Around Town

24 Groups Receive Share of $75K from Watertown Community Foundation

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On June 2, the Watertown Community Foundation (WCF) held a reception for its 24 spring grantees at the Arsenal Center for the Arts where it distributed over $75,000. Since WCF’s founding in 2003, it has awarded over $725,000 in grants to nonprofits serving Watertown. At the event, WCF Board Co-President, David Siegel, introduced newly hired Executive Director, Jennie Bass. Then as he handed out the checks, outgoing Executive Director, Michael Schade, stated, “We are fortunate to have these outstanding organizations working to make Watertown a special town, and we are lucky our Community Foundation exists to help support them.”

All of the grants are funded from WCF’s Arsenal Education Income Fund. 13 Educational Program Grants totaling $22,943 were given to:

Cunniff Elementary School for an afterschool parent-child book club fostering reading for pleasure and academic success.

Overcrowding

LETTER: Parents React to New Overcrowding Plan & More from School Meeting

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Parent group Watertown Strong Schools submitted this roundup of the School Committee meeting on June 6, where the overcrowding plan, facilities master plan, enrollment and many other items were discussed. 

Note: These are NOT official minutes. Commentary can be found at the bottom of the minutes. Written by: Alyson Morales

Committee members: John Portz, Chair; Kendra Foley, Vice-Chair; Guido Guidotti, Secretary; Eileen Hsu-Balzer; Candace Miller; Mark Sideris; Liz Yusem; Dr. Fitzgerald, Superintendent; Charles Kellner, Director, Business Services; and Craig Hardimon, Human Resources Director. Audience members: Mena Ciarlone, Cunniff Principal; Elizabeth Kaplan, Lowell Principal; Bob LaRoche, Hosmer Principal; Donna Ruseckas, Director of Wellness & Extended Services; Adam Silverberg, World Languages Coordinator; Lauren Harwood, Accountability Data Manager; Vincent Piccirilli, Town Council Vice President; Aaron Dushku, Town Councilor; Lisa Feltner, Town Councilor; Jim Cairns, WSS; Pete Caron, WSS; Julie Cotton, WSS; Kate Coyne, WSS; Rebecca Grow, WSS; Diego Hammerschlag, WSS; David Stokes, WSS; Alyson Morales, WSS, Mike Shephard; and many other parents and community members. Math Olympiad

The Lowell 5th grade Math League was honored along with their teacher Mrs. Debra Garabedian for placing first in the nation in the Continental Math Leauge.

Schools

Watertown Students Among the Minuteman High School Graduates

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Commencement exercises were held for the Class of 2016 from Minuteman High School in Lexington on June 3 at the Tsongas Center at UMass-Lowell. See the Watertown grads below.The occasion featured memorable speeches filled with farewells to dedicated teachers, sage advice for the future, expressions of appreciation to Minuteman for the valuable education it provided and heartfelt final words for the young men and women who have shared the excitement and challenges of the past four years, the school announced. Valedictorian Rachel Toups of Boxborough gave an address that imaginatively compared the function and movement of each finger to each student’s own distinctive history and destiny. “No matter the path we choose, be it a career, continued education, or undecided as of yet, I encourage you to see your hand as a symbol of your life,” she told her peers. “Just as our hands are all unique, so too will be the paths we take from here.”

“This school has been our wonderland, because we have done the impossible,” said salutatorian Tristin O’Connor of Bolton, making a reference to Alice in Wonderland.

Development

LETTER: Patio at La Casa de Pedro at Risk in Athenahealth Plans

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Editor,

The developers of the Athena Health property on Arsenal Street propose to eliminate the patio in front of the west entrance to La Casa de Pedro Restaurant.  This very popular patio fronts a broad vista of sunlit green lawn with a fountain, the Arsenal Center for the Arts, and shade trees on the opposite side. The developers’ plan proposes removing this patio and installing a new patio on the north side of the building, next to heavily trafficked Arsenal Street. What a loss that would be for Watertown! The patio in its current location provides exceptional beauty, comfort and utility, IMO the best outside restaurant seating in the whole of Watertown. There’s a delightful view over the wide green lawn from every patio table.

Around Town

Watertown Citizens Meeting Features Talk on War on Terror, Pages for Peace

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Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice and the Environment will host a talk titled “The U.S. War on Terror in the Middle East – and Its Victims” and The Big Book: Pages for Peace during its annual meeting. The annual meeting and potluck dinner will be held Sunday, June 12 at 5:30 p.m. at the Auditorium at The Apartments at Coolidge School, 319 Arlington St., Watertown. Potluck Dinner will be at 5:30 p.m., Meeting and Program at 6:15 p.m.

The program features the talk “The U.S. War on Terror in the Middle East – and its Victims” with Jeff Klein. Klein is a retired machinist and local union president active with anti-war groups, Dorchester People for Peace and Massachusetts Peace Action. He speaks and writes on U.S. Policy and Middle East issues. He recently returned from Syria. Also, the meeting features The Big Book: Pages for Peace with Groton students Michael Suchecki and Madelyn Kelly. The Big Book has been seen by children throughout the world.

Around Town

Birthday Party and Art Exhibition Among the Events at the Senior Center in June

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The Watertown Senior Center has plenty going on this month, here are some of the highlights. Senior Center Birthday Party When: Friday, June 10 11:30 a.m.-3:30  p.m. Where: Watertown Senior Center, 31 Marshall St. We’ll have music, line dancing, door prizes, a raffle, the Mellowtones, and full delicious luncheon including ice cream and Birthday Cake! So come join us and bring along a friend! Tickets are on sale now at the Senior Center and the cost: $14.

Obituaries

OBIT: Michael Goyetche, 1976 WHS Grad, Standout Athlete

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A funeral mass will be held on Tuesday June 7th, 2016 at the Our Lady Help of Christians Church, 573 Washington St., Waltham at 10:30 a.m. for Michael E. Goyetche. Mike was the beloved son of the late Henry E. & Stella M. (Harvey) Goyetche. He passed away in Boston on Wednesday, June 1, 2016 after a long illness. He was 58. Devoted brother of Jeannette M. Goyetche and her husband Jerry Hoffman of California, Paul H., and the late Richard J. Goyetche. Loving uncle of Lucas M. and Geena N. Hoffman.

Letters

LETTER: Parents Ask Questions About Short Term Plan for School Overcrowding

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The Watertown Strong Schools produced this account of the two June 1 meetings held by Superintendent Jean Fitzgerald about short term plan for classroom space and overcrowding. At the end the authors provided their commentary. Note: These are NOT official minutes. Commentary can be found at the bottom of the minutes. Written by: Alyson Morales

School Administration, School Committee Members, and Town Council Members in attendance at one or both meetings include: Dr. Fitzgerald, Superintendent; Bob LaRoche, Hosmer Principal; Mena Ciarlone, Cunniff Principal; John Portz, School Committee Chair; Guido Guidotti, School Committee; Kendra Foley, School Committee Vice Chair; Eileen Hsu-Balzer, School Committee; Candace Miller, School Committee; Elizabeth Yusem, School Committee; Mark Sideris, Town Council President; Vincent Picirilli, Town Council Vice President; and Lisa Felter, Town Councilor.