What does an excellent education mean to you?

Friday night the Waltham League of Women Voters asked the school committee candidates  to answer this question,what does excellent education mean to you?

Well, just to begin I would like to highlight to you who I am and why you should vote for me as your next School Committee Member.

Currently I am teaching in Watertown and have 14 years of teaching experience overall. Outside of the classroom, I am a mother of three. In the community, I volunteer for many organizations such as Gore Place, Bristol Lodge, Daisy Scout Leader, and Fitzgerald school PTO member.   I know what our schools need not only as an educator, but also as a passionate parent whose children will be a part of Waltham schools for the next 17 years.

I am invested in education personally and professionally.  I want to commit my time and energy to our educational system.  I am running for Waltham School Committee because I know there is always room for improvement within our schools, and Waltham's kids deserve a School Committee representative that will set a course for student success, and also someone with the expertise to know exactly what that means.  My professional background in education will be beneficial and immediately utilized to bring expertise and a different perspective to the children, teachers, administrators, and community.

An excellent education means a community willing to make education a top priority.  An excellent education comes from well-trained faculty, cutting edge resources, and an ideal learning environment.  As a school committee member I want to work as a team to give the schools, teachers, and children what they need to ensure graduates succeed in life.

An excellent education also needs to come from parental involvement and community members having open lines of communication with teachers, administrators, and school committee members.  I want to provide ways that all invested in education have a voice.  When we are proud of our accomplishments we share them, so others can follow.  At times we may also need to come together to solve difficult problems that should not remain private or ignored.   Together we hold the answers and as a community we need to work to help bring these solutions to the table.  In the end our schools will be stronger, our educators will feel empowered, and our community members will feel a sense of progress. 

The other day in my classroom, at the end of a morning meeting, I asked the children to think about this quote   “As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others”.