Wayland committee launches pre-K–8 facilities master plan, aims to hire firm and form advisory group
Summary
School leaders outlined a facilities master-plan process focused on pre-K–8 buildings, proposed a $288,000 planning budget and asked the committee to green-light forming a master-plan advisory group and starting enrollment and demographic studies.
The Wayland School Committee signaled April 9 that it will move forward on a pre-K–8 facilities master plan, with staff recommending an advisory group, an enrollment and demographic study and hiring an architect/engineering firm through a competitive request-for-proposal process. Staff said the district has $288,000 budgeted for the master‑plan work.
Susan, a district staff member leading the facilities planning conversation, and Betsy, a school committee member, presented a seven-step timeline: assemble an advisory group of district and town stakeholders, complete demographic and enrollment studies, prepare and release an RFP for an engineering and design firm, interview candidates, conduct community engagement and produce multiple facility‑options for committee and public review. The presenters said a July–September vendor selection window is possible if the RFP is issued in June.
Staff emphasized that the master plan will consider more than building replacement; it will link educational vision, projected enrollment and town planning. They noted that four of Wayland's elementary schools were built in the 1950s–60s and predate modern special-education and English‑learner programming, which affects space needs. The presentation pointed to the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) process as one possible funding path but cautioned the MSBA is competitive and selection is not guaranteed; staff recommended not relying solely on MSBA funding.
The presenters proposed a master-plan advisory group with representatives across the school and town — administrators, a WTA representative, a principal, a finance-committee or select‑board representative and community members — and recommended outreach to solicit volunteers and interested parties. Committee members discussed selection methods for advisory-group members and suggested wide notice to families, including an email and community outreach before the April break.
Staff described the master plan as a long-term, phased effort that will examine optimal school sizes, grade configurations, equity across buildings and possible project phasing tied to financing and voter approval. They told the committee that the district will coordinate with the town's ongoing building assessments to avoid duplicative work.
Why it matters: A facilities master plan shapes long-term capital decisions that can affect classroom space, program placement (including co-teaching and special-education spaces), transportation and future debt requests to voters. The committee gave staff the green light to begin forming the advisory group and launching preparatory studies.
