Belmont’s School Committee Candidates: Jung Yueh [VIDEO]

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Photo: Belmont School Committee candidate Jung Yueh

A parent, an actuary, a coach and a national college champion in ballroom dancing, Jung Yueh is running for the first time to be elected on the Belmont School Committee.

Who is Jung Yeah?

My name is Jung Yueh. I came to the United States when I was 13 and went through the public school system in New York City. I went to MIT for an undergrad in mathematics and have a master’s degree in computer science from Northeastern University.  

We moved to Belmont on Christmas Day in 2010 for its public schools. In 2010, we visited the Butler School and Principal Mike McAllaster before making an offer to buy a house here.  

We have two kids in the Belmont Public Schools. My daughter is currently in 8th grade and going through high school course selections this month. My son is in 5th grade and is going to go from the youngest grade in his school this year at Chenery Middle school to be in 6th grade and the oldest grade in his school next year.

I am a “business math” guy by training: an actuary and Chartered Financial Analyst. I worked as a pension and retiree welfare actuary at AonHewitt and a health actuary at BlueCross BlueShield of Massachusetts and Tufts Health Plan. In our town, we face urgent fiscal and service challenges and need long-term plans that manage risk, value, and wise investment. These are the kinds of problems I work on. So I have dealt with benefits valuations and cash flow projections for pension plans, employee health plans, and retiree benefits. I now work for a local small business in Belmont that provides market research and survey analytics–helping people understand broad opinions and data.

Why are you running for school committee, knowing just how challenging the next years will be for Belmont schools?

I want to make a difference in my community. It’s precisely because it is a difficult time that I felt I needed to step up. I am not a politician, and it is not my personality or values to promote myself–I put my work first and pulled nomination papers because I’m determined to work for our kids, schools, and our whole community. I believe the school committee needs my skills, background, and representation. We have some excellent school committee members experienced in education and administration. I can complement their strength with my long-term financial planning and analytical skills. I am also a trained mediator–in addition to understanding surveys, I have spent years listening to diverse and even opposing opinions and getting the most out of everyone on a team.

What broad experiences do you have – that is not in your LinkedIn profile! – that will make you a good school committee member?

The School Committee is chartered to manage four things. Budget, policies, hire and manage district leadership, and union negotiations. I am an actuary and Chartered Financial Analyst experienced in financial analysis and benefit valuations, together with my mediation training is experiences directly relevant to budgeting and negotiation. We need long-term, sound, clear financial plans and transparency.

I have been on different boards, including one where we had to hire a new CEO, not too different from hiring a superintendent or principal. We have a lot of turnover in our school leadership. And in my current work in market research and data analytics and with my training in mediation, I learn to understand different perspectives and seek win-wins and consensus. As we move toward a data-centric world, we will have to dive into available data as we try to hold our school administrators accountable.  

Many residents/boards and committees believe the Belmont school district historically asks for more funding annually than it needs. Can Belmont schools teach children at the level parents/the community expects if district budget increases are capped at average growth in town revenue of about 3 1/2 percent a year?

This is a very complex question.  So, I would suggest that we think of revenue and spending more comprehensively, and understand that the better we plan ahead, the better everyone will be.  If we keep funding the school system at a minimum level, we will get by ok in good years, but will not be resilient enough to handle unexpected system shocks.

I am going to geek out and look at our long-term tax history as an actuary would. I would question the assumptions in these statements.  

  • Assumption 1: town revenue increases are about 3.5 percent,
  • Assumption 2: town revenue should increase at about 3.5 percent,
  • Assumption 3: school district asks for more money than it needs.

Based on my review of our tax history in the last 22 years since 2001, our town’s tax base has increased by 5.35 percent per year on average, and the tax levy increase is only 5.09 percent (Even after the Middle and High School debt exclusion). You can find these numbers on the tax assessor’s website. So looking at our history, our tax rate has been steady and slightly decreasing. The 3.5 figure is likely related to increases we would expect if we never pass a proposition 2 ½ override, but includes new growth. New growth is new construction and home renovations.  

Proposition override is designed to encourage towns to discuss tax and spending. Like its name, Proposition 2½  sets a maximum level of property tax increases at 2.5 percent. This is, by design, insufficient for a residential community like Belmont. We have experienced dramatic increases in our real estate values, which means, without voter approval, our tax rate goes down. This has an effect of our revenue not keeping up with the town’s needs, solely because people in 1980 in Massachusetts thought it was a good idea to cap revenue below the rate of inflation. And of course, nobody likes taxes, so we start underfunding our services and fall behind on capital maintenance.

