HUDSON – Hudson is gearing up for its 2021 municipal elections on May 10. As voters get set to head to the polls, the Community Advocate has zeroed in on contested races for prominent bodies like Board of Selectmen and School Committee.
The Community Advocate reached out to candidates who filed paperwork to appear on their town’s ballot and asked them to submit a personal statement as well as answers to three specific questions.
See those biographies and read extended questions and answers from Hudson School Committee Candidate Glenn Maston here…
And see profiles of other candidates…
PERSONAL BIO
I am a 20 year resident of Hudson, and I work locally at the Quest Diagnostics Lab in Marlborough. I have been a member of the school committee for almost 7 years, including 2 as chair, and I have served on several subcommittees, contract negotiation teams, and school improvement councils. I believe my experience and familiarity with the district make me a strong candidate. I care very much about the Hudson Public Schools, and if re-elected I will continue to be a voice for all students in the district, ensuring that we provide the best educational experience for all.
QUESTIONS
What do you see as the most important issue(s) facing the Hudson Public Schools today?
In the current educational environment in which we live, families have choices in where to send their children, and we are neighbors to some excellent schools. It is important that we make our district competitive so that we attract and retain students. Over the past few years we have made great improvements to our budget, which has allowed us to expand our student support services, and add programs like the dual language program, and more career-oriented course pathways at the high school. Of course, COVID has added challenges for us, especially financially. It is hard to know the full impact it will have on future budgets. I believe it is important to take a multi-year view, and plan cautiously now, so that we can get through it with a minimum of disruption to our current programs and services, then return to growing our programs as soon as we can.
COVID-19 has uniquely impacted school systems and members of the school community. How would you approach the ongoing questions and decisions any school committee member will have to make as the vaccine rollout and school reopening process continues?
My approach to any ongoing COVID-related questions would be the same as it was this past year: to listen to all the information available, from the district administration, the state educational leaders, and especially from all the families in our district, and try to make the decisions that are best for our students and staff. We must keep everyone’s safety and well-being in mind, and thankfully we already have developed and put in place a lot of new safety practices and protocols that make our schools as safe as they can be. Our administration and teachers have already learned how to adjust instructional practices to accommodate these safety guidelines. Overall, we are in a very good place and well prepared to have a productive school year next year. As the vaccine rollout continues, hopefully we will get to a point next year when school feels back to normal.
Is there anything else you want voters to know about you as a candidate?
School during the pandemic has been anything but normal. We need to continue to deal with changes caused by it, and it may have financial impact for several years to come. However, we need to not lose sight of the priorities, that in addition to safety, we need to continue to work to improve our schools to help every student achieve their best. We need to examine and review our practices relating to inclusion and social justice. We need to continue adjusting our programs and services so that they meet the needs of all students. I believe that my experience on the committee will be valuable to helping the district move through and past the pandemic. I know how important the schools are to the Hudson community. I am proud of the improvements we have made over the past few years, and we can make it even better going forward.
