Watertown appoints Christine Giavelli as Early Steps principal

Watertown Public Schools introduced Christine Giavelli as the district’s new Early Steps principal at the April 7 School Committee meeting.

Superintendent Dr. Michael Daley described Giavelli’s experience in neighboring districts, noting she has served as an assistant principal in two buildings, was principal at Vining Elementary (which housed a behavioral program) and served at Parker Elementary (which served students with autism). The superintendent also noted Giavelli is a certified CPI (safety-care) trainer — a skill the district said will be useful since Early Steps spans multiple classrooms across multiple buildings.

Giavelli thanked the committee and said she looks forward to “build meaningful relationships with our students, our staff, our broader community, our families” and to supporting the district’s universal pre-K and preschool programs.

Why it matters: the Early Steps program now spans multiple classrooms in three buildings, which the superintendent said requires an experienced administrator who can manage across sites and support specialized programs. Committee members welcomed Giavelli and noted the importance of continuity for the program as the previous principal retired.

The committee did not record a formal roll-call vote on the appointment in the open transcript; the superintendent described the screening process (screening committee, two finalists) and said she offered the position to Giavelli following the process.