The school system asks for a budget based on the state-mandated requirements, agreements we made to the teachers in negotiated salary and benefits, and the number of students we need to support.  In our town, our school system has maintained excellence while consistently spending less per pupil than other comparable districts. Maybe we are exceptional, but it’s also likely that there are hidden costs that our parents and students bear. For example, we had deferred enough costs in building a strong enough special education program that when we had a system shock like COVID, our educators couldn’t handle the additional needs, and had to send students out of the district, which ended up costing us more. 

Belmont’s future will depend on a substantial override in 2024. As a committee member, what would you do to help navigate the schools over the next year to prepare for a yes or no vote?

Our schools are the heart of our community, and why people want to move to Belmont. I will be a vocal proponent of passing an override in 2024. A big part of the conversation with voters will be related to how the town views the school spending. I feel it is important to explain clearly where the money is going, and why it is needed to keep our academic excellence–and as an actuary, I am well trained to help us plan, budget, and communicate longer-term.  

Which line items in the school budget would be your priority to protect while serving on the committee?

I support maintaining and improving the academic excellence in our schools, which means all students’ needs are supported and students have opportunities to be challenged and grow in subjects that excite them.

We must maintain mandated services–and the core of the budget does that. If you support advanced coursework, investing in building out our Special Education services, music, art, lots of rewarding instruction hours, staff for recess and flexible scheduling, caring for the safety, the emotional, and social well-being of our children – all of these things need an override. The school budget detail is very complicated and at the end of the day, it is the school department and school committee’s job to adjust the spending plans during the year as needs and challenges come up. We design the budget in the spring, but often don’t know the full details of the school year until the following January or February. We need flexibility for our experts and educators to maneuver and take care of all children. 

Do you have any ideas of your own or an existing plan that you support for providing outstanding care for Special Education students while also keeping a cap on expenses?

While it might cost more at the beginning, by properly providing a support system and training, we can support our children in the district better.  It will also reduce overall costs.  It takes a long-term approach in order to reduce our expenses. We must fund and staff this work now because we finally have the space. It will be an important multi-year effort and investment.

Being a school committee member means more than working with finances. Which academic areas – curriculum, policy, etc. – will you focus on?

As a trained mediator, I want to be directly involved in the union negotiation.  Getting the conversation started and making sure the contract negotiation is completed on time in the next cycle will be good for everyone.

As I mentioned before, I am a first-generation American. I went through a robust ELL program in New York City where I had two years of in-school ESL classes, plus summer classes designed for new immigrants. I was able to take honor-level high school classes, and college-level math and literature classes at Queens College while still in high school. So making sure that we have a robust ELL program and making sure that our high school coursework continues to be appropriately challenging will be important to me. Early support and investment is the best for our kids. 

What is one change – big or small – in the six Belmont schools that needs to occur to make the education experience better?

Currently, Chenery is too big to support our young middle schooler’s needs. A little more tender-loving care will be helpful. As it splits into BMS and CUE, I look forward to each school providing more age-appropriate mental health and emotional health support. We spend a lot of time accommodating logistics in Chenery–and I want to put the focus back on the kids and education instead of the building, the schedule, and its challenges.

At the end of your first term, by what measure will you know you have succeeded?

I want to see less turnover in the administration, a positive relationship with the Belmont Education Association, and a successful override vote. If I was asked to run for re-election, I will know that I worked especially hard for our community, put the kids, educators, and community first, and did all we could to support this generation in recovery from the pandemic.

Three Take Out Nom Papers For Two Open School Committee Seats; No One Pulls For Treasurer Post

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Photo: Nomination papers deadline is Feb. 14

Three newcomers have started the process of running for two School Committee seats in which both incumbents have chosen not to seek re-election.

Two-term member Kate Bowen is not seeking a third on the committee, according to an email Bowen sent to the Belmontonian. Bowen would not explain why she would not be returning. While incumbent Micheal Crowley has taken out nomination papers, he told the Belmontonian he would not turn in the nomination papers when qualified candidates run for both seats open this election cycle. Crowley joined the board after winning a rump election in 2019 and was elected to a full term three-year term in 2020.

