Schools

School Building Committee Supports Rebuilding 2 Elementary Schools, Renovating Third

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The plan for the Hosmer School campus presented to the School Building Committee on Jan. 23. it shows the brand new school, and three parking areas. The cost estimate for rebuilding two of Watertown’s three elementary schools — while the third is thoroughly renovated — came in close enough to the price of the alternative of renovating the three schools for the School Building Committee to recommend going for the new construction option. Representatives from project designer Ai3 Architects and owners project manager Daedalus Projects presented the cost estimates at the Jan.

Schools

Watertown May Build Two New Elementary Schools Instead of Renovating Them

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The option of building new buildings at two Watertown’s three elementary school appears to be back on the table, after Town Council President Mark Sideris announced that they may fit within the town’s budget during Wednesday’s School Building Committee. Originally, the School Building Committee previously went in the direction of renovating the current schools and putting on additions at Hosmer and Cunniff elementary schools to save money. However, the cost estimates for doing so has risen significantly. Sideris and Town Manager Michael Driscoll discussed other options, and decided that the possibility of building new schools may be within reach, Sideris said. The decision came after hearing from parents and neighbors of the schools, many of whom worried about the loss of green space with the proposed school expansions.

Hosmer School

Hosmer School Community Worried About Loss of Field Space, Length of Construction Project

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Major renovations are planned for all three of Watertown’s elementary schools, but Hosmer School will go through the most significant changes, and endure the longest construction period. Wednesday night, the School Building Committee visited Hosmer to share the latest plans and hear from parents and neighbors. Concerns included loss of green space and play area, as well as the impact of construction on the students. The school is first up on the schedule of renovations, and current plans call for demolishing the current classroom wing and building a new building on the Mt. Auburn Street side of the current cafeteria/gymnasium building.

Cunniff School

School Committee Excited by Improvement on MCAS Shown by Watertown Elementary Students

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The elementary school results on the 2018 MCAS test pleased the School Committee, particularly the improvement by students over the last year. Watertown’s principals and administrators presented the results at Monday night’s School Committee meeting. Efforts were made after last year’s MCAS results, said Assistant Superintendent of Teaching, Learning and Assessment Theresa McGuinness. “Last year, when we met to discuss the scores we realized we had a curriculum alignment problem,” McGuinness said.  “We met to see how we could make changes.” The growth in the scores particularly stood out, she said.

Cunniff School

Elementary, High School Projects Take Steps Forward at School Building Committee

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Two votes by the School Building Committee on Wednesday night moved the projects at Watertown’s three elementary schools and at the high school a step closer to being a reality. The projects to renovate and make additions to Hosmer, Lowell and Cunniff elementary schools, which have schematic designs, are ahead of the Watertown High School project, for which designs have yet to be drawn up. High School Project
Wednesday night, the School Building Committee, which oversees the projects, gave its approval to spend $1.6 million on the preliminary design and hiring an owner’s project manager for the WHS project. The Town Council will be asked to give final approval for the money at its Nov. 13 meeting, said Superintendent Dede Galdston.

Cunniff School

Architects Reveal New Design for Hosmer School, Parking Plan for Lowell School

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The designs for Watertown’s three elementary schools have started to become more solid, and in the near future school officials will present them to the communities in and around the schools. Architect Scott Dunlap from Ai3 presented the most recent designs at last week’s School Building Committee meeting. The biggest change comes at Hosmer Elementary School, where the latest design shows a large glassed in area on the northeast corner of the school. “It is an element we are introducing into the front of the building,” Dunlap said. “We are not saying that the glass will go all the way across.

Government

Sidewalk, Street Construction Around Hosmer School to Continue Through Fall

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The Watertown Department of Public Works provided this update on the construction on the sidewalks and streets around Hosmer School. 

Work has progressed on the MassDOT Hosmer School Safe Routes to School Project. The majority of work on the west side of School Street and in front of the Hosmer School has been completed. A section of the intersection at Chauncey Street has been left in a temporary condition as we continue to await Verizon and Eversource wire transfer. The focus of construction will now shift to the east side of Boylston Street, towards Fairfield/Dartmouth Street. Construction will continue during the fall.

Schools

New Hosmer School Proposal Would Use Less Green Space, Cost More

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The architects designing Watertown’s elementary schools presented a new alternative for the new classroom building at Hosmer Elementary School which would use less open space on the site, but would increase the cost of the project. Two weeks ago, another option was proposed where the school would stick farther out into the playing fields in front of the school. Neighbors objected to the loss of the green space and for obstructing their view. The new proposal would push the school closer to the existing building which has the cafeteria, auditorium and gym. The drawings presented by architect Scott Dunlap of Ai3 show the buildings linking in two areas, with a courtyard in the middle to allow natural light for the classrooms in the middle.