Schools

Watertown’s League Champs Celebrated at School Committee

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Watertown High School enjoyed an amazing winter sports season – perhaps the most historic winter in school history – and the success was celebrated this week at the School Committee meeting. Four teams displayed five banners earned this winter on the basketball court and ice hockey rink. Watertown High School Athletic Director Michael Lahiff said this is the first time in his memory that four teams – boy’s and girl’s basketball and boy’s and girl’s ice hockey – have won the Middlesex League title. “It may be the first time in Middlesex League history,” Lahiff said. “I don’t know.

Government

Watertown Class Sizes May Not Shrink Under Proposed Budget

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Keeping class sizes small is one of the School Committee’s goals each year, but Superintendent Jean Fitzgerald said the budget may prevent lowering class sizes. The School Committee requested a $42 million budget, which would be $6 million more than Fiscal 2014 and would pay for 22 new teachers. The budget proposed by Town Manager Michael Driscoll  last week gave the schools a $2.267 million, or 6.18 percent, increase. Fitzgerald said the first priority will be filling the positions that will keep Watertown in compliance with state and federal mandates, including special education and English as a second language. After that, class size and other needs “may go unresolved,” Fitzgerald said Monday night.

Schools

These Watertown Math Students are Tops in the Nation!

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Members of the Lowell School’s Math League Team tested their skills and came out top in the nationwide competition. The Watertown elementary school has fourth- and fifth-graders who take part in the Continental Math League. Both grade levels enjoyed success this year, said Lowell teacher and Math League advisor Debra Garabedian, but the fifth graders rose to rarified air. “For the fifth grade, we are the top nationally, and the fourth grade won regionally, in New England,” Garabedian said. “Both grades levels won something this year, so that is a milestone we should be proud of.”

Government

School Committee Chair Hears Parents Loud and Clear

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The message at Tuesday’s Town Council meeting where the budget was revealed was clear from Watertown parents, said School Committee Chairwoman Eileen Hsu-Balzer. The budget presented by Town Manager Michael Driscoll which included $38.9 million for education is a $2.267 million or 6.18 percent increase over Fiscal 2014. But it came in below the $6 million, 16 percent increase requested from the School Committee. Parents were upset and let the Town Council know they wanted the full request from the School Committee. Hsu-Balzer said that the budget is not done yet, and will not be voted until June 10.

Around Town

Town Budget Includes Increase for Schools, See How Much

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The Watertown Public Schools will be getting an increase next year, but parents at Tuesday’s Town Council meeting said it is not enough. Town Manger Michael Driscoll presented the Fiscal 2015 budget, but the item of interest for most in the standing room only Council Chamber was the education budget. The budget of $38.94 million is a $2.267 million increase – 6.18 percent – more than the Fiscal 2014 figure. This is more than the 3 percent projected in the draft budget Driscoll presented in October, but below the 16.81 percent requested by the School Committee and school staff. Several parents spoke during a public forum period expressing disappointment about the budget figure.

Around Town

Watertown Budget Will Be Revealed This Week

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Details about the Fiscal 2015 budget – including how much money the schools will receive – will be made public on Tuesday evening. Town Manager Michael Driscoll will present his budget to the Town Council on Tuesday at 6 p.m. in Town Hall. The School Committee approved Superintendent Jean Fitzgerald’s request for $42 million from the town, which would be $6 million  or 16 percent more than the funding received in Fiscal 2014 (click here for more details). When Driscoll presented his preliminary budget in October he said all departments, including the schools, should expect a 3 percent increase. Two weeks ago, Driscoll said the school budget request, which included more than 30 new jobs (including 22 new teachers), would actually cost the town $341,ooo more than requested because of health care and other benefits.

Letters

Education Foundation Opposes Creation of New Fundraising Group

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A Town Council subcommittee has floated the idea of creating a new non-profit group to raise money for the Watertown Schools, but members of the Watertown Education Foundation say they fill that role. Education Foundation President Amy Donohue made an appeal at Tuesday’s Town Council meeting to let her group continue what it has been doing, and asked for the help of the Council, the School Committee and other officials in town. After she spoke, Councilor Tony Palomba, who brought up the idea of creating a new group at the Education and School System Matters subcommittee meeting, said the proposal was just a draft designed to start discussions aimed at finding new ways to add funding to the Watertown Public Schools. (Click here to see more on the proposal for the new group and other strategies to get more school funding). He suggested inviting the Education Foundation and other groups that raise money for the school (including the Watertown Community Foundation and the Friends of Watertown Music) to discuss fundraising strategies.

Government

New Strategies to Fund Watertown Schools Sought

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Instead of relying on the state and town for money to run the schools, Watertown officials are searching for new ways to pay for equipment and even for staff. The Fiscal 2015 school request is $6 million higher than last year, but the town will not likely be able to cover the whole request, Town Manager Michael Driscoll said Tuesday. Instead, school officials will have to prioritize what they want in the request. Meanwhile, the Town Council’s Education and School System subcommittee brainstormed ways to come up with more money for the town’s schools. They examined ideas provided by the Watertown Strong Schools advocacy group in a report (read the report here, with funding ideas on Page 57).