As of Friday, Feb. 3, three residents have taken out nomination papers from the Town Clerk’s office: Rachel Watson, Amy Zuccarello and Jung Yueh. So far, Yueh is the first of the three to return the necessary number of signatures to qualify for the April 4 Town Election, according to Town Clerk Ellen Cushman.

Yueh is a director of client services for a small Belmont software developer. Zuccarello, a partner with Sullivan & Worcester, is active with Parents of Music Students, and Watson, a Human Resources Administrator, and attorney, is the co-chair of the Belmont Special Education Parent Advisory Council (Belmont SEPAC).

Zuccarello and Yueh were two of ten candidates to apply to fill a vacant seat on the school board created by Andrea Prestwich’s resignation in Nov. 2021. Ralph Jones was selected for the post.

Those joining the committee in April will step into a budgetary tempest with the possibility of significant cuts in staff and programming and defending a major Prop 2 1/2 override.

Town-wide races

With just under ten days to return the necessary papers to have the Town Clerk, no one has taken out nomination papers for Town Treasurer despite Belmont’s long-time treasurer Floyd Carman declaring late in 2022 he would not seek re-election after 18 years on the job. The lack of potential candidates comes less than a week after a Special Town Meeting approved a ballot question on the April 4 Town Election to change the Treasurer’s position from an elected to an appointed post.

Most incumbents have taken out nomination papers in other town-wide elected positions:

  • Town Moderator Mike Widmer, first elected in 2008, has secured a place on the ballot.
  • Incumbents Kathleen Keohane and Gail Mana are seeking to fill a pair of three-year terms on the Board of Library Trustees.
  • Gloria Leipzig is running for a second five-year term on the Housing Authority.
  • Bob Reardon, Sr. – who is looking to secure another three-year term – and Pat Murphy have taken papers out to run for seats on the Board of Assessors.
  • Elizabeth Dionne has qualified for a run to succeed Adam Dash for a three-year term with the Select Board.
  • Alex Corbett, III, hopes to retain his seat on the Board of Cemetary Commissioners.
  • Long-time member and former chair of the Health Board, Donna David has yet to take out nomination papers, while Stephen Fiore, who lost a seat in 2021, has pulled papers for the one three-year seat on the board up for grabs this cycle.

The deadline to submit nomination papers to have the candidate’s name appear on the ballot is St. Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, at 5 p.m.

Belmont School Committee, Education Union OKs New Contract; Ratification Vote Tuesday

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Photo: The Belmont Education Association has come to an agreement on a four year contract with the Belmont School Committee.

After more than a year of increasingly contentious negotiations and union activism, the Belmont Education Association agreed on Thursday evening, June 10, to new four-year contracts with the Belmont School Committee to three remaining labor units.

The unit representing assistant principals and district directors accepted contract language last week.

“We did it! All four Belmont Education Association contracts are settled because of our collective willingness to strike for the contracts Belmont educators, our students, and our community deserve,” read a statement on the association’s Facebook page Thursday night.

The agreement will be presented to the members for a ratification vote at its membership meeting on Tuesday, June 14. Speaking to several teachers after the announcement, the current sentiment is for a ”yes” vote.

The four units in the BEA include public schools teachers (Unit A); assistant principals and coordinators, (Unit B), secretaries (Unit C), and teacher aides/instructional support staff and campus monitors (Unit D).

The agreement the membership will vote on Tuesday:

  • Compensation for Units A, C, & D:
    • Year 1
      • Ratification Bonus – Unit A: $500, Unit C & D: $750
      • 2.75 percent plus an additional .25 percent on the top step
    • Year 2: 2.5 percent plus an additional .25 percent on the top step
    • Year 3: 2.5 percent
    • Year 4: 2.5 percent
  • Health Insurance: Maintains the 80/20 percent split for all employees.
  • Planning Time: Unit D members will be receiving 30 minutes a week of prep/collaboration time, which adds approximately $500/year to each Unit D member’s base salary more or less depending on the position on the salary scale.

“Standing together and being willing to fight for and win the contracts we deserve cements our power as a union and as educators,” said the BEA statement. “Looking forward, we are in a much better position to continue the fight to make Belmont a better place to work and learn in.” 
 

Letter To The Editor: How Restoring A Pair Of Reading Specialists Will Change How Belmont Schools Support Literacy Growth

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Photo: A reading specialist’s job

Seventeen.

