Alicia Piedalue

Questions and Answers

Question 1: What prompted you to run for School Committee? Was your motivation to run for office prompted by an issue that has personal resonance for you or your neighborhood?

My experience in public school governance has been incredibly rewarding so I jumped at the chance to do work like that here in Newton. Talking to so many engaged community members, educators, and our Superintendent has also been inspiring. It is clear to me that we are building from a place of strength – and that we have a heck of a lot more to do. NPS is at a critical juncture and the next committee, alongside Dr. Nolin, will need to address a range of issues – from a sustainable and fully-funded budget, to big facilities challenges, to the building of trust among various groups. These are thorny problems and the outcomes really matter.

Question 2: What is your understanding of the role of the School Committee in the operations of Newton Public Schools?

The School Committee is responsible for hiring, firing and evaluation of the Superintendent; budget review and approval; establishing educational goals and policies; bargaining; and communication with the community.

Question 3: How do you define educational excellence in the Newton Public Schools?

Educational excellence looks different for every student. For every child, we should have high expectations and appropriate supports. Every student in Newton should leave our school system college, career and life ready. This is a tall order with the many kinds of learners across our schools, but we must be able to prepare advanced students for advanced post-secondary education; we must offer strong Career and Technical Education, as well as Arts Programming, for students hoping to launch careers right after high school; and we must prepare students whose paths might include transition or life-skills programs to optimize those experiences.

Question 4: In tight budget years, how would you prioritize funding allocations with respect to class sizes; funding of music, arts and languages; breadth of programming at the high schools; student’s mental health; and competitive salaries for teachers and staff? What other budget priorities do you think are important?

MTSS, along with standard curriculum, common assessments and data capabilities should be top priorities in the next 3-5 years. These are foundational. MTSS is not only good for kids - providing support or acceleration right when kids need it – it also has potential for lowering costs. Organizations must have a clear view into educational outcomes (via standards and data capability) in order to be most efficient and strategic in deploying budget dollars. We must offer our educators a competitive package – this includes compensation, benefits, professional development, and the culture, climate and conditions where they can do their best work.