NOW is the time to find out what is going on and give your input. Critical issues for the Wayland's High School project will be resolved with the state in the coming weeks that will affect both the price to Wayland taxpayers and the educational program delivered to Wayland's children for the next 50 years. See below for a synopsis of some of the more pressing issues.
Please join the High School Building Committee
(HSBC) for a forum on the Wayland High School modernization project on Tuesday, May 19 at 7:30 p.m. at the Town Building in the Large Hearing Room. The HSBC will present an update and solicit input from the community in preparation for presenting a preferred option to the MSBA in July.
The HSBC is meeting weekly with the architect and project manager on Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. at the Town Building as they work with the state towards a solution. The public is welcome to attend. For more information visit the HSBC website.
Town Updates:
Our Town Administrator, Fred Turkington, distributes summaries of issues facing the Town following Board of Selectmen meetings. You can read these BoS meeting summaries and stay updated on these issues on Waylandenews.
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Some of the Issues to be Resolved with the State
State Guidelines Differ from Wayland's Educational Program: The state offers one set of guidelines for the parameters of designing a High School. It is primarily driven by the projected enrollment and generally doesn't consider variances in the academic program from one community to another. This spring a team of over fifty community members, educators and design professionals worked to refine and update the educational vision and program for Wayland High School. This provides a framework for the physical spaces needed to support our educational program. Some examples of where the state guidelines differ from Wayland's educational program include:
- Need for More Science Labs - Due to Wayland's higher participation rates in lab-based science classes that require lab space than the state average, Wayland's educational program needs two more science labs than the state suggests.
- Insufficient College Counseling Space - WHS has a greater rate of college attendance than the state average and therefore the demands for this type of space are greater.
- WHS' special education program is inclusionary unlike many other programs - this type of SPED program requires less dedicated space than the state suggests.
- Fine Arts Program (Music and Art) - high participation in Wayland's Fine Arts program requires significantly more space than the state guideline allows.
- Cafeteria Space Insufficient - The state model allows space for three lunch seatings based on enrollment. That yields a space significantly smaller than the current Commons. If enrollment ever exceeded 900 again, or if scheduling constraints did not allow for three equal seatings, four lunch periods would be required. With three seatings now, lunch begins at 10:45 a.m. on most days, but as early as 10:05 a.m. on some days, so this issue will require some consideration.
- Athletic Space Issues - Wayland has an existing field house with an indoor track, which is not part of the state's standard configuration for athletic space. The HSBC is pursuing renovating the field house, and is working with the state to define the allowable reimbursement formula for that strategy.
- Teacher planning and work space - the state makes no provision for this. Perhaps its assumptions are based on the elementary model where teachers have assigned classroom space. In Wayland, as in most High School programs, teachers move from room to room and need a work space separate from the classrooms.
- Limited vocational/technical program - Wayland does not have an extensive program and needs less space than the state suggests. Perhaps the state will allow reallocation of the square footage to more appropriately accommodate Wayland's program.
Click here for more information on the MSBA and its guidelines.
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