[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6307139,"mediaKeyId","2434785-4a91f3cb992f0956df5956fec68971c1","parentId",2434785,"title","Wakefield METCO enrollment dips to 60; district wins MECCA REI grant for equity audit","audioSeconds",331,"startMs",669000,"endMs",1000000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2434785-4a91f3cb992f0956df5956fec68971c1&start=669&end=1000","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2434785-4a91f3cb992f0956df5956fec68971c1/thumbnail_669000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6307139/Massachusetts/Wakefield-METCO-enrollment-dips-to-60-district-wins-MECCA-REI-grant-for-equity-audit","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6307139-757e61f6c89c0fae3b62e4539e1b89ff/orig.mp4?Expires=1770658565&Signature=X6HjvPitKQ-tmU9-H05U6Zy1Hg0sqsnG5RQgDDAY4BuGB6g02KqA1CcANJ1YDqiX3OUg2mjkoPR~TBEjSIgE8nuX~~fGhVkVfjr3AI7TSd~~d22SFdHV5cMS66bYabPkhPFw1h21XKoqGQl0BNmGwi2WLalEw5d96S2R4bMOt-lbCYA-AFIXDFJDFCuXoFb~9kRbX1EcVvhT9~Vm6YhnbQXOM0hs22npkr2WDtKRPw0Gh4eYyrIVXyEny39NYnXghC4-r3HBXJRvlHwX5q6D1OKo0cyCXgoSCxQ6RlExEtMD0U-PvJqbONNdcvkfQMWc04sX~OqBlo0GG-kDsYvZbw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Wakefield Public Schools, MA","date","2025-02-26T02:41:15Z","article","Wakefield Public Schools officials on Feb. 25 reported that the METCO program enrolled 60 students this year — about eight fewer than the district’s usual count — and announced the district was awarded a MECCA REI grant to fund an external equity audit.

The update came during superintendent remarks. Flavia (METCO coordinator) told the School Committee that the program enrolled 60 students this year: 27 high‑school students, 21 middle‑school students and 12 elementary students. She said the shortfall of roughly eight students was not due to district outreach but to delays at ECHO Inc. in delivering required files that help fill available seats. “We are about 8 students down from our regular numbers,” she said.

Flavia said the METCO program has a large graduating cohort this year — nine students — and she is working to transition graduates into post‑program supports. She gave two examples of students who had shown measurable progress through district supports, including the bridge program.

The district also announced it was awarded a MECCA REI grant (described in the meeting as a grant supporting equity, inclusion and diversity work). The grant will fund a comprehensive external equity audit to assess access to advanced coursework and other opportunities across the district; the contract for the audit will be with consultant Angela Burke, described at the meeting as having more than 20 years of education experience. \"We are currently doing... a comprehensive external audit to ensure that we are living the processes to help understand where we stand and to guide our efforts to ensure access and opportunity for all our students,\" Flavia said.

Separately, the committee heard about the Bridge program (presented by Amy McLeod, substituting for Aaron Manzi). McLeod described the Bridge program as a therapeutic, transitional support for students returning from medical absences or those experiencing school avoidance or anxiety. She said the program provides school adjustment counseling and academic support with the explicit goal of returning students to full classes as quickly as appropriate. McLeod noted that the program has been expanded in recent years and highlighted individual success cases discussed by Flavia.

Committee members thanked staff for the METCO work and for the Bridge program supports; they expressed hope the district and partner agencies would continue to work on recruitment and file-processing with ECHO Inc. to fill available METCO seats.

