Having served six years as the Chair of the Gardner School Committee, I have worked directly to advance our public school systems and invest in our students. 

 

Our school systems are the place where our students have the experiences that help them decide if they want to continue to call our communities home after graduation. 

 

Our schools set our students up for their future success. Their success is our success. Their future is our future. We have to acknowledge that it will be our students in our schools who will one day be in the positions we hold today that will make decisions on our behalf. Our schools are a true snap shot of where we can see our communities, and our state, moving toward. 

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Investing in Public Schools: 

 

The Student Opportunity Act was a huge milestone for public education in Massachusetts that helped correct education funding in Massachusetts to invest more in our schools. However, the Student Opportunity Act is reaching the end of its time and is up for renewal in the near future. 

 

We need to continue this progress and invest in our education system so that our students can succeed. Continuing to invest in our students through legislation like the Student Opportunity Act is vital to ensuring that all students across Massachusetts get the quality education they deserve, regardless of their zip code, family economic background, or educational needs. 

 

While we need to make sure that this state investment does not place additional economic burdens on our cities and towns, the return on these investments is generational and how we move Massachusetts forward. 

 

Access to Vocational, Career, and Higher Education: 

 

The goal of our school systems is to provide students with a toolbox to try different avenues and experiences until they find their niche- and thus find themselves. Where they can experience different fields, disciplines, and subjects until they see where their interests bring them.  

 

Providing access to vocational and career pathways, creating partnerships give our students hands on experiences that get their lessons off paper and into practice. From internships, apprenticeships, early college, and vocational partnerships, we should be investing in giving our students these experiences in any form. 

 

Investing in the Arts: 

 

Investing in Music and the Arts across all grade levels is also a priority of mine. Our students are unique and their interests and passions vary depending on who they are. Not every student excels in a traditional classroom. Not every student is an all star athlete. We need to be investing in all subject matters to give our students the ability to find where their passions take them and be able to express themselves in the way that works for them. 

 

Recently, due to budgetary constraints we have seen far too many school districts forced to make reductions and cuts to music and the arts, removing the chance for our students to have these experiences. 

 

Additionally, while many sports programs have various youth league opportunities that act as feeder programs for school athletic teams in our higher grades, these private programs often do not exist for music and the arts. Without music, drama, and the fine arts at the elementary level, we set these programs up for failure in the higher grades. 

 

I am committed to fighting for funding for the arts to give all of our students every opportunity to express themselves possible. 

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For Highlights on Accomplishments in Education
During Mayor Mike’s time as Mayor, see below: