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Hayner endorses Schlichtman, Exton

Letters to the editor Schools

Publisher

Wednesday, 27 May 2020

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Bill Hayner submitted this letter to the editor.

Schlichtman

Exton

I am Bill Hayner, candidate for reelection to the School Committee. There are four candidates for three positions for School Committee this year. Sound advice is for political candidates to run their own races and avoid offering opinions on other candidates. Those who know me know that I do not always take the safe way.

I have been on the School Committee for nine years and worked with 10 different individuals who built a strong and growing school system. I was first elected to the board as the system was recovering from a national financial crisis that had caused massive cuts in school programs.

We have invested in our early childhood programs by having full-time kindergarten teachers and aides throughout the district. We are rebuilding our elementary library programs by investing in full-time librarians that are shared. We have a building program that has seen all the elementary schools rebuilt or renovated. We have established an independent sixth-grade program at the Gibbs School. We will be building a 21st-century high school in the next four to five years.

This was accomplished through the collaborative work of School Committee members who took the time to listen to one another and their constituents. We have not always agreed with each other but respect for differences has been the cornerstone of our success. I would ask you, the reader, to look at our norms (School Committee Policy File: BDA-E - SCHOOL COMMITTEE NORMS AND STANDARDS) here >> This policy is printed into a letter and read at the opening of the first School Committee meeting right after the election. Each member of the committee is then asked to sign it reflecting their willingness to adhere to the document. Whenever I or other members disagree with another member or group on the committee, it has become second nature to resolve these differences within the norms.

I would like to believe that all the candidates running for any office would be able to adhere to such norms. I am concerned that not all candidates for School Committee are inclined to do so. I therefore am publicly endorsing Paul Schlichtman and Elizabeth Exton for School Committee. I ask the voters of Arlington to cast their votes for them, and I respectfully ask the same for me, Bill Hayner.