No formal vote was taken on these program updates; the items were informational and will inform future planning and outreach.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Wakefield School Committee Meeting - February 25th, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","District METCO enrollment fell short of typical numbers this year; Wakefield Public Schools received a MECCA REI grant to fund an external equity audit and plans further work on the bridge program.","taxTitle","Wakefield Public Schools, School Boards, Massachusetts","taxId",71302,"location","Massachusetts","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6307144,"Wakefield School Committee accepts donations, approves international trip and adopts two policies",2247,523000,2770000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2434785-4a91f3cb992f0956df5956fec68971c1&start=523&end=2770","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2434785-4a91f3cb992f0956df5956fec68971c1/thumbnail_523000.jpg","/articles/6307144/Massachusetts/Wakefield-School-Committee-accepts-donations-approves-international-trip-and-adopts-two-policies","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6307144-c7faaa36ff8b7bfbf4af12d53f059ea8/orig.mp4?Expires=1770658565&Signature=OaTHi0M63dm35Zuc3uCZcBy0J3vCezzXyOvQJDlmPJEDt-KqpyR2muMGBBW--ulZNOLgdYZRpCRvwukPhW4qGfo57DbvRjQfIoTMAk6WMT0idiQACkF5EjbwI2ddXKgalKHUY8r95Paa~hKHpOzB2CQ7caQSNzYRvO211iOQ53lApC5gC0MzF2xgGH8n-vfCDYp0fBYrk4O1fB39WgYi0G7PNKKvcvo7OU0XL4w9ngVdpW5SwkROgZqmhBn9qgVnMokAaeVdOZQqHFXssCEAtpsMAJ5Ict0QKUCGZ3X6VYqIC2u5BGO6gspku2P-JwKxWCi3M-q9uir1Ptu15~UtaQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Wakefield Public Schools School Committee on Feb. 25 accepted two donations, approved an April student trip to Rome and Athens and adopted two personnel- and committee-related policies in unanimous votes.

The votes matter because the donations directly fund school athletics and coaching stipends, the field trip is a school-run, curricular travel program for upper-level language students, and the policy votes change governance and staff expectations for the district.

The committee voted to accept a $3,000 donation from the Wakefield girls basketball program to cover stipends for two assistant girls basketball coaches for February. Christine (staff member), presenting the financial items, moved the motion; the motion passed unanimously. A school committee member called the gift “amazingly generous.”

The committee also voted to accept a $50,000 donation from Andrew Lambara in memory of Ella Lambara for Wakefield athletics. In the meeting record the $50,000 was described as allocated with $25,000 for the Wakefield Memorial High School football program and $25,000 for the Wakefield Memorial High School athletics program. The committee approved that acceptance unanimously.

On student travel, the committee approved a proposed April field trip to Rome, Sorrento (with a Capri side trip) and Athens for high school world-language students. Amy McLeod presented on behalf of the trip organizers and described the itinerary, cost structure, tour-company safeguards and optional travel protection; the committee approved the trip unanimously. The motion as read at the meeting referenced April travel dates and the destinations Rome and Athens.

Finally, the committee adopted two policies that had been laid on the table at a prior meeting: a revision identified as CPAC policy 223 and a newly titled policy replacing the working title “code of conduct” with “Professional Expectations for Wakefield Public School District employees.” Committee discussion included a clerical amendment to the title; the motion to adopt the policies passed unanimously.

Votes at a glance
- Accept donation of $3,000 from Wakefield girls basketball for assistant girls basketball coach stipends (motion presented by Christine; outcome: approved, unanimous; counts not specified in transcript).
- Accept donation of $50,000 from Andrew Lambara in memory of Ella Lambara, described at the meeting as $25,000 for Wakefield Memorial High School football and $25,000 for Wakefield Memorial High School athletics (outcome: approved, unanimous; counts not specified in transcript).
- Approve April field trip to Rome, Sorrento/Capri and Athens for qualifying world-language students (motion approved, unanimous; counts not specified in transcript).
- Approve CPAC policy 223 as presented (approved, unanimous; counts not specified in transcript).
- Approve policy titled “Professional Expectations for Wakefield Public School District employees” (amendment changing the working title from “code of conduct” adopted; approved, unanimous; counts not specified in transcript).

Meeting minutes acceptance was postponed to a later date and therefore not voted on at this session.

The committee did not record numeric vote tallies in the public portion of the transcript; each listed motion was announced in the meeting as passing unanimously.","At its Feb. 25 meeting the Wakefield School Committee unanimously accepted two donations totaling $53,000, approved a student trip to Italy and Greece, and adopted two district policies.","actionData","errors"]

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Wakefield METCO enrollment dips to 60; district wins MECCA REI grant for equity audit

Wakefield School Committee accepts donations, approves international trip and adopts two policies