Why I Am Running
There is lots to cheer about, but also many challenges on the horizon
Watertown Public Schools have much to celebrate: a new high school that will open in April, a high school that ranked in the top 25% of Massachusetts high schools (by US News & World Reports), our athletic and extra-curricular programs, our fabulous faculty and staff, and of course, the numerous accomplishments of our students and alumni!
However, there is also a change in the air that causes me great concern: I feel that the current climate is shifting away from public education, a cornerstone of this country, by removing funding for public schools – to the possible detriment of a generation, this nation, and, more locally, our city. Our public schools are strong, and I want them to get even stronger. I want to help our schools navigate this "climate change", like I did during the "stormy weather" of the COVID-19 pandemic.
I see lots more work to be done beyond those celebrations. I am driven to lift our schools up, to polish them to shine like the jewels that I know they are in preparing our students for life after WPS. I was educated K-12 in public schools. I recognized education as my passion in college, where I was certified to be a Secondary School English teacher. I have worked hard for Watertown Public Schools over the last 18 years. And I am particularly engaged in supporting voices that are under-represented or not heard, especially those residents who don't have children or grandchildren in the schools presently, to create a more closely knit community and make our schools flourish.
I want to continue to:
- Push for continued student growth and real-life learning opportunities
- Strengthen and grow the Vocational Education (called "CTE") program
- Advance the District's diversity and anti-bias efforts
- Enrich Watertown residents, esp. those who don't have students in the schools, and businesses with ways to connect and interact with our students
- Enhance our reporting to Watertown residents about "How are our schools doing?" with much more data than just MCAS scores and graduation rate
