Amy Masters sent this via email today. (She also has a campaign Facebook page)
I’m Amy Masters, and I am writing to introduce myself to you as I am running for the Ward 8 School Committee seat in 2017. The election is at-large, and the seat will be open as the incumbent is in her final term.
I’m running for School Committee because I am a passionate supporter of our schools and believe I have the experience and judgment to be an effective School Committee Member. I’m a Newton native and graduate of Memorial-Spaulding, Meadowbrook Jr. High School and Newton South. My husband Josh and I have a son in sixth grade at Brown Middle School, and he is the third generation in my family to go through the Newton Schools as both my parents are also NPS Alumni.
I am very passionate about Newton and the Newton Public Schools and want to continue to contribute to our community. I have been an active member of the Memorial-Spaulding PTO and have coordinated the Understanding Our Differences program for the past 3 years. I also serve on the board of Newton Community Education, having been appointed by the School Committee in 2014. For the past 15 years I have worked as a producer for the Chronicle show at Channel 5 where I have had the opportunity to produce many shows about education.
I am fortunate to have City Councilor Rick Lipof as my campaign chair. Through preliminary talks and meetings I have also garnered the support of City Councilor Marc Laredo, City Councilor Jake Auchincloss, School Committee Chair Matt Hills, School Committee Member Ellen Gibson, School Committee Member Steve Siegel, Ward School PTO President Diana Cohen, Former Memorial-Spaulding PTO President Janice Lipof, Former Underwood PTO President Nate Gibson, Former Ward PTO President Cindy Henry and others active in the community.
I’m so excited for Amy who has decided to step up and serve. I look forward to everyone meeting Amy over the next year and I am sure you will be as impressed with her as I have been. Amy brings a passion grounded in service to the schools and a keen intellect honed by her journalistic background and love for our city.
I am so excited for Newton! Amy genuinely cares for ALL the kids and the schools, we could not ask for a better candidate. THANK YOU Amy!
I don’t know Amy. I’m sure she’s a wonderful person with the best of intentions. But I’d like to see some candidates who are willing to call-out the School Committee for their shortcomings, rather than kiss their behinds for endorsements. When I see Matt Hills endorse a candidate, there’s a very slim chance that person is ever going to get my vote.
I’m looking forward to meeting Amy Masters but I also hope she has a viable competitor and has to earn or lose the Ward 8 seat the old fashioned way: by campaigning.
We’re all better off (and that includes the eventual seat holders) when seats are contested. Ideally that would include all eight seats but should at least include the seats presently held by Matt Hills (Ward 7) and Margie Ross Dector (Ward 8), who aren’t eligible to run again due to term limits.
Oh and @Mike: Are you running?
Amy, what is your position on high school start times?
Interesting election year.
@Greg– I’ll spin that question back at you with a twist… Why aren’t you running for mayor? You have the right combination of temperament, experience and people skills. You’ve run a large company. You head the Chamber of Commerce. And you’re principally responsible for this wonderful community resource, Village 14. You also know Newton as well as anyone, and you’re familiar with all the players. I’m 100% serious, Greg. You should run for mayor.
Hi Jeffrey. Thank you for your question. I’m in favor of later start times as the science is clear;sleep deprivation takes its toll on our students and the stress they experience is very real. I’m glad that the School Committee and School Department are studying this issue and the six scenarios they recently presented illustrate how challenging it is to balance the impacts of a later start time. What is your perspective on this, and do you favor any one of the six possible scenarios?http://www.newton.k12.ma.us/cms/lib8/MA01907692/Centricity/Domain/112/Scenario%20Slides%20and%20Summary.pdf
Run Mike Run. Show them how to WIN!!!
Interested to hear lots from Amy.
High School start times
Homework levels in high schools and stress
Bus Fees
Less arts in the schools
School Sports fees
Early Dismissal Days
SPED views
Exciting to hear new candidates – and what their views are and how to pay for them.
What happened to Full day kindergarten?? Is that still an issue these days. Never understood the opposition, especially if they make it optional.
What about zero base budgeting? I know a percentage of the budget is mandated by the state, but I believe there is room for analysis on how we implement their programs. They should form a group who will delve into these issues similar to the Blue Ribbon commission to look into cost saving measures, so we can be more efficient.
Greg, she does have a viable competitor, Matthew Miller. He has a facebook campaign page, https://www.facebook.com/matthewforschoolcommittee/?fref=ts
If only every seat was contested. We just keep electing the same old, same old, because there aren’t enough citizens interested in running against an incumbent.
Matthew also has a website, for those who don’t have facebook.
http://matt4schools.com/
So pleased that Amy is running. She’s such a sensible and thoughtful person, and good humoured, too. The School Committee would be lucky to have her in their midst, and we’d also be lucky as citizens to have her judgment working for the good of the community.
As a Newton South graduate and now a Brown parent, Amy is well versed about the issues facing our schools and is passionate about advocating for students and their families. I know she would make an outstanding addition to the school committee!