Schools

Grades May Shift to Different Schools to Relieve Overcrowded Classes

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The grades served by each school in Watertown schools could change significantly in an effort to relieve overcrowded classrooms, Superintendent Jean Fitzgerald told the Town Council Tuesday night. Watertown School officials got their request to apply for state money to rebuild or renovate Watertown High School approved by the Town Council Tuesday night. The new high school building would also be used for other grades, resulting in fewer students at the middle school and the three elementary schools. The town’s elementary schools, particularly the Cunniff, have become overcrowded, but Fitzgerald said the high school was identified as the building in greatest need of replacement, according to a consultant’s study a few years ago. She has a plan that to use the new school to help other schools.

Accreditation

Watertown High School Preparing for NEASC Accreditation Visit

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Every 10 years, Watertown High School goes through the accreditation process, and the staff has been busy preparing for a four-day visit by a team which begins on Sunday. A team from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) will be at Watertown High School starting March 13, said Maureen Regan, Grades 6-12 English Language Arts Coordinator, who co-chaired the accreditation preparation with guidance councilor Adrienne Eaton. Preparation
The preparation began three years ago when the school staff did a self study, Regan told the School Committee Monday night. The first step was to create school-wide learning expectations, which had two main focuses: effective oral and written communication, and college, career and life skills readiness. In the fall of 2014, the Endicott College Opinion Survey was given to students, parents and faculty.

Art

Local Gallery Exhibiting the Work of Watertown High Art Students

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A Watertown High School art class and a local art gallery will team up to give the students an unusual experience for artists their age – their very own art exhibition. Starting on Feb. 4, ROOM 83 Spring will host the exhibit of works created by the advanced art class at the high school. WHS art teacher Donna Calleja and her class has visited the gallery run by Ellen Wineberg and Cathleen Daley on Spring Street, and they decided to take it a step further. “I’ve been taking the class over there the last year-and-a-half, and last spring (Ellen and Cathleen) said why don’t we see how we can host a high school exhibit,” Calleja said.

Schools

Stories by Two Watertown High Journalists Featured on National Site

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Raider Times reporters have produced two recent stories that have been featured on a site that highlights the best high school journalism from across the country. In November, Watertown High School’s Rebecca Grossman chronicled the efforts of WHS science teacher Jennifer MacDonald to cut back on the number of one-use cups from places like Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks. MacDonald, who teaches AP environmental science and is the mentor for the high school’s Environmental Club, banned single-use cups from her class. At the same time, the school has put in water fountain that has a spigot to fill water bottles. Grossman reports that the new fountain had saved about 7,000 bottles by early November.

Fab Lab

Fab Lab Inspiring Watertown High School Students to Learn, Explore

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A once quiet corner of the Watertown High School Library is now filled with enthusiastic students making their visions come to life in the school’s new Fab Lab. The library staff removed 12 large bookcases with out-of-date books on them and the area now has two 3-D printers, a vinyl cutter and a laser cutter, with a computer station to send their designs to the machines. In addition there is a wood router in the Career and Technical Education room and some old school machines in the library – two sewing machines. While the books are gone, the Fab Lab is another way for students to approach things, said WHS Library Media Specialist Erin Piazza. “The library is a place students use to find information, prepare projects or reflect what they learn,” Piazza said.

Conservation Commmision

Watertown High School Students Use Town Forest as a Living Laboratory

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When the Conservation Commission wanted to find out exactly what trees, plants and animals can be found in the town’s largest forested area, Commissioner Patick Fairbairn decided to enlist the help of students from Watertown High School. Last week, two honors biology classes spent the morning walking around Whitney Hill, the area overlooking Victory Field, detailing which species are located in 31 plots being studied on the hill. After coming up with the idea to enlist the help of students, Fairbairn approached School Committee Chairwoman Eileen Hsu-Balzer to ask if a combined effort with the schools could be possible. After speaking with a number of people, he found a WHS teacher who was interested. “Erik Hiltunen was a teacher who saw the value of observation over a long period of time,” Fairbairn said.

Around Town

Celebration Held for New Mural Inspired by Coolidge Square

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A brightly colored mural now adorns a wall on Mt. Auburn Street. Called “Seeds of Change,” it features fruit, vegetables, flowers and other items that can be found in markets and stores around Coolidge Square. On Saturday, members of the Watertown Public Arts and Culture Committee hosted a celebration for the mural, which was painted on a wall next to Uncommon Grounds, at the corner of Melendy Avenue and Mt. Auburn Street. Artist Gregg Bernstein, who designed the mural and mentored the students’ work on the project, said the artists faced tough conditions, with temperatures in the 90s many days.

Schools

Watertown Athletes Honored, League Champ Recognized

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Playing a high school sport requires a lot of effort, dedication and time, so playing three sports a year for four years is a feat that deserves being honored, which is what Watertown High School Athletic Director Michael Lahiff did this week. A dozen Raiders received the Athletic Director’s Award for participating in sports every season for their whole career at Monday’s School Committee meeting. Lahiff created the award to encourage more participation in a small high school. This year’s award winners are:

Brendan Berkeley – golf, hockey and baseball

Anthony Busconi – golf, hockey and lacrosse

Angel Carrion – football, basketball and lacrosse

Brian DallaCosta – football, basketball and indoor and outdoor track

Molly Day – soccer, indoor and outdoor track

Keegan Duguay – field hockey, indoor and outdoor track

Nick Giordano – football, hockey and lacrosse

Najmul Sahar Kahn – field hockey, indoor and outdoor track

Emily Loprete – field hockey, hockey and lacrosse

Austin Farry – football, hockey and baseball

Prosper Lubega – cross country, soccer, indoor and outdoor track

James McDonald – golf, basketball, indoor track and baseball
Girls’ Lacrosse
Watertown’s latest Middlesex League champions also received their due from the School Committee. The girls’ lacrosse team won its third straight title this year, and made it to the State Tournament where it won its first ever tournament game.