To the editor:
When it comes to the Lincoln schools, I have many beliefs.
I had three very different learners go through the schools all within the past decade, which provided me with the opportunity for a broad perspective. However, I regret that I had been let down in several key areas, and this bothered me immensely. Consequently, one of the reasons that I voted against the [Lincoln School] building “preferred option” was that I believed that the school system hadn’t earned my support.
However, dwelling on the past is seldom fruitful, and changed circumstances can often bring changed beliefs. For instance:
I believe that Becky McFall, our current superintendent is an educator, and a credible one at that. I believe that she is focused on “raising the bar” for every aspect of the school system, and to me, this is an issue of paramount importance to Lincoln. In my opinion, the school system is heading in the right direction, and doing so under a thoughtful and community-centric leader. She holds open office hours regularly to encourage parental input, and I encourage you to stop by and share your thoughts accordingly.
I also believe that the entire process for the building project has improved. The School Building Advisory Committee made sincere efforts to engage the community in meaningful ways, they tried their best to give a range of options with credible pricing scenarios, and they acknowledged that a school building was secondary to a school system—even though certain building features can have a positive impact on the educational experience. They completed their assignment under budget as well.
I also believe that our school buildings have needs that should not be ignored. They also have shortcomings and lack certain features common in many other schools.
Lastly, I believe that this issue is very important to our community and that the upcoming vote will be key in setting a strategic direction to follow. As such, I urge you to plan on attending Town Meeting. Please take some time to review the latest report available online. Similarly, the warrant articles and ballot questions should be read in advance.
Please attend Town Meeting on March 28. Simply put, your participation is crucial.
Sincerely,
Vincent Cannistraro
15 Deer Run Road
Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to news@lincolnsquirrel.com. Letters must be about a Lincoln-specific topic, will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published.