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!

Schools

Installation of Geothermal Wells to Begin Soon at Watertown High School, Will Take 4-5 Months

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The following information was provided by Vertex, the project management firm for the Watertown High School project:

Starting the week of August 5th, you can expect to see the mobilization of geothermal well drilling rigs at the new Watertown High School Building Project. This is an exciting milestone for the project, as the before mentioned geothermal wells will aid in the project’s goal of being a net-zero energy building. The geothermal wells, once installed, will provide heating and cooling to spaces in the new high school including the gymnasium, the auditorium, and other community spaces throughout the school. The project expects these drilling rigs to be on site for approximately 4-5 months to complete 14 wells to approximately 900 feet deep. What to expect in the coming months, starting the week of August 5th:

–  Geothermal Well Drilling Rigs on site from 7AM-5PM

–  Equipment will be located on the corner of Columbia and Common Streets within the construction fence.

Schools

WHS Class of 2024 Overcame Many Obstacles to Become a Group of ‘Great Human Beings’

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Watertown High School’s Class of 2024 celebrates graduating on Friday at Victory Field. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

The journey to graduation day for the Class of 2024 was filled with obstacles and hardships, but Watertown High School’s senior class navigated through the challenges and emerged as seasoned scholars, athletes, performers, and “great human beings.” The seniors celebrated the end of their career in the Watertown Public Schools during the graduation ceremony at Victory Field on Friday evening. High school started not in the halls of WHS, but in their bedrooms sitting in front of computers during COVID. Sophomore year they returned to school, but did behind N95 masks.

Schools

Congrats to the Watertown High Graduates! See the Class of 2024

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Members of the Watertown High School Class of 2024 embrace after receiving their degree Friday. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

Congratulations to the 156 members of the Watertown High School Class of 2024, who celebrated their graduation Friday evening at Victory Field. (+ Cum Laude Society/National Honor Society, ^ National Honor Society, * Seal of Biliteracy, % Seal of Biliteracy with Distinction, # Pre-Engineering Pathway)

Noah Amin Affany

^ Susan Allakhverdov

Armani Antonio Alves

Desiree Tshiela Ambila

Jenna Mohammad Atiyyat

+ Halle Gilda Aufiero

Katherine Theresa Aufiero

Nushik Avetisian

Iseoluwatobi Olubiyi Banjo

Alec Vasilis Banosian

^ Erin Mary Beggan

+* Lana Bekdash

+* Maximilian Ferrante Bennett

Kayla Marie Bernier

Julia Marie Biagiotti

^# Laura Rae Biagiotti

# Alistair Joseph Burke

Katey Maureen Cabral

Sean Patrick Calleva

Watertown High School seniors look into the stands as the enter the field for the graduation ceremony. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

Dilara Merve Canca

Ricardo de Oliveiro Candido

* Noah Joseph Capello

Leanne Elizabeth Centola

^ Aidan William Chapron

John Dylan Clark

^ Tracy Cledomin

* Angel Manuel Colon Castillo

Timothy Philip Connelly

+ Mairead Alexandra Connolly

Jordan Michelle Cornier

Kaio Henrique Lima Da Silva

+* Randy William Delgado

Aislin Elizabeth Devaney

Christopher Andrew Devaney

+* Noor Abbas Dia

* Gustavo Lucas Alves Dias

Thomas James Dicker

Jamal Ud Din

* Leandro Gabriel Do Lago

* Nayara Lopes dos Reis

Dylan William Caggiano Driscoll

^ Molly Grady Driscoll

* Fabiana Yarisa Duarte

Devon Christopher Dyer

# Panayioti George Eliopoulos

James Barrett Erickson

+ Naomi Rei Fandetti

Alex Servare Faria

^ Vivian Jackson Flan

# Robert Charles Fuller-Jimenez

* Maya Maria Gabriel

Emma Lucia Garapetian

+ Celia Xianlu Gilbert-Sartori

Danial Goljamali

Members of the Watertown High School Class of 2024 listen to a speech during graduation (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

