Around Town

Middlesex Superintendents Critical of State’s Call to Return to In-Person Classes Without Plan

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The following letter was provided by the superintendents of school districts in the Middlesex League, including Watertown’s Deanne Galdston. Dear Commissioner Riley:

On Friday, February 26th, the Middlesex League Superintendents discussed your announcement for a full return of elementary students to in-person learning by April 2021. Currently, our districts are engaged in conversations about what a full return might look like, as is appropriate to the local context. There is nothing that we want more than for all of our students and staff to return to schools full time; however, your declaration without a thoughtful plan only exacerbates the challenges we face in schools and belies the current reality of the situation in which we find ourselves. We are nearing the first anniversary of the Middlesex League Superintendents’ decision to close schools on March 12, 2020, which predated the Governor’s school closure order a day later.

Schools

Parents, School Committee Push for Reopening Schools Full Time

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Get kids back in school full time — that was the message to Watertown Public School officials from the vast majority of parents and the School Committee on Monday night. Many parents discussed how negative an experience remote learning has been for their children, with students falling behind academically and some not engaging in class at all. Others said their children have shown signs of depression and despair due to not being in school with their classmates. Superintendent Dede Galdston spoke about the district’s planning to reopen the schools for all in-person learning, and said planning has started to make that happen by sometime in April, but she said concerns remain about whether it can be done safely. She mentioned planning for how to hold lunches with social distancing requirements and added she hopes to have all teachers vaccinated by the time students return.

Government

This Week’s Meetings: In-Person Learning, Charter Review & WHS Project

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This week’s meetings include a discussion of reopening of the Watertown Schools to in-person learning, the Town’s Charter Review, and an update on designs for the new Watertown High School. School Committee

The School Committee meets Monday, March 1 at 7 p.m., and the agenda includes an update on the reopening and an update on student learning time. A group of Lowell PTO members have written a letter asking the Watertown schools to open to all in-person learning (see the letter by clicking here). Also, the School Committee will hear a presentation about social and emotional learning and health during COVID-19. Reports include a look at the draft 2021-22 school calendar.

COVID-19

LETTER: Lowell PTO Members Urge Watertown Schools to Move to In-Person Learning

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Lowell School in Watertown. Dear Dr. Galdston and Members of the Watertown School Committee,

As members of the J.R. Lowell School Parent Teacher Organization and the Cunniff School Parent Teacher Organization many of us have spent years volunteering our time to enrich the educational experience of Watertown Public School children. In March of 2020 we found ourselves in an unprecedented time and the unthinkable happened, all in person learning was suspended. Now, nearly a full year later, we are sincerely grateful for the many steps the school district has taken to keep our children and teachers safe. The thoughtful approach to return to the classroom, COVID testing for teachers and pooled COVID testing for students has in fact proven to keep our children safe.

Schools

Watertown’s Elementary School Projects to Finish Months Ahead of Schedule

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Recent photos of the construction at Hosmer (left) and Cunniff elementary schools. The construction of the new Cunniff and Hosmer elementary schools will be completed several months ahead of schedule. Students at Cunniff are projected to move into their new school three months early. At Hosmer, children and staff will return seven months early, with the entire project scheduled to be completed a year early, said Vivian Varbedian from owner’s project manager firm Hill International. The School Building Committee received the news last week, and it was shared with the Town Council on Tuesday night.

Schools

Two Watertown Students Make Arlington Catholic Honor Roll

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Arlington Catholic High School announced the second quarter honor roll, and two students from Watertown made the list. Watertown residents Donald MacMillan and Henry Sarris were both named to the second quarter Honor Roll at Arlington Catholic High School. Donny is a junior and Henry is a senior. Both received grades of B or better in all classes during the second quarter. 

Schools

Applications Being Taken for 53rd Lt. Paul Sullivan Scholarship

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Lt. Paul Sullivan of Watertown, killed in Vietnam in 1968, will be remembered during the 50th Annual Scholarship Awards in June. Each year, the Lt. Paul Sullivan Scholarship and other awards go out in memory of a Watertown native who was killed serving in Vietnam in 1968. The following information was provided by the Lt. Paul Sullivan Scholarship Committee:

Announcing the 53rd Lt. Paul Sullivan Scholarship

The Lt. Paul Sullivan Scholarship is now on line:https://sites.google.com/view/lt-paul-j-sullivan-scholarship

The application deadline is April 16, 2021. The top scholarship is $5,000. Additional scholarships will be awarded.

Schools

Watertown Student Makes UMaine’s Fall 2020 Dean’s List

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The following information was provided by the University of Maine:

The University of Maine recognized 4,133 students for achieving Dean’s List honors in the fall 2020 semester. Of the students who made the Dean’s List, 2,670 are from Maine, 1,366 are from 38 other states and 97 are from 35 countries other than the U.S.

Due to the unusual and challenging circumstances faced this semester amid the global pandemic, the university has modified its Dean’s List policy for the fall 2020 term. The requirement that students earn 12 calculable credits to be eligible for Dean’s List has been waived. Instead, students will be eligible 1) if they earned Dean’s List recognition in spring 2020 and have placed all of their fall 2020 courses on pass/fail; or 2) if they have earned a minimum GPA of a 3.5, regardless of the number of credits taken, in fall 2020. Please note that some students have requested that their information not be released; therefore, their names are not included.