COVID-19

Metrics Look Good for Schools to Move to In-Person Classes, For Now

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A map from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health showing the levels of COVID-19 in communities. Green means fewer than 4 cases per 100,000, yellow between 4 and 8 per 100,000 and red more than 8 per 100,000. Grey is less than 4 per 100,000. If the COVID-19 rates were they same as they are this week, Superintendent Dede Galdston told the School Committee Monday that the Watertown will start in-person hybrid classes in late October for the elementary students, late November for the middle and high school. The Watertown Public Schools decided in August that the first day of school will be on Sept.

Food Truck Festivals of America

Food Trucks Coming to a Neighborhood Near You, Preorder Now

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Watertown-based Food Truck Festivals of America is bringing the food trucks to diners, including two trucks visiting town this weekend. On Sunday the Sept. 13, Trolley Dogs and Whoopie Wagon will be on Frank Street from 4 pm-7 pm. Diners must preorder food, which can be done at www.foodtrucktruckfestivalsofamerica.com/streats. For more information, see the announcement provided by Food Truck Festivals of America, below:

With tourism down, offices closed, college students working remotely and urban foot traffic down to a minimum, the hundreds of food trucks in New England had to do something to stay alive. The days of selling 400 lunches on the Greenway have been gone since March. What to do and where to go? So, now the food trucks are rolling to the suburbs where programs like Neighborhood StrEATs in Watertown have helped keep the trucks alive and brought some welcome culinary diversion to the neighborhoods.

Around Town

MassBay College’ Nursing Program Ranked No. 1

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MassBay Nursing students in the Nursing Skills Lab on our MassBay’s Framingham campus. The following information was provided by MassBay Community College:

MassBay Community College is pleased to announce it has been ranked as the #1 Practical Nursing (PN) Program in Massachusetts for 2020 by PracticalNursing.org, a nursing advocacy organization. In March, MassBay’s Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) Program was also ranked #1 for 2020 by RegisteredNursing.org. “MassBay has a long and proud tradition of educating the next generation of nurses who serve the MetroWest and Greater Boston area by providing the highest quality care to patients,” said MassBay President, Dr. David Podell. “We provide our students with comprehensive technical training and skills that prepare them for successful health care careers. We thank them for entering their careers at such a critical time and know they are well on their way to impacting the lives of their patients.”

PracticalNursing.org assessed MassBay’s Practical Nursing program on several factors, all of which represent how well a program supports students towards licensure and beyond.

Schools

Building Committee Eliminates Potential Location for New High School

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A rendering of Option 1A, where Watertown High School’s academic building would be built on the current site, and would have a large green space in front along Columbia Street. The design of the new high school has not been settled, but Watertown High School will not be built on Victory Field. The School Building Committee voted Wednesday, Sept. 2, to eliminate options for the new school to go on the sports and field complex on Orchard Street. The Committee also saw some scenarios where the main academic building would be built on the current WHS site.

Schools

Watertown Schools Set Later Start Date, Staff to Use Extra Time to Prep for COVID-19 Learning

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The School Committee voted Monday night to move the first day of school to Sept. 22, 2020, but teachers and staff will return to work before Labor Day. The time before classes start will be used for training and preparation for teaching during COVID-19. This includes starting with virtual learning for almost all students. This model will continue until students can return to school in smaller numbers than a typical school year.

Schools

School Committee to Discuss Reopening of Watertown Schools

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With the beginning of school just weeks away, the Watertown School Committee will discuss the reopening plan on Monday night, Aug. 24 at 7 p.m.

At the last School Committee meeting, members voted to go with the “Bridge to Hybrid” plan, where Watertown students will start the year remotely and then move to a hybrid model where students will alternate days attending classes in person and remotely. With the goal of moving to a hybrid model when the COVID-19 outbreak allows, students will be split into two cohorts for the elementary and middle schools. These will be used when the in-person learning begins under the hybrid model, but the cohorts will also be used in the beginning when students are doing remote learning. See the draft sample school schedules by clicking here.

Schools

Watertown Student Awarded Scholarship from Credit Union

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Rachael Stokes, of Watertown, first place winner of the James A. Burley, Jr. Scholarship Awards. The following information was provided by RTN Federal Credit Union:

Rachael Stokes of Watertown has received the first place award of $5,000 from RTN Federal Credit Union as one of the 2020 recipients of RTN’s James A. Burley, Jr. Scholarship. Rachael will be attending Keene State College. The scholarship awards totaling $10,000 are presented annually to three students who are RTN members or dependents of members, and are enrolled in an undergraduate or post high school technical college. The award is named in honor of RTN’s late Chairman and Director, James A. Burley, Jr., who served the Credit Union for more than 30 years.

Schools

Three Watertown Students Make Spring Dean’s List at UMaine

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The following information was provided by the University of Maine:

The University of Maine recognized 4,210 students for achieving Dean’s List honors in the Spring 2020 semester. Of the students who made the Dean’s List, 2,769 are from Maine, 1,333 are from 41 other states and 108 are from 43 countries other than the U.S.

Please note that some students have requested that their information not be released; therefore, their names are not included. The students from Watertown who made the Spring 2020 Dean’s List are: Yonas Butler, Madison Syer and Sarah Tymm

See the entire list by clicking here.