Schools

School Committee Votes on Watertown Middle School Start Time for 2026-27

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Watertown Middle School (Courtesy of Watertown Public Schools)

The debate over when to start the day for middle school students returned to the Watertown School Committee this week, focusing on what time the school day should begin for the 2026-27 school year. The discussion has been complicated by impact on after-school sports and the shortage of fields in town. The issue of later start times for middle schoolers was discussed in 2017, with the recommendation to move the start time for middle schoolers to from 7:40 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. based on research about teens sleep habits and circadian rhythms, showing that students in middle school do better with later start. In 2018, the start of the school day at Watertown Middle School moved to 8:30 a.m.

In the fall of 2023, the start time moved back to 7:45 a.m. when the high school moved to the temporary campus on Moxley Field so that the two schools did not have drop-offs and pick-ups at the same time. With the new WHS opening in the fall of 2026, there had been discussions about when to start the Middle School in 2026-27.

Schools

Boston Bruins Player Gets an Education About a Sport for the Blind at Perkins School

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Boston Bruin Alex Steeves learns about goalball from two members of Perkins School for the Blind Towerhawks. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

Boston Bruins center Alex Steeves has played in some tough environments — Montreal, Toronto, Madison Square Garden — but on Monday he entered the Perkins School for the Blind’s gym to try his hand at a new sport: one which requires him to play blindfolded. The NHL player visited the campus in Watertown to play goalball, a game designed for the blind and visually impaired. Because participants have a range of visual abilities, every player wears an blackout goggles so their vision is completely blocked. Bruins player Alex Steeves throws the ball down court during a game of goalball at Perkins School.

Sports

WHS Sports: Wrestler Reaches 100 Wins; Girls Basketball & Boys Hockey in Tourney Play

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Watertown senior Jimmy Strestha claimed his 100th career win at the All-State Meet in Springfield. (Courtesy of Watertown Athletics)

A pair of Watertown wrestlers faced the Bay State’s best in the All-State Meet in Springfield on Sunday, and one picked up a milestone win. Senior Jimmy Strestha won his first consolation match in the 132 pound division with a technical fall to join a select few in the Raiders’ wrestling program, said Watertown Wrestling Coach Kevin Russo. “Jimmy got his 100th win there, becoming only the 4th wrestler in program history to do so,” Russo said. Another senior, Fahad Khan, also claimed a win at the MassMutual Center in the 106 pound bracket.

Around Town

New Signage for Paintings in City Hall Provides a Historical Perspective

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The historic paintings in Watertown City Hall now have signs with information about the town’s history. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

The entry lobby in City Hall is beginning to look like a room at the Museum of Fine Arts, with the addition of signs to accompany the recently restored historical paintings of Watertown. The foyer of City Hall has long been home to a pair of paintings depicting Watertown, one showing the town in the 1630s when it was founded, and one in the 1930s, around the time when City Hall was built. The signs have been installed in front of the paintings that hang on either side of the entryway off of Main Street. The Historical Society received money from the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) to pay for the creation and manufacturing of the signs. The contents went through several iterations before reaching the final version, said Watertown Community Preservation Coordinator Lanae Handy.

Police/Fire

Police Log: Man Arrested for Causing Disturbance at Restaurant, Police Locate Man Wanted on 3 Warrants

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Police Department. Feb. 16: An officer spotted a vehicle traveling at 45 mph in a 30 zone on Common Street. The vehicle then made a right on a red at a no turn on red intersection. Officer Colton Bailey pulled the vehicle over and discovered the driver had a warrant for driving on a suspended license — a subsequent offense.

Government

City Relaxing Sidewalk Shoveling Rules After Blizzard, Keeping Parking Ban in Place

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Snow banks left from plowing and shoveling after the blizzard of Feb. 22 and 23. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

The City of Watertown will give residents a break from the sidewalk snow shoveling rules after the blizzard of Jan. 22 and 23 dumped around 15 inches of snow on top of snow remaining from the storm in January. But the overnight parking ban — scheduled to end on Feb.

Police/Fire

Firefighters Battle Two Alarm Fire, Slowed by Snow Around Hydrants

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Charlie Breitrose

Watertown Firefighters battled a blaze on Flint Road on Tuesday, and efforts were slowed because some hydrants in the area were not shoveled out after Monday’s storm. A resident heard a smoke alarm at about 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 24 and found a fire on the third floor. A second alarm was ordered quickly by incident commander Deputy Chief Daniel Tardif to ensure adequate resources and support for the firefighting operations, said Watertown Fire Chief Ryan Nicholson. Flames could be seen coming out of the roof of the home in the footage from NBC 10 Boston.

Around Town

Proposal for Walker Pond Includes Boardwalk, Community Garden, Places for Recreation & for Reflection

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A rendering of the latest proposal for Walker Pond, presented at a Community Meeting on Feb. 5, 2026. (Courtesy of City of Watertown)

Landscape architects presented a vision for Walker Pond, Watertown’s newest outdoor space, where visitors would have different experiences in various parts of the park on the westside of town. The meeting on Feb. 5 was the third one for Walker Pond, and designers presented the preferred design, known as Forest Park.