By Ken Lepage
My name is Ken Lepage and I am a candidate for the open position on the Lincoln K-8 School Committee. Our family moved to Lincoln in 2021 and we have developed a deep attachment to this town that has made me desire to make a more significant contribution to our community. We have a son, Ian, who will be starting kindergarten in the Lincoln Public Schools next year, and having a role in helping to shape the goals and policies of the schools in order to continue to provide excellent and equitable education for Lincoln’s students is of great interest to me.
I am a lawyer and currently serve as general counsel, chief compliance officer, and chief sustainability officer for Watts Water Technologies, Inc. based in North Andover. I have worked at Watts for over 21 years; during that time, I have also twice served as chief human resources officer in addition to my other roles. Watts is a global manufacturer of plumbing, heating, and water quality products. Prior to joining Watts, I was with the law firm of Hale and Dorr LLP (now known as WilmerHale) in Boston, where I practiced corporate and securities law.
At Watts, I regularly provide guidance to and interact with our board of directors, and I am familiar with the distinctions between the role of management, such as a school superintendent, and the role of a governing board, such as the School Committee, and I respect that distinction. I have reviewed the recently adopted School Committee goals for 2024-2025 and am supportive of those goals, and I appreciate that they are clear, achievable, and trackable. I am collegial and a team player, and I believe that to be most effective and do our best work, that the members of the School Committee should support each other and work together for the common good of Lincoln’s students and families. I am respectful of the opinions of others and do not believe that differences of opinion should be taken personally.
Finally, as a Lincoln resident, I am mindful that the school budget takes up a significant portion of the taxes we all pay, and that it is important to balance maintaining an excellent educational curriculum with the costs we ask our taxpayers to bear.
I hope this has helped you get a sense of my potential contributions to the School Committee. I ask for your support in the upcoming town election.
Ken Lepage lives at 148 Sandy Pond Road in Lincoln.
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