Northborough resident selected to head advisory council

Dr. Reza Namin of Northborough PHOTO/SUBMITTED

Northborough - The Massachusetts Board of Education has unanimously voted to support the recommendation of Massachusetts Commissioner of Education Mitchell Chester to name Dr. Reza Namin of Northborough as co-chair of the Massachusetts Mathematics and Science Advisory Council for a threeyear term.

Namin is the superintendent of Ralph C. Mahar Regional School District, serving the four towns of Orange, New Salem, Wendell and Petersham since 2005.

The Mathematics and Science Advisory Council is one of 18 councils that were established by the Education Reform Act of 1993. The purpose of the councils is to advise the commissioner and the Board of Education on matters pertinent to the implementation of education reform in the commonwealth. These councils were established to assess statewide trends and needs; make recommendations regarding regulations, program guidelines and the dissemination of information; and provide other programmatic recommendations as they deem necessary to accomplish the goals established by the board.

The councils have the potential to increase public support and to make significant contributions to Board of Education goals: to challenge all students to proficiency and beyond, close the achievement gap, and prevent the achievement gap from starting.

"I am much honored to be named as a co-chair and believe in taking a direct role in understanding and impacting policies which will result in a better future for our students," Namin said.

Namin recently completed two three-year terms on the State Science, Technology and Engineering Advisory Council and took part in the revision of the new Science, Technology and Engineering Framework. He has been recognized as a top Iranian American Scholar and Athlete by the Iranian Journal Parstimes and Iranian.com. He has also been recognized by the Northborough Board of Selectmen, on behalf of the citizens of Northborough for six years of dedicated service as the chair of the Northborough Youth Commission.

Namin has recently completed his post-doctoral studies in leadership for understanding at Harvard Graduate School of Education and has a doctorate in math and science education with a focus on curriculum and technology.