Committee waives first reading on two policies

School Committee · Meeting of September 22, 2026

Westford's School Committee heard Superintendent Dr. C. Chew recommend a 705-student enrollment model for the district's elementary school building project.

Architects Jenny Katiyamaki and Lee Sherwood of Lavallee-Brensinger and Vertex's Chin Lynn presented three options, from a 470-student Robinson replacement to a 1,065-student consolidation of three schools; Chew called 705 "the Goldilocks" choice and warned 1,065 would mean "overbuilding." Assistant Superintendent Valerie Young recommended centralizing preschool, estimated at $16.5 million within the project. The board took no vote on either item, with decisions set for October 5 and October 19. Members unanimously approved the consent agenda, including Tom Laflamme's appointment to the Town Manager Search Committee, and voted to waive first reading of two policies, including an updated PROTECT Act measure that Laflamme said was confusingly worded with "so much in that set of commas."

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 2,392 words

Source: the School Committee meeting of September 22, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.