By Veronica Hernandez
Wayland High School Principal Allyson Mizoguchi said the relationship between the foundation and the high school is “collaborative,” “supportive” and “symbiotic.”
“Their support makes ideas beyond the reach of district funding become a reality, which means staff members can dream big and students can have a next-level educational experience,” said Mizoguchi.
The foundation is a nonprofit, volunteer-based organization dedicated to partnering with educators to fund innovative, creative grants that enhance students’ educational experience and fill the gap between what the district can provide and what teachers and students need.
Wayland Public Schools Foundation Vice President Gina Anderson, who will be president in 2026-27, described the group’s mission as “fluid” and ever-changing.
“It evolves every year based on what’s happening economically — not only in our town but within our world,” Anderson said.
Every year, teachers and administrators across the school district can apply for grants from the foundation based on needs. The board consults with the Wayland School Committee to choose recipients.
“We really are just opening the door to them, and then we make a decision based on the grant if it’s something we are able to fund,” Anderson said.
Each year, the foundation distributes roughly $100,000 in grants to the district, although the number heavily depends on fundraising success. Since its founding in 1983, WPSF has contributed about $4.5 million to the Wayland school district.
WPSF hosts a variety of community events throughout the year, including an annual gala, an annual spelling bee and other initiatives.
For longtime resident Kim Robb, community involvement has been a defining feature of Wayland’s school system and is a “strong part of being a Wayland person.” Robb recalled participating in the foundation’s fundraising events, such as the spelling bee and elementary school auctions.
Robb’s two daughters graduated from Wayland’s public school system. During their time in school, Robb said she thought the foundation was “very progressive” in supporting students and felt satisfied with its impact on the school district.
“I thought it was great,” Robb said.
A few grants that stand out for Anderson are the interactive whiteboards for middle school math classes in 2024, Wayland High School’s creation of the first published school Jazz band arrangement of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” in 2023 and the implementation of a 3D printer for the eighth-grade science curriculum in 2017-18.
Anderson said all public schools face a “fundamental gap” in financial support.
While Robb’s daughters are no longer in school, she said she has noticed the district has “cut back” on programs, pointing to the discontinuation of school field trips to Washington, D.C., and Cape Cod.
“I wish they could bring those kinds of things back,” Robb said. “If there’s a will, there’s a way. I hope that they can work it out and maybe expand that again.”
As Anderson prepares to step into her role as WPSF president, she said she is focused on the foundation’s funding and increasing community awareness. She said ultimately, the foundation’s work revolves around the educators it supports and is “the most inspiring thing” about the group’s work.
Mizoguchi said the foundation visits faculty meetings and “makes a strong effort to encourage educators to apply for funding” for any innovative grant ideas.
“I think if people knew the hard work that teachers put into asking for these grants… people would just be blown away,” Anderson said.
This story is part of a partnership between the Wayland Post and the Boston University Department of Journalism.
