Sue Flicop

I strongly believe that it is our responsibility as a community to meet the needs of every child in our school system. It is also our responsibility to ensure that the resources our community provides are used in the most efficient and effective way possible. And while doing both, we must engage the public in supporting innovative changes and successful ongoing programs. I decided to run for School Committee because I am passionate about our public schools and have the skills necessary to represent our community and lead the school system in a new direction.
There are four areas that I will focus on as a School Committee member:

1. Hiring an exceptional superintendent
2. Long-range financial planning
3. High-quality teaching
4. Strong communication with the public

Hiring An Exceptional Superintendent: We must have a school system that is led by someone with a high level of expertise in teaching and learning. No matter how attractive a prospective candidate might look on paper, Newton is not the place to hire a superintendent with no previous experience managing a school system. The new superintendent must know what it takes to hire and support high-quality teachers—the most important element in our children’s education.

Our school system is large–11,500 students, with a budget of $165 million. The new superintendent must also be able to manage a large organization and a budget that reflects our community’s educational priorities and values.
Newton’s schools need a leader who is a strong communicator and a good listener, someone who is responsive to the needs of all the stakeholders in our schools–students, parents, staff, and the community at large.

Long-Range Financial Planning: I strongly support the CAG’s recommendation to implement a long-range financial plan in Newton’s schools. We must shift the system from a year-to-year budget process to a system that commits to and supports various programs and innovations over time. Work in this area has already begun, but it still requires a substantial commitment not only from the administration, but also from School Committee members. They must be an integral part of financial and budgetary planning, helping to determine the success of programs, presenting results to the community, and making information readily available to the public.

High-Quality Teaching: As a member of the Strategic Planning Committee for the Newton Public Schools and Workforce of Tomorrow working group, I learned about and researched how a school system can develop, support, retain and evaluate high-quality teaching. I have strongly advocated for developing a 360-degree review process. This process would include input from all those with whom a staff person comes in contact. For example, a teacher’s review would not only include input from his/her supervisor and curriculum coordinator, but also from peers, other staff, parents and students. Developing this system will be a large undertaking, requiring much discussion, collaboration and negotiation among staff, the School Committee and the teachers’ union. The result, however, will be a strong evaluation tool that engages all stakeholders and improves teaching quality.

Strong Communication with the Public: Improving communications was one of my priorities as co-president of Newton PTO Council and of Bowen PTO. It is critically important to be open, honest, and consistent when providing information.

The School Committee itself has worked hard to be more open by holding interactive comment sessions at School Committee meetings and visiting schools during the budget season. This can go even further, for example by having meetings at schools throughout the year (not just during budget season), and increasing the number of open forums.

In addition to increased “in-person” time, the website needs to be improved—at all levels, including the central administration and individual schools. Information should be current, useful, and thorough. For example, each year, parents and community members ask the same questions, such as, “What do the curriculum coordinators do?” A website can provide answers to these regular, predictable questions.

The School Committee must work diligently to meet with the public through a variety of methods (in person, online, in the TAB, at meetings and forums, etc). It will take patience and consistency to improve community engagement, but this will have great value for our schools and for Newton.
I am a passionate advocate for the public schools, and I would like to continue being a leader for our students, parents, and the community. I ask for your vote on November 3rd.

For more information about my background and other opinions regarding our school system, please go to www.SueFlicop.com.