Around Town
School Officials Discuss Construction Projects, Remote Learning on Cable Show
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The latest episode of Inside Watertown focuses on the Watertown Public Schools during COVID-19, and what’s going on with the school construction projects.
Student Cell Phone Ban During School Day Approved by School Committee
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The School Committee approved a Personal Electronic Device (PED) Policy that prevents students from using or having access to a device — such as a cell phone or tablet — during the entire school day, including during lunchtime and breaks.
Watertown Playground Named for Soldier Killed in Vietnam Will be Upgraded
Drawings of plans for renovating the Lt. Paul Sullivan Playground. (Source: City of Watertown)
A playground named in honor of a Watertown man who died in Vietnam will be getting an update, with new play structures and paving.
Noah Kahan References Watertown in a Song on His New Album
Noah Kahan, from his Facebook page.
Watertown got a shoutout in Noah Kahan’s latest album “The Great Divide.” The Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter said he enjoyed the time he spent living in town.
City Hall Annex at Parker Building to Temporarily Close
The following announcement was provided by the City of Watertown:
The City’s Parker Building at 124 Watertown Street will be temporarily closed from May 2-12, 2026, to undergo electrical service upgrades in the building.
More Headlines
School Officials Outline Strategies to Improve Watertown’s Special Education Program
Restaurants Won’t be Allowed to Automatically Include Plastic Utensils Under New Ordinance
Council President Outlines City’s Protections for Undocumented Immigrants, Does Not Favor an Executive Order
Around Town
Scams to Watch for Related to COVID-19, Unemployment
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There are a number of ongoing scams to watch out for and Watertown Savings Bank has put together a list of the details for some of these scams.
Business
Town Looking for Ways to Allow More Outdoor Seating at Restaurants During COVID-19
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Watertown Town Hall
Restaurants could soon be reopening for in-house dining, but they will have limited capacity due to the state’s COVID-19 protocols. Watertown officials have started looking for ways to allow for restaurants to have outside seating, and how they can streamline the application process.
MassDOT
Mass. Registry of Motor Vehicles Extends Deadlines for Licenses, Permits
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The following information was provided by MassDOT:
The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) is announcing today it will be implementing further extensions to the renewal timelines for expiring motor vehicle inspection stickers, passenger plate registrations, professional credentials, and driver’s licenses and learner’s permits, including Commercial Driver’s Licenses and Commercial Learner’s Permits (CDLs / CLPs).
Around Town
Sen. Brownsberger Surveying Residents About COVID-19 and the MBTA
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State Sen. Will Brownsberger
State Sen. Will Brownsberger’s latest survey seeks to find out how the COVID-19 outbreak has impacted how people work and if they are using public transportation.
Boston Marathon Bombing
Watertown Police Say Goodbye to a Hero & a Good Guy
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Sgt. John MacLellan greets one of the many people who came out to say goodbye to him at his retirement ceremony on Tuesday.
Watertown Police Chief Michael Lawn summarized Sgt. John MacLellan’s career saying “The world would be a better place if there were John MacLellans in it.”
COVID-19
Watch Out for Watertown’s Plan to Reopen Recycling Center, Parks, Library & More
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With Gov. Baker laying out the reopening plans for Massachusetts, Watertown’s municipal facilities will begin to reopen from the COVID-19 shutdown in coming days and weeks.
Schools
Minuteman High School Honored by State Reading Association
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The following information was provided by Minuteman High School:
Minuteman Regional Vocational Technical High School is pleased to announce that the Massachusetts Reading Association (MRA), an organization that promotes literacy, has honored Minuteman with its Exemplary Reading Program Award. “This award legitimizes the work we have done over the last 10 years to make sure we take care of the needs of the students,” said Minuteman High School Principal George Clement. “We recognized a need and stuck with it. It’s all been worthwhile.” For the first time in MRA history this award is being given to a secondary school. The previous recipients of this honor have been elementary schools. Minuteman was selected in a competitive process that involved 12 nominated schools from across the state. According to the MRA, the five objectives of this award program are:
To improve literacy in our society;To recognize schools that demonstrate excellence in reading and literacy programs;To encourage the development and refinement of exemplary reading/language arts programs;To report to the public noteworthy efforts to improve reading/language arts, and;To disseminate specific information about high-quality programs so that other professionals can use it to improve their own instructional efforts.”
“We were very impressed with Minuteman,” said MRA Vice President-Elect Patricia Kelley. She specifically mentioned the media center situated at the hub of the school, the integration of reading skills in the school’s career and technical programs as well as in its academic programs, the outstanding reading program for freshmen, the multi-tiered system of support for the reading program throughout the school, and the allocation of financial resources to the reading program. “There is a lot of commitment from everyone at Minuteman,” Kelley said. “Literacy is being integrated across the curriculum.