Schools

Watertown Public Schools Hosting Family Meet and Greet Series

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The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Public Schools:

The Watertown Public Schools Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging is inviting members of the community to a series of caregiver “meet and greets” this fall. These informal forums will give families and caregivers an opportunity to meet one another and will be led by Watertown Public Schools’ Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Director Dr. Ceronne Daly. “We are so excited to launch this series of meet and greets,” said Dr. Daly. “We are hoping these sessions will give us an opportunity to connect in an authentic way with our families and caregivers. It is critical for families and caregivers to know they have access to Watertown Public Schools and they see the district as partners in the education of their children.”

These gatherings are born out of the Office of DEIB’s goal to plan, execute, and attend events that engage staff, families, students and the community in the work of DEIB.

Schools

Unlike Other Districts, Watertown Prepares to Open School With Nearly Full Staff

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Watertown Superintendent Dede Galdston was interviewed by WBZ Channel 4 about hiring teachers. (Screenshot from WBZ)

On Monday, Superintendent Dede Galdston welcomed 42 teachers who are new to the district during the orientation at Hosmer Elementary School. When school opens on Sept. 3, Watertown will be in a position that is enviable to other communities. According to WBZ Channel 4, there are nearly 4,800 open teaching positions in Massachusetts, and the TV station approached the Watertown Schools while doing the story, Galdston said.

Schools

School Officials & Police Believe Bomb Threats on 4 Schools Are Linked to Recent Publicity of Middle School Hit List

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Watertown Middle School

School officials and Police believe the bomb threats on four Watertown schools on Tuesday were the result of recent publicity of an incident at Watertown Middle School in January when a student’s hit list was found. In a statement from the Watertown Schools and WPD, they said the schools are committed to “ensuring the safety and well-being of all of our students,” that “Watertown is a kind and caring community,” and they “stand together against these hateful actions.” The hit list was discovered in January, and Watertown School officials and Watertown Police determined that there was not threat. At the time, some parents expressed concern about their children’s safety and questioned the response by School officials. On Jan.

Around Town

WBC Life Science Panel Spotlights Collaboration Between Schools & Life Science Companies

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If you missed the fourth annual Watertown Business Coalition Life Science Panel on April 9 focusing on the collaboration between the Watertown Public Schools and local life science companies, you can see the video produced by Watertown Cable Access Television. The collaboration is known as CoLAB High School STEM Career Collaboration, and has been organized by Watertown’s Merle Kummer and the group’s board. CoLAB is a nonprofit organization in Watertown where local life science professionals and high school educators collaborate to inspire student interest in STEM careers — Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math — and build new levels of STEM self-confidence.  The Life Science Panel was held at Mosesian Center for the Arts. The event included panelists from Addgene and Acrivon Therapeutics, and a Watertown High School Junior shared his experience on what it is like to have a real scientist as a mentor.”We are proud to partner with life sciences professionals, working together to mentor our students and future scientists,” the Watertown Business Coalition said after the event. See the video below:

Schools

Information About Watertown’s Free PreK and Preschool Programs

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On Monday, the School Committee approved Superintendent Dede Galdston’s plan to provide free universal prekindergarten in the Watertown Public Schools beginning in the fall of 2024. Galdston provided more information about the program in an announcement sent out this week, see it below. Watertown Public Schools is pleased to announce that PreKindergarten and Preschool classes will be tuition-free for children who turn 4 by August 31, 2024. Applications for the 2024-2025 school year have already begun, and we are excited to be able to offer up to 40 additional spaces for Watertown children in our prekindergarten and preschool classrooms.

Here is more information about our Early Steps PreKindergarten program and process:

PreKindergarten is for students who turn four by August 31. The classroom has 18 students in it with 1 certified teacher and 1 instructional assistant. The curriculum is age-appropriate with an emphasis on socialization, early numeracy, and early literacy skills.

Schools

LETTER: Watertown Educators Call for Emergency Protocol Training Following Third False Intruder Alert

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The following is a letter signed by 50 Cunniff families and more than a dozen additional community members in response to the third false alarm of the intruder alert at the Cunniff since the new building opened. 

January 14, 2024

In the aftermath of an accidental activation of the intruder alert at Cunniff last week, we want to publicly share our support for the heroism, leadership, compassion, and professionalism that our teachers demonstrated during this crisis. Thank you for prioritizing the safety and wellbeing of our children and for the countless ways that you support them every day. The district has released information about physical safeguards being installed to prevent another false alarm. Last week’s incident was the third occurrence during school hours since the opening of the new Cunniff. Watertown Educators shared via Facebook that Cunniff Educators have asked for emergency protocol trainings since moving into the new building. The signers of this letter are calling for immediate action by Watertown Public Schools district leadership and Watertown School Committee to ensure this need be met.

Schools

Watertown Assistant Superintendent Heading to Marblehead to be Interim Superintendent

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Watertown Assistant Superintendent Theresa McGuinness will be leaving Watertown after eight years to take a position in Marblehead. (Courtesy of Watertown Public Schools)

The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Public Schools:

Dr. Theresa McGuinness, Watertown’s Assistant Superintendent of Teaching, Learning, and Assessment, has accepted an offer to become the Interim Superintendent of Marblehead Public Schools. During her 8 years in Watertown, Dr. McGuinness demonstrated a relentless focus on the inclusiveness of instruction, valuing high expectations and equity for all students and staff members. Dr. McGuinness, like so many educators and administrators in Watertown, has worked tirelessly to create a fully inclusive, strong, and welcoming school district. “Watertown is a special school district and a microcosm of the world in many ways,” said Dr. McGuinness.

Schools

LETTER: Parents Back Watertown School Committee Candidate

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As parents of students at all levels in the Watertown Public Schools, we write to enthusiastically express our support for Lisa Capoccia for Watertown School Committee. The three of us have separately known Lisa for over a decade in various capacities – as a public health colleague working in suicide prevention, as collaborators on school and community initiatives, and as fellow parents. Lisa has dedicated an incredible amount of time to the Watertown Public Schools over many years, and often behind the scenes, by advocating for resources for students, families, and staff who need them the most, improving transparency of health data to the community, sharing and compiling resources on a community and individual level, and much more. As long as we have known Lisa, she has deeply valued the diversity among families in Watertown and has seen that as one of the greatest strengths of the Watertown Public Schools. She is a tireless advocate for equity in public education and has offered important feedback to the district through the Equity Audit process that was developed last year.