Dear Watertown High School Community,
Now that the 2024–2025 school year has come to a close, I am filled with thanks as I reflect on all that our Watertown High School community has accomplished. From academics to positive school culture, artistic achievements to athletic milestones, this year was defined by progress, partnership, and pride.
While we narrowly missed being named the 2025 Connecticut Association of Schools High School of the Year, the visiting committee praised our inclusive culture, student-centered practices, and strong sense of community. Their feedback affirmed what we already know, WHS is a place where students thrive because they are seen, supported, and challenged.
This year, our students and faculty also celebrated meeting our school-wide numeracy and literacy SAT school improvement plan performance goals. Throughout the year, we also deepened our commitment to student growth and accountability through our Are You an On Track Warrior? initiative, an intervention and recognition system developed in partnership with the RISE Network. This work allowed us to better identify students’ academic standing, attendance patterns, and engagement levels, with timely and tailored support. We celebrated student growth with quarterly On Track awards and implemented goal-setting meetings to support students in need of additional guidance. This initiative encouraged students to take ownership of their learning while reinforcing our message that every Warrior at WHS matters.
In support of these student-centered efforts, the district also implemented a new professional development and educator evaluation plan this school year. Teachers engaged in goal setting focused on a single-point competency designed to positively influence student achievement. These goals were aligned with our school improvement priorities, and teachers worked to collect evidence demonstrating their direct impact on student learning. This streamlined model has elevated instructional practice, deepened collaboration between educators and administrators, and contributed to measurable gains in student success.
We implemented tiered attendance interventions designed to identify students at some, moderate, or high risk for truancy and chronic absenteeism. The WHS attendance team met weekly to flag concerns and refer high-risk students for administrative follow-up, while support teams monitored moderate-risk students closely. WHS school counselors, administrators, support staff, and school nurses worked collaboratively to conduct family outreach, develop attendance contracts, and schedule regular check-ins with chronically absent students resulting in a 6.25% decrease in truancy for this academic school year.
During the second half of the school year, WHS administration began using monthly write-up data to monitor and analyze behavior trends across the school. This allowed for informed practical or systematic changes that addressed repeat behaviors through proactive interventions. In collaboration with parents and guardians, we implemented a balanced model of discipline that combined restorative practices with traditional consequences. This thoughtful approach resulted in more impactful and consistent follow-through, helping students learn from missteps while maintaining accountability. The outcome was a noticeably more respectful, positive school climate, one that supports learning and personal growth for all students.
One of the standout successes of the past two years has been the growth and impact of our PATHS (Positive Alternatives to Traditional High School) Classroom and Wrap-around Programs. Designed to support students who face barriers to engagement and academic progress, the PATHS program has become a model for holistic therapeutic intervention that emphasizes relationship-building, academic support, and social-emotional growth. In 2024–2025, the program expanded to include the wrap-around services designed to help mainstream students reconnect with their learning, meet graduation requirements, and envision a pathway beyond high school. The success of the PATHS model has drawn interest from other school districts across Connecticut, several of which visited Watertown High School to learn about our approach and have since begun developing programs of their own based on the structure and practices we designed. We are proud that WHS is not only supporting its own students but also helping shape how other schools throughout the state support theirs.
Watertown High School was named one of the Top 10 High Schools in Connecticut for the highest percent increase in UConn Early College Experience (ECE) enrollment—a 214% increase from the previous year. We continued to expand access to dual enrollment through partnerships with UConn and Post University.
The performing and visual arts thrived at WHS. The WHS Theater program staged The Phantom of the Opera to enthusiastic community support and was awarded four Halo Awards, including Best Musical. In visual arts, senior Lola Vaina won first place in the 2025 Congressional Art Competition, with her artwork displayed in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC. Our music department continued to shine, with student performances and participation in the All-State Festival and WCSU Honors Festival. The Tri-M Honor Society raised over $1,700 for district music programs and hosted Talent Under the Stars at WHS.
