancer survivor. Graham Phillips held one of the Scottish flags in the closer line of flags.

Around Town

Inside the City’s 311 Service Center, Where Staff Fields the Public’s Questions, Requests & More

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311 Service Center staff — Constituant Service Director Laura Murray (left) and Constituent Services Representative Stephanie Owens — outside their office City Hall. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

Inside a small office in the back corner of City Hall sits the heart of Watertown’s 311 Service Center. The two-woman operation fields calls, texts, emails, and other messages about potholes, people trying to reach a City employee, and occasionally to report something strange they have just witnessed. The system is called 311 because that is the number people can call from within the City limits. In late 2023, Laura Murray came in as Constituent Services Director to turn the old See-Click-Fix program into a one-stop customer services center for residents, businesses, and others.