| Newton MA News and Politics Blog

My name is Emily Prenner and I am excited to announce my run for the open Ward 5 School Committee seat in November 2019. Voters city-wide can vote for School Committee members.

For 15 years I have worked in many positions to support the Newton Public Schools (NPS) both locally and as an advocate at the state level.

  • PTO President at the Newton Early Children Program (NPS preschool), Angier Elementary School and Newton South High School
  • President of the city-wide PTO Council
  • Community Representative on the Angier School Building Committee
  • Co-Chair of the 2013 override campaign which funded Angier, Zervas and Cabot school building projects, as well as additional teachers to reduce large class sizes
  • 2017 recipient of the Massachusetts Association for School Committee (MASC) Community Leader for Public Education award

As a member of the School Committee, I will use my experience and in-depth knowledge of Newton Public School to ensure our students have the best education possible.  Newton needs to continue hiring highly qualified teachers, provide depth and breadth of programs, and have reasonable class sizes, modern facilities, and an overarching commitment to supporting ALL learners.  I will work hard to achieve these goals, while also recognizing that financial constraints may require some creative thinking, and at times, difficult choices.

Personally, I have a ninth grader and sophomore in college.  I attended MIT and studied chemistry and theater. My professional experience as an IT program manager and consultant have taught me how to balance competing priorities while bringing together disparate groups of people to achieve a common goal.

I’ve started meeting with voters across Newton, to hear their ideas and thoughts about Newton Public Schools.  I’d welcome hearing from you – please feel free to contact me anytime. For more information, go to my campaign website www.emilyprenner.com