OVERVIEW

Lynnfield Public Schools are some of the best in the state. Our students are incredibly fortunate to live here. However, I believe no matter how efficient a system or how successful a business, there is always room for improvement. The positive reputation and high rankings of the Lynnfield Public Schools have attracted many new families to town. Therefore, it is in the best interest for all of our taxpayers to preserve these rankings in order to protect property values.

The heart of my campaign is about improving the communication, transparency and collaboration between Lynnfield Public Schools and the community. I believe these three concepts are intertwined, and you cannot have one without the others.

One of the Superintendent's Goals for 2018 is to increase communication with the parent community. I would like to see the School Committee support this goal by enhancing family and community engagement at meetings. This includes enabling better two way communication, as well as formalizing a process for addressing concerns raised by community members.

Unfortunately, the current structure of large "town hall" meetings is not accessible or convenient for everyone. I have learned through conversations with town residents, that many people do not feel comfortable speaking up or asking questions; they feel intimated and fear they will be readily dismissed. Therefore, I believe we need to provide more opportunities for parents to participate in meaningful dialogue with the Superintendent and School Committee members, either at PTO meetings or potentially through the scheduling of other small group forums.

I am passionate about diversity and inclusion, as well as community engagement, and I want to ensure that our citizens not only feel empowered to speak up, but they also feel confident that they will be treated with respect and their concerns will be heard. In order for Lynnfield Public Schools to continue to be successful and innovative, it is vitally important that the communication between the Superintendent, School Committee, and all members of this community be open, transparent, and collaborative.

the issues

The children in our district are curious and full of potential. We should be doing everything we can to facilitate their development during these formative years, and ensure their parents are getting all of the support they need.

First and foremost, I need to gain a clearer understanding of how things have been done in the past, so as to identify areas where we may be able to improve going forward. The following list highlights some of the issues that will be a priority for me.

I will explore innovative long term solutions to address the impact of increasing enrollments on existing space limitations, especially at Summer Street Elementary School.
I will work to keep the PREDs program surviving and thriving.
I will seek to integrate more STEM programs across all grade levels, beginning with a robust science and technology curriculum in the elementary schools.
I will request input from parents, educators, and administrators on how to raise Lynnfield Middle School to the academic excellence of the other schools in our district.
I will evaluate our foreign language program, and inquire about the possibility of offering classes at younger grades. I also feel it is important to maintain course offerings through level 4 / graduation.
I will support any program that contributes to the social and emotional well being of our students. We need to work together to reduce the stress and anxiety our children experience, whether in relation to academic, social or peer pressures. In addition to building and expanding upon the foundation of the Understanding by Design (UbD) curriculum, we should strive to provide more opportunities for inquiry-based learning and free play. I believe we can create more space for recess, breaks and physical activity at all grade levels, without compromising instructional time.
I will ensure the school budget is aligned with the interests of ALL of our students, including special education and high needs students (students with disabilities, economically disadvantaged and ELL).
I will seek to replace sugary snacks with healthier alternatives in our cafeterias and after school programs.

This list is by no means meant to be comprehensive of all the issues I plan to address as a member of the School Committee. Other critical issues include, but are not limited to, school safety and security, anti-bullying policies and education, and continuously expanding upon and improving the social-emotional support available to students at each of our schools.

Voters should feel confident that I am listening and I am not afraid to ask difficult questions or challenge the status quo.