Principal's Newsletter
November 4, 2020
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New Student Schedule Coming Monday, November 9, 2020
I have been incredibly humbled at the efforts of our students and staff during these first several weeks of, "online school." Visiting classes has given me insight into how hard staff is working to make authentic connections with our students, albeit two-dimensionally. Very little of the educational landscape is ideal right now, and our families, staff, and students are adjusting incredibly well. Coming into this season of remote learning, we anticipated shifts to our schedule and practices would be necessary; I want to announce one such shift.
As Watertown High School moves closer to its hopeful hybrid start date of November 30th, we are constantly reflecting on the efficacy of our current remote schedule and its impact on student achievement and engagement. Teachers and students are working tirelessly in this remote model. Managing asynchronous work and the use of office hours, for many, has become challenging. Meeting our requirements for time on learning, giving students time to ask questions of their teachers, and frequent check-ins between students and faculty are just a few of the limitations of our current schedule. For these reasons and others, we began looking at a schedule change over 3 weeks ago. Transparently, this was prior to any discussion of an audit by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. We respect the audit process and believe we have done what is right for Watertown, its students, staff, and families. We continue to believe that the best support for students is to have them learning, synchronously, with their teachers and we have designed a schedule that allows for more of this time.
The new schedule more closely resembles what students have used in school in past years and will most easily allow us to switch from remote to hybrid (and back to remote, should the situation warrant it). You will notice that the schedule (below) equally distributes periods throughout the day and week without extending the day. This schedule will begin on November 9, 2020.
Overview: Monday - Thursday, students will rotate through a 7-day cycle according to the schedule below. Friday does NOT count as a day in the rotation and instead will follow its own schedule (also shown below). Fridays are a chance for students to have 20-minute check-ins with all their teachers and still have their Advisory and Guidance Seminars (currently for 9th and 12th graders). We are working with staff to encourage "off zoom" time, even during class time. Allowing students to work independently, off zoom, and then regroup as a class is an encouraged practice to limit the zoom time students experience. In addition, the increase in synchronous time will come with a reduction in asynchronous time, which requires a great deal of "screen time" for students. We hope that this reduction in asynchronous work will reduce a student's overall screen time.
I appreciate the flexibility our students and staff have shown, and will undoubtedly continue to show, this school year. We ask for patience and understanding while we continue to navigate these challenging times.
9th Grade Building Tours
As the high school's hybrid return date approaches, we understand that some 9th-grade students may be feeling worried or anxious about entering an unfamiliar building. To help students get a building preview, we will be providing opportunities for 9th graders, or those new to the school to tour the building before classes begin.
These small group tours will be offered in the afternoons (between 12:30 and 3:05) on November 13 and November 20 and will be focused on helping students understand the layout of the building.
Please have your student complete this form if they are interested in participating in one of these optional tours. The form requires a WHS email address, so please be sure that your student is logged in to their school email account. Students will receive an email next week with their tour slot time and any additional information about tour day.
7-Day Rotation
Friday Schedule
November Schedule (Detailed)
PSAT for 10th & 11th Graders
We plan to offer the PSAT to all students in grades 10 and 11 on Tuesday, January 26, 2021.
CollegeBoard has provided this alternate date for testing due to COVID. This administration has the same benefits of the October administration including eligibility for the National Merit scholarship programs. This in-school test administration provides students with the opportunity to take a practice version of the SAT at no cost. Once students take the test, they have access to a number of free test prep resources to help prepare for the SAT tests.
More details about the test administration and the various resources available to students will be shared as we get closer to the test date. For more information on the PSAT, click here.
WHS Guidance Update
Meal Program Updates
The grab & go meal site is open every Monday:
- 12:00pm - 1:30pm
- 4:30 - 6:00pm
Bridge to Return Translations
Here are two translated documents highlighting WPS's plan to return:
The English version of the document can be found on WPS's website, linked here.
Upcoming Senior game schedule and protocols
- Varsity Girls Cross Country: Saturday, 11/7 @ 9am
- Varsity Boys Cross Country: Saturday, 11/14 @ 9am
Please be advised of the following Senior Game Protocols
WHS Seeks Professionals for Two New Program Advisory Committees (PAC): Medical Assisting & Radio/TV Broadcasting
WHS is seeking parents, students, area professionals, and post-secondary representatives to participate in an advisory capacity in regards to the design and development of curriculum for the implementation of two planned vocational/technical pathway programs - Medical Assisting and Radio/TV Broadcasting. These programs are designed to give high school students a jump start, developing career-focused skills and the option to earn industry certification(s) while still enrolled in high school.
Please see here for more information on these two new Program Advisory Committees.
Virtual Fall Play: The Crucible
This play is a dark and chilling story revolving around the events leading up to the 1692 Salem Witch Trials, focusing on the accused, the accusing, and their fates. More information on how to access this production will be available in the coming weeks. We are so excited to share our hard work with the Watertown community!
English Learner Parent advisory council information
The English Learner Parent Advisory Council (ELPAC) is a group organized by parent volunteers with the purpose of advocating for current and former English learners.
ELPAC is looking for parents and community members to join! To learn more, please contact Kate Phillipson, the ESL Coodinator - kathryn.phillipson@watertown.k12.ma.us or 617-581-8200
As a resource, the following links give instructions on how to receive interpretations on your computer or phone:
Tech help!
We look forward to supporting you with your educational technology questions!
Please visit the WPS Ed-Tech for ALL Website to access Ed Tech for all Faculty resources that are being created and curated for you:
Complete the WPS Ed-Tech Support Request Form if you need support with Ed-Tech. A member of the WPS Ed-Tech team will reach out to you ASAP.
Visit our WPS STEM Week 2020 Website that hosts diverse STEM offerings for different grade levels. You can print your school-specific WPS STEM Week 2020 student certificates from the website.
Following is a link to WGBH WORLD Channel which is created to serve students at home with no or limited internet access, or to augment online learning. This At-Home Learning Resources document provides an overall schedule of the broadcasts for this fall. Link to Mathematics broadcast Schedule and MA Standards alignment.