Schools

Lowell School Site Will Not Be Used for High School, Future Enrollments Discussed

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The Lowell Elementary School site will be removed from the table as a possible location for a new high school with a vote taken by the School Committee on Monday during a special meeting to discuss issues impacting upcoming school building projects. The School Committee also looked at the enrollment which the new schools will be able to accommodate after the three elementary schools are rebuilt or renovated. Examining the Lowell site was necessary as the Watertown Public Schools officials start a parallel construction project to rebuild or renovate Watertown High School with the help of the state’s Massachusetts School Building Authority, said School Committee Chairman John Portz. “The question (Monday) is not whether to site the high school there, but is it a viable site for the high school,” Portz said. School officials will have to present the state with all the potential sites in town for a high school, including the current one.

Business

Perkins Partners with Company to Provides High Tech Assistance for the Blind

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Some employees at Perkins School for the Blind have been testing some high tech glasses that give the blind and visually impaired new independence. They don’t let users see better, per se, but instead they have a camera that allows someone to watch a live stream video and give the wearer instant descriptions and directions. The technology was developed by San Diego-based startup Aira, which this week announced a partnership with the school in Watertown – the first of its kind in the country. One of those who piloted Aira was Kim Charlson, executive director of the Perkins Library. Charlson is visually impaired and uses her seeing-eye dog Dolly to help her get around.

Schools

Watertown Student Named to First Semester Dean’s List at Holy Cross

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Olivia Venezia, a first year student at the College of the Holy Cross, has been named to the Dean’s List for the first semester of 2017-18 academic year, the college announced. 

She is the daughter of Michael and Rosanna Venezia of Watertown. She has not declared a major. The Watertown High School graduate also plays on the Holy Cross varsity field hockey team. The College of the Holy Cross (www.holycross.edu), located in Worcester, Mass., is among the nation’s leading liberal arts institutions. A highly selective, four-year, exclusively undergraduate college of 2,900 students, Holy Cross is renowned for offering a rigorous, personalized education in the Jesuit, Catholic tradition.

Around Town

BC Scientist from Watertown Helps Discover Oldest Known Butterfly

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While searching for the remains of plants and pollen in 200 million year old sediment, Boston College scientist and Watertown resident Paul Strother and a Dutch colleague discovered the remains of an ancient butterfly much older than ever found – a discovery that may change the understanding of prehistoric plants. While spending time in Germany in 2012, Strother examined some cores from Northern Germany with Bas van de Schootbrugge, a Dutch microfossil paleontologist who at the time had a lab in Germany. It took a few years, and collaboration with a number of other scientists, to find out just what they had found. “It sort of shows how sciences works, sometimes,” said Stother, a research professor in paleobotany in BC’s Department of Earth & Environmental Science. He lives in Watertown with his wife Ceclia Lenk, a former Town Councilor.

Government

Town Councilors, School Committee Members Get Subcommittee Assignments

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With the new term starting for the Town Council and School Committee, both boards elected their officers and announced committee assignments during their first meeting in January. The Town Council unanimously approved District C Councilor Vincent Piccirilli to another term as Vice President at the Jan. 9 meeting. On Jan. 8, the School Committee voted to appoint John Portz to another two years as Chairman.

Around Town

MLK Day Speaker Stresses Friendship, Unity Award Goes to Boys and Girls Club Head

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For the 18th year in a row Watertown celebrated the life of Martin Luther King, Jr., and his legacy during the Unity Breakfast. During the event the keynote speaker talked about his work to make the conversation about race in America a positive and productive one through friendship and love, and the head of the Watertown Boys & Girls Club received the Unity Award. The morning also featured moving readings from the winner of the Watertown Middle School and High School MLK Essay Contest, and performances from singers and rappers. The event took place at the Hellenic Cultural Center on Monday and was sponsored by The World in Watertown. William “Smitty” Smith has some credentials in working to improve race relations in the United States.

Schools

Several Watertown Students Make Dean’s List at MassBay College

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The Massachusetts Bay Community College is pleased to announce its 2017 Fall Semester Dean’s List. Full-time students who have earned a 3.50 or higher grade point average (GPA) are included and acknowledged on the Dean’s List. This semester list includes 252 students. 

The students from Watertown who made MassBay’s Dean’s List for the Fall of 2017 are:
Lara AlMassih, Shaun Cosenza, Elias Fabrikarakis, Michelle Gallego, Kareem Halwani-Plaza, Haider Khan and Rory Mather

Schools

Watertown Superintendent Identifies Strengths, Areas to Work On in Her Entry Plan

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During her first six months as Superintendent, Dede Galdston dove deep into the workings Watertown Schools and came up with recommendations to improve the schools in areas ranging from student success, aligning the curriculum, improving communication, staff diversity, and, of course, improving the school buildings. Monday night, Galdston introduced her Superintendent’s Entry Plan to the School Committee. The report came from Galston’s conversations with more than 75 individuals and groups over the last half year, plus examining district test results, curriculum and other material. Participants welcomed the opportunity to speak with the superintendent, Galdston noted. “Time and again, I heard that this was one of the first times that people had the opportunity to have an open conversation with the superintendent and that they hoped this type of communication forum would continue into the future,” Galdston wrote.