Schools

LETTER: Family of Former WHS Head Master Seeks to Keep Gym Dedicated in His Name

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(The following letter was originally written to Watertown School Committee Chair Kendra Foley)

Dear Ms. Foley,

Thank you for this opportunity to share our recommendation for the naming of the Gymnasium or the Auditorium at the new Watertown High School. We would like for Dr. John J Kelley, former principal of Watertown High School, to continue to be honored by the school. As you know, the gym at Watertown High School was dedicated to Dr. Kelley in the early 1990s. The decision to name the gym after him was based on not just his many years of service to the school and the community, but also on the positive and long-lasting impact he had on individual students throughout his career. While time has passed since the dedication of the gym, nothing about Dr. Kelley’s impact has changed.

Schools

Naming of New WHS Gym & Auditorium Put on Hold, List of Nominations Released

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Ai3 ArchitectsA rendering of the designs for the new Watertown High School viewed from Columbia Street. The School Committee voted to take more time to make the decision about after whom the gymnasium and auditorium at the new Watertown High School should be named, and will come up with criteria to judge the nominations submitted by the public. The original timeline called for having nominations in by Oct. 7 and the final vote on Oct. 21.

Schools

Take a Look Around the Half Completed New Watertown High School

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Architects showed the tour the inside of the new auditorium at Watertown High School. The balcony can be seen on the left side. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

While still a mesh of steel, concrete, and wood, visitors can get an idea of what the future home of Watertown’s high schoolers will look like when it opens in 2026. With construction of the new Watertown High School at the midpoint, the designers of the new school led a group of Watertown School and City officials around the four-level school building taking shape between Common and Columbia streets. City Councilor President Mark Sideris, left, and Council Vice President Vincent Piccirilli stand outside the Watertown High School construction site.

Around Town

Watertown Students Will Demonstrate Robot at Science Festival

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Some small children take a look at the Watertown High School Robotics Team robot at the 2023 Faire on the Square. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

See what the Watertown High School robotics team can do when the students take part in the Science Carnival at the Cambridge Science Festival. The festival and started on Sept. 23 and runs through Sept. 29.

Schools

Suggestions Wanted for Names of New High School Gym & Auditorium

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Ai3 ArchitectsA rendering of the designs for the new Watertown High School viewed from Columbia Street. The School Committee seeks recommendations from the public for what to name the gym and auditorium at the new Watertown High School. People can send in their ideas to School Committee Chair Kendra Foley, she said at Monday’s School Committee meeting. “I’d like to invite members of the community to make any suggestions for names of the new high school gym and auditorium. Those suggestions should be sent to me at kendra.foley@watertown.k12.ma.us,” Foley said.

Schools

Watertown High School Students Could Sit on School Committee

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

Members of the School Committee may have Watertown High School students sitting with them during meetings, and the students may even be able to propose motions at meetings if policy changes being considered by the Committee are approved. Currently, WSH has two student representatives, who typically provide updates on student life at the high school, including the flow of the academic year and updates on extracurricular activities. A proposed change to the Watertown Public Schools’ policies would give the students a more significant role, School Committee Vice Chair Lily Rayman Read said at the Aug. 26 School Committee meeting.

Schools

New Watertown High School on Track to be Net Zero Energy

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The entrance to the new Watertown High School is taking shape. (Photo from Watertown School Building Committee meeting)

Progress has been made on the new Watertown High School, and the goal of having the building produce all the energy needed to operate is closer to becoming a reality. When the high school project was approved, it was designed to be Net Zero energy and also meet the LEED Platinum standards for energy efficiency and sustainability. Since being approved in June 2021, the project budget has increased significantly mostly due to the rise in construction costs. City Manager George Proakis told the City Council that the project would be completed, with a net zero energy building, and not borrow more than $150 million to cover the cost.

Schools

Watertown High School Class of 1964 Holding 60th Class Reunion

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The old Watertown High School building. (Courtesy of Watertown Public Schools)

ANNOUNCEMENT to ALL former WHS classmates of 1964:

The 60th Reunion is progressing nicely and if anyone has not already communicated with the Reunion team, please send an email to whs1964reunion@yahoo.com to obtain information for the Reunion. The Reunion is scheduled on September 28, 2024. Thank you, Sonny!