Watertown School Committee votes 5-0 to add second middle school bus
Watertown School Committee adds a second middle school bus after a registration error stranded students on the wait list. The committee voted 5-0 Thursday to fund the bus for the 2026-2027 school year at a net cost of approximately $67,500, drawing on the district's revolving transportation account.
School Committee · Meeting of July 30, 2026
Watertown School Committee adds a second middle school bus after a registration error stranded students on the wait list. The committee voted 5-0 Thursday to fund the bus for the 2026-2027 school year at a net cost of approximately $67,500, drawing on the district's revolving transportation account. The superintendent said a misapplication of the two-mile mandated-rider policy this summer gave sixth-graders bus seats ahead of some farther-away seventh- and eighth-graders, leaving 32 students on the wait list.
Member Jessica Middlebrook warned the district to "over communicate in multiple ways so that folks aren't caught off boarded," while member Lisa Kapoja pushed for twice-yearly parent communications and student lessons on public transit use. The superintendent also flagged a possible fee-based "a la carte" busing option and the impact of later start times for the fiscal 2028 budget process.
In the full story:
- Who Was There
- Organizations And Documents Referenced
- The complete report — 1,604 words
Source: the School Committee meeting of July 30, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
Members read the rest of this story and every Watertown meeting we cover, in full.
Become a memberAlready a member? Sign inA 30-day free trial needs a payment method. After it, your membership renews at the price shown at checkout until you cancel, which you can do anytime from your account. Subscription terms
Share this story
Know someone in Watertown who follows town government? Share Townbrief Watertown: they can sign up free.