Around Town

See What was in the Gift Bags Given to Watertown High School Seniors

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The gift bags put together by the PTSO for the Watertown High School seniors. The Watertown High School Class of 2020’s big celebrations have been muted by the COVID-19 outbreak, but the PTSO tried to lift their spirits by giving each senior a bag full of gifts. The grads received the gift bags this week when they picked up their caps and gowns. Graduation was originally scheduled for Friday, June 5, but the pandemic prevented that from taking place. Instead, the school will hold a drive-up graduation ceremony on June 20.

Schools

Architects Show Design Ideas for New Watertown High School

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A rendering of what a new high school could look like if it’s built on the current site and the Phillips School site. In this option, a bridge would link the buildings on the third floor. The current site, on the right, would be the location of the auditorium, gym, school administrative offices and Senior Center. The School Building Committee saw what a new Watertown High School could look like, including 3-D renderings of buildings that could be built on the two proposed locations for the school. On Wednesday night, Scott Dunlap from Ai3 Architects presented the latest renderings for the high school project during an online meeting.

Arsenal Park

Meetings Wednesday on High School Project, Renovation of Arsenal Park

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An illustration presented in February of how Watertown High School could be built on both sides of Common Street. Two meetings will be held via Zoom on Wednesday, June 3. The Watertown School Building Committee (starting at 6 p.m) will hear a presentation about the latest design possibilities for the new Watertown High School, while the Conservation Commission (beginning at 7 p.m.) will hear about the second phase of the Arsenal Park renovation. High School Meeting

The School Building Committee will hear from architects from Ai3 about the progress of designs for the project, which could either go on the current site or on part of the Victory Field complex. They will also discuss upcoming forums about the project.

Schools

Different Kind of Graduation Planned for Watertown’s Class of 2020; Students Can Choose Grades or Pass/Fail

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One of the signs that went up around town to celebrate Watertown High School’s graduating seniors. Watertown High School’s graduating seniors will be receiving their diplomas at Victory Field, but no in the way they would have expected in the pre-pandemic world. The Class of 2020 will have a drive-up graduation on Saturday, June 20, where they will arrive in a car full of family members, get out and march on the field with Pomp and Circumstance playing and receive their diploma, said Superintendent Dede Galdston at Monday’s School Committee meeting. Students will also have a professional photo taken. The rain location will be the WHS auditorium.

Class of 2020

WHS PTSO Raising Money to Celebrate the Class of 2020 in the Time of COVID-19

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One of the signs that went up around town to celebrate Watertown High School’s graduating seniors. A fund-raising effort has been started to help the Watertown High School Class of 2020 celebrate their graduation in style, despite the COVID-19 restrictions. The effort was started by the Watertown High School PTSO on RallyUp.com. As of Friday morning, the page has already raised more than $1,500. The money will used to create gift packs for all seniors which they will collect with their cap and gown after the last day of class.

Around Town

An Open Letter to WHS Seniors from Wayside & the Watertown Youth Coalition

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One of the signs that went up around town to celebrate Watertown High School’s graduating seniors. This letter was written by Lisa Gibalerio, Prevention Specialist, for Wayside Youth & Family Support Network and the Watertown Youth Coalition. Dear Seniors:

When the news came down last month that schools across Massachusetts would not reopen for the rest of the school year, a collective thud of disappointment resounded across town from you and your parents. The news confirmed what had been feared since schools closed back in March: there will be no spring athletic season, no awards ceremony honoring four grueling years, no prom, no Senior Week activities, and, perhaps most crushing of all, no graduation ceremony and no All Night Party. All time-honored events.

Schools

High School Looking for Ways to Celebrate Graduating Seniors in a Time of Social Distancing

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This week, lawn signs will begin to pop up around Watertown congratulating the high school’s Class of 2020. This is one way the school has come up with to celebrate the seniors in a year when a normal graduation ceremony and other traditional events will not likely happen due to the COVID-19 pandemic. People at the school and the community are trying to come up with other ways to acknowledge the Class of 2020, WHS Principal Shirley Lundberg told the School Committee on Monday night. There may be a car parade of seniors, a specific time when the town applauds the senior class (similar to the celebrations of medical workers), and at some point in the future, perhaps, a live and in-person graduation ceremony. The last day of class for seniors is May 28, and graduation was scheduled for Friday, June 5.

Schools

WHS Guidance: Course Selection for Next Year, New Dates for SATs, APs Online

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While Watertown High School students are in virtual learning mode for the rest of the school year, they can start planning for the return to campus next year, as well as, taking tests to prepare for college. The WHS guidance department sent out the following information for students:

Dear Watertown students and families,

First and foremost, I hope this email finds you and your family well during this challenging time. So much is changing, and all of it quite quickly. While it’s possible that more will have changed by the time you read this email, the WHS Guidance Department wants to provide you with some information in regards to course selection, post-secondary planning, and resources for support. We also plan to share a brief video covering this information in the coming days.