Principal's Newsletter

February 27, 2022

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Welcome Back!

I hope everyone had a wonderful, restful break. The days are starting to get a little longer and here's hoping for a break in the cold. Coming back from a break is a great time to have a conversation with your student about recommitting to their schoolwork and their well-being. This means availing themselves of the many supports at WHS (details of these can be found on the school website and through your student's guidance counselor). This ALSO means taking care of one's self by establishing tech-free time, talking with trusted adults, making sure they don't take on too much, and remembering to have fun among many other techniques. WHS has supports for student well-being, including school counselors, adjustment counselors, advisory teachers, and many clubs for students to get plugged into. If you feel your student needs support for their mental health, please reach out directly to their guidance counselor or any administrator, and we will make sure they are getting the help they need.

Parent Teacher Conferences

Parent Teacher conferences will take place via Zoom on March 3rd, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., and on March 8th, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Please refer to this link to sign up to speak with teachers.

New building update

Over the next two weeks, curriculum coordinators, teachers, and administrators will be meeting with Ai3 Architects, the architects tasked with designing our new building, to hold our 4th round of programming meetings. These meetings give time for all involved to make specific suggestions about the new building design and how it will shape the student experience. We appreciate Ai3's experience in designing buildings like ours and their commitment to making Watertown High School's design unique to our needs and direction. There will be a School Building Committee meeting this week on Wednesday evening at 6pm.

Seal of Biliteracy Test

Is your student fluent in more than one language? Did you know that last year 35 WHS students and this year 19 students have proven that they are? The Seal of Biliteracy testing is back for the spring.

Seniors who have never taken the test, seniors who want to retake a portion of the test, and juniors taking the test for the first time can sign up using the following link. Sign up by Wednesday, March 8th. Testing will take place in the language lab during the week of April 4-8.

For more information, please contact Adam Silverberg - World Language Coordinator at adam.silverberg@watertown.k12.ma.us.

COVID/Mask update

Please read this mask update from the Superintendent.

If your student was enrolled in the at-home COVID test program and received their test before break, please plan to administer one of the two tests before school on Monday, February 28th. Pooled PCR testing will also take place on Monday of that week, which will give us good data regarding positivity rates as we return.

Please find our 2021/2022 COVID-19 Response Protocols here.

Returning after COVID

If you test positive for COVID and you are asymptomatic, you may come back on day six. The day you test positive for COVID is day 0. For example, if you get a positive test on Wednesday (day 0), you can return on the following Tuesday (day 6). See chart below.
If you are symptomatic and then you test positive, day 0 is the first day you start to develop symptoms.
If you test positive and develop symptoms AFTER your positive test, day 0 resets to the day you become symptomatic.
YOU CAN ONLY RETURN after 5 days of isolation if you were asymptomatic, OR if you are fever-free and your symptoms are resolving.
If you have COVID, you cannot be part of pool testing for 90 days from your positive test, as you may test positive for up to 12 weeks on a PCR test.

Community service

Due to COVID limiting the number of opportunities for seniors to partake in community service, the senior community service requirement will be reduced to 13 hours instead of 36 hours. Please see Ms. Hoffman with any questions.

Seniors

WHS Seniors, please check this Google Doc regularly for any important announcements regarding the Class of 2022! Announcements will be updated regularly.

Upcoming events

3/3 - Parent Teacher Conferences 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM

3/8 - Parent Teacher Conferences 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM

3/8 - Band-O-Rama 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM

3/9 - MCAS ELA Retest

3/10 - MCAS ELA Retest

3/15 - MCAS Math Retest

3/16 - PD - Early Release Day (Day ends at 12:30)

3/16 - MCAS Math Retest

3/22 - MCAS ELA Retest for Grade 10

3/23 - MCAS ELA Retest for Grade 10

3/17 - WHS Musical Performance 7 PM to 10 PM

3/18 - WHS Musical Performance 7 PM to 10 PM

3/19 - WHS Musical Performance 2 PM to 5 PM

Please refer to the WHS Calendar for more!