Kong has been a university professor and skilled a corporate executive

I am writing to urge all Acton voters to unite once again in supporting the candidacy of Michael Coppolino and Xuan Kong who are running for re-election to the Acton School Committee.

Together they have served our community and our children passionately, productively and effectively on the School Committee for a total of 15 years (12 for Coppolino and three for Kong), and the level of knowledge, insight and experience they have gained is precisely what we need in the term ahead.

These qualities are particularly crucial in the next three years as they strive to work with a new Superintendent, some new Administrators, and many new Principals to help them maintain the superior level of education which has kept Acton’s schools among the best in the state.

Coppolino has served as Chairperson of the Regional and Acton Public School Committees three times and Kong once as Chairperson of the Acton Public School Committee, so they know how to lead and manage the complexities of an educational system.

Both have experience as educators inside the classroom --- Coppolino has been a public school teacher for 16 years, and Kong has been a university professor.

And both bring business experience from outside the classroom, with Coppolino skilled as a corporate information technology entrepreneur and Kong as a corporate executive.

Both are particularly concerned with, and qualified to meet the challenge of keeping the budget in line with the escalating contractual and insurance costs we face today.

And both have begun to speak out decisively in meetings with thoughtful financial questions designed to provoke meaningful discussion to achieve fiscal examination of the numbers to help reach much needed budget cuts and savings wherever possible.

Both are quiet men in their demeanor, but determined more than ever to make their thoughts and their views clearly heard to achieve greater transparency of school financial reporting and accountability to the public --- absolutely essential in these difficult economic times.

Let them continue to be strong voices on the School Committee, and allow their commitment for superior education to serve us and our children for the next three years.
Please join me in returning Michael Coppolino and Xuan Kong to the School Committee with your vote on March 30th.

Dick Calandrella
Acton