Letters

LETTER: Parent Thanks Her Children’s Teachers for a Great Year

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Editor,

As this school year comes to a close, I want to take a moment to thank our wonderful teachers. Our two oldest children are at the Hosmer Elementary School in Kindergarten and second grade. They both had amazing teachers this year. 

Our daughter’s kindergarten teacher created an environment centered on kindness, empathy and inclusion with a focus on academic progress. She took the time to really understand our daughter and was therefore able to individualize her learning experience and challenge her. She was also engaged with the parents; inviting us into the classroom for special presentations, sending home weekly letters and maintaining open lines of communication at all times.

Schools

Film Showing and Discussion of the Future of Education Coming to WHS

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A movie about how to reimagine education will be shown at Watertown High School on June 28, with a discussion to follow. 

Organizers sent out the following information:

The Watertown Community Foundation and Watertown Public Schools are pleased to present a screening of Most Likely to Succeed. Come see this groundbreaking movie about education and be a part of the discussion about the future of education in our community – with parents, other residents, students, and faculty. School systems around the nation are using the ideas from the movie to drive discussions about re-imagining education and what our students are capable of. The film will be shown at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, June 28, 2016 in the Watertown High School auditorium. Please stay afterward for a panel discussion with parents, community members, and school administration.

Schools

Watertown Schools Hosting Community Forum on Facilities Master Plan

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Come find out about planning for the future needs of the Watertown Schools at a community forum on June 27.Watertown School officials sent out the following information:

The Watertown Public Schools are conducting a Master Plan Facilities Study. On Monday, June 27, 2016, there will be the first Community Forum for the project, where you will be able to learn about the process, and express any ideas you have. Please plan to attend. Community Forum
Watertown Public Schools Master Plan Facilities Study
Monday, June 27, 2016
7:00 PM
Watertown High School Auditorium
50 Columbia Street
Watertown, MA 02472

Letters

LETTER: Concern Over Pace of the Watertown Schools’ Master Plan

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Watertown Strong Schools provided a summary of the first meeting of the Steering Committee of the Master Planning Design Process for the Watertown Public Schools. School officials are looking to build the town’s schools for the 21st Century and deal with growing enrollments. Unofficial Minutes: Meeting of the Steering Committee of the Master Planning Design Process on 06/15/2016 – Key Points and Commentary

Note: These are NOT official minutes. Commentary can be found at the bottom of the minutes. Written by: Kate Coyne and David Stokes

Committee members: John Portz, Co-chair; Liz Yusem, Co-chair; Dr. Jean Fitzgerald, Superintendent; Charles Kellner, Director, Business Services; Vincent Piccirilli, Town Council Vice-President; Michael Dattoli, Town Councilor; Steve Magoon, Assistant Town Manager and Director, Community Development and Planning; Deb King, WEA President and WMS teacher; Toni Carlson, K-12 Educational Technology and Library Coordinator; Dr. Kimo Carter, WMS Principal; Alyson Morales; Pete Caron; Mike Shepard; Elaina Griffith; Chris Lowry.

Filmmakers Collaborative

Young Filmmakers Will Have Their Pieces Shown at Boston Kids Film Fest

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The darkened Lowell Elementary School library flickered last week as a group of students intently watched a set of short films – films made by and featuring themselves. A group of students in the Lowell Extended Day Program spent one day a week over the last several weeks learning about filmmaking and creating their own shorts. The worked with a teacher from the Filmmakers Collaborative. These films will be included in the Boston International Kids Film Festival in this fall. Fifth-grader Quian Yi Titterington helped shoot a film called “The Last Alien.”

Letters

LETTER: Parents Group Writes About Overcrowding, Enrollment and More

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The Watertown Strong Schools parent group followed the School Committee meeting on June 13, which tackled some key issues, such as overcrowding, enrollment projections and where dozens of students were honored. Unofficial Minutes: School Committee Meeting 6/13/16 – Key Points and Commentary

Note: These are NOT official minutes. Commentary can be found at the bottom of the minutes. Written by: Pete Caron, Julie Cotton, Kate Coyne, Alyson Morales, and David Stokes. 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.

Schools

Several Watertown Students on Dean’s List at MassBay Community College

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The Massachusetts Bay Community College is pleased to announce its 2016 Spring Semester Dean’s List. Full-time and part-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 292 students from Massachusetts. The following students from Watertown made the 2016 Spring Semester Dean’s List:

Artem Aleksanyan

Lisdeivy Clavijo

Victoria Desimone

Barry Doucette

Aleksandr Mangoyan

Jennifer Taylor

Bereket Waldelibanos

Vanessa Yee

Schools

Dancing With the Stars Raises Nearly $20K for Watertown Ed Foundation

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The Watertown Education Foundation (WEF) raised nearly $20,000 at its third annual, “Dancing with the Stars” event held in May. This year, Georgia (Butler) Mulgrew, Hosmer School guidance counselor, took home the trophy and was named the 2016 Dancing with the Stars champion. Cunniff School parent Kim Seacrist was awarded the Fan Favorite. Modeled after the popular television show, the event featured Watertown “stars” partnered with professional dancers from Ballroom in Boston, located in Allston. Kendra Foley, last year’s winner, served as one of this year’s judges, along with first time judge Manny Corriea and returning judge, “Miss Maria” Maria Scalzi-Monahan.