Vote Medford 2007

Van der Kloot: (Q1) Transparency of Decision-Making

In order to adequately address this question, it is useful to review the issues of redistricting and hiring. Redistricting: one year ago, it was necessary to change a number of streets from the Brooks district to the Columbus district. When the decision was made at the school committee meeting, there was very little input from the residents whose children would be impacted by the decision and not surprisingly, the residents were not happy with the plan. Altogether, thirteen Kindergarten students were potentially going to be moved to the Columbus School. Later, some residents expressed dissatisfaction both with the decision and they felt that they had not received proper notification. Redistricting is one of the most unpopular decisions that a school committee is faced with and it is not undertaken lightly. Personally, I can fully understand the frustration of parents who live within walking distance of the Brooks but whose children are redistricted to the Columbus. Students who were already attending the Brooks and their siblings were not impacted. Redistricting is necessary in order to balance the student population and insure that student assignment doesn’t create over-burdened classrooms and buildings. At the time, the Brooks school Kindergartens were filled to capacity while those at the Columbus was undersubscribed.

What we learned from this process is that in the future if we need to consider redistricting we must triple our efforts so that all residents receive multiple notifications including a certified letter to families directly affected. That being said, sometimes it is part of the job to make difficult and unpopular decisions. We can improve our notification system but we cannot always please everyone all the time no matter how much we may individually wish to do so. The questions then become are we exploring alternatives, have we thoughtfully and thoroughly understood the implications, and are we making the best choice that will enable students to best maximize their educational opportunities. Finally, we must continue to work so that families quickly feel positive about their child’s placement. As one member of the school committee, I am committed to being as responsive as possible to parent need while making the tough decisions to ensure the needs of all our students. I am happy to say that the Columbus School is flourishing and I receive very positive feedback from parents whose children attend the school.

Hiring: We have made substantial gains in including parents and staff in the hiring process. This year, the Superintendent appointed the Director of Pupil Services and the Principal for the Andrews after a thorough interview process that included both parents and staff and culminated in open interviews with the school committee. Parent and staff request played a huge role in the appointment of the principal at the McGlynn Elementary School, Pat Buker.

Parents have also been included in hiring decisions of teachers by being part of the interviews and providing feedback to the Principal. It is important to note that there are district needs and contract considerations that influence teacher placement. I support parent and staff in put into the hiring process and will continue to work to expand this practice. I also will advocate for more rapid decisions so that excellent candidates are not lost to other school districts.

Van der Kloot: (Q2) Individualized Education for Above-Grade-Level Students

We don’t want to bog down the development of services for Gifted and Talented students by recreating an IEP type process, which is required by law for special education services. Rather, we need to build on the initiatives for Gifted and Talented Students that were begun this past year. Superintendent Roy Belson received an award from the Massachusetts Association for Gifted Education for his leadership in this area. In addition Medford applied for and was awarded a Javits grant of $30 thousand for two years for the training of school personnel. Teachers will be working with their colleagues to provide differentiated instruction within the classroom so that the needs of high achieving students can be better met.

While academic curiosity and achievement are vital areas of Gifted and Talented education, it is important to look toward the work of multiple intelligences by Howard Gardner and support students who are gifted in other ways. Some of our students excel in music and art; some are gifted athletically, while others demonstrate leadership and entrepreneurial skills. Ultimately, the goal for our school system is to encourage all children to reach their potential and we do that in a variety of ways both during and after the school day. Partnering with Tufts has been a particularly productive way of enhancing opportunities for students.

Van der Kloot: (Q3) School Choice with Uniform Quality in Elementary Schools

When the new schools were planned, it was extremely important to the Building the Future committee that all students, regardless of where they lived in Medford, attend a school with excellent and equitable facilities. Curriculum in every school is aligned with state standards. Class sizes throughout the district are good and our schools reflect the diversity of our city. Educational materials and financial resources are allocated in a fair and equitable manner and teachers throughout the district meet highly qualified license certifications. Department heads work with all schools, often by grade level, to insure that educational needs are being met. In these ways, we work to insure that all students in Medford are accessing a solid educational program, which is consistent between schools.

