WHS Principal's Newsletter

As I write this, the countdown to the last day of school for students is just 5 days away! The peony from my garden above, is proof positive that summer is nearly upon us. We had an unusual last half of the year, but much appreciation goes to the amazing staff who adapted, created, and made the shift to remote teaching and learning both gracefully and skillfully. Thanks to the students who stepped up, and to the parents who supported this new way of 'doing school'. We know it was not easy for any of us, but we never gave up and we successfully navigated those previously uncharted waters! - Shirley Lundberg, Principal

Corona may be keeping us apart but it isn't keeping us silent.

The music lives within us, bringing us laughter, joy, strength and solace.

With so many of us feeling isolated, music invites connection. It provides us with solace and strength under extraordinary stress. As awash as we are in uncertainty, rumor and even anger during these trying times, music reminds us to listen and empathize. With both children and adults dealing with unprecedented pressure, music allows us to express powerful feelings responsibly and respectfully; amidst much confusion music gives us clarity, a vision of hope and affirmation. We hope that Watertown’s Virtual MusicFest bring these things to you and your families, highlighting the inspiration and comfort that our entire community finds in the arts.

And now, without further ado...

The Watertown Public Schools Fine, Applied and Performing Arts department, in collaboration with Friends of Watertown Music, invites all Watertown musicians, students, teachers, families, and community members to join us in this virtual musical celebration!

This website is the home of Watertown's first ever Virtual MusicFest.

You will find almost five full hours of music lovingly shared with you by musicians from the Watertown community - students, teachers, business owners, neighbors, families, all sharing their music with you in this virtual setting!

Just like the live MusicFest, all of the performances have been scheduled into different rooms. We invite you to move between the rooms just as you would if attending the live event, sampling the different musical offerings. You will want to come back to this site many times to see different performances - depending on the order in which you listen and where you are moved to stop and click, each new visit will be a unique experience!

https://sites.google.com/watertown.k12.ma.us/virtualmusicfest2020/home

Cheers,

Meg

Magen Slesinger
Coordinator of Fine, Applied, and Performing Arts
Watertown Public Schools
x36555
https://magenslesinger.com/

Surveys to Students, Staff, and Parents/Families will be sent out later this week. They are designed to gather information for our fall planning purposes. I will send more information as it becomes available. Please be on the lookout for them; your feedback is invaluable to us!

All students are asked to return all textbooks, library books and other school materials back to the high school this week. Students will be able to keep their Chromebooks and chargers for the summer (see information on Chromebooks later in this newsletter). The school material drop-off times are as follows.

Please arrive based on your last name as it appears in PowerSchool.

LAST NAME ~~ DATE ~~ DAY ~~ TIME

A - F ~~ 6/10/2020 ~~ Wednesday ~~ 4:00-6:00 pm

G - M ~~ 6/11/2020 ~~ Thursday ~~ 4:00-6:00 pm

N - Z ~~ 6/12/2020 ~~ Friday ~~ 4:00-6:00 pm

Upon Arrival:

1. Arrive during your scheduled date and time.

2. Drive into the Teacher’s Parking Lot behind the school, follow the cones and get in line. Stay in your car.

3. A faculty member will approach your vehicle and ask you to put your textbooks and other school materials in a box.

4. If you are walking please follow the instruction of the staff when you arrive.

THIS IS NOT A TIME TO TALK OR HANGOUT WITH YOUR FRIENDS. MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING WHILE IN PROCESS

PLEASE WEAR A MASK

Thank you!!

Summer Assignments should be posted on our WHS web site soon. Keep a watch out for them! If you have any questions, ask your teachers.

Greetings WHS Families,

You are receiving this message as your student/s have borrowed a district-provided Chromebook and may keep it at home to facilitate online learning during summer. Please note that the following Chromebook Contract and Acceptable Use Policy remains in effect over the summer.

1. Watertown Chromebook Parent/Guardian Contract

2. WPS Acceptable Use Policy

Please remember that the Chromebooks are for school work only, and should not be taken to places where they may be at risk for being stolen or damaged. For questions, please feel free to contact Principal, Shirley Lundberg at Shirley.lundberg@watertown.k12.ma.us

Thank you!

