The following letter was shared by Superintendent Galdston with the Watertown Public Schools community on November 20, 2024:

Hello families, students, and members of the Watertown community,

I am writing to share an exciting and important update about the future of the Watertown Middle School building. Last night, the Watertown City Council held a special meeting to discuss five significant capital projects: the Senior Center, the DPW Staging Area, the Watertown Square Project, the East End Fire Station, and Watertown Middle School. I am thrilled to share that the City Council has prioritized the Middle School as the first project to move forward.

What a Building Project Means for WMS

The initial thoughts involve preserving and renovating the 1998 portion of the building, including the 8th-grade clusters, gym, auditorium, and the rooms above. The 1922 building would be replaced, with the new building project utilizing its current space, along with the courtyard and cafeteria areas.

The first step in this process is a Feasibility Study, which will provide a detailed assessment of the WMS educational program, building conditions, and possible renovation and construction options. The funding for this study was approved at last week’s City Council meeting, and a Request for Services (RFS) has been issued. Responses are due in early December, and the Watertown School Building Committee will select both the firm to conduct the study and the Owner’s Project Manager, who will oversee the project on behalf of the city.

Feasibility Study Details

The study will include:

• Input from the WMS Community: Visioning sessions will involve faculty, staff, students, parents, administrators, and community members.

• An Assessment of Existing Conditions: A thorough review of the current building.

• Development of Options: The study will present all viable options within the site’s constraints.

• Following the Financial Guidelines: The City set a target budget of $84.4 million for the project. This amount will be funded through borrowing while ensuring it remains within the 2.5% property tax levy limit.

The School Building Committee will review the study’s findings and make the final decision on the best path forward.

Timeline

Once the Feasibility Study is complete, the next steps will include finalizing construction designs, selecting a general contractor, and beginning construction. Given the scope of the project, construction would be expected to start in April or May of 2026. This timeline would allow us to use the Moxley modular building for Middle School operations once the new Watertown High School opens. It’s estimated that WMS would shift to Moxley for 15-18 months of construction. This timeline, of course, is contingent on many variables, so consider this a ballpark estimate at this time.

Our Commitment to Learning Environments

It is no small feat what the City of Watertown aims to accomplish: providing every Watertown student—from pre-K to post-12—with an education rooted not in the past, but in the future—a future full of possibilities, far removed from the limitations of buildings that may have been constructed over a century ago. And most remarkably, 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.

The Watertown Public Schools deeply appreciates the unwavering support of the City Council, under the leadership of City Council President Mark Sideris, and the dedicated efforts of City Manager George Proakis and his team in working to bring this project to fruition.

With gratitude,

Dede Galdston, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools