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Needham Bank, Wellesley
Write Ahead, Wellesley

Wellesley looking for civic-minded residents to fill important slots

September 22, 2022 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

Town Meeting vacancies

Wellesley Town Hall, summer
Wellesley Town Hall

Get involved in Wellelsey’s Town government as a Town Meeting Member.

Two candidates are needed to fill seats in Precinct A and one candidate is needed in Precinct F. According to Town bylaws, a Special Election will take place to fill these seats.

Interested candidates must be registered voters in the Precinct in which they’d like to run, and will serve until the next Annual Town Election.

Any resident may nominate a candidate for this position, or candidates may nominate themselves. Send nominations to Town Clerk KC Kato.

Nominations must be received by September 29, 2022 in writing or by email and include name, address, and email address if available. The nominee’s permission should be obtained in advance.

Individuals who fill these vacancies will participate in the Special Town Meeting that begins on Monday, October 24 at 7:00 p.m. on Zoom.

What is Town Meeting, anyway?

The town website describes Town Meeting as, “the legislative body for the Town of Wellesley. 240 voting town meeting members are elected by precincts in the Annual Town Election on the first Tuesday of March every year except in years in which there is a Presidential Primary Election. Each precinct has 30 members elected to three year staggered terms.

The Annual Town Meeting begins on the last Monday in March and meets Monday and Tuesday nights until the business of the meeting is concluded. The length of the town meeting is dependent on the number of articles on the Warrant and the complexity of the issues to be discussed.”

MORE: Wellesley not ready to rethink Town Meeting quite yet


Veterans graves/ceremonial officer needed

The Graves/Ceremonial Officer assists the Veterans Services Officer (VSO) with duties as needed. In addition, this individual is responsible for caring for and providing upkeep for veteran graves in the community.

veterans day girl scouts
The graves/ceremonial officer is an essential part of the team that puts together important ceremonies such as Veterans Day observances at Town Hall. File photo, 2019

Specific duties include:

  • Placing American flags on the graves of veterans who are buried in Wellesley cemeteries.
  • Organizing, publicizing, and conducting annual ceremonies recognizing veterans in Wellesley, including dressing the graves in mid-May, on Memorial Day, on September 11, and on Veterans Day on November 11.

Additional responsibilities are determined by the VSO. Contact the West Suburban Veteran’s District office for more information.

Here’s an example of the kind of ceremony the graves/ceremonial officer helps make happen.


A sense of history

Wellesley Historical Commission
Award-winning home at 68 Crest Road.

The Wellesley Historic District Commission is seeking volunteers to fill two vacant seats.

The Commission is supported by the Planning Department and is responsible for reviewing alterations to buildings and structures within Wellesley’s local historic districts. Meetings generally take place on the first Tuesday evening of each month. Members are appointed by the Select Board to three-year terms.

The commission also presents annual awards to homeowners who have completed either successful historically sensitive renovations or built historically appropriate new construction that honor and respect Wellesley’s architectural history.

Any Wellesley resident may apply. Preferred candidates are members of the Wellesley Historical Society, American Institute of Architects, Board of Realtors, or residents or property owners in a historic district.

Submit a cover letter and resume with your qualifications to the Planning Department, 888 Worcester Street, Suite 160, Wellesley, MA 02482. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.

Please contact the Planning Department with questions.

Filed Under: 2022 Town Election, Careers/jobs, Government, Houses

Linden Square, Wellesley
Riverbend, Natick

Wellesley Town Meeting gets new blood—high school sophomores win seats

March 6, 2022 by Bob Brown 3 Comments

Among the fresh faces at Wellesley Town Meeting this spring will be 15-year-olds Ivy Wang and Skye Jacobs. Their faces will be familiar in Precinct B, though, because the Wellesley High School sophomores went door-to-door to meet with many residents in the lead-up to this past Tuesday’s town election.

Election_Day_Ivy_and_Skye

“It was very important for me to meet my constituents face-to-face. I walked every corner of Precinct B to hand-deliver flyers.,” Wang says. “Along the way, I spoke with amazing Wellesley residents (and got a good workout). I was met with a huge amount of support and encouragement from the people I spoke with in person and from the people who contacted me after receiving my flyer. People told me ‘we need students like you to speak out’ and ‘it’s so great that you’re walking around and speaking to us.’ It was an incredible experience!”

She credits family and friends for helping to spread the word of her campaign, and for keeping her up-to-date on town issues.

Jacobs added: “I did a hybrid of handing out flyers door-to-door and mailing them. I’m also appreciative of my neighbors, who were very helpful in getting my name out there through word of mouth!” In receiving support and encouragement from those she met, the lifelong Wellesley resident says, “I experienced a true sense of community and investment in bettering our town…”

Wang ran for a seat at Town Meeting “to find a way to further connect the student voice to town government at a higher level than what I had previously done in school.” She is already a member of Wellesley High School Student Congress, the Wellesley School Committee student advisory, Wellesley High’s swim team, and the Wellesley Public School’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Steering Committee.

Wang first heard about the Town Meeting opportunity—that there was no age restriction—when she attended a League of Women Voters of Wellesley meeting in December.

Jacobs embraced the opportunity as well upon learning she could run.

“I have always had an interest in politics, and I believe local government is an effective vehicle for change. With such a small constituency, progress is easier to implement,” she said. “Plus, local politics directly impacts our lives.”

Jacobs is also involved in a couple of social justice groups: DEI Student Council and Young Ethnic Scholars, an anti-racism club at Wellesley High. She’s currently working with the Wellesley Middle School English Department to introduce an LGBTQ+ novel into the sixth grade curriculum. Sewing and knitting are among Jacobs’ other interests.

Town Meeting articles that interest Jacobs include numbers 11 and 21. Article 11 proposes the Town ensure the Special Education Reserve Fund can pay for “unanticipated or unbudgeted costs of special education.” She says “I firmly believe all students deserve an equal access to education. It is important to address structural inequalities in our school system through funding like this to achieve equitable education.” On Article 21, on funding LED installations at the high school, Jacobs says “As a community, it is our responsibility to take every opportunity to protect our environment. Utilizing more sustainable energy sources is a crucial aspect of this process.”

Articles 38 and 44 have caught Wang’s attention.

Article 38 focuses on sustainable buildings. “Climate change is a major obstacle in the entire world. Making buildings more sustainable is an essential step for Wellesley in the battle against climate change.”

Article 44 is a citizen petition that focuses on prioritizing Academic Excellence in Wellesley Public Schools. “As someone who has gone through the WPS system since Kindergarten, I have a student perspective in the WPS curriculum and course load. In order to promote Academic Excellence, Wellesley needs to have a clear definition of that term first. It is important to take note that Academic Excellence consists of more than just test scores and AP statistics and pursuit of excellence should be emphasized,” she says, adding that residents should feel free to reach out to her at  ivywangtmm@gmail.com to share their thoughts and concerns.

While Wang and Jacobs aren’t the first students to have won Town Meeting seats, they do hope their participation in the town government process will inspire their peers. Wang says she’s looking forward to the meeting, and plans to share what she learns with others.

“I hope I can use my position to promote Town Meeting and encourage other Wellesley High School (or Middle School) students to run in the next election!” she says.


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Filed Under: 2022 Town Election, Government, Wellesley High School

Page Waterman, Wellesley
London Harness, Wellesley
Wellesley Lacrosse

Wellesley election aftermath: School Committee runner-up calls out political group’s email

March 4, 2022 by Bob Brown

The tense Wellesley election season didn’t really end on Tuesday, when voters went to the polls.

Yes, the results are final, including Craig Mack‘s victory over Neal Glick for a three-year seat on the School Committee by 500-plus votes.

But an email distributed a few days before the election by the Wellesley Democratic Town Committee to its mailing list (but that inevitably spread beyond that target audience as online things tend to do) angered Glick’s team. The letter, which urged residents to vote for Mack, cited Glick’s affiliation with the “right wing astroturf group” called Wellesley Concerned Parents, and described Glick’s “well-run, well-funded campaign” as having “capitalized on parental discontent over COVID restrictions and disruptions in learning.”

References to smearing and cyberbullying have been exchanged.

The Glick for School Committee Facebook page shared a message on Feb. 27 from Glick in which he criticized “a political group in Town” for circulating emails badmouthing him. “I have learned that the best way to deal with bullies—cyber or otherwise—is to stand up to them,” he wrote, vowing to fight bullying if he were to win the School Committee seat.

His letter also read in part: “I want you all to know that the group’s desperate attempt to smear me is a sign that our campaign is succeeding. I see that every day on the trail. After all, smear tactics are most often used when substance cannot be.” Glick emphasized that he is not politically affiliated, nor did his campaign receive “a penny from any organization, political or otherwise.”

Wellesley Democratic Town Committee co-chairs Susan Ryan and Katie Griffith issued a statement in which they said the group stays out of town elections as a general rule, and that the group’s email was consistent with this approach in that it was sent to those on its mailing list, not posted more widely in a newsletter or on its website.

“In this case, we decided to alert our members of our legitimate and deep concerns about the views espoused by Mr. Glick regarding Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Black Lives Matter, and the views expressed on the website of the group that he founded, ‘Wellesley Concerned Parents,” that among other things, calls for the ‘elimination’ of the (non-existent) CRT teaching at the Wellesley Public Schools. Mr. Glick himself stated in his letter of candidacy that he was the founder of this group. We also expressed concerns over his prior government service in the Town of Wellesley. These are the kinds of issues that are important for our members to consider when they go to the polls.

“The election is over, and we can understand the disappointment of Mr. Glick and his supporters. Certainly we have all had our share of electoral losses. But to engage now in this effort to smear our Town Committee and its members, rather than graciously congratulating the winner and moving on, is deeply unfortunate.”

Following the election, Glick in email to his supporters looked at positives to take away from the results.

“About that election… it seems that we lost, and the numbers clearly bear that out. But did we? The forces for positive change got 44% of the vote. We lost by a mere 500 votes, and about half of that came from one precinct. We took Precinct C and came within a handful of votes in a few others. In short, in a compressed campaign put together in less than two months, we demonstrated that there is a growing and powerful constituency in Wellesley for CHANGE IN WPS….”

Meanwhile, Mack joined the School Committee for his first meeting as a member on March 2, the day after the election. He shared a few initial thoughts about 90 seconds into the Wellesley Media recording of the meeting. “I’m hopeful about our future as we work together to make a more positive and equitable environment for our students and our community at large. I know there’s a lot to do, and I’m ready to get to work…,” he said.

We did reach out to Wellesley Town Clerk KC Kato, curious if her office, like our inbox and post comments, had been receiving complaints in the wake of the election.

“We do receive complaints about many different things,” she said.

Filed Under: 2022 Town Election

Wellesley Friendly Aid

Wellesley election results: Olney keeps Select Board seat; newcomers Mack, Collins win their races

March 1, 2022 by Bob Brown

voting sign dana hall shipley center
Voting for precincts F & G took place at Dana Hall

While there were six contested races in Wellesley’s town-wide election, the Natural Resources Commission contest between incumbent Raina McManus and challenger Lisa Collins was the most talked about heading into Tuesday because of the NRC’s central role in deciding on the track & fields lights issue. It will be the most talked about following the election, too, in the wake of Collins winning the three-year seat with 61% of the vote, according to final results released by the town on Wednesday (embedded below).

Updated with final results on 3/2/22

Collins earned 2,832 votes, the most in any of the contested races, and won in all eight precincts.

Now the big question is whether the NRC will still be voting on the School Committee’s lights proposal on March 17.

