Highlighting my achievements during the past three years, I have:
§ Advocated for an unwavering focus on educational benefits for our students in everything we do, from classroom size issues to special education programs to adequate support for principals and administrators.
§ Strengthened the communications between the School Committee and the community. As APS School Committee chair, I have
o Provided monthly SC updates to the elementary newsletters
o Established individual SC liaisons for each APS school
§ Created an effective and comprehensive set of budget tools. These tools are being used to improve the budget planning process and provide guidance for contract negotiations.
§ Leveraged my management accounting skills to guide the Food Service budget to moderate increases in school lunch prices. After two years of the new pricing structure, the account balances continue to remain healthy.
§ Promoted greater transparency and accountability of school finance.
§ Supported the schools’ effort to understand the changing demographics of our students and their families with constructive feedback from survey design to community outreach to survey data interpretation.
§ Completed a comprehensive study of the factors that drive the costs of special education programs in our school districts by working with other School Committee and Fincom members. The study identified areas for improvement; many recommendations have been accepted by the school administration. They include: integration of technology in the IEP (individualized education plan) development to improve school-parent communications; and better cost accounting methods to maximize state reimbursements.
