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.

Business

Watertown Community STEM Night Returns to the Middle School

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The showcase of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) in the Watertown Public Schools, along with people and businesses in the city that work in those sectors, returns to Watertown Middle School on April 29. See more details in the announcement from the organizers, below. Mark your calendars, Watertown! On Wednesday, April 29th, from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM, Watertown Middle School is transforming into a hub of innovation, curiosity, and local talent for the 2nd Annual Community STEM Night, presented by the Watertown Business Coalition and Watertown Public Schools! Whether you’re a student with a passion for coding, a parent curious about what’s happening in our classrooms, or a resident interested in the booming life science sector in our backyard, this is an evening you won’t want to miss.

Entertainment

Artwork by Watertown Students Going on Display at City Hall

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Young artists from the Watertown Public Schools will have their works shown at City Hall in the last half of April. A reception is planned on the first evening of the exhibit. See more information in the announcement form the Watertown Public Schools, below. Come view all the excellent artwork from our K-12 students at the Watertown Public Schools Art Show! The art will be on display from April 15-30th at Watertown City Hall.

Schools

Proposed Watertown School Budget Cuts Multiple Positions, Increases Athletics, Busing Fees

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Watertown School officials, with the guidance of the School Committee, have reduced a shortfall of $2.5 million and came up with a budget that would have a $700,000 surplus, according to the presentation made Monday by Superintendent Dede Galdston. The total Watertown Public Schools Fiscal Year 2027 budget is $64.59 million, a $2.48 million or 4% increase from FY2026. The budget provides a level services budget from the current school year, which means that the district provides the same programs and generally includes the same staffing levels, although some positions have been eliminated and others added in the budget. The School Committee will discuss the proposed budget and vote on it at a meeting on Thursday, March 26 at 5:15 p.m. to be held remotely. See details here.

Schools

LEGAL NOTICE: Watertown Public Schools to Hold Public Hearing on Fiscal Year 2027 Budget

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The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Public Schools:

Legal Notice

WATERTOWN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, 30 COMMON STREET, WATERTOWN, MA 02472 – In accordance with provisions of Chapter 71, Section 38N, the Watertown School Committee will hold a Public Hearing on its proposed Fiscal Year 2027 Budget, on Monday, March 23, 2026, at 7:00 PM in the Learning Commons, Lowell Elementary School, 123 Lowell Avenue, Watertown, MA 02472, or via Zoom at https://watertown-k12-ma-us.zoom.us/j/86275618951

A copy of the FY27 Proposed Budget will be available to the public in the Office of the Superintendent of Schools and on the Watertown Public Schools Website, www.watertown.k12.ma.us, forty-eight hours before the date of the public meeting.

Entertainment

Performers Wanted for 13th Annual Watertown MusicFest

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The Annual Watertown MusicFest is coming up and musicians can now sign up to take part in the event that supports the music program in the Watertown Public Schools. See more in the announcement from the Friends of Watertown Music, below. Calling all musicians: Friends of Watertown Music invites performers to register for our 13th Annual Watertown MusicFest. Deadline: March 26th — performance slots are limited. Our Annual MusicFest is a fun community event, offering something for everyone with over 40 performances, across 3 stages, to be held this year on Friday, April 10th, from 5:30 to 9:00 p.m. The variety of performers often includes student musicians, Watertown Public School teachers, local rock bands, established musicians, a vignette of musical theater, and more. Performances run from 5 to 20 minutes, so attendees have the chance to see as many acts as they wish.

Schools

Watertown Schools Looking for Ways to Close $2.5 Million Gap, Deal with Increasing Special Ed Costs

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Increasing costs of special education tuition has contributed to the sharp increase in the school budget over the past few years, Superintendent Dede Galdston told the School Committee on Monday night, and for budget for the 2026-27 school year the district will have to find ways to close a multi-million dollar deficit. During the Preliminary Budget overview for the Fiscal Year 2027 School Budget Galdston said the shortfall facing the Watertown Public Schools is $2.5 million, which is based on what she called a level-services budget. The total budget would be $67 million, while the current revenues — including a 4 percent increase in funding from the City — is $64.5 million. School administrators and the School Committee will be working on the budget for the next several weeks, and the School Committee will hold a public hearing on March 23 and take a final vote on the recommended budget on March 26, Galdston said. “So what we need to do is think about our level-services budget, think about what we can do to bridge that deficit so that we are able to balance a budget moving forward,” Galdston said.