Please join us June 9, 2020, at 6:30 pm, for our PTSO year-end meeting via zoom
(see log-in info below)

• At our PTSO year-end meeting we will talk about leadership for next year and what we were able to accomplish during this unusual school year.
• Next year will have its own challenges and we will be welcoming in a new high school principal. So, it's important to have a parent group that represents every grade level.
• Just a reminder that all parents and guardians are members of the Watertown High School PTSO.

Meeting log in information:

Topic: PTSO June 9, 6:30pm, year-end meeting

Time: Jun 9, 2020 06:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86080832929?pwd=SWtPTVJ6TmN0MThhbjZGN2t5Ym40QT09

Meeting ID: 860 8083 2929

Password: 066578

WHS SENIOR GIFT BAGS DISTRIBUTED
In lieu of the All Night Graduation party that is normally managed by the PTSO, a committee of senior parents put together gift bags which were distributed to every WHS graduate when they picked up their cap and gown last week. We had some very generous donations that made the contents of the gift bags possible. Many thanks to the committee: Lorena Moynihan, Merrill King, Cathy Williams, Kellie Connelly and Vicky Sax, with special shout out to PTSO treasurer Kristen Fitzpatrick. Please see the complete list of supporters below and visit our facebook page to see the bags: https://www.facebook.com/WatertownHighSchoolPTSO/.

GRADUATION SIGNAGE
Thanks to the Watertown Department of Public Works for letting us use their A-frame signage and for placing the congratulatory A-frame signs around town. Thanks to Graphic Connections for producing these festive signs to celebrate the graduates.

CLASS OF 2020.VICTORY FIELD FENCE SIGN
Thanks to the "Cup Crew", Superintendent Galdston, Principal Lundberg, Cathy Williams, David Stokes, Andy Pastore, and Vicky Sax who decorated the Victory Field Fence on May 22 with red solo cups to spell out CLASS OF 2020.

OTHER PTSO UPDATES
• The annual Teacher Staff appreciation luncheon (usually held this Spring) will hopefully be able to be reimagined in September as a welcome back event.
• We will announce the three PTSO scholarship winners as soon as the winners are notified

Hoping we can all be together again soon.

Your friends at the PTSO
(watertownptso@gmail.com)

Connect to the Watertown High School PTSO facebook Page

In accordance with the proclamation from the Town Council of Watertown celebrating today June 5, 2020 as "Watertown High School Class of 2020 Day" here is the fondest farewell, advice, and congratulations from the Faculty & Staff of Watertown High School:

https://vimeo.com/426098592

***GRADES ARE DUE TUESDAY 6/16/2020 AT 3:00PM*** (See Brian Brewer's 6/8/2020 email for details)

Staff Meeting 6/10/2020 @ 3pm via Zoom (See your calendar invitation for the login link)

The Watertown Community Foundation (WCF) is providing students with the opportunity to do a paid volunteer internship with a local organization (of your choice!) during the summer. This is a great way to explore a career field that you may be interested in. All high school students are eligible. You will be asked to work for 120 hours over the summer and will receive $1000, paid at the end of the internship by WCF. Questions or want an application? Contact Ms. Eaton (adrienne.eaton@watertown.k12.ma.us).

Summer Internship-Alan Khazei is a service-driven activist who founded City Year and helped create Americorps and now is taking his passion for change to Congress. As a candidate for Massachusetts’ 4th Congressional District, he’s hosting a remote summer field fellowship—a great opportunity for students to get an introduction in political campaigns. The fellowship will be a great opportunity to learn how campaigns work and take part in building a grassroots movement.The position will include personalized team projects for voter outreach, and workshops by some of the most prominent organizers and activists in the country. The program starts June 15th, apply at bit.ly/khazeifellowship!

This week, our experienced educators are offering three more Mindful Exploration student webinars—focusing on the virtues of justice. Students are encouraged to register for one or all three of the webinars. They must register for each webinar they wish to attend. Webinar recordings will also be available on-demand. More information and other IWitness resources are available here.

