Wayland School Committee backs $500,000 special education reserve article

WAYLAND — February 26, 2025 — Wayland School Committee advances $500,000 special education reserve and digs into cell phone survey data. Assistant Superintendent David Fleischman and committee member Betsy Gavron walked the board through responses from 945 parents, plus students and 195 staff, showing 86 to 87 percent of secondary parents want clear phone expectations during school hours while 96 percent of high school students want access during non-learning times. Gavron said "consistent application will be critical," citing a Feb. 25 panel with high school principals from Natick, Wellesley and Westwood. New Director of Technology and Innovation Jen Judkins detailed a summer PowerSchool migration, district-wide multi-factor authentication by late March, and a state cybersecurity grant funding KnowBe4 phishing training, warning that a breach is "no longer a matter of if but when." Members also unanimously closed roughly $3,400 in leftover FY19 high school field funds.