Drama

Watertown High School Students Putting on the Musical “Pippin” This Week

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While the elements have not cooperated, Watertown High School’s production of the musical “Pippin” will go on this week as scheduled. Monday afternoon the 30 plus members of the cast fine tuned their numbers while the crew worked on the scenery and lighting at the WHS Auditorium. Showtimes are 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 15; Friday, March 16; and Saturday, March 17. The show is a bit of a mind bender for the actor who are putting on show within a show, said WHS junior Daniel Vanryn. “It is really cool, it is almost a show within a show.

Schools

Artwork by Watertown Public Schools Students Will be on Display at the Mall

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The Watertown Mall, located at 550 Arsenal Street, Watertown, will again be hosting the Watertown Public Schools’ Annual Student Art Exhibit from April 4 to April 24, 2018, the Mall announced. The exhibit will feature hundreds of works of art made by students from Watertown Public Schools. You will be left awestruck by the hardworking young artists, who range from kindergarteners to high schoolers, and their very unique talents. The art displayed will vary in medium and you will be exposed to spectacular pieces created using watercolors, crayons, cray pas, pencils, computer art, ceramics, paper machè, and more. The exhibit will run from Wednesday, April 4th to Tuesday, April 24th and we hope to see you there.

School Committee

School Committee Passes Resolution Calling for Gun Safety, More Mental Health Services

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In the wake of the recent school shooting in Parkland, Fla., the Watertown School Committee passed a resolution asking for strengthening gun control laws and improving mental health services for students. Also, some students at the high school will have their own response to the shootings. 

The School Committee began its meeting Monday with a moment of silence for the 17 people killed during the shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida on Feb. 14, 2018. Later in the evening, the School Committee unanimously passed the resolution at Monday night’s meeting. The resolution calls for State and Federal lawmakers to support laws and regulations that:

Insure thorough background checks and waiting periods before adults can purchase or own guns
Prohibit the presence of guns on school property, unless by a law enforcement officer
Ban the sale of semi-automatic, assault-style weapons as well as high-capacity
magazines or clips
Strengthen counseling and mental health services for students

School Committee member Lindsay Mosca said she thinks that the resolution was the right step for the board to take, and said that she does not see it as a political issue but one of concern for students’ safety.

Schools

Lowell School Online Auction Has Begun, Raises Money for PTO

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The Annual Lowell Elementary School Online Auction begins March 3rd at 8 a.m. and runs till noon on March 10th, the school’s PTO announced. Organizers sent out the following announcement:

We have a number of new items this year and over 270 items in total. We are adding new things daily and will have close to $30,000 worth of items to bid on. This auction is open to anyone, this is not limited to Lowell or Watertown families. The Lowell Elementary School PTO raises funds to support Lowell students and teachers and sponsors events to enhance the community spirit of our wonderful school.

Entertainment

Musicians from Around the Watertown Public Schools Playing at Bandarama

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Musicians from each of the Watertown Public Schools will perform at Bandarama on March 6, 2018, at 7 p.m. in the Watertown High School Gymnasium. See what each group will be performing during the concert. Middle School Sixth Grade Band

Morgan Schneider, conductor
Raiders March – J. Williams/arr. J. Bullock

Middle School Combined Sixth, Seventh , & Eighth grade String Ensemble

Dr. Frederik Schuetze, conductor
Fiddles on Fire – M. Williams

High School Concert Band

Dan Jordan, conductor
Hawaii Five-O – Stevens/Lopez
The Ides of March – S. O’Loughlin

High School String Ensemble

Dr. Frederik Schuetze, conductor
The Beach Boys – arr. J. Moss

Middle School 7-8th grade Band

Morgan Schneider, conductor
Superheroes R Us – arr.

Government

Watertown’s Director of Public Buildings Brings Military Background to Town & Schools

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In her previous life, Watertown’s first Director of Public Buildings, Lori Kabel, made sure that our nation’s Air Force bases worked well and now she looks to do the same for the town’s schools and municipal facilities. Kabel, who retired as a lieutenant colonel from the U.S. Air Force, worked on 10 bases across the United States as well as places around the globe, including Iraq, Germany, Korea and the U.K.

While the scenery will be different, Kabel said her work will not be totally different. “This jobs ties with military very much because I was a civil engineer with the Air Force,” Kabel said. “So, I did building maintenance as well as construction management for the bases that I was assigned to – So very similar; a small town is a like a small base.” Kabel will play a big role in the oversight of the upcoming school building projects, known as Building for the Future, which will include renovating or rebuilding the three elementary schools as well as Watertown High School.

Around Town

Students Can Apply for the 50th Annual Lt. Paul J. Sullivan Scholarship

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The Lieutenant Paul J. Sullivan Scholarship Committee is pleased to announce the 50th annual Lt. Paul J. Sullivan Scholarship, organizers announced. The Scholarship Award of $5,000 will be awarded to a deserving high school senior to perpetuate Paul’s memory. There will also be awards for the other finalists. Last year, a total of $17,500 was awarded to six young men and women. Paul was a member of Sacred Heart Parish in Watertown and a graduate of St.