* Cesar Gonzalez Jimenez

Kendal Aldahir Gonzalez Rodas

Giuseppe James Guarino

Isabela Cardoso Guimaraes

Edward Gukasyan

* Isthar Guzman Torres

+ Sidney Somersault Hackett

% Lyubka Mehmedova Hadzhieva

Robert Hynds Haggerty

Edward Lee Hammonds

^* Ava Grace Hayward

Abigail Lucinda Hendrick

Jeffrey Scott Herbin

* Kimberlyn Dayana Hernandez Jimenez

Aiden Ryan Hernandez

Reagan Elise Hoffer

* Viktoriia Hryhorchuk

^ Rebecca Eileen Hughes

Ava Yvonne Husson

+% Krikor Iskenderian

+ Rosha Jalalian Saeb

^ Mishma-Theresa Victory Janvier

+ Chloe Rita Johnson

Michael Petar Jokic

+ Connor Julian Jones

Dairy Yamileth Juarez Lopez

The Class of 2024 graduated at Victory Field on Friday. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

^ Marwa Kabir

+ Nikolas Anargiros Karalis

Abbas Khan

+ Cyrus Zane Kiani

+ Elena Mae Kiani

* Nick-Ary Lafortune

+ Lily Grace Lambo

^ Lindsay Marie Leitner

Lucas Alexander Li Vargas

+ Anna Lee Runyan Lonergan

^Emma Jane Macomber

Phrog Linette MacVeigh

+ Malac Hasan Mahmoud

+* Nadeen Makhzomi

Logan James Marifiote

Denise Cassandra Martinez

%^* Ima Simone Massey

+ Colin James McClellan

* Mario Jose Mejia Gavarrete

* Kevin Misael Mendez

Nikolaos Michael Michaelidis

+ Luka Misic

Stephanie Ann Mixco

Andre Avedis Monteiro

Sarah Elizabeth Morrissey

* Felipe dos Santos Mota

Landon Brian Murphy

Grace Nanziri

Owen James Newlon

^ Roy Nicolas Nicolas

Lucas Ryan Nitschke

Matthew Aiden O’Grady

Darragh James O’Mahony

* Ani Ohannessian

Valentina Ortiz

* Aidalyss Ninette Ortiz-Vasquez

+ Ryan Carter Pacis

+* Nina Michelle Paquette

^ John Nickolaos Pavlidis

A graduating senior holds up his diploma at the Watertown High School Class of 2024 graduation.

Schools

Milestone Celebrated in Creation of a New, Net Zero Watertown High School

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The final beam is bolted into place at the new Watertown High School. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

A steel beam, with a small tree on top and an American flag flying from it, was lifted hundreds of feet into the air by a crane and bolted into place marking the topping off of the new Watertown High School project. The ceremony marked the finish of the construction of the frame for the new school, said Superintendent Dede Galdston, which is going up on the site of the old high school. “As I stand here before this impressive structure, it is essential to reflect on the journey that brought us to this moment,” Galdston said. “The vision for this new school building was born out of a shared commitment to fostering an environment where our children can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.”

Schools

Sign a Part of the New Watertown High School, Ceremony Will Celebrate Construction Milestone

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An overhead view of what the new Watertown High School will look like. (Courtesy of Watertown Public Schools)

A major milestone will be reached this week in the Watertown High School project when the last beam for the steel structure will be put into place. A topping off ceremony will be held on Wednesday, and the public is invited to come before hand and sign the beam, and to attend the ceremony. The Watertown Public Schools sent out the following information:

Major WHS construction news! A topping off ceremony will be held at 4 pm on Wednesday (6/5/24). 

The public is also invited to sign the ceremonial beam. 

Monday/Tuesday : 2-5 pm (Broadway construction gate)

Wednesday: 3-3:45 pm (Common Street gate). 

Sharpies will be provided