Join Ms. Pearlman, your teachers, & classmates in a Zoom meeting on Thursday at 3:30. The meeting will be an open forum to hear your thoughts, feelings, & reactions to the recent events of police brutality & murder and fight for justice. You do not have to speak, you can come to show your support as a listener as well! Link: https://bit.ly/3f1Gz4J

The No Place for Hate Club is going to meet on Friday at 3:00. contact Ms. Bouhafs for information mona.bouhafs@watertown.k12.ma.us

The robotics team is still meeting on Wednesday nights at 7 pm via Zoom. Email coaches@team2423.org for meeting link.

The Hope Squad is a club focused on mental health education, student support, and reducing stigma in accessing mental health services. Hope Squad has been meeting weekly on Thursdays at 3:00 p.m. For more information contact rebecca.rhodes@watertown.k12.ma.us or teresa.malone@watertown.k12.ma.us

The Deep and Meaningful Conversation club will be meeting every Tuesday from 4-5 pm! If you are interested, contact Caiden Kiani at cakian120@watertown.k12.ma.us

Art Club will meet weekly on Wednesdays from 4-5pm on Zoom. Feel free to drop in, even if you've never come to our in person meetings! We will do fun and different activities. Please email Ms.Mann, angela.mann@watertown.k12.ma.us before the next meeting on 4/22 so I can let you know what materials we will be working with. Thanks! Hope to see you there. Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/91254665089?pwd=ZVA1dHp5RXlHT2VLdzJJNmVGaGQwQT09 Meeting ID: 912 5466 5089 Password: 045365

The Puzzle Club will have its weekly Zoom meeting on Thursday at 4 PM. The link to the Zoom Meeting is posted on the Puzzle Club Google Classroom.

The Comic Graphic Novel and Animation club will meet virtually once a week. The club will meet on Thursdays at 2:30PM. https://zoom.us/j/97056742778?pwd=a1dqSGd5elBRdjVWOGFUalFhVzI5dz09 Meeting ID: 970 5674 2778 Password: 5zKfvV

Mask makers needed! Contact Beth Lloyd at lloydcrew5@gmail.com or text at 617 953-352 about sewing masks that will go to homeless shelters, skilled care centers, senior living sites, domestic violence programs, adult disability housing, etc. Fabric is precut and will be supplied.

The Watertown Boys and Girls Club needs volunteers to tutor students through Zoom. Please contact Rhode Moise at moise@watertownbgc.org for additional information.

The Class of 2022 has created a great opportunity to gain community service hours, as well as put a smile on the faces of the young children of Watertown. We ask that you film a video of yourself reading a picture book and send it to Carly MacCormack, Emma Fallon, or Ms. Glencross to be uploaded on a website that has been made. It is not mandatory, but this is a great way to get community service hours from home! Feel free to read more than one story, as this will be shared with all of the elementary school teachers and families once we have started compiling videos. You will be granted an hour of community service for every two books you read (please make them separate videos). The Class of 2022 officers will be happy to answer any questions that you have. We can’t wait to see your videos!

The Math Lab is OPEN for business. Mr. Nazarchuk is ready to help. Send him an email at stanislav.nazarchuk@watertown.k12.ma.us and he'll set up a time with you. Just like at school, you can ask him a quick question or meet with him regularly to get help.

The Freshmen Physics Tutor Group is back! If you are looking for some help with your physics work stop by on Zoom, Wednesdays 3:30pm-4:15pm. See your physics teachers for the Zoom link or email Caiden cakian120@watertown.k12.ma.us and

Eli: licher843@watertown.k12.ma.us

Attention students: Do you need help with a writing assignment or paper? You're in luck! The WHS Writing Lab is now available virtually. If you'd like some help, reach out to Ms. Adkanian (aryana.adkanian@watertown.k12.ma.us) and join her Google Classroom (join code: twgiol2). The Writing Lab's Classroom has a place for students to virtually submit a paper for feedback, a general discussion questions forum, and instructional materials on the writing process.