Watertown expands summer programs: Summer Success grows to 273 students; district adds supports and transportation
Summary
District staff told the School Committee that Summer Success enrollment more than doubled to 273 students in 2025, with Title I/Title III funding for literacy, math and multilingual learner classrooms, free meals and transportation; ESY and high-school credit recovery options were also described.
At the May 5 School Committee meeting, Watertown Public Schools presented a detailed overview of its 2025 summer offerings and reported a substantial increase in participation in its Title I-funded Summer Success program.
Denise Pena, who presented the overview, said the district will serve 273 students in Summer Success (up from 144 in 2024 and about 106 in 2023) and that staff invited more than 670 families to participate. The district said class-size targets are about 17 students for literacy classrooms, 12 for math classrooms and 14 for multilingual-learner classrooms. A district summary presented demographic breakdowns: about 21% of summer-success registrants are described as exceptional students, 42% are multilingual learners, and 9% are co‑served (both exceptional and multilingual learners), according to the presenter.
What the programs include: - Summer Success (Title I and Title III): targeted literacy, math and multilingual-learner instruction using high-quality materials (Wit & Wisdom and Eureka/Great Minds), breakfast and lunch provided, transportation available, and two newly hired reading interventionists plus one director and one assistant director to manage the program. - Summer Exploration: open-enrollment, themed full-day weekly sessions for rising K–5 students (July sessions with field trips), costed at $400 per week for full-day attendance; families whose students participate in Summer Success can transition into Exploration afternoons at different rates. - Extended School Year (ESY): services for students whose IEP teams determine ESY is required. ESY services are provided during the same summer schedule and district staff said ESY teachers will be in the building and may co-teach with Summer Success staff where schedules allow. - High school credit recovery (Edgenuity): the district is waiving the previous $150 fee for students who need recovery credits; the program will run July 7–14 with two-hour weekly in-person sessions and online work.
District staff attributed the enrollment increase to expanded funding and hiring that allowed the district to invite more families and maintain planned class sizes. Denise Pena said the district invited as many families as possible (more than 670) and then built class rosters to accommodate those who registered. Committee members asked whether the district had surveyed families who declined; staff said they would follow up to learn reasons for nonparticipation.
The committee was also asked informally by one member to consider studying outcomes in September by comparing invited students who attended with those who did not; staff welcomed the suggestion.
