Ilana for Education

See my new video about why I am running for a fourth term 

Who I am

I've lived in Somerville for over 25 years, 19 of those in Ward 2. I live with my 17 year old, Molly, my husband Rich, and our cat, Panda. Molly went to Pre-k at the Capuano, k-8 at the Argenziano, and is now set to graduate from Somerville High School in 2026. Rich is a long-time nurse at Boston Medical Center and an avid city and long-distance cyclist. I am a jeweler and sculptor during the day, with a working studio here in Ward 2.

Accomplishments during my 5 years on School Committee (including 2 years as chair and 2 ½ years as vice chair):

It's been a long and wild ride during my five years as a School Committee member. I have definitely learned a lot along the way. Here is a sampling of what we* have accomplished:

• getting historic funding increases from the city

• increased transparency of the work that we do (including adding our meeting information to the city website, having a centralized email that goes to the full committee and adding school committee meetings to the school year calendar)

• holding the city accountable for the Winter Hill School and other facilities issues

• a first ever strategic plan for the Somerville Public Schools

• successfully negotiated several union contracts, which included provisions for historic paid parental leave and dramatic wage increases for our paraprofessionals, both of which have helped with staff recruitment and retention

• hired and managed the transition to a new Superintendent

• improved cycle of curriculum review. Improving curriculum can be a slow (and sometimes frustrating) process, but the district has committed to doing this work and has set cycles for all topic areas

*As a committee, all accomplishments are a joint effort with my colleagues on the school committee and the central office team.

Issues that I hope to continue working on:

These come from many conversations with parents in Ward 2 over the years. I hope to add to this list as I hear more from YOU. Contact me ilanaforeducation@gmail.com with your thoughts/ideas.

• Protecting our immigrant and LGBTQ+ students and families in the face of a hostile federal administration

• Improvements in Special Education, including increasing capacity, improving after-school and summer program access and expanding Multitiered systems of support (MTSS) across the district

• Increased diversity in staff hiring and training for teachers who work with our diverse student body

• Equity within and across schools within the district, closing the opportunity gap and gaps in access to programs that are tied to background, income, gender, race, and age

• More hands-on, project-based learning in all subjects, including a general push for teachers to be allowed more creativity in how they teach

• More and different after-school options, including clubs and classes for middle grade students

• Increased specialist time

• More time spent in active play 

• Start learning a second language at a younger age across the district

How you can help

I can't do this work alone. There are many ways you can help:

• Word of mouth is the best way to sway voters. Please consider sharing this website with neighbors and friends in Ward 2

• Invite me to a gathering in your yard this summer

• Help me to knock on doors this summer (volunteer form is here)

• Follow and share my social media pages - I'm on facebook and instagram

• Consider a monetary donation

And if you can't do any these, I would still love to hear from you about what you want to see from your School Committee member. 

Why School Committee is important (even if you don't have kids)

It sounds corny, but it's true: the children are our future. Educating all of them is important for all of society. That's the big picture. On a smaller scale, here are some important reasons you should pay attention to the school committee.

• The budget for the schools is a significant portion of Somerville's budget. That's your money at work.

• There are many issues where change can start on a school-by-school basis: battling systemic racism (for students and staff), promoting equity, and making sure everyone in the school system is a good steward for the environment, including a push for universal recycling and composting in all of our schools, to name a few. 

• The fight to keep Somerville affordable for working class families: If elected, I plan to push for better coordination with the City, affordable housing policy and family-friendly housing, and advocate for programs to connect parents to good jobs.

Endorsements

"I appreciate that Ilana’s years of experience as an SPS parent, volunteer and active community member with deep connections not just in Ward 2 but across Somerville have shaped her School Committee work over the years. She leads with a focus on equity and fairness, attention to diverse voices- families, students and educators alike- and I support Ilana in her bid for re-election for Ward 2 School Committee representative. Her strong and steady commitment to education in Somerville has been and will continue to be much appreciated." - Meghan Bouchard, Ward 2 Parent, Public School Educator and Former Somerville Public Schools Liaison

"I am pleased to endorse Ilana Krepchin for Ward 2 School Committee.  Through the years as our SC rep, Ilana has always been accessible and able to answer any of my questions.  If she didn't know an answer, she would find out and get back to me. Her knowledge and experience in addressing budgetary concerns as Chair of the committee and previous chair of finance is critical to the continuing efforts to ensure that our school buildings are safe and teachers have what they need to teach. I look forward to continuing to work with Ilana." - Marian Berkowitz, Ward 2 Parent and Somerville Foundation Board Member

“Ilana is an ideal school committee representative. She cares deeply about the needs of her constituents, our educators, and all students that we serve. She engages in difficult work openly and with humility (a rare trait for elected officials). Ilana gives of her time as a volunteer at The Argenziano and is quick to donate a piece of her beautiful handmade jewelry to any local fundraiser. Ward 2 is lucky to have her.” - Emily Ackman, Ward 1 School Committee Representative

"Ilana has been a great thought partner on the School Committee. She always has the needs of our students in mind and doesn’t shy away from difficult conversations. I look forward to the opportunity to work together on the challenging issues facing our schools.“ - Sarah Phillips, Ward 3 School Committee Representative

“Ilana's superpower is the ability to see everyone's perspective and keep the conversation focused on what is best for ALL Somerville students. She is a vital champion for SPS and we need her on the School Committee as we face construction of a new school, redoubling of our equity investments, and Trump's war on public education.” - Andre Green, Ward 4 School Committee Representative