In the Select Board race, incumbent Lise Olney won seven of eight precincts in topping Odessa Sanchez, who remains a Wellesley Housing Authority commissioner.

Craig Mack outdistanced Neal Glick in the School Committee contest with 52% of the vote to about 40%. Mack took seven of eight precincts. The School Committee seat opened when incumbent Jim Roberti decided not to run.

Incumbent Planning Board Chair Catherine Johnson lost to Marc Charney, who won seven of eight precincts in his bid for the 5-year-seat. In the Library Board of Trustees races, Marla Robinson and Ann Howley were re-elected for three-year terms. Linshi Li won the race for the one-year term.

Voters also chose Town Meeting members for their precincts. Town Meeting is set to start on March 28.

Just over a quarter of active voters (27%) cast their ballots. The preliminary results are based on ballots electronically tabulated.

Thanks to all who ran, campaigned, voted, and braved cold temps to hold signs.

Wellesley election 2022Wellesley election 2022Wellesley election 2022

Download (PDF, 278KB)


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Filed Under: 2022 Town Election, Government

Wellesley Town Election day—polls are open until 8pm

March 1, 2022 by Deborah Brown 2 Comments

The polls for Wellesley’s annual Town Election will be open on March 1, 2022 for in-person voting 7am-8pm. Voters actually in line at 8pm will be allowed to vote. Polling locations here.

Don’t know which precinct you’re in? Here’s how to find out where to vote in Wellesley, Massachusetts.

Voting day temperatures will climb as high 40° by afternoon. There is some rain in the forecast at 3pm, and in the evening.

Mrs. Swellesley headed out late morning to cast her ballot and collect her “I voted” sticker. There were no lines, and poll workers and voters were masked up. Thank you, poll workers for your volunteer work and organizational skills.

Mrs. Swellesley votes, 2022
Dressed to vote. Mrs. Swellesley does not show up frumpy to the polls.

Filed Under: 2022 Town Election

Deland, Gibson, Wellesley
Rick Cram, leader

Election 2022 round-up—Wellesley votes Tuesday, March 1

February 28, 2022 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

town hall winter snow
Wellesley Town Hall

Wellesley’s local election will take place on Tuesday, March 1, 2022.

The polls will be open for in-person voting 7am-8pm. Polling locations here.

Don’t know which precinct you’re in? Here’s how to find out where to vote in Wellesley, Massachusetts.

If you have any election/voting questions, please call the Town Clerk’s Office at (781) 431-1019 x 2252.

Town-wide candidates, in ballot order

Candidates, election 2022

Candidates’ Q & A posts

There are six contested races—Select Board; Library Trustees (3-year term); Library Trustees (1-year term); Natural Resources Commission; Planning Board; and School Committee.

All of the candidates running in contested races took the time to answer questions from The Swellesley Report. For your convenience, below is a round-up to the candidates’ Q&A posts.

Meet the 2022 candidates for Select Board—Odessa Sanchez and Lise Olney

Meet the 2022 candidates for Library Trustees (3-year term)—Ann Howley, Marla Robinson, Stephen Maire

Meet the 2022 candidates for Library Trustees (1-year term)—Linshi Li, Sharon Mintz

Meet the 2022 candidates for Natural Resources Commission—Lisa Collins, Raina McManus

Meet the 2022 candidates for Planning Board—Marc Charney, Catherine Johnson

Meet the 2022 candidates for School Committee—Neal Glick, Craig Mack


Town meeting candidates

Town Meeting is the legislative body for the Town of Wellesley. 240 voting town meeting members are elected by eight precincts in the Annual Town Election. Each precinct has 30 members elected to three-year staggered terms.

In the 2022 election, five of the eight precincts are contested races.

Here is a list of all Town Meeting candidates.