That is the number of students who, out of the roughly 1,400 children between grades 5-8 in Chenery Middle School, were able to receive in-school reading support prior to January 31st, 2022. That is the date that funding took effect to create two dedicated Reading Specialist positions for the remainder of the 2021-22 school year, fundamentally changing how the school has been able to support the literacy growth of its students.

We are writing this letter to the decision-makers of this town because these positions have been eliminated for the 2022-23 school year, and the time to act to restore them is now – before we leave more of our neediest students behind.

Since their transition to this role in January, the impact that Jen Mathews and Taylor Moroso – our two trained and certified Reading Specialists – have had on growing the reading skills of our students has been profound, and we would be failing some of our highest-need students to not have these positions continue into next year.

Due to their other job requirements prior to the funding taking effect, Jen and Taylor were previously able to spend only one 47-minute block per day offering Reading Enrichment classes to students identified as most needing this extra support during the school day. Since being able to pivot to working with students as full-time Reading Specialists in January, Jen and Taylor have been able to focus entirely on supporting students as they strive to achieve their literacy goals, not only through facilitating the small Reading Enrichment groups but also by supporting students in their ELA classrooms – something that was previously not possible.

Since these positions were added, the following positive impacts have been observed:

  • The amount of students being able to receive regular reading intervention services increased from 17 to 59. That is 42 students who were screened and identified as requiring additional support to reach grade-level reading goals but that previously received no reading intervention beyond what was offered in the classroom.
  • Students who receive reading support have also been able to be supported in their ELA classrooms on a regular basis – this helps the teachers and specialists observe how they work not only in small groups, but also support the development of bespoke interventions that can be applied in the classroom for each student individually. In the 14 ELA classrooms the Reading Specialists have been able to support, they have been able to work with students from a variety of skill levels to help lift the confidence and skill levels of all students through their classroom work. Further, this work has enabled the specialists to identify students who may benefit from additional reading support.
  • Some of our highest need students, including those from diverse racial, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds, have been able to be supported in the classroom in ways that were previously not possible. Further, students whose literacy skills atrophied due to COVID and remote-related challenges have been able to experience success while supported by these interventions.

The proposed 2022-23 budget eliminates both of these positions, and as a result eliminates every single one of these benefits.

We implore the decision-makers of the town: the School Committee, Select/Planning Boards, and the citizens of Belmont, to not accept the fact that our school of 1,400 students will only have seventeen students receive small group reading instruction. To, rather than perpetuate a problem that has existed for years where we underserve these students, take a step toward a solution.

To make the decision to support all students, including our highest-need students still reeling from pandemic setbacks, in building their literacy skills. All it will cost to restore all of these crucial supports for many of our most vulnerable students is the 1.6 teacher positions that were added for the second half of this school year.

We are of the belief that there are not many ways to spend the town’s resources more effectively than this. If you agree that there are more than 17 students out of the 1,400 children in Chenery Middle School that need reading support, then you need to raise your voice, be heard, and restore these positions immediately for the 2022-23 school year and beyond.

Alex Goldsmith and Caitlin Corrieri

English/Language Arts Teachers

Chenery Middle School

Educators Union Continues Push For Contract As First Group Reach Agreement With School Committee

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Photo: Belmont teachers rally for new three-year contract

Before a sea of red-clad co-workers last week, Bethany Fitzsimmons put forth what most people are not willing to reveal to the public.

“I’m a 20-year employee,” said Fitzsimmons, a professional aide at Winn Brook Elementary. “And I made $29,000. Twenty years in Belmont. $29,000. OK, I am sorry, that’s embarrassing,” she told more than 100 members of the Belmont Education Association who gathered along Concord Avenue adjacent to the new Belmont High School.

With contract negotiations stalled after nearly a year of negotiations, members of the Belmont Education Association have stepped up public events and direct action to push the Belmont School Committee towards what they believe is a reasonable offer to help fairly compensate members for several years of stagnate wages which assisted the town and school committee in balancing past budgets.

BREAKING: The first group of Belmont educators have reached an agreement during the current negotiations with the School Committee on Monday, June 6. The agreement between members of Unit B – made up of assistant principals and system wide directors – and the committee has yet to be announced although it appears the group has agreed to a 80/20 split to its insurance policy over the next three years. More to come.

Described as one of the “the connective tissue that holds the Beaumont public school system together” by her “comrade in arms” Burbank teacher and Unit A’s Clifford Gallant, Fitzsimmons noted during the current talks to produce the next three year contract, Unit D personnel – which includes aides, paraprofessionals, administrative and classroom assistants – are being offering a 50 cents an hour increase.

