Voter questions and answers.

I’m doing this not because it's 'something to do.' I'm doing this because we need urgent changes within our schools now. Our kids are only getting older and the educational gaps are getting wider. I’m not a politician looking for a title or to fill a warm seat, I’m a parent and an advocate who doesn't make excuses about what we can and can't do. No parent wants to be dismissed or told what can't be done. Instead, I bring creative solutions to the table that are rooted in collaboration and student-centered decision-making. I am deeply concerned for all our students and I have the energy and drive to make real change in this system.

My top priority is improving student outcomes. Right now, more than half of our students
aren’t meeting grade-level expectations, and when you look at historically marginalized
students, that number jumps even higher. This is not about blame - it's about realizing
where we are, and moving forward as a community from here. It’s about focusing on a
proactive and preventative model (a strong, supported, and well resourced MTSS
system, and state and federally mandated Child Find procedure) to identify and manage
achievement gaps. And ensuring the necessary staffing support across the board so that
together, all students can read, write, and do math confidently. It’s about acting on the
words of over 40 Somerville educators that spoke during public comment at this year’s
budget negotiations - that staffing, resources, and support are spread too thin. I’d like to
work together to change that.

Supporting our educators is a critical part of supporting all students. They are doing
heroic work, often with limited resources and under immense pressure. We need to
ensure they have the tools, training, staffing, and working conditions they need to be
successful.

Finally, I want to increase transparency and communication between families, schools,
and the district. As Chair of the Somerville Special Education Parent Advisory Council
(SSEPAC), I’ve seen how gaps in communication and transparency can create
frustration and further inequities. I believe all families deserve clear, timely, and honest
information about what’s happening in our school and how and why decisions are being
made.

We need data-driven solutions, evidenced based interventions, and parent-educator-community collaboration to close achievement gaps. We a proactive and preventative approach that doesn't wait for achievement gaps to grow and students to fall years behind before we step in to help. We need to support our educators and lead with equity in mind. When our most vulnerable  students succeed, all students succeed. It's not enough to just say the right things, we need leaders who will focus and act with intention to close achievement gaps. 

I’ll ensure parents have a real voice in shaping school policies by:

• Increasing communication and  community forums  where families can give direct input.
• Pushing for more transparency in school related decisions.
• Educating our parents on the tools Somerville Pubic Schools uses to progress monitoring and how to interpret them. 
• Advocating for parent and community representation at school committee meetings and on subcommittee groups
• I am committed to hearing parents, community members, and educators concerns and bringing them to the table for not only discussion but to create real plans and solutions.

One of my children began their education at Winter Hill Community Innovation School. I
still remember walking them to Pre-K on that first day- an oversized backpack, butterflies
in both our stomachs. They were screened that year for reading challenges, but the
results were never shared with us even though there were noted concerns. Four years
later, they were diagnosed with dyslexia - the most common learning disability in the city,
state, and country. Our long fight to secure appropriate services connected us those also
navigating this process, and it revealed deeper, unaddressed equity challenges that
many families are currently facing. This is exactly what drives my advocacy for better
outcomes for all students and my decision to run for the Ward Two School Committee.

The closure of Winter Hill due to long-deferred maintenance and safety concerns is
unacceptable. From child’s time there, I know educators and administrators had been
raising alarms long before the building became uninhabitable. The temporary relocation
has brought lunch and recess disruptions, space limitations, transportation issues, and a
whole school of students in an educational environment never intended for learning in
2025. I deeply admire the creativity and commitment of educators and families adapting
to this situation but this was meant to be temporary and I'm also frustrated that, many
years later, there isn’t a clear solution in sight. The delays in a new building and lack of
communication is alarming. We must learn from this and ensure we have the necessary
mechanisms in place so that our buildings are safe and accessible for students to learn
in.

This past spring, I attended multiple School Committee budget meetings and listened
closely to educators during public comment. What I heard was heartbreaking: dozens of
educators describing the impossible choices they make every day about who receives
support and who does not because of resource and staffing constraints. I sat alongside
parents holding back tears as we heard our teachers, their children’s teachers, struggling
to meet their children’s needs.

As Chair of SSEPAC, I didn’t just listen to the challenges our educators are facing to
meet our students' needs, I acted. I reached out to special education advocacy
organizations and leaders in Massachusetts to determine the best course of action to
remedy the systemic issues our educators raised. In advance of our district’s upcoming
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) 2025-2026 Office of
District Review and Monitoring equity audit that analyzes the extent to which Somerville
has systems in place to intentionally close achievement gaps between student groups, I
organized and worked alongside a dedicated SSEPAC team to submit a 25-page letter
to DESE and our Superintendent to push for closer examination and support for our
most vulnerable learners.