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Filed Under: 2022 Town Election

Meet the 2022 Wellesley School Committee candidates

February 24, 2022 by admin

The Town of Wellesley depends on the active participation of its citizens in governance of the Town. Wellesley has 11 Boards and Committees on the ballot at the Annual Town election each year in March. The 2022 election will be held on Tuesday, March 1.

There are two candidates running for one open 3-year term on the School Committee. The five-member Committee is made up of local residents. The Committee’s responsibilities are to develop and manage school policies; support the allocation of resources by overseeing budget and facilities; hire and review the superintendent of schools; and advocate for the school district.

The School Committee candidates are Neal Glick and Craig Mack.

The Swellesley Report invited the candidates to answer a few questions about their priorities for the Town of Wellesley.

Both candidate interviews appear in this post in the order in which their names appear on the ballot.


Neal Glick, candidate for School Committee

Neal Glick, candidate for Wellesley School Committee
Neal Glick, candidate for Wellesley School Committee

The Swellesley Report: Please introduce yourself to readers.

Neal Glick: My family moved to Wellesley over 16 years ago, in part for the terrific public schools. I am a father of four, with three kids who have attended Wellesley Public Schools (WPS). As the product of an excellent public school education which led me to a degree from Princeton, and a former teacher, I am a strong proponent of public education. My oldest son went through the entire system and graduated from the High School. My youngest is in elementary school at Sprague. I served as a member of the Planning Board and the Wetlands Committee. I am pro bono counsel to the Wellesley Land Conservation Trust. I coached Little League, love being a “Hockey Dad” and I participate in the PTO. My service as a Trustee of the Boston Architectural College taught me a great deal about what is in store for our kids after high school. I practice law in Town.

TSR: If elected, what do you hope to accomplish on the School Committee?

Neal Glick: Simply put, positive change. WPS needs a course correction. The metrics are clear. Enrollment has declined more than 18%. Parents are voting with their feet. Rankings are falling drastically, from a High School ranked #4 in the State in 2014 to 26 today, with the Middle School ranked even lower, indicating further decline ahead. MCAS scores are down, especially in the “Exceeds Expectations” category. The number of AP course offerings at the HS is constantly decreasing. Our peer communities are cleaning our clock. Our extraordinarily excellent teaching corps is being depleted and replaced with substitutes. Tutoring businesses are growing on Washington Street. This is not a hidden agenda. When asked recently about academic decline, the Principal of the Middle School stated that it was “unfair” to judge school quality on “academic performance.” We need to change that attitude to make academic performance Job 1.

Meanwhile, per the Advisory Committee, per pupil spending has gone up since 2016 over $5,000 to a proposed $21,250. But is this money going to our kids? No. While enrollment has declined by 18.3%, the number of WPS employees has increased by 51. And parents are being ignored. There is no transparency. When questions about curriculum are asked, the School Committee and Administration ignore the requests. Questions about politics in the schools or other legitimate topics are not responded to. As a Select Board Member recently told me, “talking to the School Committee is like talking to a brick wall.” Finally, the School Committee has recently garnered a great deal of negative publicity. The Committee and WPS officials recently had to admit violations of student civil rights and settle a lawsuit in federal court. The mishandling of a horrible assault on a student received regional press—all bad.

We can stick our heads in the sand and pretend that the status quo is great and these issues don’t exist. We can pretend that the priorities of ideology and academic theory are more important than academic rigor and critical thinking. Or, we can start to bring change. If elected, I will push for: a change in emphasis to achievement of academic excellence for all students, giving every kid in the system equal opportunity to reach their full potential; replacement of “Russian Math” with “Wellesley Math” in the public schools; academic freedom for all students and teachers, full diversity of thought and keeping our public schools free from political bias; ensuring that students are not divided into groups, but are unified in their mission to learn; transparency, respect and responsiveness for parents, opening up Committee meetings to the public, in person; eliminating the administrative bloat in WPS through vigorous oversight and work with Advisory; reigning in budget excesses so that funding is available for excellence in teaching and academic performance; creating a safe environment, physically and emotionally, for all students; and insisting on a full and frank assessment of the reasons for enrollment decline and outreach to parents to keep their families in the system.

