Jennifer Page
Why are you running for a seat on the Amherst School Committee?
Amherst Forward has informed me that they will print my responses verbatim and unedited. First I would like to clearly state that I am not seeking, nor would I accept, Amherst Forward’s endorsement of my candidacy. I am running for School Committee because I envision a school district that is truly committed to supporting every student to reach their potential. I envision a school district that understands the historic and current inequities in education access; the cultural, racial, and economic barriers to full participation; and the lack of trust that characterizes the relationship with our most marginalized students and families. I envision a school district that prioritizes listening to those who have been historically omitted or silenced, and making policy and resource decisions driven by a commitment to their success.
What would you say are the biggest challenges facing Amherst’s public schools? What actions would you want the Committee to take to address these challenges?
The biggest challenges that Amherst schools face right now are supporting the social, emotional, physical and mental health of students during pandemic recovery, providing opportunities for academic achievement and learning recovery for students as we continue to deal with the pandemic, and ensuring that our educators are supported by listening to what they say they need to continue to develop and excel as educators. To address these challenges, the school committee and the administration should be doing proactive outreach to families most affected by the pandemic and by the last year and half of upheaval, to find out what families and students need in order to recover and thrive this year. We should also be working directly with educators and the APEA to determine how best to support teachers, paraeducators, and other school staff.
In the longer term we have the challenge of school buildings that are old and in need of significant repairs. While the current maintenance staff have done remarkable work getting the schools ready for staff and students during the pandemic, deferred maintenance over many years has built up to the point where they all need significant investment. The high school, middle school, and all three elementary schools have major issues that need to be addressed. The school committee will need to evaluate a full list of needed projects, with estimated costs, annually, well in advance of the budget votes, and a prioritization process should be defined, with input from school staff and families.
Another on-going major challenge is the budget. When difficult choices need to be made for budgetary reasons, the school committee and the administration need to do proactive outreach to staff and families BEFORE cuts are defined, to be sure that we minimize the impact to those most vulnerable.
How would you work to communicate with the community about the Committee’s work (please be specific)?
The current school committee does not engage in substantive, consistent, open dialogue with marginalized families and therefore does not have an adequate understanding of their perspectives. I would prioritize fixing this problem by implementing regular outreach events throughout the community, working directly with local community groups to reach people where they are to talk about their concerns. I would also work to make virtual meetings more accessible and open by allowing attendees to see who else is attending, allowing live public comment, and other improvements to meeting logistics. In addition, I would advocate for language interpretation of school committee meetings into Spanish and other languages.
Would you vote to support an educational plan developed by educators and community members to support a new school building of 575 students to replace both Fort River and Wildwood? Why or why not?
The current school committee will decide soon whether to move Amherst sixth graders to the middle school building. Assuming that decision is made with robust input from the community, I would support replacing both Wildwood and Fort River with a 575-student K-5 building. Both buildings are in need of significant repairs, and this is our best and most fiscally prudent plan to address the building issues and the needs of our students and staff. A vital part of a successful plan is communicating directly with the families who will be impacted, to make sure their concerns are addressed. Regular, proactive outreach to district families will be important in implementing the plan as smoothly as possible.
What is a School Committee member’s role and responsibility? How does that role differ from the role of the superintendent or the administration?
The school committee’s primary responsibilities are to set the educational vision and goals for the district, formulate policies, approve and monitor the budget, hold the superintendent accountable for meeting the goals and implementing the policies set by the committee (by evaluating and hiring/firing the superintendent), and serving as the employer of record for the collective bargaining units. A school committee member’s role is to work with other members towards meeting those responsibilities. In addition, I would see my role as listening and learning from families and students, particularly BIPOC, low-income, and marginalized communities, and ensuring that their perspectives inform school committee decisions. The role of school committee members is very distinct from that of the superintendent/administration — the superintendent’s role is to implement the school committee’s decisions, something that the current school committee often gets backwards.
Could you support a Committee decision you did not vote for? Why or why not?
There will inevitably be school committee decisions that are not unanimous, and I fully expect I will disagree with votes that the committee takes. As a member of the committee, I will abide by the majority view, reserving my right to voice dissent in instances of principle, health and safety of students or teachers, or mismanagement.