Administrative style, teaching style, and the school community, work to create differentiation between schools. In addition, special events and specialized programs help to define school identity. I think the goal for all our schools is to learn from each other. If a program is successful at one school, we should encourage other schools to try it. Sometimes, programs might be piloted at one school with the goal of expanding the program to the other schools. For example, the Peace Games, sponsored by the citywide PTO and Tufts University, will be expanded to all elementary and middle schools this year. The school committee can not mandate that each school develop a distinct personality, however, through administration, we must work to ensure that each school can pursue areas of interest and undertake initiatives which meet the needs of the school population.

Perception is a difficult thing. At all our schools, we have hard-working PTO’s who work to supplement the resources available to the students. Parents and community members provide us with important information. It is an ongoing process to insure that every school is meeting the needs of their community.

Van der Kloot: (Q4) Overcoming Financial Constraints

Every year, public schools must do more with fewer financial resources. Since 2002, state aid has been significantly cut with Medford seeing a drop from 37.5% of the school budget to less than 25% this year. That amounts to approximately 38 million dollars that Medford was not able to put toward our educational system. While we continue to provide essential services to students, the financial impact certainly curtails our ability to better serve our students since the first question to be answered is so often how are we going to pay for it? This year for example, we were unable to replace Assistant Superintendent Arthur Swanson who oversaw the elementary schools. Our Director of Fine Arts, Marsha Caron, is retired but continues to serve us in a part-time capacity. Our administrators are overseeing multiple departments and at a time with ever-increasing paperwork and mandates from the Department of Education, fewer people are available to complete the work. We would like to expand guidance services, provide more individualized services to students, provide more enrichment activities such as artists in residence, and be able to fully fund sound educational initiatives and activities.

Medford has been very successful in obtaining resources from different sources and this has helped offset the losses of state and federal aid. We have successfully received grants from the Tritec program, we have collaborated with the Laborers International who support our construction program for students at the Vocational School, we have brought in tuition by making some of our special education programs available to students from other communities, and we continue to aggressively seek grants and establish private/public partnerships whenever possible.

Van der Kloot: (Q5) Expansion of After-School Programs for All Students

In Medford, we offer a variety of after school programs and activities at the elementary, middle, and high school level. These include after school care programs, enrichment activities coordinated by individual PTO’s, and sports programs. This fall, we added a crew program at Medford High School and more than 30 students are participating. Recently a community member and parent to children attending our schools offered some suggestions for teen programs. I will be working with her to research and develop her ideas. We are concerned that a segment of our young teen population especially students with disabilities could be better served. It will be important to look at what we are offering and initiate new programs that meet the needs of all our students.

Van der Kloot: (Q6) Arts Education: Funding, Staffing, Quality, Diversity

We have been able to maintain our art and music programs despite budget constraints and despite the pressure from the state to allocate more time to academics because of MCAS. However, I would certainly like to be able to expand and enhance our music, art, and theater offerings at all levels. For the past two years, we have not had a full-time department head instead relying on the part-time efforts of our retired Director, Marsha Caron. Additionally, we lack the resources to provide students with more frequent classes and opportunities. Our hard-working band students have not had the opportunity to travel and take part in competitions, as do bands in neighboring cities. Because few students can afford them, only a handful are able to take private lessons which would increase their ability to perform at higher levels. Opportunities to participate in theater activities vary from school to school which few opportunities available at the younger levels.

This past weekend, I attended Community Day sponsored by Tufts University and met a music professor who is interested in collaborating with our schools and providing Tufts students to work one on one with our elementary and middle school music students. I will be pursuing this opportunity for our schools. Annually, Tufts invites our students to Tufts for a wonderful concert and the University funds transportation.

While funding remains tight, we have to continue to look toward outside resources to enhance our programs. I would love to introduce a hand-drumming program in our schools and create more opportunities for younger students to participate in drama and theater programs. Currently, students are introduced to string instruments in fourth grade and band instruments in fifth grade. An elementary all city after-school chorus is available for older elementary students but it meets at the high school which limits some participation. It is wonderful to see our students grow as artists and performers. I regularly attend concerts, theater performances, and art department exhibits. Every year, high school students win recognition in the Boston Globe Art awards and their work, including the remarkable ceramics pieces, are outstanding.

Looking within and tapping other available resources is also vital. Band parents have indicated an interest in forming a parents support group that was very successful years ago. We need to support and encourage their efforts to create an active booster club for the music students.