TSR: As we go into our third calendar year of the pandemic, mental health issues are at the forefront of educators’ minds. How best can the system support students’ mental health?

Neal Glick: Like it or not, the reality is that we are entering onto the off-ramp of COVID restrictions in schools. One can argue about how the last two years have been handled, but what’s done is done. Looking to the future, we need to recognize that our kids have been through a lot. They have been exposed to fear. They have missed time in school. Learning has been interrupted. They have missed athletic competitions, rights of passage and many of the rituals or events that give memories for a lifetime in normal times. They have not been allowed to be just kids. Again, we need to change. We cannot just assume that kids will go back to normal and return to February, 2020. They will need support.

That support starts with parents. The School Committee has to reach out to parents to ensure that there is proper, scientific information available as well as encouragement for handling the effects of COVID restrictions at home. It also entails listening to the kids. Discussions need to occur, in schools and in the home. The input of our children is key.

We need to marshal our existing resources. We have extraordinary teachers. We have school psychologists and, as noted, we have engaged parents. We have a strong Board of Health. With proper planning, we can work together to help our kids through the transition back to the “old normal.” We can learn from other systems in other states and parts of the world who may have already taken the COVID off-ramp, and the published studies on those efforts. Much of this can be done in-house. If outside advice is necessary (and it may well be) then it needs to be viewed as a supplement and not a “go-to” response.

Finally, we need to make the COVID off-ramp a learning experience. We teach science in our schools. All of us, kids included, have lived over the past few years in one of the most significant scientific endeavors in our lifetime. Our kids can study this. They can think about options for handling the effects of the pandemic on them and others. This can be a healing effort as well as a terrific “teachable moment.” We might end up with some future virologists, epidemiologists and public health experts.

TSR: Is there anything else you’d like to say that the above questions did not cover?

Neal Glick: In a word, community. Public schools are the backbone of our community. They are a source of community pride. The kids in the schools are best friends, teammates, bandmates and lifelong acquaintances. Out teams and athletic competitions bring us together. By virtue of the steep and continuing enrollment decline we are losing that sense of community, as neighbor kids drift off to private schools. Wellesley will lose a great deal if we allow this to continue. We need change and we need it quickly.

Similarly, if we allow the schools to decline academically, we will cease to be a magnet for young families looking for a wonderful town with excellent public schools. Academic excellence, ratings and metrics matter. If we do not change course, eventually our community will suffer. Our property values will suffer as well. Thus, everyone in Town has “skin in this game,” whether you have kids in the system or not. The change that we need will impact us all.

TSR: How should they reach you if they want more information?

Neal Glick: Simple. NealforSC.com is our website and has a great deal of information. Nealforsc@gmail.com also allows for easy and direct email communication. You can find us on Facebook as well.


Craig Mack, candidate for School Committee

Craig Mack, candidate for Wellesley School Committee
Craig Mack, candidate for School Committee

TSR: Please introduce yourself to The Swellesley Report‘s readers.

Craig Mack: My name is Craig Mack and I am honored to be a candidate for Wellesley’s School Committee. I am running because I have a desire to contribute to the town’s education system in a constructive and positive manner. For me, this work is both deeply important and deeply personal. I am the proud father of four strong, independent women. My oldest daughter graduated from Wellesley High School in 2020. My other daughters are in grades 12, 9, and 8 in the Wellesley Public Schools. This is the basis for my pride in the school system and my desire to be involved. Between my children’s education and my 28-year career in higher education, I have a unique perspective to contribute to the School Committee.

My family and I have lived in Wellesley for ten years and my wife is a lifelong Wellesley resident. I am originally from the great state of Ohio but I relocated to New England 28 years ago to work at Boston University. Since that time, I have worked at two other higher education institutions while advancing my professional career. I have worked in both student services and academic affairs where my focus is always about academic success and student well-being. My professional roles have always centered on the well-being and success of students.  I currently serve as the Associate Provost for Student Achievement & Success at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences.

