Wayland School Committee approves wellness policy, declines school choice

WAYLAND — May 22, 2024 — Wayland School Committee approves wellness policy update and hears $100,000 grant announcement. Members voted 3-0 — with Christina Rodrigo and Betsy Cullen absent — to approve revisions to the district's federally mandated wellness policy and release the language for 30 days of public comment, after Wellness Director Scott Parsigian and school nurse leader Heather Yates reported Wayland was one of 47 Massachusetts districts in four years to win a Healthy Kids, Healthy Program award. Yates said Massachusetts has "the strictest guidance" on school food policies. Wayland Public Schools Foundation President Orion announced 15 grants totaling $100,000 across the district's six schools, drawn from 26 teacher applications, funding peer mediation expansion, Wilson Reading training, a new high school engineering elective and a middle school gaga ball pit. The committee also declined school choice participation and approved four Super Wednesday early-release dates: Oct. 9, Nov. 13, Dec. 4 and Jan. 8.