Assessing Candidates for Weston School Committee
At the Weston town election this Saturday, May 7, we will be voting for two members – out of three candidates – for the Weston School Committee, which is comprised of five elected members. This is one of the most important town committees and it directly influences the desirability of living in Weston. Your vote on Saturday is extremely important.
The quality, performance, and cost of our public schools all have a direct impact on every citizen of our community. Management of the schools is important not only for the education of our children, but also because high quality schools actively contribute to the appeal of our town and affect our property values. They also drive our property taxes since schools represent nearly two-thirds of the overall town budget.
We recommend your vote for Maija Gooch and Jeff Lucas.
The School District Challenges at Hand – Weston prides itself on the quality of its public schools, but there is evidence that the schools have been undermanaged for several years, particularly at the high school level. Performance is generally in line with other affluent suburban Boston communities, though AP scores are lower than all other comparable districts and recently have declined. Enrollment has declined at a faster rate than both national trends and comparable districts, as a growing percentage of Weston families are sending their children to private schools. In a “Why Not Weston” survey a few years ago, this trend was attributed primarily to perceived deficiencies in academic rigor, among other factors not yet addressed by the School Committee leadership.
Weston Public Schools costs are significantly higher than other comparable communities, and are still increasing despite these continuing and projected declines in enrollment. Per pupil expenditures (PPE) are now 30% higher than comparable towns, up from 26% just two years ago, without any meaningful, corresponding advantages in performance or outcomes.
Our Assessment Approach – Members of Focus on Weston studied the candidates’ websites and candidate statements, and participated in last week’s League of Women Voters Candidates Night (which you can watch here, beginning at the 1:01 mark). We also, as a group, personally interviewed the three candidates, and evaluated each based on the following:
Understanding of the issues facing the Weston public schools
Clear vision for the future excellence and economics of our schools
Dedication to creating measurable performance objectives
Commitment to using fact-based analysis of quantitative data, benchmarks, and metrics
Skills and experience in finance, management, budgeting, and planning
Attitude and willingness to engage in constructive and respectful debate
Our Assessment of the Candidates – We spoke with each candidate about their vision for the schools, their view of the problems facing our district, their plans to improve academic performance, and their willingness to tackle the district’s inflated costs.
#1 Choice: Maija Gooch
Maija brings impressive business, financial, and strategy experience, including an MBA, and previous roles as a strategy consultant with Bain & Company, having also worked for American Express and Barclays. She has two young children, one in the Weston Public Schools and one at Meadowbrook, so has firsthand experience comparing our schools to what private schools offer. Indeed, she serves on the Finance Committee of Meadowbrook, so understands what it takes financially to efficiently deliver a private-school level of excellence. She has also been deeply involved in Weston schools as Co-Chair of the Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) and a PTO board member. Maija is an elected member of the Weston Recreation Commission, and has demonstrated her financial skills in her leading role planning for the Memorial Pool renovation. She is intelligent and personable, and her commitment, strategic planning, and implementation skills are evident. Links to Maija’s candidate statement and website
#2 Choice: Jeff Lucas
Jeff’s business experience includes a former position at Raytheon, and he is currently teaching at the Boston College Carroll School of Management. He has one child in the Weston Public Schools. His top priority for the schools is improved academic rigor, with better long-term planning a close second. He is focused on identifying and implementing appropriate metrics and benchmarks. He described a desire for a stronger voice for parents and teachers, with residents having more opportunity to “participate in student education,” although his objectives and plan for this initiative were not as completely clear or compelling. Jeff is also an articulate, personable, and committed individual who looks for creative solutions to complex problems. Links to Jeff’s candidate statement and website
#3 Choice: Anita Raman
Anita has the advantage of being the incumbent and only caucus nominee (as she was the only person nominated there). She is also the current School Committee chair and has two children in the Weston Public Schools. We were unimpressed with her understanding of the numbers, the financial issues, and the significant challenges facing Weston public schools. She displayed frustration with feedback, and with our questions about defining goals, tracking performance metrics, and measuring outcomes in general. During her tenure on the School Committee, AP scores have declined, and costs have continued to increase significantly, both in absolute dollars and per pupil, relative to past years, and relative to comparable school districts. Links to Anita’s candidate statement and website
Summary – To achieve the ambitious goals of responsible management, academic excellence, and fiscal responsibility, Focus on Weston strongly endorses Maija Gooch and Jeff Lucas. Our town needs your vote the Saturday, May 7 at Town Hall. Polls will be open from 8 am to 6 pm.