Watertown News (https://www.watertownmanews.com/category/schools/page/83/)
Watertown High School seniors Toni Carton, left, and Yeraz Kaligian play the leads in school’s production of “Chicago.” When Watertown High School Drama teacher Kacie Kirkpatrick picked Chicago as the spring musical, she hoped to generate excitement. Judging by the reception she got from her leads, she succeeded. Chicago, the High School Edition, will hit the WHS stage on Feb. 28, 29 and March 1.
The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Middle School PTO:
We Want Your Recipes! For Watertown Middle School’s International Cookbook
The Watertown Middle School PTO is embarking on a very ambitious fundraising effort and we need your help. The vision is to create a cookbook that will celebrate the cultural diversity that is Watertown. Food is a wonderful way to bring people together! Sharing recipes is just one way to understand the heritage of our friends, neighbors and our community.
The School Committee got the first look at next year’s school budget, and while the Town Manager has allotted a 5 percent increase, most of the increase will be used to maintain the same level of services as the current school year. There will be a handful of positions added to the district. On Monday night, Heidi Perkins, the district’s Director of Finance and Operations, told the School Committee that nearly 95 percent of the $2.52 million increase for Fiscal Year 2021 (the 2020-21 school year) will go to maintaining a level service budget. The total budget is $52.9 million. “Available for the FY21 budget priorities will be $145,022, or 5.8 percent of the 5 percent increase,” Perkins said.
An illustration of how Watertown High School could be built on both sides of Common Street. In this scenario, the main academic building replaces the former Phillips School, while the gym, auditorium and Senior Center go on the current WHS site. The black white triangle is the historic cemetery next to WHS. The final decision on the site of the new Watertown High School is still months away, but the final list of places to be considered will be decided by the end of February. Architects and school officials have been looking at possible places where the new WHS could be built. They considered Town owned properties large enough to build a high school.
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.
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
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.
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?”