
Priorities
- Every child afforded the opportunity to be appropriately challenged and taught by our quality educators with high expectations
- Best-in-class instructional resources (e.g., curriculum) that are evidence-based and supported by robust professional development for our educators
Academic Excellence for All Students and Rigor Reinforced by Empowered Teachers
- Restoration of trust in NPS after COVID, a union strike, and a budget underfunding battle with the Mayor
- Prioritization of keeping our children in schools so they can focus on learning
- Advocacy to Newton and Massachusetts for more appropriate levels of funding to ensure Newton Public Schools can thrive
- Careful review of potential cost savings and evaluation of additional sources of funding (e.g., Chapter 70 funding formula revisions, improved Circuit Breaker Program reimbursements, supplemental fundraising, engagement of local business support, Proposition 2 1/2 override)
Stability and Advocacy for Adequate Funding of NPS
- Two-way communication of accurate and timely information between School Committee and all Newtonians
- Community education through productive partnerships with educators, parents, School Community members, and union leaders
- Productive partnerships with City Councilors and Mayor
- Preservation (and continued improvement) of NPS' lauded support for exceptional children
- Advocacy for changes to state (Chapter 70) funding formulas and circuit breaker reimbursements to make Newton whole for its disproportionate share of costlier-to-serve SpEd students
- Acceleration in transition to multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS)
- Decisions (e.g., curriculum selection, leveling of classrooms, development of pathways, appropriate student-to-teacher classroom ratios) driven not by outside interests or opinion, but by NPS data, cutting-edge research, and the extensive existing knowledge base to which I have access
- Defense against antisemitic influences (e.g., antisemitic materials distributed by the MTA Board of Directors that the NTA also repudiated)
Communication and Partnership with Families, Educators, & Community
Special Education (SpEd)
Data-Driven and Research-Informed Decision Making
Combating Antisemitism
- Three sources: Newton educators and knowledge-sharing; lessons and best practices learned from other districts across the nation; and learnings from other industries (e.g., data management and analyses)
- Latest technology put to good use to support educators and admins (e.g., AI for writing practice and faster creation of IEPs)
- Creative exploration of alternative sources of human capital support (e.g., volunteer talent from local education schools)
Innovation