Wayland School Committee approves D.C. trip, $100,000 capital increase

WAYLAND -- October 26, 2022, Wayland School Committee greenlights return of D.C. trip and a revised $100,000 capital bump. Members on Oct. 26 unanimously approved the eighth-grade Washington, D.C. trip in May at $1,249 per student, the first to fly rather than train, after Principal Betsy Gavin walked them through the Dr. King-themed itinerary with the new vendor Grand Classroom. The committee also passed a fiscal 2024 capital plan adding a math curriculum, student information system, middle school stage removal for fire-safety reasons, and auditorium AV upgrades, offset partly by returning a $40,000 unused Loker egress appropriation. Finance Director Tom Burke said the package was built "mindful of the debt load that the town's carrying." A proposed Evaluation Team Leader position at Claypit Hill, replacing a retiring team leader at net-neutral cost, was deferred to Nov. 9 over equity concerns with Loker and Happy Hollow. Student activity checking limits at the middle and high schools were raised from $45,000 to $60,000.