Rocker Tells Bruce Springsteen About His Watertown Origins on Stage at Gillette Stadium

During Bruce Springsteen’s recent concert at Gillette Stadium, one of the members of the E Street Band revealed that he was born not just in the Boston area, but in Watertown. During the band’s performance of “Glory Days” the band asked the crowd “Do you want to go home?” to which guitarist Steven Van Zandt responded, “You know, I was born here,” according to a report on Boston.com. Springsteen responded, “In Boston?” And, Van Zandt specified, “Yeah, Watertown!” 

According to the report, he spent his first several years before moving to New Jersey.

See How Labor Day Impacts Watertown City Facilities & Services

Watertown LibraryThe Watertown Free Public Library. Multiple City-run facilities in Watertown will be closed on Monday for Labor Day, and the holiday will impact trash and recycling pick-up. The City of Watertown announced:

Watertown City Hall and Senior Center are closed in observance Labor Day, on Monday, September 4, 2023. Please note: Trash and recycling pickup is delayed one day. The schedule is Tuesday, September 5 – Saturday, September 9, 2023.

Enrollment Up at All Levels in Watertown Schools, Especially at the High School

Enrollment is up at Watertown High School, despite moving into the temporary location at PFC Ricard Moxley Field. (Courtesy by City of Watertown)

Watertown’s schools are growing at all levels, and some classes at two elementary schools are near or at capacity, Superintendent Dede Galdston told the School Committee. The biggest growth, however, is at the secondary level. Typically, School officials wait until September to provide the first enrollment report to the School Committee, Galdston said, but she wanted to inform members before school started incase they receive questions about it. “Our enrollment is up,” Galdston said.

Changes to Watertown Schools Attendance Policies, Other Policies at Middle and High Schools

The new school year brings new policies for the Watertown Public Schools, including families being asked to report student absences with an online form, new rules for tardies at the high school, and actions for middle school students failing math and English Language Arts. The School Committee heard about changes to the student handbooks at Watertown Public Schools starting this fall at the Aug. 21 meeting. Absences

Superintendent Dede Galdston said that the big change for the procedures when a student is absent is filling out and sending in a Google form online. “If you have an excused absence, any absence, you have to fill out a form, a Google form, instead of an email or phone call,” Galdston said.

Watertown Schools Appoint New Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging

Superintendent Dede Galdston announced the hiring of Dr. Ceronne Daly as the Watertown Public School’s Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging. Galdston announced the hiring to staff on Monday. Daly has worked in the Boston Public Schools for more than 10 years, most recently as the Managing Director of the Office of Recruitment, Cultivation, and Diversity Programs.

Daly will officially start working in October, but will be attending events starting this week, Galdston said in her statement. Daly succeeds Kimberlee Henry, who was the first Director of DEIB. The School Committee approved the creation of the position in 2020.

Watertown Athlete to Play Basketball for 24 Hours to Raise Money to Fight Cancer

Jeffrey Herbin will take part in A Shot for Life Gauntlet. Watertown High School basketball player Jeffrey Herbin will be participating in a 24-hour basketball marathon to raise money to fight cancer. Herbin seeks to raise $1,000 towards A Shot for Life’s $100,000 fundraising goal for 2023. He will participate in the the A Shot For Life Gauntlet on Nov. 11 at the Starland Sportsplex in Hanover.