Bilingual

Bilingualism is a Gift Campaign Resonates in Watertown and Beyond

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The Watertown schools started an effort to not only include students learning English as their second tongue in school, but to celebrate their first language and their culture. And the Bilingualism is a Gift campaign has been a hit. Two instructors have spearheaded the effort: Hosmer English Language Learner teacher Lauren Harrison and Maryann MacDougall, team leader of the Speech and Language program the Watertown Public Schools preschool program. The pair told the School Committee Tuesday nigh that they have received high marks not just from people in Watertown, but from educators across the United States and around the globe. In the fall, the Bilingualism is a Gift (or BiG) campaign started with a poster put up around the Watertown Schools.

Around Town

Head of Criminal Justice Reform Group to Speak at Annual Unity Breakfast

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For the 16th year in a row, Watertown will celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with a Unity Breakfast on Monday, Jan. 18, 2016. The event brings together hundreds of people, representing Watertown’s diverse population, to remember Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the man who devoted his life to ending prejudice and racism in our country. The Unity Breakfast has become a Watertown tradition, drawing over 400 guests. The program includes a timely keynote speaker, lively choral music, essays and art projects by Watertown middle and high school students, and the presentation of the Unity Award to a Watertown individual or community organization that has demonstrated outstanding community service.

Government

LETTER: Outgoing Library Trustee Reflects on the Inauguration

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To the Editor:

The Inauguration of Town Officials January 4 at the Arsenal Center for the Arts was a joyous occasion. I saw a lot of smiling people that evening, on stage and in the audience. Congratulations to all. The good people of the City called the Town of Watertown elected a fine bunch of people to steer our community forward. Four years ago I recited the oath of office for the last time as a Library Trustee.

Entertainment

See Who Will Appear at the Mt. Auburn Hospital’s Speaker Series

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Mount Auburn Hospital Auxiliary’s 80th annual Thursday Morning Talks Series will begin this week. The 2016 lecture series will feature speakers who will cover a wide variety of topics including: art, journalism, national security, and challenges to our democracy. Speakers will include Eric Lander, President and Founding Director of the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT; Stephen Kurkjian, author and former investigative reporter for the Boston Globe; Ethan Lasser, Associate Curator of American Art at the Harvard Art Museums, and more. The Talk Series will be every Thursday, Jan. 7 to Feb.

Around Town

Eliza Dushku Talks About Her Film ‘Dear Albania,’ Fighting the Addiction Epidemic

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Eliza Dushku’s latest project is not a Hollywood blockbuster, but a documentary film. During the making of “Dear Albania” she found out more about the land of her ancestors and how it helped explained the passionate and compassionate sides of her personality. The film is five years in the making and debuted Monday night on WGBH’s World station. On Monday, she was at the Town Diner in Coolidge Square to talk to a few media outlets about her new project. She knew little about Albania and growing up in Watertown, she was often confused for being from one of the town’s other major immigrant groups. “In grade school teachers would ask, what’s your background, and we’d say Albanian,” Dushku recalled.

Government

Schools, Development, Transportation Priorities for Town in Next Two Years

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Among the key areas of focus for the Town Council in the new term will be improving Watertown’s schools, deal with the development boom and seek to improve transportation, Town Council President Mark Sideris announced at Monday’s inauguration ceremony. Sideris, the Town Council (Michael Dattoli, Aaron Dushku, Susan Falkoff, Lisa Feltner, Angeline Kounelis, Anthony Palomba, Vincent Piccirilli and Kenneth Woodland) and the elected or re-elected School Committee members (Eileen Hsu-Balzer, Kendra Medville Foley and Candace Miller) and Library Trustees (Sheppard Ferguson, Penelope Peoples and Timothy Tracy) were sworn in at the event held at the Arsenal Center for the Arts’ Charles Mosesian Theater. Development has been the top issue in town, particularly in the areas east of Watertown Square along Arsenal Street. Two major apartment projects have been approved along Arsenal Street and a new hotel is going up near the malls. Zoning for two areas that could change the town significantly continue to subjects of hot discussion: the Regional Mixed Use District (RMUD) in the area of the two malls in town, and the redevelopment of the Arsenal on the Charles.

Development

Town, Citizens Group Hosting Meetings on Zoning Changes Near Malls

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The proposal to change the zoning for the area around the malls on Arsenal Street has sparked much concern and many questions, and both the town and citizen group Sustainable Watertown will host meetings to discuss the proposed Regional Mixed Use District (RMUD). During Monday night’s Watertown Inauguration Ceremony, Town Council President Mark Sideris announced a pair of meetings about the RMUD hosted by the town and to be held at the Arsenal Project. Both meetings will be held on Saturdays from 10 a.m.-1 p.m., the first will be on Jan. 9 and the second on Jan. 16.

Schools

French Immersion School Hosting Open House on Saturday

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Les P’tit Bouts will host an open house this weekend for families to find out more about their French immersion school program in Watertown. Education French Greater Boston Preschool (EFGB) was created by Francophone and Francophile parents in 2008 to share their love for French culture and language with local families by providing affordable and high quality educational options. Les P’tits Bouts serves children Pre-K to second grade, and an open house will be held on Saturday, Jan. 9 from 10 a.m. to noon at the school, located at 2 Rosary Dr. in Watertown. For more information call 339-970-9596, email info@efgboston.org or go to www.efgboston.org.