Candidate Profile: Pam Pietrowski, N. Andover School Committee

NORTH ANDOVER, MA — North Andover will have two contested races in the March 30 town election: School Committee and Board of Selectmen. North Andover Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles over the coming weeks.

Pam Pietrowski is running for a seat on the North Andover School Committee. There are five people running for two available seats. Pietrowski faces Rebecca Stronck, David Brown, Joe Hicks and incumbent Andrew McDevitt.

Pietrowski is an English Learner teacher.

Are you running for office in North Andover? Contact Christopher Huffaker at chris.huffaker@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate profile and submitting campaign announcements to North Andover Patch.

Previously on Patch: North Andover Election Guide: When And Where To Vote

Pam Pietrowski

Age (as of Election Day)

42

Position Sought

North Andover School Committee

Family

I live with my husband Dan and our three children. Noah is 17.5, Hannah is 15 and Sarah is 9.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

Master's Degree in ESL Education

Occupation

I am a teacher with 21 years of experience.

Campaign website

https://pietrowskifornasch.wixsite.com/website

Why are you seeking elective office?

Over the last 12 years as a parent in North Andover Public Schools I have seen excellence from our teachers, staff and administration. I have also seen how our town has failed to put our schools first and how those limitations have now been exacerbated by the current Pandemic. Space, resources and technology are all lacking. It’s time we advocate for our schools.

I have three children currently in North Andover Public Schools; a senior, a freshman and a 4th grader at Atkinson. While my children have thrived in our schools, I have noticed gaps in resources, technology and communication between the school committee and the community. As a teacher with over 20 years of experience, I want to bring the unique perspective of educator/parent to the table. I intend to advocate for our schools and students and help build sustainable success in NAPS.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Currently, the most pressing issue is the pandemic and the difficulties in maintaining accessible education for all students and families. This is truly a collaborative effort between the town and state and rapidly changing rules. Moving forward, pressing needs are increasing our funding to improve resources, technology and space to our schools. Our spending is at the bottom of the state. We need to build equity across all our schools. I will be an advocate to help build sustainable plans necessary to properly advocate for funding to put the necessary resources and technology in our classrooms. I will also advocate for increased and improved communication between our schools and our community.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

Education is my passion. After 20 years in the field, it is part of who I am. I have spent about half my life in a classroom. I know firsthand the challenges and the rewards that teachers see on a daily basis.

I am currently working as a full-time English Learner (EL) teacher and have always worked with students with high needs in the Merrimack Valley. I am juggling teaching my students in person and remotely while trying to manage my own children’s education. I see things from both sides and am ready to bring the perspective of both teacher and parent to the school committee.

I have worked under several different school administrations and know what good leadership looks like. I have worked in elementary, middle and high school settings and have seen success in all areas. I have advocated for families in all levels even when language is a barrier. I know the importance and the direct impact effective communication between families and schools has on students’ performance. I have advocated and will continue to advocate for all families in all levels.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

I respect all our town officials and appreciate all the work they have done under unusual and difficult circumstances over the last year.

How do you think local officials performed in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?

I think our town management has done an excellent job responding to the pandemic. No one has ever dealt with a crisis of this magnitude before. The guidelines are constantly changing, and North Andover town employees have met the challenges and changes every step of the way. I am grateful to each and every one of them.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Our spending per pupil is at the bottom of the state. The data is clear. This is made even more evident from the PTO discussion meetings about raising funds to supply classrooms with necessary technology or gym floors in a building. Our schools have taken a back seat and this simply cannot continue. Space, resources and technology are all at risk. We need a plan to delineate how we would use increased resources, and work with town management to increase our spending in a reasonable and systematic way so that we do not fall behind as a school system and as a community.

As plans for the future of our schools are crafted, I want to help the general community stay informed, and communicate educated decisions about both the successes and failures within our schools.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

Throughout my time as an educator I have served on several school leadership teams, redesign teams, and curriculum teams. I have also worked in work-place education programs for adult education and oversaw a multi-site program funded by the Department of education. I have a Master’s Degree in ESL Education. I have volunteered in my community as a Girl Scout Leader for several years. I have volunteered with the PTO at Atkinson since 2008 and served as a room mom. I have coached softball and field hockey with the Booster Club and I have co-taught a neighborhood CCD class. I am highly qualified to be an advocate for all.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

My parents showed me what hard work means as they worked my whole childhood to provide the best for myself and my siblings. They taught me to be proud of who I am, be true to myself and to always stand up for what is right.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I am a native to Merrimack Valley and grew up in Lawrence, MA. My husband and I lived there until our oldest son was ready for kindergarten when we moved to North Andover because of the excellent reputation of our schools.

I love living in North Andover. I love living in the heart of Machine Shop Village. My children can walk to school, the library or up to Cow’s Rock. I love the sound of baseball bats coming from Aplin Park on a hot, summer night. Our children have thrived here.

I believe in public education. I believe in standing up for what is right. I know what hard work looks like as I put myself through grad school when my older two children were just two and four years old and I was also working at night. I am ready to work hard and use my knowledge, experience and expertise to work with our team to help bring our schools the success we all work so hard for.

I am dedicated to being part of the team that improves district-wide communication and I will work with my colleagues to develop strategic plans to bring our school system up to date with technology and resources across the district. I am ready to advocate for all as we develop systematic and sustainable plans to move our schools forward with success.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.