Wayland School Committee approves ARPA appeal to fund full-day kindergarten

WAYLAND — January 18, 2023 — Wayland approves ARPA appeal to launch full-day kindergarten and absorb the cost by FY26. The School Committee voted unanimously Wednesday to send a memo, drafted by member Jeannie and Superintendent Omar Easy, asking the town's ARPA subcommittee for roughly $460,000 in federal pandemic funds, with the district pledging to fold half the cost into level-service spending in FY25 and the full program by FY26. Easy said the request is the only viable alternative to a Proposition 2½ override: "I think it's a huge disservice to our taxpayers and students" otherwise. The committee is also facing a $731,000 gap between its $51 million recommended budget and the figure town staff sent to FinCom. Separately, members approved a $25 increase in The Children's Way registration fee, to $75, and heard from Wayland Hockey Association officers Rob Desmond and Michael Henrich, who said families face projected $2,500-per-player fees next year under a co-op with Watertown.