Westford candidates voice support for mental health access, diversity in schools
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WESTFORD — Tuesday’s town election is a contentious 1 for candidates managing for Faculty Committee and the Board of Health, with several assorted newcomers eyeing open seats.
Five people today are jogging for the School Committee this year, many of whom system to prioritize psychological health obtain for students, much better communication traces amongst educational facilities and dad and mom and improved variety, fairness and inclusion attempts.
Applicant Sean Kelly, the only incumbent in the election, held signs exterior Westford Academy in the course of the day, hoping to capture voters entering the polls. Soon after serving on the board given that 2019, Kelly reported he’s proud of what he’s been equipped to attain — a new superintendent, implementing complete-day kindergarten and the committee’s pandemic reaction.
With one particular son in Westford Community Faculties, Kelly said “social-psychological wellness” is a huge worry for him, and he presently has thoughts to encourage that.
“Our eldest college students begin pretty early in the early morning and the literature and the information says that that’s essentially counterproductive to understanding,” Kelly said. “I’m honored to provide, and I actually like what I do, and my goal has always been to make our faculties be the best put possible.”
A different prospect seeking to bolster mental well being supports is Marisol Garcia, a lawyer with a history in little one advocacy and two daughters who studied in Westford colleges.
Due to the pandemic, Garcia reported students’ mental wellbeing took a large toll — her have daughter, who will graduate from large university this yr, missed out on that usual, “conventional” expertise as a consequence. Garcia praised the Dual Enrollment plan her daughter took, and if elected, she hopes to build more powerful guidance for both of those college students and educators.
“I believe the mental well being and physical well being demands of the learners and the educators are paramount,” Garcia explained. “I’ve been so blessed by the help of the community and of my household, frankly, so I just feel exceptionally humbled by that, and I have a sturdy commitment to all of the young children and their good results.”
Derek Lo is clean out of Westford General public Colleges himself, obtaining graduated from Westford Academy in 2018. A present senior at George Washington University finding out political science and record, Lo explained he is passionate about serving the town in which he grew up and bettering the college process he attended.
Even though he may well be the youngest of the candidates for University Committee, Lo explained he has an important viewpoint to deliver to the team. He explained “there’s more function to be done” with regards to mental overall health in colleges, and that a concentration on students’ options after superior school is similarly very important.
“When it will come to students’ success, I consider it’s develop into a really hyper-intensive atmosphere below in just the educational facilities,” Lo reported. “It also demands getting School Committee associates go and communicate to the pupils on a far more repeated foundation, to superior straight have an understanding of their wants.”
Lo is also the son of immigrants, and his father is a initially-era college university student, so he explained range, equity and inclusion within just the colleges should really be a subject matter bundled in conclusion making. Put up-graduation, Lo will continue being in the Higher Boston location for operate and be equipped to dedicate to the School Committee if elected.
Meghan O’Connell is working for the committee and employing her know-how in engineering and “data analysis” to with any luck , deliver a new, rational outlook on Westford General public Faculties. O’Connell has 6 little ones in the district, but in the beginning homeschooled them until eventually just just before the onset of the pandemic.
She stated she took an desire in the place, in element, for the reason that of slipping MCAS scores in the district and how, when compared to other towns, Westford’s scores as effectively as the district’s funds tumble small. In small, “Westford is slipping,” O’Connell reported.
“One of the factors we moved right here was mainly because Westford experienced a terrific reputation for colleges, and I believe that the data is demonstrating that we’re at possibility of losing that,” O’Connell mentioned. “We’re spending considerably less than our neighboring cities. We’re fewer proficient in reading through and math. I feel all of that needs to be acknowledged right before we can start off conversing about, ‘How can we creatively tackle this?’”
Betsy Kwon, the fifth candidate for College Committee, also bases her platform on psychological overall health advocacy. With an training in psychology, Kwon expressed she is targeted on strategies to help pupils excel and to move further than the pandemic.
Moreover, she claimed she options to address declining enrollment in Westford colleges, re-look at the committee’s finances and uncover new methods to improve all aspects of educational lifestyle in town.
The Board of Well being election is the other contested race this calendar year, with incumbents Stephanie Granger, chair of the committee, and Susan Hanly managing for re-election against newcomer Melissa Mackey, a clinical lab scientist at UMass Lowell.
The pandemic and its impacts on mental wellness had been also extensively reviewed by the Board of Health candidates, with a sticking level getting mask mandates. Although Granger and Hanly supported the choice to mask when it was needed, or meets a threshold, Mackey mentioned they are too divisive and compromise have faith in in the local community.
Polls shut at 8 p.m. now. Precincts 1, 3, 4 and 7 vote at Westford Academy, and Precincts 2, 5 and 6 go to Stony Brook University. Effects are anticipated all around 9 to 10 p.m.
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