Experienced Leadership in Challenging Times, Maintaining Excellence and Embracing Change
The Needham Public Schools face an unprecedented landscape, as well as increased budgetary constraints. I hope to continue my tenure on the Needham School Committee to work with NPS leadership on these, and to see NPS through in several important issues, in particular.
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Managing a changed budgetary landscape to make certain our schools are level funded and able to provide new programming.
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Seeing through negotiations with our unions to reach a fair settlement, including compensation and leaves, which is sustainable and respectful of Town resources.
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Continuing to work through the Pollard and Mitchell projects, with planning currently at a critical stage.
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Continuing to meet the needs of all students, in all their diversity, by evaluating and advancing our practices and curricula, including in literacy and social emotional learning.
I have the depth and breadth of experience to continue to meet these and new challenges.
About Me
I married and moved to Needham in 1984. I helped raise my husband’s three children and we had two children together. All five matriculated through the Needham Public Schools and are now successful in their professions. We have 13 grandchildren, 9 of whom are in college and older, and four young grandchildren ages 1-8. My 8 and 5 year old grandchildren are in school in a nearby town, and one is on an IEP, related to literacy needs. I practice primary care Internal Medicine at Dedham Medical Associates, where I have been for many years. I enjoy volunteering in the community, and ballroom dancing.
Putting My Experience
to Work for Needham
MY EXPERIENCE IN NEEDHAM'S SCHOOLS
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Redistricted early in my children’s schooling
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Newman PTC
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Participation in several override campaigns, capital and operational
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Pollard School Council three years
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Co-president NHS PTC seven years
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Citizens for Needham Schools
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Board of Needham Education Foundation
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Volunteer Child Assault Prevention Program 20 years
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Needham School Committee 18 years
NEEDHAM SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEMBER EXPERIENCE
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Chair & Vice-chair three times, including during Covid 19 pandemic
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Policy Committee
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School Committee Negotiations team for union negotiations with the NEA units team four cycles
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REAL Coalition representative
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Community Preservation Committee liaison from School Committee
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Portrait of Needham Graduate strategic planning
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School Wellness Advisory Committee (currently evaluating cell phone policy)
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Member of Joint Committee on Health during Covid 19 pandemic
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2025 Recipient (along with Michael Greis) of the School Committee Lifetime Achievement Award from the Massachusetts Association of School Committees
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
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Board Needham History Museum 10 years
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Needham Community Council Board 14 years, including as President (and continue as volunteer at the Council)
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Town Meeting member 17 years (running for re-election this year)
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Recipient of the Book of Golden Deeds award from the Needham Exchange Club
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Recipient of the Patrick Forde Good Person Award
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Member of the Board of Directors of Riverside Community Care for six years
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
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Forty years in Internal Medicine as a Primary Care Physician at Dedham Medical Associates (1984 to present)
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Four years as Medical Director of Dedham Medical Associates
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Chair of Medical Directors Committee Multigroup Health Plan/Harvard Community Health Plan
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Member of Pharmacy, Immunization and Quality Committees of HPHC
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Member of the Board of Directors of Harvard Pilgrim Health Plan for 14 years (2000 to 2014)
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Member of the Board of Directors Riverside Community Care for six years
My Priorities
“Our job is to ask questions, be thoughtful, to be analytical and at the same time support the very hard work of the leadership of the Needham Public Schools”.
March 5, 2025
“I want to see Pollard and High Rock move forward. I want to see equity work in many ways moving forward.”
March 5, 2025
“The budget is always a huge priority” ... both this year’s budget and next year’s projections indicate that there will be challenges, especially in addressing students’ social and emotional health concerns.
March 5, 2025
Get Involved
Announcements
Sunday, March 23:
On March 12, on behalf of the Needham Literacy Coalition, (no last name provided) submitted questions to each of us as candidates for the Needham School Committee. Each of the undersigned candidates is fully committed to supporting the implementation of a new elementary literacy curriculum that supports all students.
We will not be responding to the questionnaire because we believe it represents a conflict of interest due to the Literacy Coalition’s public endorsement of one of the candidates, a founding member of this organization.
Sri Baqri
Connie Barr
Andrea Longo Carter
Scott Marder
Alisa Skatrud
Volunteer Opportunities
Events
League of Women Voters Candidates Night
Monday, March 24, 7:00-9:00pm
Broadmeadow School, 120 Broad Meadow Road
Hybrid Candidate Q+A Forum to hear from candidates in contested races.
Needham Town Election
Tuesday, April 8
Learn more about early voting and polling locations at Needhamma.gov