I have committed my life and my life’s work to education and student success. We can all agree we want the best for our schools and our children. My career has been focused on bringing people together. For the many issues that face the School Committee in the years to come, I am committed to carefully considering all perspectives of our community members to inform my recommendations and decisions. I would be proud to represent the interests of all members of our community. I am energized by this exciting opportunity and I would be honored to bring my passions, experiences, and commitments to this role.

TSR: If elected, what do you hope to accomplish during your tenure on the School Committee?

Craig Mack: I would like to recognize that this is a collaborative role, one that requires discussion, active listening, and partnership. While a candidate cannot make promises regarding policy outcomes, I can share my values and beliefs that will guide me in the role. First and foremost, I intend to keep the focus on academic excellence while developing the whole student. As we continue on the path to recovery from the pandemic, it is critically important to support students’ mental, emotional, and physical well-being. These are not mutually exclusive.

Other issues that will be a part of my work include:

  • Creating a more effective line of communication between School Committee members, school administrators, parents, and students. The schools remain a top reason why people choose to live in Wellesley. Your voices and contributions are important to the growth and success of the schools.
  • Creating more room for student input so that we can better understand their day-to-day experiences.
  • Ensuring our students and graduates develop empathy and understanding for others by strengthening our passion for celebrating different backgrounds, experiences, and cultures.

TSR: As we go into our third calendar year of the pandemic, mental health issues are at the forefront of educators’ minds. How best can the school system support students’ mental health?

Craig Mack: Academic success and socio-emotional well-being go hand in hand. Our students cannot succeed academically if their social, emotional, and developmental needs are not being met. As we discuss every issue and consider all perspectives (community members, teachers and staff, parents, taxpayers, etc.), these discussions must always prioritize the needs of the students, whose education and well-being are entrusted to us.

We have yet to understand the full effect of the pandemic on our students and schools. Our school system needs to remain nimble and well equipped with the resources necessary to support the areas that most benefit students’ developmental needs and academic success. This is why student input is so crucial. We can only best support our students if we are actively engaged in listening to their experiences and needs. Let us tap into current resources such as school counselors, psychologists, social workers, and other experts who do this work with our students every day. Let us deploy Adjustment Counselors in all of the school buildings as part of our Pandemic Recovery Plan, and let us commit to keeping these roles as long as their support is needed by our students. While making use of the full potential of current resources and programs, we should expand upon these initiatives and make them core to our pandemic recovery. Let us collaborate with and listen to the students to find out what more we can be doing to best support them.

TSR: Is there anything else you’d like to say that the above questions did not cover?

Craig Mack: The Wellesley Public Schools are a major contributor to our robust community where we have all chosen to live and raise our families. As we look to the future, the School Committee and School Administration will need to foster flexibility and creativity in the schools’ use of constrained resources among competing priorities including:

  • Financial resources;
  • Personnel, especially teachers and administrative staff;
  • Physical resources, including buildings, capital equipment, electronic communications equipment, etc.; and,
  • The inevitable variation in the size, composition, and needs of the student population.

The Wellesley Public Schools need someone to galvanize the resources to preserve and improve our schools. I am that candidate. I look forward to the opportunity to serve on the School Committee and contribute to Wellesley’s future and its success.

TSR: How should voters reach you if they want more information?

Craig Mack: I truly appreciate your time and the opportunity for you to get to know me better! Please visit my campaign website at www.craigmackforwps.com or contact us at craigmackforwps@gmail.com.



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Filed Under: 2022 Town Election

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9:00 am - 11:00 am Recurring

Coffee and Conversation with the Wetlands Administrator and Staff

Jan 31
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Families Eat Together online presentation

Feb 1
11:59 pm

Deadline for Wellesley Hills Junior Women’s Club grants application

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