WHY SCHOOL COMMITTEE?

You can think of the School Committee as having two roles. First, as the board of directors of a quarter-billion-dollar enterprise (half the City budget!), they have statutory roles in negotiating union contracts, preparing budgets, and supervising the Superintendent. You cannot carry out effective education policies that support our children’s needs without good governance. Second, as elected officials, they should be responsive, accountable, and open to the community at large and the variety of constituencies within it.

Newton’s children and their families depend on the schools for a great education. But everyone in Newton depends on an excellent school system for the city to be attractive and prosperous. Property values, for example, are directly linked to the reputation of our schools.

The schools will need increased funding in the coming years. We need to maintain everyone’s confidence in the Newton Public Schools to ensure support for those funding decisions.