We must put learning first – regardless of other pressures. This will mean taking a hard look at the realities of what can and can’t be compromised. No matter what, we simply can’t let kids struggle – or let them coast. Academics must be appropriately rigorous, and the arts can’t be an afterthought.

Getting academics right has been a driving issue for me from the first. The overall academic improvement I’ve witnessed over my term is a point of great pride. But we must ensure that even in the face of budget cuts, we don’t lose ground – and we keep pushing on.

• Challenging kids of all different ability levels is a top priority. “Challenge” isn’t one-size-fits all. There are kids who are behind, kids who are beyond, kids who are behind and beyond – and kids who fall everywhere in between. I am proud to say that my term has coincided with real advances in the schools making individualized instruction a reality, but we’re not at the finish line yet. More information here.

• We must continue to ensure curriculum is appropriately rigorous. I ran for School Committee saying that MCAS scores alone could not measure if our approach to subjects like Math and Language Arts is as successful as possible, but that we needed another systematic approach. During my term on the School Committee, the administration began just such an effort with its first regular district-wide curriculum assessments. Classrooms are already seeing very important changes because of these improvements. It’s critical that this approach be strengthened and supported into the future. More information here.

• Art is an integral part of education. The schools and the citizens of Natick deserve huge credit for taking the arts seriously and devoting resources to both curricular and extracurricular arts education. I had the privilege of testifying at the State House on the importance of arts in education, and intend to continue to be a voice for this priority. Read testimony here. I also intiated a letter from the Natick School Committee to the Department of Education requesting the inclusion of arts requirements in MassCore. Read Letter from School Committee here.

• Extracurricular activities are a big deal. Extracurricular activities such as sports, plays, and academic and enrichment clubs are much more than babysitting services. They allow students to learn leadership and discipline, to try out new interests, to learn new skills and use them in real-world settings. For older students, extracurricular participation is also key to college admissions and scholarships. We must do whatever is possible to keep extracurricular activities available and affordable for as many students as we can.