Littleton, Massachusetts
Who am I?
I have lived in Littleton since 1984. My four children completed their K–12 education in town, and many of their teachers still work in the system. I was a classroom teacher in Grades 4 and 5 for 20 years, mostly in Westford but also Haverhill. As a curriculum coordinator in Westford and now in Lowell, I have taken a leadership role on administrative teams and have provided curriculum and professional development in science and social studies. I am the K–12 Science and Social Studies Curriculum Coordinator for Lowell Public Schools, where my focus has been on increasing student engagement using inquiry-based practices.
Why am I running for School Committee?
Littleton has been a wonderful community in which to raise my children. Now that they are grown, I have the capacity to give back to the community that has given me so much. My experience as a parent inside LPS and an educator of 30 years in other districts will bring broader perspectives to the SchooI Committee and district. My two grandchildren have helped me set my sights on the future and what I would like to see our school district become to best serve all of our students in the next generation.
What impresses me about Littleton Public Schools?
With the perspective of time and my knowledge of other districts, there is plenty to celebrate about Littleton Public Schools. Our superintendent, Dr. Kelly Clenchy, has a vision for the district that prioritizes social-emotional health. He knows that students can’t learn unless they feel safe and settled. He facilitates a gentle handoff as students transition to the next school, ensuring that no one slips through the cracks. Dr. Clenchy also values collaboration, and his leadership team meets twice per month, double the amount in the districts where I have worked as a leader. We have four fantastic principals who continually find innovative ways to build community and set high standards for excellence. The course catalog at the high school has expanded significantly since my son graduated in 2015; particularly in the areas of science, computer science, and the arts. Littleton is on the move!
What are my beliefs about education?
- A Strong Partnership. A school system consists of four constituencies; students, teachers and support staff, administrators, and parents. We should strive to hear the voices of all of those constituencies before making important decisions. We should encourage student civic engagement and honor the points of view that they bring to the committee. Likewise, we should consult teachers, administrators, and support staff to weigh in on complicated issues that affect their ability to be successful in their roles. The district should provide a variety of entry points for parent engagement and provide forums for civil discourse on controversial issues. Our goal should be fostering a strong partnership among all of these groups to ensure our students receive the best education possible.
- A Strategic Vision. Successful school districts use their strategic vision to drive important decisions, particularly those impacting the budget. For Littleton Public Schools, the mission is to foster a community of learners who strive for excellence and to prepare each student to be a successful, contributing citizen in a global society. The vision is based on a growth mindset, high expectations, and continuous teacher development. The most important part of the vision to me is that we prepare students to be life-long learners and critical thinkers enabling them to become contributing citizens. After all, isn’t that the purpose of education?
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Littleton is still a predominantly white community (90%), with a growing Asian population (6%) (US Census Bureau). The opportunities that come with a more diverse student body are not yet at our doorstep. To prepare our children for the world beyond Littleton, we need to provide opportunities for them to see historical events from multiple perspectives. Rudine Sims Bishop’s concept of “Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors” is compelling (see her short YouTube video here). Our white students have no problem seeing themselves mirrored in the books they read. Providing diverse books from multiple perspectives provides them with windows into another world, and opportunities to walk into those worlds through a sliding glass door to better understand the perspectives and experiences of other cultural groups and gender identities.
- Special Education. Special Education costs are hard to anticipate and take up a large share of every’s school district’s budget. Teachers can be trained to provide some modifications to curriculum and accommodations in instructional strategies. If that is not enough we need to stay focused on every student’s right to have their needs met in our educational system. I will advocate for as much inclusion in regular classrooms as possible so that students with disabilities or learning challenges have positive role models and can play to their strengths.
- High Quality Curriculum and Instruction. As a curriculum coordinator, I have spent the past several years focused on alignment to state standards, inquiry-based instructional strategies, and student engagement. Teachers will tell you that the pandemic has had a lasting impact on students; not just on learning loss, but in the way students interact with teachers and peers. As we emerge from the effects of the pandemic, we need to find ways to re-engage students in learning and provide structures for working collaboratively with their peers.
What will I bring as a School Committee member?
- Although my teaching experience is at the elementary level, in recent years I have been more focused on work in the middle and high school level. I will collaborate with the district leadership and staff to address the needs of those schools. For example, I will pursue more dual enrollment opportunities for high school students, and investigate ideas for career and college pathways to help prepare students for life beyond Littleton.
- Drawing upon my experiences with Lowell Public Schools, I will support eighth grade and high school social studies teachers in complying with Chapter 296, An Act to Promote and Enhance Civic Engagement, passed in 2018. This state law requires all Massachusetts students to participate in a non-partisan, student-led civics project in Grade 8 and again in high school. This initiative brings exciting opportunities for students to become active participants in creating solutions for local issues.
- I know there are things I don’t know. If elected, I will commit to taking the supervised eight-hour orientation course required by state law for new School Committee members. This will bring me up to speed on school finance, laws regulating the work of school committees, collective bargaining, and school leadership evaluations.
- I will also commit to coming fully prepared to each meeting, having closely read information provided in the packet and ready with relevant questions. Most importantly, I will be accessible, and listen to our parents and community members who have issues or concerns before casting a vote.
