To the editor:
I am writing to announce my candidacy for the open position on the Lincoln School Committee and ask for your support. My family has lived in Lincoln since 2004 and our two children are being nurtured and developed in the Lincoln schools. As they have moved through various schooling stages, my knowledge and interest in the education process has increased. I am excited to take my interests and abilities one step further as a member of the School Committee.
My years volunteering for the Lincoln School Foundation (LSF) have most directly led to my interest in running for School Committee. LSF is a nonprofit organization that promotes innovation in education by awarding grants to Lincoln Public Schools teachers that foster critical thinking, collaboration and authentic learning experiences for students. For the past three years, I have been the LSF co-chair and have had the pleasure of working with Superintendent Becky McFall and other LPS educators. I have been excited about the innovative practices that teachers have been implementing and look forward to providing the support needed to continue this progression.
While my children are currently in third and fifth grades, I have always taken an active role in their education. Starting at Lincoln Nursery School, I enjoyed parent helping in the studios. As a co-operative nursery school, I served on the Steering Committee as VP of operations for three years, during which time I helped implement new teacher and parent feedback and school evaluation processes. When they entered the Lincoln Public Schools, I served on the PTO. I have been a room parent each year for both children and have served on the Welcoming Committee. With my professional background in business consulting specializing in change management, management development, and training, I now use my organizational and facilitation skills as a Girl Scout troop leader and third-grade soccer coach.
Our children are growing up in a different world than the one we grew up in. The accessibility of technology and the overwhelming amount of information that’s readily available means that our children need a different set of skills to succeed in the future. They need to be able to synthesize information, collaborate with others, and know that their actions and decisions make an impact on the broader world. If elected, I would look forward to helping carry forward the strategic priorities of the schools and ensure that the policies, procedures and budget are in alignment to support this direction.
Lastly, I would like to thank Jennifer Glass for her dedication to the School Committee over the past nine years. She has put in countless hours of time and effort. Her knowledge of the school system and her desire for making improvements necessary to achieve the best learning environment possible are to be commended.
Thank you for this opportunity to introduce myself, and I hope that you will support me in the town election in March.
Sincerely,
Tara Mitchell
67 Sandy Pond Rd.
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