Van der Kloot: (Q7) Fostering a Hate-Free, Supportive Environment

I believe that Medford’s greatest strength is the diversity of our population. It enriches our schools, our community, and our lives. How lucky my daughters were that when they intended the Medford Public Schools they had classmates of all colors, ethnicities, religious beliefs, sexual orientations, and who came from differing social and economic levels. Frankly, it was a shock when they went elsewhere and discovered that this was not necessarily the norm; they met people who had never attended school with a person outside of their own racial and economic strata.

In order to promote a culture of respect, Medford has implemented the Second Step Program, which teaches children empathy, problem solving/self-control and anger management. Across our schools, the student population reflects our diverse population. Individual schools promote respect and cultural understanding in a variety of ways. For the youngest children, the Medford Family Network hosts a multicultural fair each year. At the High School, students of all orientations support the Gay/Straight Alliance and a wonderful new club at the High School, Ambassadors for Change, works to expand understanding and respect. I will continue to support programs, policies, and practices that promote respect and understanding amongst all members of our community, both in school and out. This is an ongoing process and one that demands our vigilance against any actions or words that convey or suggest hate or intolerance.

Van der Kloot: (Q8) Leadership to Improve Quality of Education

I definitely do not fall in the category of most candidates! In 2005, I wrote: I very much favor looking to other communities for ideas. the single most important reason you should vote for me is that I understand that the individual experience of each child, family, and citizen, as they relate to our schools on a daily basis, is critically important. A school system is a dynamic system ever changing and evolving. I bring common sense, respect for all, and an ability to understand different perspectives to my role. I value you input and I listen. I take your experiences, learn from them and say How can we do better? I strive to see to it that the Medford Public Schools are doing better each and every day.

I have worked hard to make the Medford Public Schools an attractive choice for parents although at the same time, I respect those who choose other alternatives. It is a parents’ responsibility to consider the unique needs of their child, it is my responsibility to make sure the public school option is a strong and viable choice.

Van der Kloot: (Q9) Green Initiatives

Every Fall, the Medford School Committee votes to affirm our goals for the year which included the following: To continue to promote a system wide energy conservation plan for our facilities and to maximize environmentally friendly programs whenever feasible. At our meeting on Sept. 24, 2007, I voted along with my colleagues to support the building of a wind turbine that will serve be both an educational and fiscal asset to our community. Other important initiatives have been implemented including retrofitting all school buses to meet clean air standards and implementing a no idling policy on school grounds. Another important initiative is the automatic shutdown for all technology.

I think setting a good example and educating our students in environmentally responsible practices is a critical component in our greening efforts. Paper recycling is underway at all schools. In response to a parent initiative, we have begun a phase in of biodegradable paper trays to replace Styrofoam trays in our school cafeterias. While we need to be mindful of the risk of rodent and pest potential when recyclables gather, we can continue to work with our schools to establish proactive recycling efforts. At the Brooks School, students are given incentives to encourage them to walk to school. I believe this program could be expanded to our other schools. As a school committee member, I whole-heartedly support and promote recycling and environmentally friendly practices. I will continue to work with school staff, parents, citizens, students and Medford’s environmental agent to promote and achieve green practices.

Van der Kloot: (Q10) Nutrition and Activity Against Obesity

I think Medford has taken a very proactive policy regarding the health and well being of our children with our Whole Child initiative and our Wellness Policy. This is a five-year model to improve the health and wellness of the students in the Medford public schools. Many initiatives are being implemented throughout Medford. For example, last year, Tufts students organized a fruit and vegetable tasting, so that students could be introduced to a variety of healthy choices. This will expand to other elementary schools this year. Soda was eliminated from vending machines and healthier choices have been incorporated into school lunches. Walking clubs have been initiated at several schools and other activities such as Tai Bo have been offered. While it was difficult at first to change the practice of bringing in high calorie treats for classroom parties, parents now express to me appreciation for the policy because it has improved student nutrition and lessened parent stress. Health and exercise components are emphasized in physical education. Our biggest shortcoming in this area is our inability to provide more physical education classes because of the many time constraints in the daily school schedule. A major objective in the next two years will be to incorporate more physical activity in the course of the school day.