Schools

Superintendent Unveils Goals for Watertown Public Schools

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Dede Galdston, current assistant superintendent in Billerica, interviewed for the Watertown Superintendent’s job Monday night. Watertown Superintendent Dede Galdston’s goals for 2019-20 include providing more feedback to teachers, working on the school building projects and community more with parents and the community. The School Committee heard the final draft of the goals at the September School Committee meeting. The goals are:

Goal 1 (Student Learning): Fair, Effective Educator Goal Setting, and EvaluationGoal 2 (District Improvement): Effective communication with larger school communityGoal 3 (District Improvement): Building for the Future Elementary and High School ProjectGoal 4 (Equity): Systems and structures that ensure equityGoal 5 (Student Learning): Increase student achievement for all students in the Watertown Public SchoolsGoal 6 (Student Learning): Tiered systems of supportGoal 7 (District Improvement): Shared vision for district improvement

Galdston said she wants to make sure teachers are observed and also get feedback about their performance. “Last year, we focused on educational goal setting which did very well.

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.

Entertainment

Public Flocks to See Artwork Created by Students from All the Watertown Schools

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Artwork created by students in Watertown High School art classes are part of the display at the annual Watertown Public Schools K-12 Art Show. Colorful paintings of animals, detailed portraits sketched in pencil, and still lifes of fruits and vegetables greet visitors of the Watertown Mall these days. The artwork comes courtesy of Watertown Public Schools students from elementary school all the way to the high school. The annual Watertown Public Schools Art Show will be on display at the Watertown Mall through April 11. On April 1, a reception was held for the artist, their parents, teachers, and interested viewers.

Schools

Kindergarten Enrollment Expected to be Down, District Adding PreK Class

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Hosmer Elementary School in Watertown will have a second PreK class next year. Registration for kindergarten has been lower that expected, allowing School officials to use money on other things. Meanwhile, space is available to add another PreK class for Watertown students. Superintendent Dede Galdston told the School Committee about the changes to next year’s school budget made possible by the lower enrollment on Monday night. When the first Fiscal Year 2020 budget project was presented two weeks ago, four new teaching positions were included to accommodate enrollment growth at certain levels.

Entertainment

Artwork Made by Watertown Students to be Displayed at Mall

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The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Mall:

The Watertown Mall is proud to once again play host to the Watertown Public Schools’ Annual Student Art Exhibit. This fantastic event will begin displaying art on Wednesday, March 27, 2019 and will be up until April 11, 2019. Hundreds of pieces of artwork will be on display from students in Kindergarten through 12th grade in the Watertown Public Schools and will inspire you with their talented work. There will be many mediums displayed here, which include but not limited to: watercolor, crayon, pencils, cray pas, computer art, and so much more. This is a free event to the general public, so come down and support young artists of Watertown Public Schools from Wednesday, March 27, 2019 to Thursday, April 11, 2019.

Around Town

Watertown Schools Getting 5% Budget Increase; Most Will Go to Staff, Minuteman

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Once again, the Town will include a 5 percent increase in education funding in Watertown’s Fiscal Year 2020 Budget — a $2.4 million increase — but much of that will be required to maintain the current education program and services, along with meeting an increase in the cost of sending students to Minuteman Regional Vocational Technical School. Last week, the School Committee heard a budget presentation from Superintendent Dede Galdston, who said that all but about $173,000 of the increase would be used on maintaining the level services budget and paying for the increase in Minuteman tuition. Some staff additions are still planned with the remaining money. New Staff

Among the additions in the Fiscal 2020 budget are two curriculum coaches at Watertown Middle School: one for literacy and the other for math. Similar positions have been successful in other schools, Galdston said.

Schools

Snow Day for Watertown Public Schools on Monday

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Watertown officials announced that the town’s Public Schools will be closed on Monday, March 4 due to the snow storm hitting the area. The storm is forecast to drop several inches of snow on area. Watertown officials announced the closing, among other places, on its Twitter account on Sunday night

The Watertown Public Schools will be closed tomorrow, Monday, March 4 due to the impending snow storm. Be safe and enjoy the snow!— Watertown Schools (@watertownschool) March 4, 2019

Follow Watertown News for more updates related to the storm.

Arts

Watertown School Staff Putting on Play with 1 Day Prep to Raise Money for Band Trip

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Some familiar faces in the Watertown Public Schools will have just one day to prepare a play for a performance on Saturday night. The proceeds from the event will help defer cost of the Watertown High School music program’s trip to New York. 

The Mystery Staff Show features 16 members of the WPS staff, who will not know what they will be performing until just 27.5 hours before they go on stage at the Watertown High School auditorium on Saturday, Dec. 1 at 7 p.m.

Tickets cost $10, and the money raised will help cut the cost of the every-other-year trip to New York by Watertown High School’s music program. Members of the band, orchestra and chorus head to the Big Apple for a weekend that includes performances, a trip to a play, and visits to tourist spots. The cast includes: Zack Allen, Heidi Baildon, Laurie Brackett, Culley Byham, Holly Cachimuel, Megan DiDuca, Aine Dirrane, Jess Donato, Amy Donohue, Chad Foster, Chris McDermott, Pat O’Neill, Nyssa Patten, Magen Slesinger, Siran Tamakian, and Sarah Thiemann.