This material was republished from a communication prepared for members of the Acton Boxborough Education Association (ABEA).
Ben Bloomenthal (incumbent)
Q1. Why are you running for School Committee? Are there any particular issues that inspired you to run?
I’m running for School Committee because I believe in the importance of a quality education and ensuring that all students have access to the resources they need to succeed. Issues like equitable funding, curriculum development, and supporting teachers inspired me to run again. Passing the “A” budget is crucial for maintaining our schools. Failure to do so will result in irreparable harm as a result of draconian cuts to our district. Therefore, I believe it is essential to advocate for its passage on the Acton ballot and then at each respective Town Meeting to secure necessary funding for our schools.
Q2. Do you support an operating override in Acton to fund the district’s “A” budget? Why or why not?
Yes, I support an operating override in Acton to fund the district’s “A” budget. This funding is crucial for meeting our mission of “wellness, equity and engagement,” ensuring that all students have access to a high-quality education and the resources they need to thrive. Without this funding, we risk compromising our ability to provide essential programs and services, ultimately impacting student success and well-being. Passing the operating override is essential to maintain our schools in the district.
Q3: What is your vision for the school’s district’s budget beyond next year? How do we balance the need to support students and educators with the financial realities of Proposition 2 1/2?
My vision for the school district’s budget beyond next year is one that prioritizes both student and educator support while also navigating the financial constraints of Proposition 2 1/2. To achieve this balance, I believe in seeking partnerships with our legislators to review the Chapter 70 formula, ensuring that districts like Acton-Boxborough are funded properly. By advocating for fair and equitable funding at the state level, we can alleviate some of the pressures imposed by Proposition 2 1/2 and better support the needs of our students and educators in the long term.
Jason Fitzgerald
Q1. Why are you running for School Committee? Are there any particular issues that inspired you to run?
I’m running for School Committee this year, primarily, as a way to give back and offer my support to the teachers and students. I have two kids in the high school, one in the junior high, and one at Douglas where my wife, Holly, also works as a classroom assistant. I also joined the PTO board at Douglas over the last year as treasurer. I’m invested in the schools and understand many of the challenges at the different levels of education. I am unencumbered by direct ties to any special cause or interest group, and while the support and assistance these group provide is invaluable, we have the personnel, opportunity, responsibility, and resources to offer every student in our district a world-class experience and I want ensure the opportunity to succeed is presented to every student across every demographic and income level.
I moved to Acton with my wife, Holly, in 2001, choosing Acton as a location to establish our family in no small part because of the remarkable school system. Since then, I’ve been blessed with a son and three daughters who are now thriving in the school system. While at times they have struggled, they have had profound educators pick them up and guide them to academic, athletic, and social success.
In recent years we have seen how the pandemic and political and global challenges have challenged the schools as well as the broader Acton community. I have witnessed how the school system has stepped up to be much more than an academic resource. It continues to be an educational means of support, through such programs as the early intervention programs offered at the preschool, the broad and invaluable special education programs, and through extra learning resources provided to multilingual learners. But also through the increasing amount of basic fundamental needs for food, clothing and other needs that we see the district stepping in to provide.
Our youth in Acton have an unquenchable thirst for educational and growth experiences. I’ve seen this first hand while interacting with kids in our community in many ways: as a scout leader, a sports coach, a youth leader in faith-based groups, and through multiple before and after school programs at Douglas. Regardless of the outcome of the election I will look for opportunities to help find ways to engage with and support youth.
Q2: Do you support an operating override in Acton to fund the district’s “A” budget? Why or why not?
I have four kids actively attending schools in Acton, and my wife is a classroom assistant at Douglas. It would not only be foolish of me not to support the “A” budget, but also punitive to my children’s education and future opportunities.
We have world class educators in this district. They absolutely and unequivocally should expect the support to do their job without hesitation. However, we have members of our community on town boards that have pointed out that our budget situation is untenable. This emotional do-or-die situation where the magnitude and impact of the override failing will be so severe was avoidable. We have had to reduce level services for general education three years in a row, while also reducing teacher FTE counts. Teachers should be able to teach without bearing this stress and not knowing if they will have a job next year. Instead they are carrying the torch and are being used as the primary bargaining chip and motivation for this override.
Also, I enjoy my home in Acton, and its value that approximates the median home value for Acton. I think higher of the Acton community than that we are simply using our homes as investment vehicles to build wealth tied to the performance of the school system. I understand the reality of this situation but feel there are innumerable concrete and intrinsic reasons to support the schools without the emotional tie to my personal finances.
