COVID-19

Positive COVID Test Reported at Watertown School, Reopening Still Going Ahead

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Hosmer Elementary School in Watertown. The Watertown Public Schools had a person test positive for COVID-19 in the same week that the elementary schools are preparing to welcome students back for in-person learning. Superintendent Dede Galdston announced that a person at Hosmer Elementary School had tested positive, but added that the case would not stop plans to start hybrid learning at the school on Tuesday. Watertown school staff can participate in free testing for the virus provided by the Broad Institute in Cambridge, but Galdston said that the positive test was not through that program. “…

Hybrid Learning

Parents Advocate for Earlier Start for Hybrid Learning at Watertown Schools

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Watertown Middle School

The following letter is part of a petition asking the Watertown Public Schools to move the start of hybrid learning at Watertown Middle School from Nov. 30 to the week of Nov. 9. Last week, the School Committee discussed making that change in the district’s plan to move into hybrid learning, but did not vote on that. They left it up to Superintendent Dede Galdston and the School Administration.

COVID-19

Watertown Schools Moving to Hybrid on Oct. 27

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Watertown elementary school students will return to school, part time, beginning Oct. 27. Superintendent Dede Galdston sent out the announcement Thursday evening. Superintendent Dede Galdston said the decision was be based on the state’s latest report on the number of COVID-19 cases and rate of positive tests in Town. In a letter to parents Galdston wrote: “…

Schools

State Auditing Watertown Schools’ Decision Not to Move Up Change to In-Person Learning

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The Watertown Public Schools are being audited by the state regarding the district’s decision not to move up the start of hybrid learning in the schools. Watertown School officials received a letter from the Department of Elementary & Secondary Education (DESE) this week informing them of the audit. On Tuesday, Superintendent Dede Galdston confirmed that Watertown is being audited. The district is one of two being audited, according to a story on MassLive.com, along with East Longmeadow. Both were among the 16 districts to receive letters from DESE pushing them to return to in-person learning, at least part time, because the rate of COVID-19 was not high under the state’s virus tracking system.

National Merit Scholars

Eight Watertown High Seniors Honored by Named National Merit Scholarship Program

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Eight Watertown High School seniors have been named National Merit Scholarship Commended Students, which is the most in one year that anyone at the high school can recall, Principal Joel Giacobozzi told the School Committee this week. Watertown High School sent out the following announcement:

The principal, Joel Giacobozzi, of Watertown High School announced that eight seniors have been named Commended Students in the 2021 National Merit Scholarship Program. A Letter of Commendation from the school and National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), which conducts the program, has been mailed toeach scholastically talented senior. About 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise. Although they will not continue in the 2021 competition for National Merit Scholarship awards, Commended Students placed among the top 50,000 scorers of more than 1.5 million students who entered the 2021 competition by taking the 2019

Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT).The following seniors have received this Letter of Commendation and a follow-up phone call from Principal Giacobozzi:

Henry YusemThomas PowderlyMaud NeeleyHarriet NeeleyRita HackettCarolyn GulleyAllison FitzpatrickDyanne Bonyuet

COVID-19

No Vote on Watertown Schools Moving to Hybrid; Supt. Optimistic for Oct. 27 Opening

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School officials are optimistic that Watertown elementary school students will return to classes part time in a hybrid model beginning Oct. 27, and the middle school could go to a hybrid model weeks earlier than originally planned. The School Committee met Monday night, during a meeting held virtually over Zoom, but did not take a vote on the start of hybrid learning in Watertown. Instead, they left the decision up to the superintendent. On Thursday, Oct.

Minuteman High School

Minuteman Offering Virtual Info Sessions for Parents, Private Tours

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Minuteman High School vocational technical school in Lexington. The following information was provided by Minuteman High School:

Minuteman Regional Vocational Technical High School will hold both in-person and virtual events this fall for parents and students interested in attending the career technical education (CTE) high school for the 2021-2022 school year. Students are choosing Minuteman in significantly higher numbers, which earlier this year resulted in a waiting list from the district’s member towns. Visit minuteman.org/admissions for the latest information. Due to the COVID-19 health and safety protocols, Minuteman is operating under a hybrid learning model for the current school year, meaning one grade of students is in the building each week to engage in hands-on CTE learning in one of its 18 career majors, including biotechnology, automotive, engineering, cosmetology, and many others.

Schools

Watertown Moves into Yellow for COVID Cases as Schools Looking at Reopening

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The state’s COVID-19 Community Level Reporting map showing Watertown in yellow, or moderate risk for the spread of the virus. Previously Watertown had been green, or lower risk. The rate of infection in Watertown has risen into the moderate risk (yellow) category in the state’s COVID-19 Community Level reporting. On Monday, the School Committee will be discussing whether to open the Watertown Public Schools for hybrid learning. Watertown’s infection rate is 4.5 per 100,000 residents, according to the state’s Community Level COVID-19 Reporting map.