The League of Women Voters of Andover/North Andover posed the following questions to the two people set to join the Andover School Committee. There are two seats facing election, and only two candidates, with incumbent Debra Silberstein stepping aside and planning a run for the state senate seat that will be vacated by Sen. Sue Tucker.
The League's question: The Andover public schools face significant changes in the near future, including hiring a new superintendent, replacing an elementary school, and developing a strategic plan. Discuss your plans to navigate these changes.
Paula Colby-Clements
School Committee candidate Chestnut Street
By the time I am seated on the School Committee the major decisions regarding the Bancroft project and the hiring of the superintendent will be made. I see my job as a facilitator in terms of navigating our schools through these new changes. As to the superintendent, I believe it is important to establish strong communication up front so that the committee's vision for our schools is understood and embraced by our new superintendent. That vision includes raising the bar by which we judge the success of our schools and children while balancing fiscal responsibility as we implement new curriculum. As to the Bancroft project, we will need to continue to increase the amount of communication between the parents and the committee as the project moves forward. The challenge will really be how to ensure the quality of the education at Bancroft during the construction phase and to have a well-defined long-term vision of what the entire district will look like once the building is complete. These things will be no easy task when we are faced with upcoming union negotiations, budget deficits and shrinking government aid. I continue to believe these difficult economic times present a wonderful opportunity to open lines of communication that may have been closed before. I look forward to working with the committee, town officials and parents to forge creative problem solving and develop new ideas that challenge the conventional way of thinking so we can deliver a superior education to our children.
Richard J. Collins
School Committee incumbent
117 Lovejoy Road
I am writing regarding the three issues facing the Andover School Community as you suggested.
We have just selected our new superintendent of Schools, Dr. Marinel McGrath. Dr. McGrath was with us as assistant superintendent some years back and did an outstanding job. She has just completed a tour of duty where she did a tremendous job as superintendent in Hamilton-Wenham and I am confident will do an outstanding job here.
The Bancroft school is an excellent one. I have two grandchildren there and am very familiar with its operation. I am confident a new school will be built on the same location and it will be an outstanding one.
I can assure everyone that we are working diligently on our strategic plan and it will have one primary objective, to provide our young people with the best education possible. Our children are the best and they deserve our best. Andover is a first-rate educational system and we shall do everything possible to keep it that way.
