Weymouth School Committee rejects attendance buyback, approves high school handbook

WEYMOUTH -- June 5, 2025, Weymouth School Committee votes down attendance buyback, approves updated high school handbook. The committee voted unanimously at its June 5 meeting to accept the Weymouth High School student handbook with minor changes, including a ban on food deliveries from services like Grubhub and DoorDash, after rejecting a proposed attendance "buyback" provision that would have allowed students to recover credit after five unexcused absences in a term by completing supplemental work. Members Kathy and Mary Ellen led the opposition, with Kathy arguing the change lowered standards for the district's 1,655 students and Mary Ellen citing existing alternatives including Adams Academy and night school. The committee also unanimously adopted a revised version of public comment policy BEDH, removing the word "generally" from a clause prohibiting comments about specific school personnel or students. In new business, administrator Kelly Powers unveiled a tiered athletic venue sponsorship program offering packages from $200 to $5,000, with revenue flowing into a reactivated district gift account under superintendent oversight. Four Weymouth High School students used public comment to ask the committee to reverse a decision to reassign the concert choir director, a matter Chair Tracy said is outside the committee's authority and directed to building administration.