Charity

Watertown Community Foundation Awards Inaugural Education & Youth Development Grants

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The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Community Foundation:

The Watertown Community Foundation has awarded $39,475 in the inaugural Education and Youth Development grant cycle. This new grant program creates access to opportunities for Watertown youth that foster skill-building, creativity, leadership, confidence and resilience, while creating pathways for all young people to thrive. The Watertown Public Schools (WPS) was the largest grant recipient, receiving $22,575 to support six programs and provide student internship support. One of the grants, totaling $5,000, was awarded to the WPS Student Opportunity Fund, which covers the cost of student activities, field trips, and clubs for families who need support. This grant increases the district’s Student Opportunity Fund by approximately 25% for the 2026–2027 school year — a year that will see the reinstatement of athletics and activity fees at the middle and high school levels.

Schools

Class of 2019 Can Get Copies of Their School Records Before They are Destroyed

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Members of the Class of 2019 can get copies of the records before they are destroyed. See more information in the announcement from the Watertown Public Schools, below. Kathleen Desmarais, M.Ed, Director of Student Services, is notifying the public that in accordance with Massachusetts Student Records Regulations temporary records which have been maintained by the school system for the Class of 2019 are about to be destroyed. Former students have the right to receive copies of any or all of these records prior to their destruction. After July 1, 2026, only the transcript, which includes the minimum information necessary to reflect the student’s educational progress, will be on file for at least 60 years.

Schools

School Officials Outline Strategies to Improve Watertown’s Special Education Program

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A study of the Watertown Public Schools’ special education found a number of areas of concerns, including a lack of uniformity, a need for better communication with families, and a distrust among parents of students in the program. A group called the Special Education Strategy Development Committee, made up of 31 people from different levels in the schools, as well as parents, discussed Watertown’s special education data, reports from state on the district’s special education program, as well as the report from AthenaK12. The district committee put out a Special Education Success Strategy report. The special education committee pointed to multiple areas to focus on to improve the program for students with special needs, said Kathy Desmarais, Watertown’s Director of Student Services. One issue rose to the top in the report.

Letters

LETTER: Group of Parents Support Bell-to-Bell Personal Electronic Device Ban in Watertown Schools

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Dear Watertown Community Members:

As parents and residents of Watertown, we have closely followed the discussions of the Watertown Public Schools (WPS) PED Task Force regarding personal electronic devices (PEDs) in our schools. While we understand the initial hesitation some feel regarding a complete ban, the more we examine the data and the neurobiology of our children, the clearer it becomes: a full, bell-to-bell ban for grades 9-12, including passing time and lunch, is not just a restrictive policy, but a necessary step to protect our students’ mental health and academic futures. The academic benefits of removing smartphones are undeniable. Research shows that schools implementing such bans see significant increases in GPA and academic outcomes, with a particularly powerful impact on mathematics scores. Furthermore, the mental health implications are staggering; one major study found that these bans led to a 60% decline in consultations with specialists for psychological symptoms and a 29% decline in GP visits for the same issues.

Schools

Watertown School Bus Fees Increasing, District May Buy Electric Buses

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by Pixabay

School bus fees will rise $200 for students who don’t qualify for the mandated busing areas of town in the 2026-27 school year. School officials will also look at purchasing its own buses, which would be electric. Increasing school bus fees was one of the steps taken to balance the school budget for Fiscal Year 2027. School officials had to close a $2.5 million gap. This year, students were charged $300 to ride the school bus, with a family cap of $475, said Superintendent Dede Galdston.

Schools

Watertown High School Student Voices Heard at Recent Community Discussion

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The following piece was provided by Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice and the Environment:

On April 8, seven Watertown High School students engaged in lively discussions with the community at the Watertown Free Public Library. Sponsored by Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice and the Environment (WCPJE). Student Voices and Conversation brought together City Councilors, School Committee members, and the general public to hear what is on the minds of local students. Students helped to develop and plan the evening’s structure and led all of the discussions. The event focused on dialogue about what is working for students in Watertown as well as what can be improved. Key questions included “What challenges/issues/concerns are young people facing in Watertown,” “What do students want community members to know about youth today?”

Government

After Recent ICE Detention in Watertown, School & City Officials Were Asked About Plans & Protections

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Following the detention of a Watertown man by federal immigration enforcement agents on April 10, School and City officials discussed actions being taken or planned by local officials. At about 9 a.m. on Friday, April 10, a man was taken from his vehicle on Rutland Road by ICE agents after they broke the window. Witnesses contacted the LUCE hotline, which got in touch with the Watertown Rapid Response Network (RRN) (a group of about 250 residents with “concerns about the current immigration enforcement”) who contacted the man’s wife. The man was taken to a detention facility in Plymouth, according to a member of the RRN. At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, a member the Rapid Response Network requested that City officials “issue an executive order that prohibits City resources from being used for immigration enforcement, prohibits immigration activities on City property, requires valid warrants before ICE enters City buildings, ensures transparency and community notifications regarding ICE activity, and protects every Watertown residents Constitutional and human rights.”

Around Town

Sample Produce from the Watertown School’s Freight Farm at Pop Up Farm Stand

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Watertown students have been learning high-tech farming in the freight farm that sits in the parking lot behind the Watertown Public School’s Phillips Building. On Thursday, the public can purchase some of the crop raised in the farm at a pop-up farm stand. See more info in the announcement from the schools, below. Join us for a pop-up sale of Watertown Public Schools fresh hydroponic lettuce and herbed sea salt! The event will be held Thursday, April 16 from 4-6 p.m. at 31 Marshall Street.