Her dedication to the profession requires Fitzsimmons and many of her fellow Unit D colleagues to work multiple part-time jobs to continue to do the work they love.

“We qualify for fuel assistance. We qualify for food stamps. We are insured through the Affordable Care Health Insurance because the insurance the town is offering is too expensive. I am a 50-year-old woman and I live at home with my father because I cannot afford my own [place],” Fitzsimmons said.

“So how is it possible that in a town like Belmont, you have employees that qualify for federal and state assistance? That is embarrassing and that should not be happening,” she said to the cheers of members and residents.

Speaking before the membership, BEA official and Belmont High teacher Marc Lefebvre said time has run out for nothing short of a new contract.

“Why now? Why this time? Don’t we deserve a modest cost of living? Why don’t we deserve to keep our benefits stable? Why don’t we deserve a little more time for professional learning and collaboration? Why does [the school committee] seem more interested in power then smoothing he extraordinarily difficult task of educating the children of this town. I think I can tell you why. Because they believe they’ve got us into a corner and they hope we’ll think we’re out of options.

“But we are here today to say we are done, done with protracted negotiations, done with hoping they’ll respect what we’ve been through these past few years,” said Lefebvre. “We’re sending a very clear message that the time to settle is now, time for them to be responsible is now and it’s time for a fair contract.”

“At a time when educator morale is low, when the hiring season is busier than I had ever seen, and experienced candidates are scarce, we need this contract settled and you need it settled now,” said Elizabeth Baker, a Unit B representative and district director of science, health and tech education.

Supporters of the union cause came out to voice their concerns. Resident, parent of two students and Town Meeting member PJ Looney said fairness transcends political differences as teachers should be treated as the valued members of the community they are.

BHS senior Angus Abercrombie who graduated Saturday pointed to his teachers who taught him not just about facts and data but about the world around him.

“Your job is not just to create the next generation of workers, it is to create the next generation of voters. You taught me about my history, about my country and about the power and responsibility that I have to change it. And knowing that is the real reason I’m here because there is nothing else I can morally be doing on a Wednesday evening than standing here and supporting you,” Abercrombie said.

With Concerns Heightened, Belmont School Committee Will Host Community Safety Forum Tuesday, May 31

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Photo: The Belmont School Committee will host a virtual community safety forum on Tuesday, May 31

After a pair of alarming incidents directed at and in Belmont schools and the recent mass murder of students and teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, the Belmont School Committee will host a virtual community safety forum on Tuesday, May 31, at 6:30 p.m., according to an email from Belmont Superintendent John Phelan.

  • To join the Zoom video meeting, click this link:https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83217919060 Webinar ID: 832 1791 9060
  • To join by telephone:Call: (929) 205-6099 and enter this PIN: 83217919060# To ask a question or raise your hand, enter *9 on your phone.
  • The meeting will be cablecast live on channel 8 (Comcast) and channel 28 and 2130 (Verizon) and online at belmontmedia.org/govtv

The meeting comes after a bomb threat on May 11 was directed at Belmont High School and “concerning” social media messages accompanied photos of the interior of the Chenery Middle School has raised tensions among residents and parents of school-age students.

The meeting, which will be attended by Belmont Police Chief James MacIsaac, Fire Chief David Destefano and Facilities Director David Blazon, will be an opportunity for public safety and town officials “to update on our protocols and to listen to concerns and feedback,” said Phelan.

“As most of our students have exposure to technology, news media, and social media, many of them have likely heard about the tragedy in Uvalde,” said Phelan.

“This topic will no doubt be top-of-mind among families throughout the nation for days to come. Our staff and counselors are available for students in school as needed. Please reach out to one of your child’s teachers, counselor, or principal if you feel your child needs specific support in processing this incident.”

Belmont’s Last Day Of School Falls On The First Full Day Of Summer

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Photo: Last day of school for fourth graders at the Wellington Elementary School

How can it be any more appropriate that the final day of school in Belmont falls on the first full day of summer?

After using two of the five “snow” days built into the 2021-2 calendar, the Belmont School Department determined the district will reach the 180 days of learning required by the state on Wednesday, June 22.

The date was approved unanimously by the School Committee with the hope there will no plowable snow events after April 12 and families can begin making plans for trips, camps and vacations.

