Dear Colleagues,
I hope you each had a productive week. I wanted to thank WPS METCO Director Stephanie Holland and her peers, for hosting another powerful METCO Director’s Association Conference last week. This year’s conference was spread across two days, which allowed for more educators to attend, and WPS was certainly well represented! I also wanted to give a special shout-out to our former METCO Director, Dr. Kalise Wornum, for her powerful keynote, as well as to our School Committee member, Christina Horner—a former METCO Director herself—who also led learning sessions.
Speaking of learning, I want to thank the educators at WHS and Bates who allowed teams of educators to observe their classrooms last week using our agency-based observation tool. As you know, we believe that building student agency is one of the most important things we can do across our classrooms to engender a strong sense of student ownership of their individual learning. Special thanks to Assistant Superintendent Sandy Trach for establishing our partnership with Tony Reibel, which has created such rich learning opportunities through these walk-throughs.
On Monday, we previewed our FY 2026 budget with staff, which was followed by our formal presentation to the School Committee on Tuesday evening. That summary presentation is posted on the main page of our website, along with the full budget document. The School Committee will now begin to review this budget closely at their upcoming meetings, resulting in a vote on January 28th.
On Tuesday evening, the School Committee also approved the WPS Academic Calendar for SY 2025-26. This came after lengthy conversations about how to best integrate religious and cultural holidays into the calendar moving forward. Ultimately, the Committee voted to adopt a calendar model in which Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Good Friday would be observed as no-school days each year, along with one additional holiday, which would rotate among Diwali, Eid al-Fitr, and Lunar New Year. It remains critical that we continue to afford flexibility to our students who are observing these or other days of religious and cultural significance. These days also create teachable moments to build everyone’s cultural competence, which we know will support a greater sense of belonging among our students, staff, and families. The SY 2025-26 calendar is now posted on the main page of the WPS website.
I also wanted to take a moment to thank the many school and community partners who worked so hard to bring lights to our track and field this year. This week, we held an end-of-season debrief with our neighbors, who remain deeply appreciative of our efforts to respond to their questions and concerns. If you attended any of our night games this fall, I’m sure you experienced the tremendous excitement and sense of community these opportunities have created for our students and community. Particularly following the pandemic, I know I really appreciate having these moments for our school community to come together in support of our students. Special thanks to our School Committee Chair, Linda Chow, and Wellesley Natural Resources Commission member, Jay McHale who worked tirelessly along with our Athletic Director, John Brown, to make this possible.
Whew! It was certainly a busy week! Thanks for all that you each do to support our students each day and enjoy the weekend!
Best, David
Calendar
December 23 – December Break Starts (Schools Closed)
January 2 – School Reopens
January 7 – School Committee Meeting
Apply For a WEF Grant
The deadline for submitting all grant applications is Tuesday, January 21st, 2025. Click here to apply for a grant!
Wellesley Scholarship Foundation Needs You for the Boston Marathon!
We are looking for a WPS faculty or staff member to run the 2025 Boston Marathon on our behalf! We are hoping to find a runner that has a great connection with students and can help share the mission of the Wellesley Scholarship Foundation!
We have the number…we just need the runner to “pin” our support on race day!
WSF will help you with all the fundraising and we’ll be cheering you on every step of the way!
If you are interested in running the Boston Marathon for the Wellesley Scholarship Foundation please contact WSF Trustee (Outreach) – Jen Mock at jennifer.mock23@gmail.com.
Athletics Department Hosts Groundbreaking Training on Addressing Hate in School Sports
This past weekend, Wellesley Public Schools took a significant step forward in promoting inclusivity and respect in our athletic programs. Through a valuable partnership with Northeastern University’s Center for the Study of Sport in Society, 37 of our dedicated coaches participated in a comprehensive training session focused on addressing discrimination and fostering positive sporting environments.
The three-hour introductory training, funded through METCO HQ’s REI Implementation grant supporting METCO 2.0 initiatives, equipped our coaches with strategies for identifying, disrupting, and confronting incidents of discrimination, interpersonal violence, and toxic speech in sports. Through interactive discussions, role-playing exercises, and collaborative activities, participants engaged in meaningful dialogue about creating safe and supportive spaces for all student-athletes.
The session, coordinated by Athletic Director John Brown and Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Jorge Allen, brought together coaches from various sports in a shared commitment to advancing our district’s values of inclusion and respect. The enthusiasm and engagement displayed in the group photos captured the collaborative spirit of the training, as coaches worked together in both large and small group discussions throughout the morning.
Special recognition goes to Carla Lumley, John Malone, Mary Anne McDonald, Allison DiRenzo, and Trisha Slyne for their valuable contributions to making this training possible. We also thank the High School custodial team and IT department for their essential support in managing the logistics for this Saturday’s session.
This training is essential to our ongoing efforts to ensure that Wellesley Public Schools’ athletic programs provide welcoming and supportive environments where all student-athletes can thrive. The partnership between our Athletics Department, DEI Office, and Northeastern University demonstrates our community’s commitment to fostering positive change through education and collaborative action.
This initial session lays the groundwork for ongoing professional growth and discussions on these critical topics, fostering a stronger and more inclusive athletic program for all students.
Nominate A Staff Member for the Educator Leadership Institute Program
Please take 1 minute and click on THIS FORM to nominate a member of your staff for the ACCEPT Educator Leadership Institute (ELI) Program.
We all want quality leadership in public education. We need your help identifying the next generation of educational leaders from your school. ELI candidates obtain DESE Administrative licensure while also earning a Master’s degree from Fitchburg State.
Our recruiting flier describes the program and info session dates at ACCEPT in Natick this fall.
Please take 1 minute and click on THIS FORM, and you will honor one of your educators with this leadership nomination. ELI will reach out to your candidate directly to invite them to the program.
Please submit your nomination now. You just might inspire the next great school leader!
COVID-19 Tests
Order your 4 free at-home COVID-19 tests by clicking this link.
Opportunities from the Town of Wellesley
Get your event featured!: The Town of Wellesley has a new Community Events Calendar on its website. Schools or departments hosting events are welcome to submit an event for inclusion on the town-wide calendar. Send details via the event submission form.
Human Relation Services
The Human Relation Services (HRS) can help. Wellesley Public Schools has contracted with HRS to provide up to ten free counseling visits for you and/or your family members. This program is designed to help you deal with stresses of life and work –including personal and family issues, drug or alcohol problems, and job related tension. It offers prevention and intervention to reduce these stresses and improve coping skills.
HRS is located at 11 Chapel Place in Wellesley and can be reached at 781-235-4950. This is a confidential service. Wellesley Public Schools is not aware of the names of employees or their family members who utilize this service.
Do you have a question for the WPS Human Resources Department?
Email AskHR@Wellesleyps.org. The Human Resources Department is happy to assist you.
WPS Internal Job Postings on District Website
For all Internal Job Postings, please go to “Internal Job Postings” under the Faculty tab of the District’s website. How to Apply for WPS Internal Job Postings as a New Internal Applicant