Foreign Exchange Students

School Committee Debates Whether Foreign Exchange Students Will be Allowed

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While students from another country attending local schools can add to the experience of both students from Watertown and the one from abroad, legal liabilities may stand in the way of the Watertown Public Schools accepting foreign exchange students. On April 22, the School Committee discussed the issue of how to accept foreign exchange students, but continue to be stymied by the legal issues. The problem arose when the School Committee looked at updating the policy for foreign exchange students to require them to be living with a legal guardian. School Committee member Eileen Hsu-Balzer, who chairs the Policy Subcommittee, said that poses a problem with the companies running the exchanges. “Under these programs what we found out — many times — the program does not designate the host family as legal guardians, and they (the programs) are not the legal guardian,” Hsu-Balzer said.

Schools

Find Out About Vaping at Event Hosted by Watertown Public Schools

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Find out about vaping at an event hosted by the Watertown Public Schools with help from the Watertown Youth Coalition (WYC). WYC sent out the following information:

The Watertown Public Schools will be hosting a community event at the middle school on Monday, May 13 (6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.). Our speaker will be Traci Wojceichowski, who is the Regional Director of Education at Caron Treatment Centers. Traci has recently presented on this topic at a Middlesex Partnership for Youth event. She has also spoken at numerous schools and community events.

Schools

Watertown Teens Attend Tobacco Prevention Event at State House

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Members of the Watertown Youth Coalition, from left, Eva Henry, Esther Mendez, Shama Joseph, Shariel Joseph, and Adult Advisor Samantha Chan. The following information was provided by Metro Boston Tobacco Free Community Partnership:

Members of the Watertown Youth Coalition joined teens from around the state at the State House for a tobacco prevention event. Young people from Watertown Youth Coalition Peer Leaders, from Wayside Multi-Service Center, celebrated Kick Butts Day, an annual youth tobacco prevention event, at the Massachusetts State House on April 3, 2019. 

As part of The 84 Movement, Massachusetts youth attended a youth-led rally, marched across the Boston Common to the State House and talked with their lawmakers to express their concerns about the influence of the tobacco and vaping industries in their communities.  They emphasized the dangers of vaping and how sweet flavors like menthol and mint attract youth to vaping. 

Watertown Teens Tackle the Tough Issues at Recent Town Hall Meeting

Building for the Future

Lowell School Plans Please School Building Committee; Updated on Hosmer & Cunniff

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An image of the latest plans for what Lowell Elementary School will look like after it is renovated. The latest images of what Lowell Elementary School will look like after renovation wowed members of the School Building Committee, last week. The group also got updates on the new buildings being built at the Hosmer and Cunniff elementary school sites. Scott Dunlap, project designer from Ai3 Architects, presented the plans to the School Building Committee at a meeting on April 25. Lowell will be extensively renovated inside the current building, but it will also have a significant addition on the west end of the school.

MassBay Community College

MassBay College Hosting Spring STEM Expo

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MassBay Community College will host a STEM Expo. MassBay Community College provided the following information:

MassBay Community College will hold its bi-annual Spring STEM Expo on Wednesday, May 1, 2019 from 1 p.m.–2 p.m. Students in the Engineering, Math, Computer Science, Life Sciences, and Biotechnology fields will be presenting their work to the MassBay college community as well as external partners. The Spring STEM Expo is an opportunity for MassBay students to showcase their creativity and innovation through the projects they have completed during the course of the semester. Guests learn about the students’ research as well as the processes that went into the creation of their work. At a time when businesses are clamoring for employees who have skills in the high-demand STEM fields, MassBay is providing a much needed source of “middle-skills” workers who have the education and training to fill these critically important positions.

Around Town

Registration Open for the 2019 Town Wide Yard Sale

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Watertown Community Education will hold the annual Town Wide Yard Sale Saturday, May 4 and Sunday, May 5, 2019. This event will be held rain or shine. There will not be a rain date. Watertown Community Education provided the following information:

Join us for the annual Town Wide Yard Sale. Schedule your yard sale on Saturday, May 4th, Sunday, May 5th, or both days!

Government

Increases for Police, Fire, Schools Library & DPW Included in Watertown’s FY2020 Budget

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Watertown Town Manager Michael Driscoll revealed the Fiscal Year 2020 budget on Tuesday. Next year’s Watertown Budget includes money for an additional police office, a new leadership role in the Fire Department, and at the Library. Tuesday night, Town Manager Michael Driscoll presented the Fiscal Year 2020 budget to the Town Council. The total operating budget is $147.76 million, which is an increase of 3.89 percent or $5.53 million. When Driscoll presented the budget projection in October, there was a shortfall of about $800,000, but Tuesday he said the Town’s revenues came in close to $1.5 million above the projections.

Schools

MassBay Community College Hosting Open House for Prospective Students

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MassBay Community College provided the following information:

MassBay Community College will hold its annual Spring Open House on Saturday, April 27, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. on the Wellesley Hills campus. President Dr. David Podell along with faculty, staff and students will be on hand to greet and welcome prospective students and their families to the Wellesley Hills campus. The Spring Open House is an opportunity for prospective students to meet and talk with current students, faculty, and staff to learn about the 70 degree and certificate programs offered at MassBay and transfer opportunities after MassBay. Prospective students are encouraged to attend to learn more about student clubs and organizations, the admissions and financial aid process, and talk with academic divisions. The Open House will include a self-guided tour of campus, information sessions, student and alumni panel discussions, information for veterans, on-the-spot admissions, and more. WHAT:           MassBay Community College Spring Open House

WHERE:        MassBay Community College

                        50 Oakland Street

                        Wellesley Hills, MA

WHEN:          Saturday, April 27, 2019

TIME:             9:00 a.m.

Prospective students can learn more about the event and RSVP at www.MassBay.edu/OpenHouse or call the Office of Admissions at 781-239-2500.