Please provide a brief biographical background on yourself. What should voters know about you?
Erin Boucher and her family have lived in Shrewsbury since 2012. She and her husband, Andy, have two daughters. Their older daughter is a sophomore at Shrewsbury High School and their younger daughter is a 7th grader at Oak Middle School.
Erin is a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross and Suffolk University Law School. She is a partner in the law firm Morrison Mahoney LLP specializing in litigation.
Erin is an active volunteer in both town government and the Shrewsbury Public Schools. She has been a Town Meeting Member since 2014. She is a member of the Beal School Building Committee and a School Council Member at Shrewsbury High School. Additionally, she is a past Co-President of the Spring Street School PTO, she participated in the Mascot Ad Hoc Study Group as a parent representative, and served as a School Council Member at Oak Middle School.
Why are you running?
I am entering the race because I believe that all children deserve a high-quality education which puts them on a path to a successful future. The past two years have shown us what a vital role schools play in our society. The academic needs, as well as the social and emotional needs, of the students of the Shrewsbury Public Schools must be thoughtfully examined in order to provide needed support for all students as we emerge from the challenges caused by the pandemic. I am committed to listening to all viewpoints and to working collaboratively with all stakeholders in order to continue to provide the children of Shrewsbury with a high-quality education in a cost-effective manner.
What specific skills/experience/expertise would you bring to your role?
I believe that my leadership skills, professional background, and my volunteer roles in both the Shrewsbury Public Schools and town government will allow me to make an immediate positive contribution to the School Committee. As an attorney, my business acumen, analytical skills, and expertise in negotiation and dispute resolution will be an asset to the role of School Committee Member. Additionally, my experience evaluating the school budget as a Town Meeting Member, my service as a member of the Beal School Building Committee, and volunteering in the schools in different roles, and at different grade levels, has provided me with insight into the district’s goals and priorities. Furthermore, as a parent of two children in the Shrewsbury Public Schools I will be able to offer a parent’s perspective on the issues the School Committee addresses.
What do you see as three issues facing the Shrewsbury Public Schools?
Three of the pressing issues facing the Shrewsbury Public Schools are student mental health, potential academic learning loss due to the disruptions caused by the pandemic, and the loss of seats for Shrewsbury students at Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School.
How do you plan to address the issues identified?
I will address the loss of seats for Shrewsbury students at Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School in this answer and the issues of potential learning loss and student mental health in the answers below.
Given a change in state regulations, vocational technical high schools must now give preference to students who live within their member district communities for admission. Unfortunately, the change in regulations means that there will be very few seats, and possibly no seats, for Shrewsbury students at Assabet next year. To address this issue, I will strongly advocate for our district to further partnerships with businesses and higher education to provide opportunities for job shadowing, internships, and dual-job skills programing. Finding alternatives to address the needs of students who would benefit from vocational programing will remain a priority.
How do you think schools should address potential learning loss from the COVID-19 pandemic?
The district has been taking active steps to evaluate and address academic learning loss caused by the pandemic. In each building, principals have formed instructional data/early intervening teams to review student achievement data. Each trimester, district leaders at all levels have been using district data to design, implement and monitor consistent Multi-Tiered Systems of Support practices by level. In grades K-8, teams are analyzing Star assessment data alongside district measures, with the goal of identifying students in need, implementing effective and evidence-based interventions, and tracking student progress. Summer academic recovery programs have also been implemented. There is a renewed focus at all levels on adjusting instruction to meet the varying needs of students as they recover from the disruptions caused by the pandemic. I will partner with my fellow committee members to ensure these vital and necessary initiatives remain a prime area of focus for our district.
Schools have identified mental health as a topic of concern especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. How should the Shrewsbury Public Schools address this issue?
Thanks to the community’s support of the override in 2021, the Shrewsbury Public School’s budget recommendation for next year is allowing for significant investment in addressing students’ mental health issues. The budget seeks to add two additional adjustment counselors at the high school, an adjustment counselor at the middle school level, two additional clinical coordinator positions across the district, an Instructional Coach for Social Emotional Learning at the elementary level, and a social worker to coordinate with outside social services agencies. Additionally, the proposed budget establishes the position of a Director of Clinical Counseling & Mental Health Services to coordinate the district’s team of adjustment counselors, school psychologists, and clinical coordinators. I strongly support the proposed staffing additions as mental health and behavioral needs have grown since the pandemic. Educating the whole child involves strong educational services and ensuring their social and emotional needs are met.
