What follows is a snapshot of Weston Public Schools. Click on the topic of interest or scroll down to read all the information. More information on each topic can be found in other areas of this website.
Annual Report
Community
District
METCO
Enrollment and Class Size
Budget
Facilities
Glossary of Educational Terms
Professional Staff
Parent Support
Graduation requirements
Grading and Grade Point Average
Student Assessment
Annual Report
Each year the School Committee prepares a retrospective Annual Report for inclusion in the Annual Town Report. This report provides a comprehensive survey of the district’s achievements and status. Click here for the current report (about 20-2021, published Spring 2022).
Community
Weston is a residential suburb located 12 miles west of Boston. The community of less than eleven thousand is composed of executives and professionals who strongly support the public schools. To learn more about the community, visit the Town of Weston website.
District
There are five schools in the district. The three elementary schools are located along Alphabet Lane adjacent to the Town Pool, Public Library and Community Center.
Country and Woodland serve the K-3 population and students are assigned to one of the two schools based upon enrollment numbers, with a commitment to keeping families within a school. Field School serves the upper elementary grades 4 and 5.
The Middle School, which serves grades 6-8, and the High School, which serves grades 9-12, are located on Wellesley Street in an extended campus that includes an indoor swimming pool, natural and synthetic playing fields and tennis courts.
Since 1999, Weston Windows has served pre-school students with special needs. This fully integrated program operates at Woodland and Country Schools.
METCO
Since 1966, the Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunities has brought students of color from Boston to 32 suburban high schools. The purpose is to reduce the racial isolation of suburban communities as well as to provide urban students of color access to quality education. Weston has participated since 1967 and currently enrolls 166 students districtwide. Weston’s METCO students succeed because of the six dedicated staff members, committed faculty, countless volunteers, a Community Coordinating Committee, and the METCO Family Friends program.
Enrollment
Current district enrollment for 2022-2023 is ~2,002 students.
Enrollment on January 25, 2023 (Click here for other Enrollment Reports)
Elementary Grades PreK-5
Country School (PreK-3)- 333 students
Woodland School (PreK-3) – 321 students
Field School (4-5) – 268 students
Middle School (6-8) – 442 students
High School (9-12) -639 students
Class Size
The School Committee has established an Elementary Class Size Policy. The number of sections in a grade are based on enrollment estimates. Unexpected fluctuations in enrollment can lead to imbalances in class sizes. The district monitors trends carefully and generally has a contingency plan in the event of sudden unexpected enrollment increases.
Budget
The Weston Public Schools enjoys the financial and political support of the town. Weston taxpayers have generously supported the current school budget. This budget supports ongoing core services as well as modest improvements to maintain the district’s educational excellence.
FacilitiesWeston has completed a full renovation of its buildings and grounds. The High School and Middle School were renovated in 1994. Renovation of Country and Woodland Schools was completed in 2004 and a new Field School opened in September 2014.
Case House, the School Administration Building has undergone renovations completed in Spring 2020.
Professional Staff
Weston teachers and specialists are well educated. As of 2019, about 78.7% have earned masters and doctoral degrees and among teachers who have earned post-graduate degrees, 39.6% have studied at least one year beyond the Master’s. Approximately 50% of Weston teachers have twelve or more years of experience. 71.7% of our teachers have Professional Teacher Status. Turnover is approximately 11.1%.
Parent Support
Parent support comes in many forms and is one reason why student achievement is so high in Weston.
The Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) provides an important network of support for the district. The PTO produces the student directory and calendar, coordinates volunteers, sponsors educational speakers and programs, and publishes a weekly newsletter.
The Boston Weston/METCO Parent Organization (BWMPO) consist of elected parent volunteers who work together with the METCO Director and the METCO liasons to assist parents with adjusting to the Weston Schools and transportation issues and/or concerns. The BWMPO holds monthly meetings in Boston to inform parents of current and upcoming events, share information regarding students and METCO Program, and enhance parent interaction. During the school year we also meet with the Weston School Committee and the Weston PTO.
The Weston Education Enrichment Fund Committee (WEEFC) is a subcommittee of the School Committee. WEEFC raises funds from parents and the community and provides grants to support programs and purchases to enrich the curriculum.
The Weston Boosters Organization (Boosters), created in 1943, funds co-curricular and extra-curricular activities and college scholarships.
The Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) is a group of parents committed to providing advocacy, information, and community connection for families who have a child in preschool, elementary, middle, and high school receiving special education services in Weston.
Weston Friends of Music (WFOM) and the Community Alliance for Student Theater (CAST) are parent groups that support the activities of the Music Department and Theater.
Graduation Requirements
Weston High School has established fundamental guidelines that are essential for a well-educated Weston High School graduate. All students must enroll in courses that fulfill the central curriculum as defined below. In addition, students select courses from any department or engage in approved independent studies/tutorials. All students must earn a minimum of 120 credits.
Required Course Credits
- English- 20
- World History – 10
- U.S. History – 5
- Mathematics (through Alg.2) – 20
- Science (must include 5 in Biology, and 5 in either Chemistry or Physics) – 15
- World Language – 10
- Visual/Performing Arts – 6
- Physical Education – 8
- Health – 3 (1 credit each in grades 9, 10, 11)
- Speech – 1
- Career Seminar (Grade 10) – 0.5
- Guidance Seminar (Grade 11)- 0.5
Total Required Credits – 99
Electives – 21
Total Graduation Credits – 120
Grading and Grade Point Average
Weston High School does not calculate class rank.
Weston High School calculates GPAs on a 4.0 scale. Beginning with the Class of 2023, only an overall unweighted GPA will be calculated and reported. The unweighted GPA includes all courses taken at Weston High School with letter grades without any additional weight for Honors or AP.
Students attending Weston High for at least four semesters have their GPAs computed five times:
• a 4-semester GPA determined at the end of sophomore year;
• a 5-semester GPA determined at the mid-point of junior year, averaging in the first semester;
• a 6-semester GPA determined at the end of junior year;
• a 7-semester GPA determined at the mid-point of senior year, averaging in the first semester; and
• a final GPA upon graduation.
Middle School report cards are issued four times during the school year introducing letter grades A-F for the student’s first time. Grades are reported for the first term; second term and first semester; third term; and fourth term, second semester and for the year. Special reports may be issued during the marking period or as a supplement to regular reports to alert parents and students that student work is not meeting standards or to commend students for outstanding work.
Elementary school grades are based on a series of standards based criteria organized by subject.
Student Assessments
Weston students undergo various standardized assessments beginning in the third grade. The district conducts the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) test, as required by state and federal law. The current version, the “Next-Generation” MCAS, is administered online for all grade levels and subjects. Students in Grades 3-8 take the MCAS in English Language Arts and Mathematics every year. Students take the Science and Technology/Engineering MCAS test in Grades 5 and 8. At the high school level, students take a science subject-area MCAS exam in Grade 9 (usually Physics) and the English Language Arts and Mathematics MCAS tests in Grade 10. Passing the High School MCAS exams is a graduation requirement.
High School students preparing to attend college may take the College Board’s Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), the American College Testing Company (ACT) test and/or Advanced Placement (AP) examinations. In addition, students may opt to take the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT) in preparation for the SAT and to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship (NMSQT); they may also prepare for the ACT by taking the PLAN.
Click here to access the various operational and student performance assessment reports, or select WPS Performance Reports from the Quick Links menu. Reports are updated on this website as they become available.
