Elizabeth is an educator.  She works in K-12 curriculum development, and holds a master’s in educational technology from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.  Some have asked why she is not running for the School Committee, but Elizabeth believes that the Board of Aldermen could use an educator more than another lawyer.  While increasing the professional diversity of the Board of Aldermen, Elizabeth would help facilitate greater communication and cooperation between our elected bodies.

The Schools Committee is in charge of curriculum and personnel, but the Aldermen are responsible for our schools’ facilities.  Unfortunately, the school facilities are a significant problem.  Elizabeth has heard from many neighbors about the overcrowding at the Brown School, while Somerville High School suffers from disrepair, a damaged roof, and antiquated systems.  Educational outcomes are directly affected by poor facilities; our students cannot learn and grow to their full capacity if they have to eat lunch at their desks or are made uncomfortable by an out-dated HVAC system.

Our schools have been steadily improving, but there remains a perception that they are struggling.  This perception gap contributes to the tendency of families to leave Somerville as their children reach high school age (the lack of affordable family-size housing is of course another major contributor).  By investing in the facilities of our schools, we can make sure our students are learning in an environment that reflects the quality of the education they are receiving.