Moriarty Elected New Chair Of Belmont School Committee

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Photo: Meg Moriarty is the new chair of the Belmont School Committee

Just starting her second year on the Belmont School Committee, Meghan Moriarty will now be leading the six-member board after being elected unanimously the new chair at the committee’s organizational meeting held on Tuesday, April 12.

Noting that the newly-constituted committee was “starting off on a good foot” as it begun the regular meeting 10 minutes early, Moriarty thanked her colleagues for their vote of confidence in her.

“As we go forward this year, I think we all know it’s really important that we all work together and with the administration [we can] improve upon the education system,” said Moriarty. “I think too often we say [we want] to maintain the excellent education system that we have in Belmont. But I think that there are areas that we all agree on right now that need to be improved” pointing to equity issues, math scores and the mental health and social emotional

Moriarty said over the coming year the committee must prioritize its relationship with the “greater community” that elected them. She than recognized “all the hard work” her predecessor as chair, Amy Checkoway, had committed to over the past year.

Checkoway will be supporting Moriarty as the committee’s newly-elected Secretary.

The mother of two, Moriarty runs MegMor Research and Evaluation which helps organizations assess the impact of Science Technology Engineering & Math (STEM) programming. She matriculated at Brown (BA) and earned her master’s and doctorate in education (science education) from Boston University.

Q&A With Amy Checkoway, Seeking Re-Election To The School Committee

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Photo:

Amy Checkoway is running unopposed for a second three-year term on the Belmont School Committee where she is the current chair. Checkoway has been a senior project manager for nearly 20 years with the research consultancy Abt Associates and was active in her local PTO and school activities before running for public office in 2019. She matriculated at Brown (Public Policy and American Civilization) before earning her Masters in Public Policy at Harvard’s Kennedy School.

Q: You served during what everyone has said was the most trying time to be a school committee member. From making snap decisions on new procedures and ways of learning to what a segment of the residents/parents believed were harsh restrictions on in-school instruction and mask mandates. What was the most difficult decision that you made during the pandemic for you personally and do you have second thought about it?

A: One of many difficult decisions was to start the 2021-22 school year remotely. With hindsight, I have second thoughts about many decisions made during the pandemic and how we approached planning generally. The School Committee should have worked more closely with district leadership during the summer of 2021 to develop better and more agile hybrid plans. We were too reactive and there was too much waiting for guidance from above, and not enough proactive planning. We should have done a better job at communicating and partnering with parents/guardians. We also should have been more transparent about our decision-making processes and more open about the challenges that we were facing.

Q: How has living through the pandemic change the relationship of the school committee with the school administration and parents? Is it for the better? 

A: Living through the pandemic certainly intensified the relationships between all parties. We were all forced to interact in ways and about issues that we never had encountered before. I do not think that confidence and trust has been completely restored yet, as some relationships remain frayed. One thing that I hope we can hold onto and continue to improve is deeper family engagement and participation in School Committee meetings and district decision-making.    

Q: There continues to be tension with segments of the population and the schools. What would you do to “lower the heat” and bring a sense of collegiality for all sides.  

A: This will require a lot of listening, assuming positive intent, a willingness to compromise, making space for all sides to share their perspectives, and trying to see value in all suggestions, even if our immediate instinct is to disagree. Social media tends to “raise the heat” and be dominated by a small number of voices. Creating more opportunities for in-person interactions and two-way conversations with different segments of the population will be helpful.

Q: What are some of ideas/concerns/objectives will you personally advocate for during the next three years?

A: Some of my priorities include supporting more authentic family engagement; strategically managing the district’s budget and resources; using data to inform decision-making; working toward more equitable policies, practices, and outcomes; and holding leadership accountable for meeting the goals that the School Committee sets out.

Q: What do you enjoy about being a member of the school committee? 

A: I enjoy building relationships with and learning from other School Committee members, district staff, students, and parents. I enjoy when I can serve as a bridge between the school community and district administration. I enjoy when I can effectively facilitate and/or influence a discussion about how to better serve students. And I enjoy when I can answer a question or help a parent/guardian with an issue.

Q: What’s it like having a trombonist in the house?

A: Loud. And my other son is a percussionist!

