VOTE411 Voter Guide

I have been a School Committee Member since 1992, leading in the areas of high-quality early childhood programs, student mental health, and improving our school buildings. I have been a chair (or served on) the Capital, Finance, and Curriculum Subcommittees and have led building committees for the renovations at Lawrence, Pierce, Ridley, and Runkle Schools. I was EDCO Board Chair 2009-2013; a member of the Early Childhood Advisory Council 1994 – present, Chair 2000-2002; and a Board Member of the Brookline Community Mental Health Center. I hold a BA & MSW from the University of Michigan (Go Blue). I am the proud parent, with my late husband Dr. Joseph Biederman, of Runkle/ BHS grads Itai, Daniela, and Ari

I don’t believe there are any least important functions, If there were, we wouldn't be doing them. The 3 most important: 1. Public education is the cornerstone of democracy. Our former PSB mission statement is still our most critical function, especially in this moment: to ensure we provide every student the skills and knowledge to participate thoughtfully in democracy. 2. One of our greatest strengths is the diversity of our student population, and ensuring that every student feels valued, seen, and supported. That’s why we made educational equity a core value. 3. Brookline has been a leader in the idea of educating the whole child. From our program to support new parents with their baby’s early development to offering the wide array of arts, sports, music, and more from K–12, Brookline gives every student a chance to discover and pursue their unique skills and passions.

I am a parent of twin boys and my children are the center of my life and my inspiration for wanting to be part of Brookline School Committee. My boys started at BEEP Putterham, then we were a proud Driscoll family, and now they are freshmen! So I’ve had the privilege of the full PSB experience, and still have active personal interest in the success of our schools. I’ve been an active member of the town and school community since moving to Brookline

I am currently the Deputy Director of the Elder Justice Unit in the Office of the Massachusetts Attorney General. Before I joined School Committee, I partnered with superintendents in Brookline and around the Commonwealth as a trusted advisor on policy and legal matters.

My Priorities

Student Experience We must prioritize student facing programs and offerings. Budget decisions need to start with the understanding that, what happens in our classrooms and our schools, is what shapes our children’s futures. Fiscal Responsibility Competent fiscal management is crucial to ensure Brookline’s resources are allocated efficiently and effectively. We must insist on transparency and accountability from our administrators and financial managers. All Students It is critical that Brookline nurture every student’s potential by addressing the unique needs of each student, regardless of background or learning profile. We must ensure that all learners have access to programs that challenge and provide opportunities for growth and achievement. Academic Excellence Brookline must regain our status as educational leaders.

I am a critical care physician and a Brookline parent who has lived in this town for the past 10 years. My 4 children, are past, current and prospective students in the Brookline Public Schools. Outside of medicine, I am involved and committed to supporting public education, involved in a variety of issues, including social justice and free speech. Amongst others, I am co-founder and former board chair of Hajar Bilingual Jewish-Arab School – one of the very few truly equitable K-12 institutions in Israel/Palestine – where I gained experience in creating, supporting, and protecting a public educational institution in a highly constrained environment.

We need leadership that is committed to protecting free speech and “freedom to teach” alongside critical inquiry and inclusivity; that sees through complex issues; and that is prepared to listen carefully, diagnose accurately, and solve problems skillfully.

Top priorities include:

Meeting every student’s needs: Creating equitable frameworks, understanding that education is not “one size fits all”.

Trusting teachers: If we are to successfully partner with educators, we must show confidence in their ability to guide our students into becoming critical thinkers, capable of expressing their innate talents and gifts.

Inclusivity and academic excellence: Education thrives on excellence. But excellence is not limited solely to academic achievements; it also means helping students become freethinking, curious citizens of this world by advancing inclusivity, compassion, and social justice.

I grew up in Coolidge Corner and spent time in New York City, Cape Cod and the Bahamas before returning to Brookline to enroll my kids in our public schools for kindergarten. They attended Lawrence and FRR Schools and are now in 11th and 12th grade. Throughout these past 13 years, I’ve been an active member of the PSB community. I still live in Coolidge Corner (made possible by my grandmother's apartment), and work as a Project Manager/Administrative Support at an academic medical center in Downtown Boston.

The three most important School Committee functions are the three main statutory roles: establishing policy, approving the budget, and hiring and evaluating the Superintendent. I have already been deeply involved in the first two aspects, as a community member/parent. I served on the Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) and worked closely with School Committee members and administrators on special education issues (requiring a deep understanding of education mandates and federal, state, and local policy). I have also been very involved with the district on policy regarding civil rights, bullying prevention, and anti-bias work.

It's difficult to say what the least important functions of the School Committee are! I do understand that the Committee has limited authority around day-to-day operations within our school buildings.

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For almost 40 years, I worked in the trenches of our public schools -- in Arlington, Lowell, and Brookline, Mass. I directed an alternative public high school in Arlington for students who were unsuccessful in the larger high school. I was the founding principal of a K-8 magnet school in Lowell that was a defining component of Lowell's voluntary desegregation program. Our school was featured on CBS News for our unique "micro-society" curriculum and for our selection as one of the 50 best elementary schools in the nation. For 19 years I was the head of Brookline High during which we were known for our innovation -- focused on "local solutions to national educational challenges." I have serious concerns about our schools, and great hopes.

Most important: 1. The most important function of any school system is to make sure that every student has a "dignified next step." To accomplish this, the system must be intentional in organizing itself to do the best it can to meet the academic and social/emotional needs of every student. That is educational equity. 2. Stable and inspirational leadership is a defining characteristic of great school systems. Stable leadership allows a school system to organically define its problems, work to address the problems, and to innovate. Stable leadership builds a strong organization, and a strong family. 3. Competent and creative budgeting-- at the central office and at the schoolhouse -- is essential, especially in these times of fiscal constraints.

Least important: 1. Top-down decision-making 2. Politically driven curriculum vs a powerful academic center of gravity 3. "Screens"