Watertown News (https://www.watertownmanews.com/category/schools/page/2/)
Perkins School for the BlindThe Howe Building at Perkins School for the Blind. Police responded to an online threat directed at Perkins School for the Blind on Thursday, May 21. The Watertown Police sent out a statement about the incident. Read it below. This morning , The Watertown Police Department became aware of a past threat involving Perkins School.
Students from Watertown earned honors at Emerson College and SNHU; graduated from Regis College; and students presented their research projects. The following information was provided by the colleges and universities. Honor Rolls
Emerson College
The following students are named to Emerson College’s Dean’s List for the Fall 2025 semester. To make the Dean’s List, students must have a grade point average of 3.7 or higher for that semester. Nel Blinman of Watertown
Arthur Beceveli Venturim of Watertown
Lydia Mihretab of Watertown
SNHU
It is with great pleasure that Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) congratulates the following students on being named to the Spring 2026 Dean’s List.
The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Community Foundation:
The Watertown Community Foundation has awarded $39,475 in the inaugural Education and Youth Development grant cycle. This new grant program creates access to opportunities for Watertown youth that foster skill-building, creativity, leadership, confidence and resilience, while creating pathways for all young people to thrive. The Watertown Public Schools (WPS) was the largest grant recipient, receiving $22,575 to support six programs and provide student internship support. One of the grants, totaling $5,000, was awarded to the WPS Student Opportunity Fund, which covers the cost of student activities, field trips, and clubs for families who need support. This grant increases the district’s Student Opportunity Fund by approximately 25% for the 2026–2027 school year — a year that will see the reinstatement of athletics and activity fees at the middle and high school levels.
The following announcement was provided by Watertown SEPAC:
Watertown SEPAC (Special Education Parent Advisory Council) will host an in-person meeting on Thursday, May 21, 2026 at the Watertown Free Public Library, 123 Main St. The meeting will take place in the Lucia Mastrangelo Room on the second floor from 6-7:30 p.m.
Hosted by SEPAC Officers
Connect with Watertown parents & caregivers of students with disabilities
Discuss plans and priorities for the 2026-2027 school year
Fill out our Spring 2026 Family Survey while you’re there – it closes the following day! Drop-in participation for any length of time is welcome
Please see the recent SEPAC newsletter link below for additional details. The Smore platform can automatically translate newsletters into more than 130 languages.
May 2026 Newsletter: https://app.smore.com/n/ub1sa
Visit the Watertown SEPAC website to sign up for our mailing list: https://sites.google.com/watertown.k12.ma.us/watertown-sepac/home
Gov. Maura Healey, right, presented Watertown High School teacher Liz Mundy with flowers and a proclamation on May 7. (Screenshot from the Watertown Public Schools’ Instagram)
Watertown High School teacher Liz Mundy received some special gifts on Thursday as part of Teacher Appreciation Week: flowers and a proclamation delivered personally by Gov. Maura Healey. Healey said she wanted to honor Mundy, a science teacher who was Massachusetts STEM Teacher of the Year. A video of the visit was posted on the @massgovernor Instagram account. “It’s Teacher Appreciation Week, so I stopped by Watertown High to surprise Ms. Mundy, the STEM Teacher of the Year!
Something remarkable happened in 2025: about 18 states banned students’ access to smartphones and other personal electronic devices from the first to the last bell of the school day (bell-to-bell). More states followed in 2026. This shift reflects growing awareness that these devices are intentionally designed to steal our children’s attention – negatively affecting school environments and obstructing effective learning. Rave reviews are pouring in from bell-to-bell schools across the country. Disciplinary incidents are down, attendance is up, grades are improving, and students report feeling more connected to one another and to their school.
The sign for the temporary Watertown High School at PFC Richard Moxley Field. (Courtesy by City of Watertown)
The students taking Advanced Placement classes at Watertown High School have become more diverse, and more students come from low-income backgrounds. The total number of students in AP classes increased, too. On Monday, the School Committee heard a report from the WHS AP Pathways Working Group, which presented the outcomes of efforts to expand access to advanced courses and make the process more transparent. Casey Andrews, the Grade 9-12 English Language Arts Coordinator, presented the data.
Watertown Public School’s musicians will be performing at a pair of concerts in May. Band Concert
The Watertown High School band will hold its WHS Spring Concert on May 7 at 7 p.m. at the Watertown Middle School Auditorium! Orchestra Concert
Watertown string players from grades 6-12 will perform on Tuesday, May 19 from 7-8 p.m. in the WMS Auditorium for our Spring Orchestra Concert. This event is free and open to all!