Election 2017

School Committee Hopefuls Share Their Views in the Candidate Q&As

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The Watertown Public Schools are in a time of transition, with new leadership, plans to rebuild or renovate the schools and efforts to take the district to the next level. The School Committee oversees the budget and hires and evaluates the superintendent, as well as advising on other issues. On Nov. 7, voters will elect three members of the seven-member board. Watertown News reached out to the six candidates and asked questions about some of the biggest issues facing the Watertown Public Schools – improving education in the Watertown Schools, communication with parents and residents and attracting and retaining quality teachers.

Elections

School Committee Candidate Q&A: Guido Guidotti

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The candidates for School Committee each received the same six questions from the Watertown News about some issues facing the Watertown Schools and themselves. Here are the responses for Guido Guidotti:

1) Tell us about yourself and why you are running for School Committee. I grew up just over the river in Newton Corner and went all the way through the Newton Public Schools, graduating from Newton North High School. I graduated from Harvard College and Harvard Medical School and trained in pediatrics at Mass General. I ran for election to the school committee four years ago and I’m running for re-election now because I want better schools for my son and all of the children of Watertown.

Elections

School Committee Candidate Q&A: John Portz

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The candidates for School Committee each received the same six questions from the Watertown News about some issues facing the Watertown Schools and themselves. Here are the responses for John Portz:

1) Tell us about yourself and why you are running for School Committee. I grew up in the Midwest and have lived in Watertown since 1988. I teach government at Northeastern University, and my wife Meredith also works in Boston. I have a daughter who graduated from Watertown High School in 2014 and a son currently in the seventh grade.

Election 2017

School Committee Candidate Q&A: Michael Shepard

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The candidates for School Committee each received the same six questions from the Watertown News about some issues facing the Watertown Schools and themselves. Here are the responses for Michael Shepard:
1) Tell us about yourself and why you are running for School Committee. My wife, Catherine, and I have a daughter, Sophie, who has autism and has been in the Connections program in the public schools since kindergarten.  I am a project manager in the financial industry and manage a number of applications which report to federal regulatory agencies.  We have lived in Watertown since 1989. I want to work on the issues that will make Watertown a magnet district for students, families and teachers:  upgrade our school buildings for a modern educational model, develop challenging and engaging programming/curricula, and develop a sustainable funding model with the Town Council. 2) What is the biggest issue facing the Watertown Public Schools? 
The school buildings themselves are the biggest challenge right now due to their age and configuration.  To be more effective, the interior spaces need to be renovated and upgraded to meet current teaching styles, like project based learning.  To do this, spaces need to be flexible and easily changed when needed.  The buildings also need to have old materials removed and replaced with contemporary building materials that are greener and more energy efficient than what is currently in place.  Without modern, flexible spaces, making the most of new or modified curricula becomes a challenge.

Elections

School Committee Candidate Q&A: Amy Donohue

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The candidates for School Committee each received the same six questions from the Watertown News about some issues facing the Watertown Schools and themselves. Here are the responses for Amy Donohue:

1) Tell us about yourself and why you are running for School Committee. Hi. I’m Amy Donohue, a long time resident and educator in Watertown, a business owner in the community with my husband J.D., and the proud mother of four very busy children. Their independent and individual personalities challenge and enrich our lives each and every day.

Elections

School Committee Candidate Q&A: Lily Rayman-Read

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The candidates for School Committee each received the same six questions from the Watertown News about some issues facing the Watertown Schools and themselves. Here are the responses for Lily Rayman-Read:

1) Tell us about yourself and why you are running for School Committee. My name is Lily Rayman-Read, and I am a public high school teacher, mother of two children (one second grader at the Lowell, and a 3 year old who will hopefully be starting Pre-K next September. I am the general educator in an inclusion/co-taught classroom where I get to see students of all abilities and learning styles and work towards providing a safe, supportive, and excellent learning environment for them all. I am running for School Committee because I feel as though Watertown is in an incredibly crucial moment in our schools, where we need a great deal of expertise and understanding of the needs of schools and students when it comes to supporting our new administration as they work to rebuild the high school, renovate the other buildings, and revamp curricular development and new district initiatives (including the expansion of co-teaching, the Kingian Nonviolence program, Foreign Language at the Elementary Schools and many other programs and projects).

Election 2017

School Committee Candidate Q&A: Liz Yusem

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The candidates for School Committee each received the same six questions from the Watertown News about some issues facing the Watertown Schools and themselves. Here are the responses for Liz Yusem:

1) Tell us about yourself and why you are running for School Committee. I am seeking re-election to the school committee so that I may continue to serve the community and the children of this town as their advocate selected by vote. This is a very important role in our community as the governing body that serves the children of this town with one of their essential needs, education. As a contributing member of the board, I am a very good collaborative team player and have been able to advance the vision of the community through careful consideration and advice that I have lent the board and administration to support the district’s educational goals.

Elections

School Committee Hopefuls Air Their Views at Candidate Forum

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The six people running for School Committee shared their views on a variety of subjects during the School Committee Candidate Forum co-hosted by Watertown News and Watertown Cable Access Television on Thursday night at the Watertown Free Public Library. Three challengers – Amy Donohue, Michael Shepard and Lily Rayman-Read – appeared along with the three candidates seeking re-election – Guido Guidotti, Liz Yusem and John Portz. The candidates shared similar views on several questions, including:
• Wanting to renovate or rebuild schools that will be able to provide a modern education
• Seeking to improve communication with parents and with the school administration
• Continue to expand the Spanish lessons for elementary students up through fifth grade
• The start time for the middle and high schools should be moved later
• Watertown should explore joining the Minuteman Vocational District, or find another way to offer vocational education
Each candidate had their own views on certain subjects. Cutting Costs if the Schools Have a Budget Shortfall
Guidotti, a healthcare management consultant who seeks a second term, said that he thinks there is always room for more efficiency in the schools, but said the tough thing is to find efficiency without “cutting the lights off” for important people and programs.

Shepard, who served one term on the School Committee previously, said he wants to save the district money by leasing equipment, particularly technology, instead of purchasing it. By purchasing items outright, the district is stuck with the maintenance and upkeep, he said, but the district should see if any efficiency can be gained by leasing.