Lex-wiki Questions
For the Mar 1, 2016 election, LexWiki has organized a questionnaire for the elected boards and committees in Lexington. Candidates for the School Committee provided responses to 10 questions on important issues facing the School Committee.
Please read Eileen’s responses to the questions here Eileen Jay – Responses to Lex-wiki Questions
League of Women Voters Question
What are the responsibilities of School Committee members compared with those of the LPS Superintendent?
The responsibility of the School Committee is to develop and oversee educational policy that addresses the needs of the school district. The Superintendent leads staff in establishing procedures and practices to implement those policies. The Superintendent proposes goals and school improvement plans to the School Committee, which looks to ensure alignment with overall district goals. As the chief educational officer for the district, the Superintendent is responsible for implementing School Committee policies and for providing professional leadership in the management and operation of the school system.
The School Committee is also responsible for approving the annual budget. The budget is developed by the administration under the direction of the Superintendent to reflect the system’s needs. The School Committee reviews the budget, holds community public hearings, requests any necessary changes, and votes to adopt the final budget. Finally, it is the duty of the School Committee to hire, direct, and conduct performance evaluations of the Superintendent. It also hires and evaluates the Director of Special Education.
An effective School Committee works as a unified team with the Superintendent with strong collaboration and mutual trust. It is important to honor, respect, and adhere to their respective roles. The collective role of School Committee members is to have broad oversight of and responsibility for the school system through policy-making and direction-setting. Day-to-day operation of the school system is the responsibility of the Superintendent. To function well in these respective roles, it is imperative that the Superintendent be knowledgeable about policy issues, and that School Committee members allow the Superintendent to focus on the complexities of the various operations of the school system.
A close working relationship among School Committee members, and between the School Committee and the Superintendent, is critical for a school system to be highly successful. It is important that communications between and among the parties are clear, open, and consistent. Good communication requires the establishment of trust. School Committee members and the Superintendent must show mutual respect, have confidence in each other’s abilities to carry out their respective roles, and join together in their shared interest of serving the needs of students and the school system.
Lexington Minuteman Question #6
What do you bring to the committee that other members don’t?
I am the only candidate with a professional background in education. My experience as an educational researcher with a Doctorate in Education from Harvard University – where I studied how students learn and critical/creative thinking – gives me deep insight into factors that contribute to great teaching and learning.
My children attended elementary, middle, and high school in Lexington. My active involvement with the schools for nearly 20 years gives me comprehensive, in-depth understanding of the entire system, which is essential for district-wide decision-making. I’ve worked at the school level (Bridge PTA/volunteer, Clarke/LHS Site Councils) and the town-wide level with School Committee members, administrators, teachers, staff (Superintendent Search Committee, Ad Hoc Committee for Youth-at-Risk, Lexington Community Coalition).
As a Chinese-American born and educated in the U.S., I would bring a unique multicultural perspective to the Committee which could help in building cultural understanding and serving the needs of all students.
Lexington Minuteman Question #5
How do you balance the public’s desires for expanded services with current or forecasted budget limitations?
New initiatives or expanded programs desired by the public would have to meet the high-quality standards expected in our schools. Taking a sound, balanced view on adding or expanding services – even highly desirable ones – must be a well-considered process undertaken by the School Committee in conjunction with the Superintendent. The benefit for our students has to be carefully balanced with the implications for the budget, the long-term sustainability or anticipated growth of the program, and the impact on staff resources as well as on other valuable educational programs.
I would listen closely to the superintendent’s concerns and recommendations for the resources needed to evaluate, plan, and implement any proposed initiative. In tight budgetary circumstances, we need to understand what services would be cut to make way for it, or receive clear justification for increasing expenses when balancing fiscal priorities is necessary. We must weigh educational value against cost.
Lexington Minuteman Question #4
Should members of the School Committee opposed to the proposed capital projects campaign against a debt exclusion vote, even if the committee has voted in favor of it?
Once the School Committee puts forth a proposed capital projects plan, no member should actively campaign against it, in opposition to the majority position. The Committee should propose a unified recommendation to the town. A seemingly fractured School Committee would undermine the credibility of the recommendation. As the community votes on the debt exclusion, School Committee members should remain impartial.
The process that the School Committee undergoes toward constructing a plan is critical. The challenge is to find the best ways to address school space needs in a responsible, cost-effective manner without negatively impacting the educational quality of our schools. Maintaining quality requires creating sufficient space to teach effectively, with favorable class sizes, equity of programming, and safe, healthy environments. At the same time, the School Committee should be cognizant of the impact on tax-payers and devise the most responsible plan for achieving our space needs in a cost-effective manner.
Lexington Minuteman Question #3
What is the School Committee’s role in improving students’ experiences (such as reducing stress and competitiveness) while maintaining a school’s ability to provide a quality education?
With 95% of LHS students feeling pressure to do well in school and 15% having suicidal thoughts (YRBS), our schools must address stress and competitiveness. For years, I have devoted my time and effort to actively working on this issue.
The School Committee appointed me to the Ad Hoc Committee for Youth-at-Risk, a subcommittee which studied student stress. I was a lead author of their report which contained detailed recommendations for schools, town and community. Some recommendations are already being considered: discussing homework, continuity of K-12 social-emotional support, LHS late-start time, honors-level alternatives to AP courses.
Subsequently, the School Committee joined Selectmen, town staff, and community groups to form the Lexington Community Coalition Youth Initiative to set actionable goals to address stress. I serve on its Steering Committee.
The School Committee should take the lead in town-wide efforts to reduce stress. If elected, I will continue to champion this work.
Lexington Minuteman Question #2
As a School Committee member, who are your constituents?
The school community (students, teachers, staff and administrators) is every School Committee member’s fundamental constituency. Evaluating school community needs and making policy decisions to meet those needs are the Committee’s primary concerns.
The Committee should welcome input from parents and community members that is related to school issues and concerns. They are stakeholders in any school affairs that directly affect students and their families, and in school-related concerns that impact the community at large.
As elected officials of the town, committee members’ roles also extend to acting with consideration for all Lexington residents, especially taxpayers, when we face major challenges such as capital projects to accommodate burgeoning enrollments and system-wide building deficiencies.
In short, School Committee members must fulfill their responsibilities to advocate for the needs of our schools, support and evaluate the efforts of the Superintendent, and make policy and budgetary decisions that are efficient, cost-effective, and educationally sound.
Lexington Minuteman Question #1
How do you ensure that views of the silent majority are heard as opposed to simply listening to the vocal minority on any given issue?
To understand the concerns of the entire community, I believe town leaders must do outreach, be accessible, and actively listen.
Outreach means going where the people are – to schools, community events, senior/community center – and soliciting feedback from constituents. I would reach out to school and non-school-based groups to encourage them to share their views. Holding community forums on specific themes could help open up conversations with school-aged families, retirees, cultural organizations, and neighborhood groups.
I aim to be accessible by encouraging residents to contact me with concerns, listening to constituents at coffees and events, and offering either public office hours or scheduled one-on-one meetings at easily accessible locations.
Over the past 20 years, I have been actively involved with our schools and listened to the views of parents, teachers, administrators, and students. On the School Committee, I will continue to actively listen to all voices in the community.