Election 2015

See Who Won in the School Committee and Library Trustee Races

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It was a good night for challengers in the Watertown School Committee and the Library Trustees races. In the School Committee race, the two challengers topped the list in Tuesday’s Watertown Election. Kendra Foley had the biggest share of the vote with nearly 26 percent, followed by Candace Miller who had almost 23 percent. The third spot went to 20-year-School Committee veteran Eileen Hsu-Balzer, who got 18.66 percent. Foley said she believes her hard work during the campaign paid off.

Election 2015

See the Voter Guide for the Nov. 3, 2015 Watertown Election

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Watertown’s hottest election in years is Tuesday, and Watertown News has plenty of information to help you choose your candidates and find out where to vote. 

Polls open on Nov. 3 at 7 a.m. and stay open until 8 p.m. Results generally start coming in around 9 p.m., and follow Watertown News on Twitter and Facebook for the latest updates – and go to the main site for the results Tuesday evening. All but one race on the ballot has a contested race this year. Candidates have been out knocking on doors, holding signs, attending candidate forums and answering questions from media outlets and others. Town Council
Watertown voters will elect the entire Town Council, including the President, four Councilors At-Large (who represent the whole town) and four District Councilors (who represent a quarter of the town, each).

Elections

LETTERS: School Committee Candidates State Their Case

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To the Editor,

Four busy years have passed in what seems like the blink of an eye. Looking back, we have accomplished a lot in the school system and started other initiatives that will continue for many years. Now as we approach Election Day I would like to focus on some of the accomplishments I have been involved with over the past four years. As Chair of the Buildings and Grounds sub-committee, we accomplished a lot and laid the foundation for future improvements in our schools. Here are some of the things I was directly involved in:

Learning gardens were installed at every elementary school and made a part of the curriculum for all grades.

Elections

LETTER: Parent Supports Two Candidates for School Committee

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(Watertown News will accept Town Election related letters until Oct. 31)

Editor,

I have two kids in elementary school. We have had great experiences with teachers, our own school and the Watertown school system in general. I support Watertown teachers and schools absolutely. However I see something like the not so great results received by Watertown schools in the MCAS science tests this year and I am concerned.

Elections

LETTERS: Candidates Write In About Campaign and Non-Election Items

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(Watertown News will accept Town Election related letters until Oct. 31.)

Dear Watertown,

I ask for your vote for School Committee on November 3, 2015. I am a firm believer in public education—it is the mechanism societies use to prepare children to flourish in a modern world. Public schools are one of the best possible economic investments a community can make. Everyone benefits by investing in schools because communities with excellent schools are safer, better connected, attract more economic development, and have higher property values than communities with weak schools.

Elections

LETTERS: See the Latest Endorsements in the Watertown Election

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(Watertown News will accept letters related to the Town Election until Saturday, Oct. 31.) 

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing in support of Lisa Feltner’s campaign for District B Town Councilor. Lisa has my vote on November 3rd along with my heartfelt endorsement for her candidacy. I first met Lisa 11 years ago when our kids, now high school sophomores, were in kindergarten at Hosmer School. We were both involved parents in the school, so I soon got to know Lisa well.

Election 2015

School Committee Candidates Show Differing Philosophies at Forum

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The School Committee candidates displayed some of their differences during the Candidate Forum hosted by the Watertown Education Foundation on Thursday night. For the second week running the School Committee members answered questions about serving on the School Committee, and the challengers and incumbents had differing views. (See highlights from the first forum here.)

The candidates did not share the same view of using test scores and making goals to measure the district’s progress. School Committee member Julie McMahon said she has participated in the Superintendent Jean Fitzgerald’s evaluation every year and she thinks the goals and evaluation are good ones for Watertown. “Some people say other towns have these goals,” McMahon said.

Elections

School Committee Candidates Discuss School Buildings, Setting Goals

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The five people running for School Committee reacted to several questions during the first School Committee Candidate Forum hosted by Watertown News on Thursday night. Among the questions sent in by parents and residents were what they would do about school building/capacity problems, and setting goals for the district. A second candidate forum will be hosted by the Watertown Education Foundation on Thursday, Oct. 22 at 7 p.m. at Watertown Middle School. The election is Tuesday, Nov.