Committee reviewed the superintendent-recommended FY27 budget under a level-services model plus 'essential services,' showing a state-of-the-town figure presented around $77.33 million (about 9.82% including the 5% rollover). Priorities include tier 2 supports, special education, high-school scheduling/capacity and equity investments; the committee scheduled a budget summit Jan. 28 and a public hearing Feb. 5.
Winchester Public Schools announced a DESE high-dosage early literacy tutoring award that will fund 1:1 or small-group, 15-minute virtual sessions (up to 10 weeks) targeted at students scoring below benchmark on DIBELS, with first grade prioritized. The state will provide a vetted vendor; district staff said details on seats, scheduling and curriculum remain to be finalized.
At its Jan. 22 meeting the School Committee approved a consent-agenda reallocation of $31,000 to an LED lighting project at McCall (pending award), approved a calendar change (making March 3 a half student day) and adopted Section B and E policy updates; all recorded votes were unanimous.
The committee reviewed the Morocco MSBA eligibility window and strategic timing for financing a feasibility study. Staff noted a 270-day eligibility window beginning in early March and recommended considering spring town meeting to reduce schedule risk; committee members debated trade-offs and learned feasibility-study guidelines range from about $800,000 to $1.12 million.
The Winchester School Committee approved a consent agenda Jan. 14 that cleared several student travel requests — including a Bella Voce trip to Providence and WHS math team travel to Brown University — and accepted a $2,000 donation for Vincent Owen Elementary; minutes were tabled.
District staff briefed the committee on capital articles headed to Fall Town Meeting, including a stand‑alone McCall roof request (phase 1, ~ $2.96M reported), gym reflooring and equipment contingencies (overrun estimated $530k–$670k), high‑school concrete remediation plans, and a select‑board decision to allocate roughly $2M of free cash toward town capital projects after DOR certification.
Students and the Climate Action Advisory Committee urged the Winchester School Committee to support a warrant article asking the town to adopt the state92s new construction energy code, saying the change would help towns unlock grants for energy efficiency and electrification and align with the all‑electric Lynch School.
At its Sept. 12 meeting the committee conducted a first reading of revised Section D procurement and student activity account policies (based on MASC guidance) and reviewed a revised FY26 budget calendar and stakeholder engagement plan; members were asked to submit redlines and the district aims for a draft budget before the December break.
Superintendent Dr. Hackett told the school committee the district will continue its partnership with the Collaborative for Educational Services to support elementary-literacy curriculum work, onboarding consultants mid-August and forming a district literacy team for meetings starting in mid-September.
The committee voted unanimously to support Superintendent Hackett's draft central-office reorganization, which retitles the assistant superintendent role to focus on elementary education, moves HR responsibilities to the business office under a finance & HR manager, repurposes an existing FTE, and creates a pre-K'12 data-analysis coordinator role.