On April 8, 2025, I worked with SSEPAC’s budget review committee of 12 members to
issue a formal letter to the School Committee and Executive Leadership Team. We
called for a special education budget process grounded in a long-term and holistic vision
for our children, with clear performance targets, equitable access to screening and
support, adequate staffing, professional development, and the resources to deliver
curriculum with fidelity.

And a year before this all, on April 29, 2024, I was invited by the Kennedy PTA President
to speak at a rally outside Somerville City Hall alongside the SEU President. I addressed
a crowd of parents, caregivers, educators, and community members, emphasizing the
urgent need for a 8% budget increase to provide more than level funding but a path
forward and upward for our students and schools.

I firmly believe that when we support our most vulnerable learners, we strengthen entire
classrooms, schools, and communities. That is why on multiple occasions, I advocated
for additional funding because I know that our students and educators deserve more.
I have consistently stepped up and spoke out, and will continue to listen to parents and
educators, advocate fiercely, invite collaboration, and push relentlessly for equity in our
schools.

The SPS equity policy states that schools should receive “equitably allocated resources
to respond to the needs of each student” and that equity “demands intensive focus and
attention to eliminate all gaps in student achievement.” Yet per DESE’s school report
cards we have one school ranked in the 90th percentile and another in the 9th. This isn’t
about a lack of care from educators, I have seen their dedication and heart for our
students firsthand. It’s a failure of leadership to focus on closing achievement gaps. We
need a change. My leadership will center decision-making through the lens of improved
outcomes, equipping every student with the skills with the environment (we know
children can’t learn if they don’t feel safe) to succeed.
Right now, more than half of Somerville students are not meeting grade-level
expectations, and for historically marginalized students, that number climbs even higher.

We must act. Our special education department has recently been designated by DESE
as “Needs Improvement” citing nearly 90% of students with disabilities not meeting
grade-level expectations. That’s not a reflection of our educators, it’s a sign of a system
that isn’t working. I’m committed to stepping up, listening, advocating fiercely, fostering
collaboration, and driving the systemic improvements our students and educators need
and deserve. The status quo isn’t working and I’m ready to do the work to change it.

Yes, I fully support increasing paraprofessional staffing in early elementary classrooms.
I’ve seen firsthand and know many families echo the difference a low
student-to-educator ratio can make, especially for learners with unique profiles. I’d also
like to see how this model could strengthen an MTSS system that’s been consistently
acknowledged as needing improvement. With a more proactive, preventative approach,
so that we can identify and support students who are falling behind early, before
achievement gaps become so wide that they are difficult to close.

But adding staff alone isn’t enough. Paraprofessionals and educators need meaningful,
high-quality professional development, safe working environments, and consistent
support from their administration. Too often, PD offerings don’t feel relevant and are a
matter of requirement or procedure. We need training that’s practical, empowering, and
equips every educator and paraprofessional to meet the needs of all students.
Massachusetts Partnerships For Youth workshops and “tool kits” would be worth
exploring to evaluate if their offerings fit the needs of our educators and
paraprofessionals.

The reality is clear, as educators have openly and honestly shared during public
comment during budget negotiations, what we’re doing now isn’t working. I would also
push for stronger collaboration among educators, families, the School Committee, and
City Council to find sustainable funding pathways and creative solutions to the problems
we’re facing. I’d also explore grants, partnerships, and student mentorship models.

We can’t accept “frustrating fiscal constraints” as the final answer when our children’s
futures are on the line. This work demands collaboration, high expectations, and a
determined mindset. Somerville has a history of trailblazing and I believe we can do the
same in education.

I support the goals of the resolution aimed at improving student and community health
and resilience through building improvements. Our children deserve to learn in buildings
that are safe, healthy, and sustainable.

We must ensure that commitment goes hand-in-hand with maintaining strong student
outcomes and fully resourced classrooms. We can, and must, do both. This means
making sure our schools are maintained and upgraded. At the same time, we must equip
students with the tools to succeed with well-resourced classrooms and educators that
are supported.

There is research published by the National Bureau of Economic Research in
Cambridge from 2024 that cites districts may close achievement gaps by up to 25% by
having healthy air, HVAC repairs, and other infrastructure updates in our schools. A few
years back, one of my children at West Somerville Neighborhood School navigated a
classroom that reached over 100 degrees on multiple occasions. If ensuring healthy,
clean and proper temperature air in the classroom creates a more ideal learning
environment, that definitely seems worth exploring and a win-win for our environment
and students and educators. As a parent and advocate, I am committed to infrastructure
investments that align with our broader goal: creating environments where all students
and educators are healthy, safe, and able to learn and thrive.

Because our kids deserve better. I bring real experience, real advocacy, and real solutions to the table. I’m not here for politics. I’m here to make Somerville Pubic Schools stronger, more inclusive, more effective and accessible and to improve student outcomes.