Principal's Newsletter
October 28, 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 students overall screentime.
There will be two family information sessions that will present the schedule and answer any questions Monday, November 2nd and Wednesday, November 4th. Zoom Links below:
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.
7-Day Rotation
Friday Schedule
November Schedule (Detailed)
Meal Program Updates
Starting Monday, October 26, 2020 the grab & go meal site will be open every Monday:
- 12:00pm - 1:30pm
- 4:30 - 6:00pm
Breakfast and lunch for the whole week will be provided for free to any child!
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.
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.
- Medical Assisting: Monday, November 2, 2020, from 5:30-6:30 PM
- TV/Radio Broadcasting: Monday, November 9, 2020, from 5:30-6:30 PM
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!
Upcoming Senior game schedule and protocols
- Varsity Boys Soccer: Saturday, 10/31 @ 9am
- 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
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:
Guidance Updates
Tech help!
We look forward to supporting you with your educational technology questions.
Please visit the WPS Family Ed-Tech for ALL websites for weekly 10/19 Family Ed-Tech for All Newsletter, Live support sessions, Resources, Tutorials & tips that are curated and created, especially for you.
Please 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 Academic STEM offerings for different grade levels to choose from, along with additional resources. We look forward to seeing you actively engaged in STEM Learning. This year's MA STEM Week theme is to SEE YOURSELF IN STEM. Please use this form to submit an image, short video (less than 1 minute), or animation of yourself engaging in STEM. Please contact District Ed-Tech Coordinator at (rashmi.pimprikar@watertown.k12.ma.us) for more information.
Upcoming dates
Ongoing (September 28-November 5) - MEFA Live (Virtual) Financial Aid Seminars (Visit mefa.org/events to register)