Please provide a brief biographical background on yourself. What should voters know about you?
I am a mother of three children enrolled in the Shrewsbury Public Schools. Like many others, my husband and I moved to Shrewsbury in part for the excellent school system, and it has been a wonderful decision for our family. I was born in Worcester and later attended Holy Cross, Brooklyn Law School and Harvard University. I am proud to have attended public K-12 schools, which gave me a strong foundation to succeed in my educational and future career. Professionally, I direct policy development for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Agency (MBTA). I began my career representing children in the juvenile court system and have seen firsthand how exemplary public school education can launch children from all backgrounds into a lifetime of professional success. I am an active church volunteer, a dedicated parent, and an advocate for Shrewsbury. Fundamentally, I believe in the power of education to change lives.
Why are you running?
I’m running for re-election to the School Committee to help deliver the strong school system we expect in Shrewsbury. I want to ensure that all children benefit from the same high-quality public education that has allowed me to succeed both educationally and in my career. The past few years have been difficult for schools, between the total shutdown in 2020, the hybrid and remote schooling of 2021, and the lingering impacts of the pandemic as we begin 2022. From teachers, to parents, to children, to employers, we have all become more aware of the critical importance of schools in our local ecosystem. I want to ensure that our schools continue to lead the state in developing responsible and inclusive citizens who embrace new ideas and value diverse opinions. I’m proud of my work on the school committee and I’m proud of our residents who voted to invest in all our municipal services.
What specific skills/experience/expertise would you bring to your role?
I have served on the school committee for the past three years, serving on the finance committee, the Town Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force, and as the liaison to the special education parent advisory council (SEPAC). I am also a practicing lawyer and started my career working in juvenile court representing children in need. I have spent 16 years in state government working to improve efficiency and effectiveness in the administration of government services. I am deeply committed to delivering quality education to children so they can acquire the skills they need to succeed.
What do you see as three issues facing the Shrewsbury Public Schools?
First, as the School Committee’s designee on the Town’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Taskforce, I learned about ways we need to improve the culture in our schools and ensure all feel welcome. Second, we must maintain a focus on assisting our students, through our valued staff, to make up for the educational losses suffered through disruptions in learning over the past years due to the pandemic. Third, we should continue to assess whether we are adequately responding to the growing mental health needs of young people in our community.
How do you plan to address the issues identified?
My style is to learn deeply about an issue and then to work collaboratively to bring about needed changes. I demonstrated this style when working with the Town’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Taskforce, listening to other members and collaboratively suggesting improvements to our schools. We are lucky to be in a school system with experienced and gifted administrators and teachers. I believe that listening to these professionals, together with our students, our parents, and other experts will guide us when creating solutions to difficult problems. Second, we must look at the data, to help inform where we are today and to define where we want to be in the future. This data is critical to address the most pressing issues in our schools. Although the school system is doing well today we must constantly be working to improve and evolve.
How do you think schools should address potential learning loss from the COVID-19 pandemic?
There is no question that there was a learning loss as a result of COVID-19. Remote learning was undeniably a challenge. While some students were lucky enough to have parents or other adults able to assist them with remote learning, many did not and unfortunately suffered significant declines in their learning. Our school system must work to provide extra assistance both to those who lacked academic support and lost educational ground, and also support students facing emotional challenges.
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?
COVID-19 and the resulting social isolation has clearly resulted in emotional and mental health challenges for some students. This has resulted in higher rates of child hospitalization and suicidal ideation. The schools have a critical role to play in both identifying these challenges, as schools see children for the better part of each day, and intervening, to ensure that children at-risk have the supports needed to address their mental health challenges. Our schools can support these children by offering in-school counselors, supportive teachers, and professionals who communicate with parents.
