Weston School District communications committee tightens newsletter, seeks clearer cost figures on middle school project

The Weston School District communications committee met April 2 and agreed to simplify its Bricks and Mortar newsletter and to avoid publishing contemporary cost totals for the proposed middle school until the district obtains updated estimates.

The meeting centered on how to present material from two recent sessions — a March 23 Q&A with architects/consultants and a March 30 meeting that included public comment and a Board of Education vote to advance the project — and on who should produce the community-facing FAQ currently circulating from the PTO.

Nicole, the committee member and lead drafter of the newsletter, said the draft will present the two meetings as distinct items and include a short "what's next" section. "The BOE will also explore options to renovate the existing middle school in case building a new middle school is not approved," Nicole said, describing the language she had placed in the draft.

Committee members repeatedly cautioned against publishing what several participants described as an extrapolated total discussed in earlier presentations. The group reviewed prior estimates cited in past studies (a 2017/2019 campus study that lists a renovation-range figure of about $37.5 million and a smaller systems-only figure near $17 million) and a consultant's on-the-spot extrapolation that participants said produced an approximate $51 million total. Members agreed it is more accurate to reference the documented 2017 figure and to seek contemporary professional estimates before committing a new number to the newsletter.

The group also discussed the PTO-authored FAQ that had been circulated to parents. Committee members said the PTO document included subjective language and that the communications committee would not take ownership of another group's product. Instead, the committee agreed to draft a neutral BOE 'get the facts' document that draws from PTO questions but is authored and vetted by the district communications group and the Board.

On outreach and distribution, members affirmed the district website as the official source for details and discussed ways to reach audiences that do not rely on school mailing lists: in-person presentations (senior center, Kowanas Y), bulletin-board handouts (Lily's and other local venues), and social channels. Legal and process limits were raised: the committee was advised to check open-meeting/quorum rules for in-person events and forums. Jod will consult the district's counsel about parameters for committee members attending outreach events and will reach out to senior-center contacts; another member will contact the Kowanas Y to explore a session there.

The committee assigned edits to Nicole to produce a shorter, clearer Bricks and Mortar recap (March 23 content labeled as Q&A; March 30 noted for public comment and the BOE vote) and to position background/history lower in the item with links to documents for readers who want detail. The committee also discussed consolidating past "Bricks and Mortar" posts into a concise landing summary that points readers to the full presentations and documents on the district website.

The communications committee approved the March 6 meeting minutes and later moved to adjourn. The group scheduled a follow-up meeting and asked staff to return updated draft text and legal guidance before the next committee review.

What's next: the committee will circulate a revised newsletter draft focused on the two meetings, post a neutral BOE FAQ derived from PTO questions, request updated cost estimates before reporting a new total, and clarify outreach rules with district counsel.