>>Valley Patriot>> |
One need only pick up a newspaper to read how a nation’s economic future is tied to the level of education of its populace. We in North Andover have placed continuing emphasis on delivering a great education to our children. I will work hard to ensure this happens beginning immediately. The basis of my campaign was a return to basics in all subjects for our elementary school children. We have already taken a big step forward with the adoption of a new math curriculum that will achieve this. Solid pragmatic decisions such as this math program adoption are what we need in all subject areas. Of immediate concern to me is the proposed closing of the Bradstreet Early Childhood Center. There are many implications yet to be discussed if Bradstreet is closed. First on the list of questions I have is can students return to Bradstreet if it has been inactive as a school for an entire year? This is important as the logic of closing the Bradstreet is based on the now available classrooms in the elementary schools due to Teacher layoffs. What happens in a year or so if we get the funding to restore these positions and we no longer have the classrooms? I do not want our schools to be in a position where we have a building crisis due to the premature closing of the Bradstreet. The future of Bradstreet is a very important and critical issue to the entire town. The students and residents of North Andover deserve a full objective analysis of not only the effects closing Bradstreet will have but also on all of our potential facilities needs as well. The North Andover schools currently have a statewide ranking of 60th place. I want to see our ranking be in the top 15. With careful planning and proper allocation of financial resources we can reach this goal A good first step is to double for next year the number of high school students participating in AP courses. Parents of school children are the most important partners a school district can have. Any advancement in achievement is directly tied to parental involvement in the education of their children. We cannot drop our children off at the door and hope good things happen. I will work hard to engage our parents in the education process and work with them to achieve our mutual goals These are just a few of the things I hope to accomplish in the next three years. Yes the budget is tight and the financial forecast is gloomy. We cannot let this deter us from the very important task ahead. We must through improvisation; resourcefulness and ingenuity make sure that we improve education for every student in North Andover. I am honored to have been chosen by North Andover’s citizens to be on their School Committee. I promise to not let them down and to present to them a school system that is the envy of the State.
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I am
writing to thank the voters of North Andover for electing
me to the School Committee. I also want to thank all the
School Committee, Selectman and Greater Lawrence
Technical School candidates for choosing to run and for
demonstrating that North Andover has many citizens it can
be proud of. I ran for School Committee because the most
important thing we do as a Town, State and a Country is
to educate our children. Now that I am member of the
School Committee there are many things I will work to
accomplish.