Schools

Minuteman Offering February Vacation Programs for Grades 1-12

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The following announcement was provided by Minuteman High School:

Minuteman Community Education, located at Minuteman High School in Lexington, is offering engaging, hands-on learning programs for students in grades 1-12 during February school vacation, from Tuesday, February 18-Friday, February 21. 

February vacation learning programs for grades 1-8 include Artrageous Art; Aspiring Chefs; Beginner Baking; Creative Writing; Digital Photography; The Language of Java (computer programming); Business Sharks; Earth, Space, and Sea; and Expert Architects. 

Minuteman also offers a driver’s education course for students in grades 9-12. Morning sessions run from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and afternoon sessions run from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 pm. Students can register for just one program or bring lunch and stay the full day. Visit the Minuteman Community Education website to register your student. The programs are free for residents of Minuteman’s district towns: Acton, Arlington, Bolton, Concord, Dover, Lancaster, Lexington, Needham, and Stow. Watertown is not a district member, and courses will cost between $199 and $244. See details by clicking here. Minuteman is also offering Girls in STEM Camp during the February vacation week for students in grades 7 and 8. 

Minuteman Community Education is a continuing education program for Minuteman Regional Vocational Technical High School, offering a wide range of enrichment and skill development for children and adults of all ages.

Schools

See the Watertown High Principal Finalists’ Interviews

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The three people vying to be Watertown High School’s new principal were interviewed by Superintendent Dede Galdston last week, and Watertown Cable was there. Galdston said she hopes to make an appointment before the beginning of February Vacation. Each of the finalists came in a different day late last week. You can see the videos by clicking the the link below their name. Jennifer Hamilton, a dean at Cambridge Rindge & Latin

https://watertown.vod.castus.tv/vod/?video=cc525103-c18c-4536-8af7-4f6264dacc78

Joel Giacobozzi, assistant headmaster at Boston Latin

https://watertown.vod.castus.tv/vod/?video=49fbfe6b-280d-421a-879d-6faf0899c799

Matthew Poska, principal of Beverly Middle School

https://watertown.vod.castus.tv/vod/?video=6a0be5c0-3404-4b9a-a4eb-d359b16d401f

Read more about the finalists and the process by clicking below:

Three High School Principal Finalists Coming to Watertown This Week

Around Town

Watertown Journalist, Teacher Being Honored at South by Southwest

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John Vitti, center, will receive a Community Service Award at the South by Southwest festival in March for his work with school newspapers in Watertown and many other communities. Here he is shown with students on Watertown Splash, the newspaper at Watertown Middle School. John Vitti’s professional life has been all about journalism, and since his children’s elementary school days he has shared his love and knowledge for reporting with students in Watertown. An editor with the Boston Globe, Vitti helped create the school newspapers at all five of Watertown’s public schools, and his venture now stretches more than 125 schools around the Boston area. For his work, he will receive a Community Service Award at South by Southwest Conference in Austin, Texas, in March.

Dede Galdston

Universal PreK in Watertown: the Superintendent Would Like to See That

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Watertown Superintendent Dede Galdston spoke at the 2020 Unity Breakfast about her desire to have universal PreK. Equity has been a big push for the Watertown Public Schools, and Superintendent Dede Galdston said that part of giving students an equal opportunity is to provide universal Pre-kindergarten to the students of Watertown. Galdston spoke of universal PreK during her talk a the 2020 Watertown Unity Breakfast, of which she was the honorary host. She said Martin Luther King Jr. not only inspired her with his Civil Rights work, but also in his study of education. “Why not give every child equal opportunity to start school at an equal level?”

Choir

Watertown Student Touring Europe with St. Paul’s Choir School

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Watertown’s Mateo Cachimuel will be touring Europe with the St. Paul’s Choir School. The following piece was provided by St. Paul’s Choir School:

Watertown’s Mateo Cachimuel, a student at St. Paul’s Choir School | Harvard Square, will tour Europe performing with the school’s Boys’ Choir of St.

Schools

Three High School Principal Finalists Coming to Watertown This Week

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The three finalists to fill the Watertown High School principal position will be visiting the school this week, and the public can meet them and attend the interviews. The three finalists are Jennifer Hamilton, a dean at Cambridge Rindge & Latin; Joel Giacobozzi, assistant headmaster at Boston Latin, and Matthew Poska, principal of Beverly Middle School, said Watertown Superintendent Dede Galdston. Longer bios of each candidate can be seen below. The finalists were chosen from 16 candidates that were interviewed by the WHS Principal Screening Committee last week, Galdston said. The 17-member committee was led by Assistant Superintendent Theresa McGuinness and included parents, teachers, two School Committee members and a pair of students.

Charity

Watertown Schools Collecting Gift Cards, Donations for Fire Victims

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After the devastating fire that displaced 31 Watertown residents on Friday, the Parent Teacher Organizations (PTOs) at the schools in town leapt into action to collect items to help those affected. The parent-teacher groups at the town’s three elementary schools, the Middle School and the High school all started collections over the weekend. “I am beyond overwhelmed with the response we have received to our call for donations!!!” wrote School Committee member Lily Rayman-Read on Facebook. “****A HUGE shout out to all the PTOs and the WHS PTSO for their incredibly hard work on organizing and setting everything up for donations.

Schools

Two from Watertown Named Student of the Term at Minuteman High School

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Pictured from left, Senior Nicholas Moy of Concord, sophomore Carter Gruca of Lancaster, Minuteman Principal George Clement, junior Zoha Bibi of Watertown and freshman Saleena Khan of Watertown. The following announcement was provided by Minuteman High School:

Minuteman High School has selected four outstanding students as Students of the Term for Term 1 of the current school year. The honorees are freshman Saleena Khan of Watertown, sophomore Carter Gruca of Lancaster, junior Zoha Bibi of Watertown, and senior Nicholas Moy of Concord. This honor is awarded every term to one student from each grade level based upon nominations from the staff. The criteria include character, attendance, improvement and academic success, according to Assistant Principal Brian Tildsley.