Weston School Committee approves athletics review questions and drone use policy

WESTON — May 23, 2022 — Weston School Committee unanimously approved questions for an external athletics program review and adopted a new drone-use policy at its May 23 meeting. Chair Daina Selvig and the four-member panel — Kenneth Newberg, Jane Li, Stephen Dietz, and remote participant Tiao Xie — trimmed a list of 19 proposed review questions down to roughly nine, focusing on coach qualifications, middle school program growth, junior varsity purpose, staffing levels, and revenue practices including user fees and sponsorships; the external review team was set to begin work Wednesday. The new Policy ECG bars the use of drones, remote-controlled vehicles, watercraft, and aircraft on school grounds during school hours or events without superintendent approval, amended from draft language after members noted the district owns an underwater submersible. The committee also approved a $2,446,606.04 spending warrant and heard from West End PTO President Nancy Chardon, who reported membership rebounded from a pandemic low of 547 families to 837 this year, with annual dues rising to $75. A proposed library materials reconsideration policy — which would create a formal committee to evaluate book challenges — was discussed at length but held for a future vote.