School Committee schedules public hearing to discuss contested emotional support dog policy

The Waltham school committee at its meeting on Jan. 7 scheduled a public hearing to gather input from members of the Waltham Public Schools community regarding a contested district emotional support dog policy.

Committee members Edmund Tarallo, Debbie Coleman and James Zanghi voted to approve the proposed policy, while newly elected members Sabrina DeJoannis and Tammy Wong-Bigelow abstained. 

Mayor Jeannette A. McCarthy said the new members should be given more time to review information and past discussions about the issue before voting. 

The committee unanimously approved a motion made by DeJoannis to schedule a public hearing to allow the WPS community to provide input on the existing policy, which prohibits teachers from serving as emotional support dog handlers. 

According to Tarallo, the committee’s discussion of the issue spanned three meetings, which  allowed time for the community to give its input.

“It’s time to either do it or move on,” Tarallo said.

At the committee’s last two meetings, Julia Norman, a MacArthur Elementary School digital learning teacher, expressed concern about the prohibition on behalf of the school’s staff.

The committee decided to keep the policy on its agenda, though Tarallo made a motion to file the proposal and Coleman made a motion to table the issue.

Additionally the School Committee

• Accepted four donations: $3,200 to the WHS class of 2026 from Kelly L. Fitzpatrick, $1,000 to the WHS class of 2026 from an anonymous donor, six 3D printers to McDevitt Middle School’s CTE program from Brandeis University and $30,000 to fund a $2,000 WHS senior student scholarship in memory of Charles Williams from the retired municipal employees of Waltham.

• Unanimously approved the election of Marisa Mendonsa as committee clerk and Debbie Coleman as committee vice chairperson.

• Heard WHS sports and performing arts updates from a student council member.

• Unanimously approved the adoption of the 2026 Waltham school committee policy manual.