Schools

Watertown Schools See Influx of Students at Elementary, High School Levels

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Charlie BreitroseThe new school building at Cunniff Elementary School, along with the new Hosmer School have seen an increase of enrollment this fall. Watertown High School has also grown. More students arrived at the Watertown Public Schools than expected this fall, requiring the addition of some new classes, teachers and support staff. Superintendent Dede Galdston told the School Committee on Monday that she believes the district’s new schools are part of the draw. The 2022-23 school year is the first that students will spend the whole year in the new Cunniff and Hosmer elementary school buildings.

Schools

School Committee Update: Changes to Student Handbooks, Rendering of New High School & More

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The following information was provided by the School Committee:

The School Committee met on Monday, August 29, 2022. Over the summer, the School Committee completed and presented the 2021/2022 Superintendent evaluation. Dr. (Dede) Galdston was rated as proficient or exemplary by all members on all four standards in addition to her overall performance. She continues to show strong and steady leadership and we are grateful she is leading the Watertown Public Schools. Minor changes were approved for the Middle School handbook, High School handbook and District handbook.

Government

Governor’s Council Candidate’s “Dubious” Endorsements; Election Day Coincides With Watertown’s First Day of School

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The race for District 3 Governor’s Council continues to grab headlines as one of the candidates claimed support from Massachusetts politicians that it appears she does not have. Also, the City officials want voters to be aware — with many polling places located at schools — that election day falls on the same day as Watertown students head back to school. During a recent League of Women’s Voters forum District 3 Governor’s Councilor Marilyn Petitto Devaney, from Watertown, stated that she had endorsements, which were later refuted. The 12-term incumbent faces Concord’s Mara Dolan in the Democratic Primary for the seat on the board which, among other things, votes on the Governor’s nominations for judges and nominees for other boards, and on vote on the Governor’s proposed pardons and commutations of prisoners. In the debate, which was shown by NewTV (Newton’s public access channel), Devaney said she had been endorsed by Congressman Jim McGovern and Democratic State Auditor candidate Chris Dempsey.

COVID Grant

Watertown Plans to Start Universal PreK With COVID Relief Grant

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Watertown School officials plan to use some of the money from the federal COVID school assistance grant to offer full-day PreK classes to more children in the City. The Watertown Public Schools will receive more than $2.86 million from the third round of the federal ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) grant, and Superintendent Dede Galdston told the School Committee she wants to use $370,000 of the funds to start the effort to create universal PreK. Other uses for the funds include expanding extended day and summer programs, credit recovery summer classes to help prevent dropouts, salaries for two assistant principals, and to create a teachers-in-residence program. The ESSER funds would be used to move the district toward universal PreK, Galdston said. The money would be used to pay for half the salary of PreK teachers and instructional assistants in the Fiscal Year 2024 budget.

Schools

New Elementary Attendance Zones Approved by School Committee, Enrollment Rising

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Watertown Public SchoolsThe Watertown elementary school attendance zone option approved by the School Committee. The buffer zones are shaded with diagonal lines. New boundaries for Watertown’s elementary school attendance areas have been approved, and include buffer zones that would allow families to choose between two schools. The School Committee approved the option recommended by Superintendent Dede Galdston on Monday night. The new areas will only impact students new to the district, not those already attending Cunniff, Lowell, or Hosmer elementary schools.

Schools

Last Day to Fill Out Watertown Schools’ Parent Climate Survey

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Watertown school officials seek to find out about their experience in the Watertown Public Schools with a Parent/Guardian Climate Survey. Dec. 23 is the final day to submit the survey. The survey is being done in conjunction with the UChicago Impact, a group out of the University Chicago that provides tools and assistance to schools. Superintendent Dede Galdston sent out the following message:

This is a reminder that we are asking parents and caregivers to complete a culture and climate survey based on their experiences in the Watertown Public Schools.

Letters

LETTER: Parent Pleased With Watertown Public Schools Vaccine Clinic

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This Wednesday, we brought my child (first grade at Hosmer) to the vaccine clinic the Watertown Public Schools arranged to take place at the Middle School. I’m happy to report that everything went off without a hitch! As of Nov. 3, 2021, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended a reduced dose COVID vaccination for children ages 5-11. We were eager to get my child vaccinated and signed up for the WPS vaccine clinic without hesitation.

COVID-19 Vaccine

LETTER: Resident Objects to Vaccine Requirement for Watertown Public Schools Staff

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To the Citizens of Watertown,

Watertown Public Schools is now forcing a COVID vaccine mandate on all WPS staff, even though, according to school committee members that I emailed, 96-98% of their staff are already vaccinated. The schools have already achieved herd immunity. Clearly, this new mandate is targeting the handful of people who do not want to try this new vaccine. There is plenty of evidence, both anecdotally and statistically, showing that some people have been severely injured or even killed by the new COVID vaccines. This is not a conspiracy theory, it’s a fact.