Q&A With Jeff Liberty, Candidate For School Committee

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Photo: Jeff Liberty

Jeff Liberty‘s background is an impressive collection of experiences in education. The Dorchester native has been classroom teacher, administrator, the inaugural leader of an in-district Boston charter school and currently works at an educational consultancy. He is running unopposed for the open seat on the Belmont School Committee. A 12 year resident of Worcester Street, Liberty matriculated at Brandeis University (History) and received his MFA in creative writing from Emerson.

Q: You have an unique background for school committee members being a multifaceted education careerist: You have been a teacher, administrator, charter school leader and now in education consultancy. How do you anticipate working and collaborating with your five fellow committee members who don’t have your practical experience in the field? 

A: I do have a lot of experience and I’m happy to share it with my fellow Committee Members and members of the BPS administration.  At the same time, all of the other Members bring tremendous skills and experience, including experience being on the School Committee and other elected offices, so I expect it should be very easy to collaborate with my colleagues on the Committee. I’m honored to serve with such a committed and intelligent group of humans and I expect to learn as much as I teach. 

Q: You have spoken about concerns you have as a parent and resident on how much students have “lost” educationally and emotionally during the pandemic. Is it possible for individual students to “recover” that gap in classroom learning and social emotional skills or should the district take a more holistic approach of moving grades forward with supports?

A: When it comes to foundational academic skills and human development/social-emotional skills, students must be supported to recover from lost opportunities to learn and grow.  Otherwise, we do not afford them the opportunity, as a generation, to achieve to their fullest potential. At the same time, the pandemic has shown us, in every facet of our lives, what is truly important. In that spirit, I don’t think it’s essential to obsess about going back and trying to “cover” every bit of content that was missed.  That ship has sailed.  The most important skills and content are the ones that are essential to student success at higher levels.  There should be an effort to quantify and communicate, both in the aggregate and at the individual student level, where we are in terms of meeting those benchmarks and what we will commit to do to support students who have not yet reached the grade-level standards of academic performance and/or social-emotional growth. The Committee and the public will need to hear from the Superintendent and his team soon about what we have learned about students’ progress and what resources and programs are being developed and put in place to help students to accelerate their learning and personal development before the start of the next school year.     

Q: Could you see anytime that you could support a return of mask mandates? Why or why not.

A: The pandemic has taught us that it is difficult to say for certain what the future holds.  If the Board of Health and the School Committee determine that, by metrics we can all agree to, that the continuation of in-person instruction requires all educators and students to wear masks for a period of time, I would be open to supporting that policy for a limited period and with very clear benchmarks for when mask-wearing would be made optional again.   

Q: You wrote a letter to the editor saying that you were angry – about who the school committee and district could not manage the system through COVID, how the town was unable to come up with a plan to manage the structural deficit and the pot holes on your street – but was still going to vote for the override. Are you still angry?

A: I would not describe myself as an angry person generally (I try not to be–life is too short!).  At the same time, it has been very challenging as an educator and as a parent to watch our town fumble our way through policies and processes that have had a detrimental effect on students and families.  That would make any reasonable person angry.  I continue to see some of the same behaviors and habits that manifested themselves during the worst days of the pandemic like a lack of data-based decision making and un-rigorous assessment of the efficacy of programs and initiatives.  This frustrates me but it also motivates me to make improvement in those areas a central focus of my work on the Committee in the years ahead.  We can and we must do better to regain the public’s full confidence in our schools.  

Q: The majority of what school committees does is deal with the everyday “mundane necessities” of a district: reviewing elementary school curriculum, professional development for teachers, hearing concerns of coaches that they are not being paid the same as their peers. What “mundane necessity” will you champion as a member of the committee and why is it important?

A: I don’t think any of the things you listed are mundane.  I do think we need to prioritize the work of the Committee so we stay focused on our most important statutory responsibilities–supervising and supporting the Superintendent, creating and revising policy, overseeing the budget and ensuring it aligns with educational priorities, negotiating contracts that are fair and sustainable, and approving the program of studies.  If we manage to do this–and to celebrate our successes along the way–nothing we do will be mundane.

Q: What will get you excited about coming to a school committee meeting on a cold and snowy Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.?

A: In the 12 years our family has lived in Belmont, I’ve met hundreds of wonderful young people and their parents and caregivers. I am highly motivated to bring purposeful, transparent, and ethical leadership to my work on the Committee on behalf of my fellow Belmontians, no matter what the weather might be.  To me, public schools are just about as sacred as secular institutions can be. When they are good, they are the best examples of excellent civic life and hope for our future that we have. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?