I hope this message finds you well and that your Thanksgiving holiday was filled with warmth, joy, and happy moments with family and friends. As we now step into the next festive season, it’s a great opportunity to celebrate the diverse traditions and gatherings that many of our families have at this time of the year. Let’s carry forward the spirit of gratitude and togetherness into the coming weeks, embracing the joy and connection that this season inspires.
As we reflect on the core values that define WPS, I want to take a moment to reassure every member of our Watertown Public Schools community of our unwavering commitment to fostering an environment of safety, respect, belonging, and inclusivity. Our schools are places where every student and family is welcomed, valued, and supported. This commitment is grounded not only in our shared values but also in our adherence to Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 76, Section 5, which ensures that "no person shall be excluded or discriminated against in our schools based on race, color, sex, gender identity, religion, national origin, or sexual orientation".
We are dedicated to providing a nurturing environment where diversity is celebrated, respect is upheld, and every student can thrive without fear or concern. Our focus remains on creating a community where every child feels seen, heard, and supported—no matter their background, language spoken, learning style, identity, beliefs, or appearance. This commitment defines who we are in Watertown Public Schools, and I am proud to be part of such a rich and diverse community.
Thank you for trusting us to care for your children and for partnering with us to build a strong, inclusive community. Together, we will ensure a bright and welcoming future for all members of our WPS family.
Best,
Dede Galdston, Superintendent of Schools
On November 19, the Watertown City Council took a major step towards launching a Watertown Middle School building project.
This means we are now on the path to rebuilding or fully renovating all five school buildings in Watertown in less than a decade. This is a truly unprecedented accomplishment and it signals our community’s commitment to providing the absolute best for our students, our teachers, and our staff.
A feasibility study is now underway to examine potential renovation and construction options. At this point, the initial discussion surrounds renovating the 1998 section of the building and replacing the 1922 portion of the middle school with a brand new building. The goal is to begin a 15-18 month construction project in 2026 and use the Moxley modular buildings once the new Watertown High School opens.
You can read more about the project in my letter to the community last week.
Congratulations to Cunniff music teacher Elizabeth Schorr, who was honored last week as the Outstanding Educator of the Year by the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress.
Ms. Schorr was recognized for fostering a love of music among her students and ensuring that "students of all abilities are given every opportunity to reach their fullest potential." In particular, Ms. Schorr was lauded for last year's production of Moana Jr. and creating and inclusive culture for all students.
We are very proud of Ms. Schorr and so grateful for all that she does for students and families at the Cunniff.
Congratulations to the cast and crew of The Play That Goes Wrong, the fall drama production at Watertown High School. The comedy show depicts a theater company that puts on an ill-fated murder mystery play and encounters a variety of production and performance mishaps and disasters along the way.
In a sign of the strength of our great Fine, Applied, and Performing Arts programs, there were two casts of the show. Both did outstanding jobs!
The incredible Raiders field hockey program has done it again! They captured their fourth-straight state championship, beating Sandwich in a thrilling 2-0 Division 3 state final. The Raiders defended 20 penalty corners and scored on both of their shots on goal.
With the victory, Eileen Donahue won her 22nd state championship in 39 years, and the senior class completed an astonishing undefeated high school career. The Raiders have now won 97 games in a row, dating back to before the pandemic.
The win generated plenty of media attention, including WBZ News Radio, 7 News, Boston 25, and even making its way into Dan Shaughnessy's Picked Up Pieces column in The Boston Globe.
Check out highlights of the win and celebrations from Watertown Cable News:
The strength of our Raiders community was on true display earlier this month when the WHS football team, led by Coach Carroll, attended the Middlesex League meet to cheer on our cheerleaders. We are very proud of the great accomplishments our cheerleading team put together this year.
4th graders at the Cunniff school recently wrapped up their first literacy unit by dressing up as doctors, nurses, and surgeons and conducting mock heart surgeries.
Students worked in teams to put together puzzles of a heart and demonstrated excellent teamwork during this fun and memorable exercise!
In a fun Hosmer tradition, parents and guardians came to school this past week for "Specials Night for Grownups."
The evening serves as an opportunity for parents and guardians to try their hands at some of the activities their students take part in at school, including art class, gym, and music. The night always proves to be fun-filled. You're never too old to head back to school!
Digital Media Communications and marketing students from Watertown High School went on a great field trip to Gillette Stadium recently, where they took part in marketing, journalism, and communications exercises with Patriots and Revs executives. Students gave presentations, took a tour of the Patriots Hall of Fame, and had a photo-op on the field as part of the daylong experience.
WHS DMC teacher Mike Riley organized the field trip and will be bringing a new batch of students back for another day at Gillette in the spring. Mr. Riley serves as one of the two public address announcers for Patriots and Revolution games.
In November, at the National Council for Teachers of English conference in Boston, Casey Andrews (9-12 ELA Curriculum Coordinator), Eduardo Espada (ESL Teacher), and ten WHS students presented "Beyond Bridges for Multilingual Learners: Student-Centered and Student-Driven Practices for Equity."
Students engaged the participants in scenarios to improve classroom instruction, and Andrews and Espada presented specific pedagogical practices.
Last month, dozens of volunteers planted more than 700 tree and shrub seedings of a 3,000-square foot portion of the Lowell lawn.
This dense, tiny forest, also known as a Miyawaki forest, will eventually grow into an outdoor classroom and public green space. The effort aims to boost biodiversity in Watertown while also providing a space for environmental and outdoor education. We can't wait to watch this forest grow!
Have you seen the beautiful new Watertown Public Schools website? We are excited to launch this redesigned website experience for our community and we welcome your feedback.
While every effort was made to ensure there are no bugs with the new site, we encourage you to tell us if you encounter any issues. Please fill out this google form should you come across something that needs to be fixed.
If you have a newsworthy item you would like featured in the news section or pictures you would like featured on the front page, please email matthew.mccarthy@watertown.k12.ma.us.
Happy surfing!
Dr. Deanne Galdston
Email: deanne.galdston@watertown.k12.ma.us
Website: www.watertown.k12.ma.us
Location: 30 Common Street, Watertown, MA, USA
Phone: 617-926-7708
Facebook: www.facebook.com/watertownpublicschools
Twitter: @WatertownSupt