Little Sprouts

UPDATE: Watertown-based School Hosting Night of Gratitude for Early Educators

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NOTE: The date has changed for the Night of Gratitude event. The following announcement was provided by Little Sprouts:

Little Sprouts, an award-winning network of preschools in New England, announce the kickoff to their “Gratitude is Good” campaign with a Night of Gratitude event devoted to early educators. The event takes place at the Little Sprouts Watertown school located at 150 Coolidge Avenue, Watertown, MA on a date to be determined. Designed to celebrate the tenacity and capacity of all professionals who dedicate their careers to helping children learn, grow, and thrive, a Night of Gratitude will include light refreshments, thank you gifts, and an inspiring presentation from early educator, World Marathon Champion, and TB12 Sponsored Athlete Becca Pizzi. Pizzi’s experience as a leader in both the fields of early education and physical training offers a unique and inspiring perspective on how to build stamina, persistence, and resilience.

Schools

Designers Show Latest Look for New Cunniff School, Seek to Meet Green Goals

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A drawing of the latest design for the entrance for Cunniff Elementary School. The latest drawings for the entrance to the new Cunniff Elementary School provides a simpler design and removes the stone features that architects had previously considered. Members of the School Building Committee, which oversees the projects at Watertown’s three elementary schools, did not care for the previous design. Some said they thought a large stone feature around the three-story entryway seemed too imposing, looked cold and did not seem inviting. At the Aug.

Schools

Committee Overseeing School Projects Concerned with Rising Construction Costs

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A view of the most recent design of the new Hosmer Elementary School. Members of the School Building Committee worry about controlling the costs in Watertown’s three elementary school building projects in a climate with a competitive construction industry and international tariff wars. The projects include brand new schools at Hosmer and Cunniff elementary schools and a major renovation and addition at Lowell Elementary School. At least one member was bothered that Watertown may have missed an opportunity to keep the projects on budget using an alternative to the typical construction model. The design firm, Ai3 Architects, have nearly completed the design development phase (the second of three major phases before construction) and the costs are currently being estimated.

Schools

Minuteman’s New School Building Opening in Fall

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A rendering of what the new Minuteman High School will look like when it opens this fall. The following announcement was provided by Minuteman High School:

When students arrive at Minuteman High School on September 3, it will mark the start of a brand new school year – and the beginning of an exciting, even historic, era for Minuteman itself. On that day, the doors will swing open for the first time at the new Minuteman High School, a $145 million, state-of-the-art facility some 11 years in the making. “It’s all I hoped for and more,” said Minuteman’s Superintendent-Director, Dr. Edward A. Bouquillon, who shepherded the project from conception to completion. “It exceeded my expectations in regard to design, quality and the practical, efficient use of space.

Schools

Several Architecture Firms Interested in Designing Watertown High School Project

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The search for the architecture firm that will design the new Watertown High School has begun, but they decision will not be completely up to local officials. The project to rebuild or renovate WHS will be part of the Massachusetts School Building Authority process. Through the program, the town will receive significant reimbursement from the state (close to 50 percent) but the MSBA process is a very prescribed one. Watertown has been accepted into the program and the next step is to select the firm for design services. The selection will be made by the MSBA’s Design Panel, which is made up of 16 people.

Around Town

Design of Watertown’s Elementary Schools Taking Shape

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A view of the approved addition to Lowell School, seen on the right, which has tall windows, including on the corners. The designs of Watertown’s three elementary school projects solidified Wednesday night, with the School Building Committee selecting its preferred options for Lowell School, and they got previews of the two new schools at Hosmer and Cunniff. While the Hosmer and Cunniff schools will get brand new schools, Lowell School will undergo a major renovation, plus a large addition will be made to the east side of the building. This area will include the library/media center. The look of the addition to the Lowell School was the big sticking point at the Committee’s previous meeting, with members splitting evenly over the two choices.

Around Town

School Committee Gives Superintendent Good Evaluation

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Dede Galdston, current assistant superintendent in Billerica, interviewed for the Watertown Superintendent’s job Monday night. Superintendent Dede Galdston received good marks from the School Committee in the evaluation of her second year as the head of the Watertown Public Schools. The School Committee gave Galdston ratings of “proficient” across the board for her overall rating from the seven School Committee members. The ratings required by the state have four levels, from “unsatisfactory” to “exemplary” with proficient second highest. Galdston was also measured on how well she met the six goals agreed to by the School Committee and herself earlier this year.

Building for the Future

Watertown High School Project Moving Forward, Public Meetings Planned

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The multiyear process that will result in a new or renovated Watertown High School got rolling last week when the School Building Committee heard about what it will take to make the project a reality. On July 11, the Owner’s Project Manager for the Watertown High School project, Compass Project Management, met with the School Building Committee to talk about some of the projects they have worked one, and the schedule for the project. Compass is working on a five-phase, 18-month construction project at John F. Kennedy Middle School in Natick, said Tim Bonfatti, president of Compass. “Much like the current Watertown High School it is on a very constricted site, with limited options around it,” Bonfatti said. “And the solution that is going to be built there is going to be built in phases because we can’t complete it within the constrained footprint of that site.”