To the editor:
Wellesley should learn from what is happening in Lexington and put students and public schools at the center of every major development decision. Lexington combined a very large school construction project with rapid new housing and is now cutting teachers and staff, raising class sizes, and worrying about how it will support students as more families move in. The core lesson for Wellesley is simple: if we add housing around places like MassBay Community College without carefully planning for school capacity and operating budgets, we risk weakening the very public schools that make this a great place to grow up.
This is not about politics; it is about children and classrooms. When enrollment rises faster than staffing and funding, students feel it first—in larger classes, fewer course options, less individual attention, and strained support services. Once cuts begin, it is much harder to rebuild programs and hire back experienced educators. Lexington started from a position as one of the very highest‑ranked districts in the state, which gives it more cushion before families see a visible drop in quality; Wellesley’s schools, while strong, do not consistently sit at that same level, so the impact of missteps could be greater and faster. Protecting and improving Wellesley Public Schools must remain our top priority as we evaluate any MassBay‑related or other large housing proposals.
Our town leaders must insist on clear answers to three student‑focused questions: How many additional students are likely to come, when, and at which grade levels? What will it cost to maintain or improve class sizes, programs, special education, and student support? And what safeguards and phasing will ensure that we never find ourselves cutting teachers and reducing opportunities for children because new buildings went up before the town fully accounted for the long‑term cost of educating the students who live in them? By asking these questions now, Wellesley can evaluate all impacts of MassBay while keeping its promise to current and future students: that their public schools will be protected, strengthened, and never treated as an afterthought.
Mike Orme
Wellesley resident
