On this page, Adam explains where he stands on some key issues.
I am running for School Committee because I believe passionately that schools are most successful when the local community is actively engaged. Only when there is open and frequent communication can we effectively collaborate. Unfortunately, information about our School Committee is difficult to access, and decisions are made without gathering enough feedback.
Some of my ideas to improve communication and community engagement include:
As parents, we need to hear from our teachers and school leaders frequently so that we have confidence in their plans and can provide input. By working together we can ensure the best possible outcomes for our kids.
Spring of 2020 has been an incredibly difficult time for everyone — children, parents, teachers, and administrators. Everyone is working hard to help our children succeed. As we prepare for the 2020-2021 school year, which will likely include some degree of remote learning, we must look back at the last few months and evaluate what has worked and what has not.
I believe that there are three things that will make our remote learning program stronger:
It has become clear during the pandemic that our district has not sufficiently invested in our technology and IT staff. Teachers and administrators scrambled to find appropriate tools for remote learning, and school principals were providing tech support to confused parents. We must build a stronger IT muscle so that teachers are in a better position to leverage technology.
Another benefit of technology is that it allows teachers to rapidly assess the educational progress of individual students and provide the specific guidance that each student needs. This individualized approach will be critical as we return to class in the fall, with students having experienced a wide variety of learning success since March. Technology will allow our teachers to focus more attention on students who are struggling while enabling other students to continue to progress in their studies at their own paces.
Sharon's schools are the biggest item in the town budget by far. As a School Committee member, I will take seriously my responsibility to be a good steward of public funds.
I will advocate for piloting some potentially cost-effective changes and carefully assessing their impact. For example, I would consider investing in high-quality “Response to Intervention” approaches, especially around reading in the early grades, in order to reduce future special education needs. I will not narrow the curriculum or "pass the buck" to families through fees.
Our schools’ primary responsibility is to ensure that our students are fully prepared academically for any and all opportunities they choose to pursue. In order for students to graduate from high school "college and career ready," we need to stress academic learning in the core subjects of math, reading, writing, science, and social studies. The current Sharon Public Schools District Plan does not devote enough attention to this core function of the school system.
We have a moral responsibility to provide an education to meet each student’s needs. I am committed to fulfilling that responsibility and to working with parents, including SSEPAC (Sharon Special Education Parent Advisory Council), to gather continuous feedback.
There are also gifted and high-achieving students in the Sharon schools whose educational needs include acceleration and enrichment. This population is not being served, especially at the elementary level where there are no services for gifted students. I will strive to meet the diverse learning needs of all students.
I am proud that our schools are preparing our students for citizenship by emphasizing inclusion, respect, and cultural competence. When setting the calendar, I will strive to respect all religious and cultural celebrations. I will work to ensure that curriculum and classroom resources respect cultural diversity and viewpoint diversity.