Registration Open for the Recreation Department’s Winter Programs

Registration is open for the Recreation Department’s Winter Session 1, which runs from Dec. 7, 2020 to Feb. 7, 2021. The programs include a range of indoor and outdoor activities for ages PreK to adult.

There are all-sports programs, crafts, and the Cops ‘n’ Rec floor hockey, girls volleyball and basketball. High school offerings include basketball, girls volleyball and futsal.

Watertown Schools to Conduct Outside Review of Bullying & Discipline Policies After Racially-Motivated Incident

The Watertown Public Schools hired outside experts to review the district’s bullying and disciplinary policies following a student’s report of racially-motivated bullying. In November, a 13-year-old girl who attends Watertown Middle School reported being harassed online and by phone after putting up posts supporting the Black Lives Matter movement. In another response to the incident, the Watertown schools will host a community forum to discuss racism and bullying in the Watertown Schools on Thursday, Dec. 3 at 6:30 p.m. The public can join the form, which is being held virtually on Zoom, by using this link: https://watertown-k12-ma-us.zoom.us/j/94875621016

Superintendent Dede Galdston said the decision to have a review of how the district handles bullying, and specifically racially-motivated incidents, was made after hearing about the experience of Watertown Middle School student. “Recent events have given me significant pause, and while I do not believe the Watertown Public Schools is alone in responding to acts of hate and racism, it is simply not enough to say ‘we did our best’ or ‘we followed our usual policies,’ We must be willing to review our practices and procedures,” Galdston said.

Design of New High School Changed to Reduce Impact on Neighbors, Drop-off Areas & Parking Discussed

A conceptual design of the preferred option for the New Watertown High School, looking down Common Street toward Mt. Auburn Street. Architects working on the new Watertown High School tweaked the designs to make them less obtrusive to neighbors, and showed potential pickup and drop off areas around the two buildings on either side of Common Street. Ai3 Architects presented the conceptual designs at the fifth Community Forum for the high school project held virtually on Monday night. On Dec.

LETTER: Are More Artificial Turf Fields a Win for Watertown and the Planet?

The following letter is in response to the Town Council’s recent approval of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Town of Watertown and Buckingham Browne & Nichols School to share share fields — the new artificial turf fields planned by the school on Grove Street and the fields at Filippello Park. Dear Watertown,

For more than a decade, the artificial turf industry’s campaign to convincemunicipalities, private schools, colleges and universities to build new artificial turf playing fields and to replace existing grass playing fields with artificial turf has grown steadily and has been highly successful. What has also grown is public opposition to this high powered, highly profitable, and often dishonest campaign. The industry’s claim that artificial turf has been proven to be safe for student athletes and for the general public is untrue. When public input is kept out of the decision-making process, the industry almost always wins.

Some Watertown Groups to Help on #GivingTuesday

Dec. 1 is Giving Tuesday and Watertown has a number of organizations that are seeking donations. See information about the groups and how to give below. Mosesian Center for the Arts

The Watertown-based arts center sent out information, including:

Your support is crucial right now. Your generous donation will help ensure that MCA continues through the coming months and into the years ahead. You’ll be sustaining quality and affordable arts programming with an increasing online presence and plans to resume in person when we can gather safely again.

Police Log: Man Urinates in Front of Officers, Counterfeit Cash Found

The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Arrest

Nov. 18, 7:06 p.m.: Police were called to Target because a man was found lying in the mulch bed outside the store. When officers arrived they found the man who was conscious and alert, but appeared to be under the influence of alcohol. The man became belligerent and used obscenities when speaking with Police, as shoppers went in and out of the store, and created a disturbance.

See the Watertown Athletes Who Made the Middlesex League All-Stars

Eleven Watertown High School athletes from five teams made the Middlesex All-Stars during the 2020 Fall Season. Teams played shortened seasons this fall due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and three fall sports — football, girls volleyball and girls swimming — were postponed. Girls Cross Country: Anna Lonergan

Field Hockey: Margaret Driscoll, Molly Driscoll, Elizabeth Loftus and Taylor Lambo

Golf: Nicolas Oteri

Boys Soccer: Nicholas Dipace, Caiden Kiani and Kenan Canca

Girls Soccer: Amanda Cosco and Jenna Petrie

Football and girls volleyball will be held during the MIAA’s Fall II Season, due to begin in February. Watertown school officials decided to not hold swimming this year because the program is a coop one with Arlington, which would have required students from both schools mixing each day, according to an Athletics Subcommittee report at the Watertown School Committee. Athletes can register now for the Winter Season, which includes boys and girls basketball and boys and girls hockey.

Biotech Company Moving from Kendall Square to Watertown

A biotech company currently located in Cambridge’s Kendall Square signed a lease to move into Watertown’s Arsenal on the Charles. Constellation Pharmaceuticals signed a 10-year lease with Alexandria Real Estate Equities, the owner of the complex on Arsenal Street, according to a report on Bisnow. The company specializes in developing novel therapeutics to be used in cancer treatment. Constellation will occupy on 79,000 sq. ft.