We proudly began new initiatives that strengthen our positive school climate. From World Inclusion Day in the fall 2024 to Inclusion Week in the spring 2025: which featured panel discussions from community members and keynote speaker Gian Paul Gonzalez and a League Unified Sports Flag Football Game—our students and staff embraced a school culture built on empathy, and equity.
The Warrior Reset Day, held in January, featured 30 different staff lead and student-selected enrichment sessions to re-energize our community following midterms. From yoga to jam sessions to knitting, students and staff found shared joy and connection. We also celebrated winning a national award from Jostens Renaissance Program for our efforts to foster positivity and belonging.
This year’s student leadership in clubs and service organizations was inspiring. Our Model UN team represented the country of Jordan at the University of Hartford; Best Buddies hosted inclusive events with Sun, Moon, and Stars; and our Interact Club, Leo Club, Unified Civics classes, our World Language Honor Society and National Honor Society led charitable community initiatives that served those in need. Unified Civics students created resources to help new students navigate the building, emphasizing inclusion and accessibility in learning. Our National Honor Society welcomed 53 new grade 11 members in May, Robotics Team Black Magic 237 also competed in state and regional tournaments with energy and excellence.
We recognized the exceptional academic performance of our students throughout the year:
Over 328 underclassmen earned awards for maintaining a GPA of 90 or above
More than 130 seniors were honored at our Senior Awards and Scholarship Night, where over $100,001 in scholarships were awarded from community partners
Our Top Ten Seniors were celebrated with a special luncheon honoring the WHS educators who impacted them most in May.
These moments speak to the commitment of our students and the educators who support them every step of the way.
Our athletic programs enjoyed outstanding seasons. This spring, every WHS team qualified for State Tournament play, a significant achievement. We also proudly celebrated college signings from student-athletes across football, soccer, field hockey, basketball, lacrosse, and track and field.
Athletic honors included:
CIAC Scholar Athletes: Andrew Brown and Sarah Krayeske
Naugatuck Valley League (NVL) Honors:
Female NVL Athlete of the Year: Besiana Dauti
Outstanding Female Senior Award (Tennis): Vanessa Cipriano
Outstanding Female Senior Award (Track and Field): Ryann Walsh
Outstanding Male Senior Award (Track and Field): Eli Croford
Championships: Girls Lacrosse, Western Connecticut Lacrosse Conference 2025
Cheer Team: 6th in State Championships, qualifying for the State Open
Swimming: Julia Campbell broke the girls’ 100 yard breaststroke school record for the second time at the state trials this year
Track and Field: Ryann Walsh, Eli Crofford, and Khrystalyn Lafo each wrote their names into WHS history this year by breaking school records in track and field—Ryann in the 3200m, Eli in the 55m and 300m dashes, and Khrystalyn in the 55m hurdles.
Basketball: Ariellys Velez reached a remarkable milestone this season, becoming one of the few athletes in WHS history to score over 1,000 career points
Our athletes played with heart and perseverance, showcasing the very best of what it means to be a Watertown Warrior.
We honored our faculty during Teacher Appreciation Week 2025, celebrated our school staff (custodians, nurses, paraeducators), and recognized coaches like WHS Varsity Head Football coach Shawn Stanco, who was featured in the CIAC Coaches' Spotlight in January 2025 for his leadership and mentorship beyond the field. We were also thrilled to celebrate Mr. Rick Genua as Watertown Public Schools’ Teacher of the Year. Mr. Genua, a member of our social studies department, exemplifies what it means to be an outstanding educator. We are proud to recognize him with this well-deserved honor. Congratulations, Mr. Genua, and thank you for all you do for WHS!
Watertown High School enters the 2025–2026 school year stronger than ever. With continued instructional time enhancements to our schedule, curriculum progress, expanding CTE course opportunities for students, a focus on equity in grading (thanks to our school wide grading policy committee), and growing dual enrollment post secondary opportunities as well as growing partnership with EdAdvance’s College and Career Accelerator (CCA), we remain committed to delivering an exceptional educational experience for every student.
Thank you to our students, families, staff, and community members for making WHS a place where students and staff belong and futures are built.
With Pride,
Gianni Perugini
Principal