Q3: What is your vision for the school’s district’s budget beyond next year? How do we balance the need to support students and educators with the financial realities of Proposition 2 1/2?
I was here in the early 2000s to see the cycle of overrides and remember the angst and stress around these overrides and the impact to the broader community. We have a passionate and engaged community that overwhelmingly supports the school district. I know that ongoing cuts to the school services while also increasing budgets is not healthy or even tenable.
So, we have to find some way to break this cycle. The district has identified some “structural” areas of cost cutting. These need exploration and community involvement if not outright support. We also need to be creative and open to exploring other options that can prioritize the district’s goals and support those students where educational opportunity is not adversely affected.
We need to be investing in our schools and the primary school resource, our teachers. We have to have the foresight to look ahead at the teacher’s contract that will be coming for renewal the year after next as well, and honor the compromise they have made in the last contract cycle.
We equally need to be investing in our most vulnerable populations. Acton has the resources and skills to celebrate the diversity of our student body and empower our multi-language learners and our students with unique education challenges. We should be embracing this opportunity as one presented to us to have a profound impact on children that will have a different future having relocated to our little suburban town in New England with so much history.
It is going to take conviction and objectivity to take on these challenges fairly and productively. Creativity and open-mindedness will be required to find new solutions. And we will need a healthy respect and communication with the broader community to garner support with members of the community who are not directly tied to the school system. I’m hoping for the opportunity to be a part of the School Committee for the next three years and ask for your vote on April 30th.
Andrew Schwartz (incumbent)
Before I get to the questions, I would like to introduce myself. Hi, I’m Andrew Schwartz. I am the proud parent of four boys in the district and honored to be a current elected member of the Acton-Boxborough Regional School Committee. I believe that we are at an incredible inflection point for learning and want to help the ABRSD continue to be a place where our kids can thrive. Our family has lived in Acton for the past six years. I am originally from Cincinnati, Ohio and graduated from Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. Professionally, I am the Director of Metaverse Engineering at Nike. My background is in strategic consulting, but really it is in finding solutions to nagging problems. I’ve owned my own businesses, established and run innovation labs for Fortune 500 companies, been an advisor for startups, worked in the agency world, and consulted in the healthcare, financial services, entertainment, and nonprofit industries.
Q1. Why are you running for School Committee? Are there any particular issues that inspired you to run?
I’m running for reelection because there’s more that I want to do for the students, the teachers and the community. The way that schools contribute to our lives has changed in the past few years. More than just the shift in how students learn or what tools they use, the evolving emotional landscape for kids in a post-Covid world have added additional complexities to education. The School Committee provides direction, policy, and guidance to the district to address those complexities. I learned quickly that the role of a School Committee member was not to run classrooms or departments but to help focus the district to address those issues. As a Committee member, I have been able to take action for voices that would otherwise have been drowned out.
My job outside of School Committee is focused on giving the people I work with the space to be amazing. That means pushing away the distractions and making room for their achievements. School can be this way, too. School can be where students are excited by both what and how they learn, with teachers, staff and administration that work together to shape that environment. I was originally inspired to get involved by thinking about how I could bring this approach to the district. We can create environments that bring together everything it means to be a full person and help the students find their space to be amazing
Q2. Do you support an operating override in Acton to fund the district’s “A” budget? Why or why not?
I support the override. The benefits far outweigh the costs. It’s not just a question of support; this is a necessity. The formula for how schools are funded is flawed. Prices rose higher than revenue to the district could be increased. Towns just like Acton and Boxborough are seeing this across the commonwealth. Dozens of districts are dealing with funding issues. That the state only provides a minimal amount of funding is awful. The override benefit far outweighs the cost. With an override we have the path to continue to build great people through our schools.
Q3: What is your vision for the school’s district’s budget beyond next year? How do we balance the need to support students and educators with the financial realities of Proposition 2 1/2?
I’ve been in touch with our local state legislators about this issue. The funding problem is larger than our district. We have a revenue problem that can be solved in part through greater help from the state, economic growth in our towns, and making smart choices for our schools. We need to find ways as a district to build a stronger institution. Our kids deserve adults who care enough about their future to strengthen the foundation. When our community comes together, our schools work and give our kids a love of learning, the tools to explore their curiosities, and an environment where they can grow in incredible ways. The School Committee works with the community to create the foundation for those results. I believe students, parents, administrators, teachers, and staff are partners in creating great learning environments. Your help in that journey has been phenomenal. I am thrilled to be a part of this organization, and feel like there is still work to be done. I ask for your vote.
Mike Balulescu is the President of the Acton Boxborough Education Association (ABEA), the local affiliate of the Massachusetts Teachers Association.