Charity

Dancing With the Stars Event Will Benefit Watertown Education Foundation

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The second annual Dancing with the Stars, which will benefit the Watertown Public Schools, features coaches, state reps and Watertown parents. 
The Watertown Education Foundation (WEF) will host its second annual, “Dancing with the Stars” event on Friday, May 1, beginning at 6 p.m. at the Hellenic Cultural Center, 25 Bigelow Ave., East Watertown. 
Modeled after the popular television show, the event features Watertown “stars” partnered with professional dancers from Avalon Dance & Fitness and Fred Astaire, both located in Belmont. 
The 2015 Stars are:

John Cacace, Watertown High School (WHS) football coach
Jane Corrigan, Watertown resident and Reagle Music Theatre performer
Lidia DiIeso, Cunniff School teacher
Aine Dirrane, IA, Watertown Middle School (WMS)
Aaron Dushku, Watertown Town Councilor
Kendra Foley, Hosmer School parent
Jay Hughes, local realtor, WMS & WHS parent
Armand Keuchkarian, entrepreneur, WMS & WHS parent
John Lawn, State Representative, Watertown Public Schools parent
Sheri Park, Lowell School teacher

“Last year’s event was a tremendous success,” said Amy Donohue, WEF co-president. “It is a fun night out for the adults, and a wonderful opportunity to support the WEF grant program.  It will once again be a terrific event; all are welcome to attend!”
Avalon Dance & Fitness and Fred Astaire instructors will work with the stars on a rigorous practice schedule right up to the event. Professional dancers from various studios and dance organizations will serve as judges. The winners will be announced at the end of the event. Tickets may be purchased on-line at www.watertowned.org; $30 Silver tickets (general seating); $40 Gold tickets (premium seating); and $50 Platinum tickets (table seating). Hors d’oeuvres and cocktails begin at 6:00 and competition begins promptly at 7:30. There will also be a silent auction, and cash bar.  At the conclusion of the competition, the dance floor will be open to all guests for dancing. For more information, please contact info@watertowned.org 

Around Town

Learn About Diabetes from the Watertown Health Department

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The Watertown Health Department will host a free lecture about diabetes at the Watertown Mall. 

Join Public Health Nurse Wil van Dinter RN on April 17 at 10 a.m. and learn about the types of diabetes, most common signs and symptoms of diabetes, tests and diagnosis for diabetes, and ways to control your diabetes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 9.3 percent or about 29.1 million people in the U.S. have diabetes. From those about 8.1 million are undiagnosed. Undiagnosed and untreated diabetes can cause eye, nerve, and kidney complications. This free health lecture will be held in the Old Country Buffet. In addition, from 10 a.m.-noon, free blood pressure screenings will be provided by St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center.

Boston Marathon Bombing

Jury Finds Tsarnaev Guilty on All Counts in the Marathon Bombing Trial

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The jury in the Boston Marathon Bombing case found Dzhokhar Tsarnaev guilty on all 30 counts, including being responsible for the deaths of those killed at the finish line and of MIT Police Officer Sean Collier and setting off bombs in Watertown. The verdict was read at Boston Federal Court on Wednesday afternoon, and jury will now move on to the sentencing phase of the trial. Tsarnaev faces the death penalty for some of the counts. Tsarnaev was found guilty of five counts of using of a weapon of mass destruction, for setting off the two pressure cooker bombs at the marathon and three pipe bombs during the shootout in Watertown. The jury also found that by setting off the bombs he caused the deaths of Campbell with the first bomb, and caused Richard’s and Lu’s death with the second bomb.

Schools

Group Seeks to Make Watertown High School Safe for Transgender Students

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A group of Watertown High School students has requested that the School Committee add a school district policy for transgender and nonconforming students to make these students feel safe to attend the town’s schools. 

Transgender students do not feel comfortable at Watertown High School, said members of the Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) at WHS. “A lot of it was the school culture,” said GSA President and WHS junior Jeremy Holt. “When we decided to put this in place the school culture was not open and accepting (of transgender and nonconforming students).” As part of the new policy, they seek some changes to improve the atmosphere at the school. Some changes include creating gender-neutral bathrooms and locker rooms, teachers using the pronoun preferred by the student when addressing the student, and not telling parents what their preferred sexual identity until the student is comfortable telling them. “The three main goals of the policy are to reduce stigmatization of transgender and gender nonconforming students, maintaining the privacy of all students and fostering cultural competence and professional development for school staff,” WHS junior and GSA member Kira Peterson told the School Committee on Monday night.

Entertainment

Watertown Student Artwork on Display at the Watertown Mall

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Come see how creative Watertown students of all ages can be during the annual Watertown Public Schools Student Art Exhibit. 

The Watertown Mall, 550 Arsenal St., is hosting the art exhibit from April 10-28. Enjoy hundreds of fine art pieces crafted by Watertown students in kindergarten through grade 12. You will be amazed at the breadth and depth of artistic talent on display. Mediums showcased include, but are not limited to: watercolor, crayon, cray pas, pencil, photography, computer art, 3D, ceramics, and paper machè. This event is free to the general public!

Around Town

Group Uniting Efforts to End Homelessness, Hosting Forum on April 26

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Find out about the many ways homelessness impacts our community at a forum hosted by the TriCommunity Coalition to End Homelessness. The group is working to end homelessness in Watertown, Belmont and Waltham. The forum, “Many Faces of Homelessness – We Can All Help” will be held on Sunday, April 26 from 1:30-3:30 p.m. at St. Joseph Parish Hall, 130 Common St. in Belmont.

Schools

See What School Officials Included in the Budget Request for 2015-16

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Watertown school officials have requested a $2.7 million increase for the 2015-16 school year, which includes more than 20 new jobs, new equipment and bolstering technology in the town’s public schools. Superintendent Jean Fitzgerald said the budget includes teachers to reduce class sizes at Cunniff and Hosmer elementary schools, teachers at the high school to strengthen the computer science and environmental science programs, and an Arabic teacher at the high school. The $41.93 million budget, a 6.87 percent increase from 20141-15, was presented to the School Committee on Monday night. Another area of focus for the budget is student support. This includes adding part-time psychologists at Cunniff and Lowell schools, a part time school adjustment counselor at Watertown Middle School, and two part-time psychologists and a behavioral specialist for the special education program.

Around Town

Marathoner Running Boston Race for Operation American Soldier

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The 2015 Boston Marathon will be Peter Walker’s second, but this year he wanted to raise money for a good cause. That’s when he discovered the Watertown-based charity that sends care packages to American troops overseas. Walker searched for a charity and got a suggestion while he was dining. “I was in Conley’s in Watertown talking with someone,” Walker said. “I said it would be nice to run for a foundation.