On The Issues: North Andover School Committee Candidates

NORTH ANDOVER, MA — North Andover's annual town election is fast approaching. Voters will go to the polls Tuesday to elect two Select Board members and two School Committee members.

For the School Committee, incumbent Andrew McDevitt faces four challengers: Rebecca Stronck, Pam Pietrowski, David Brown and Joe Hicks.

All five candidates for the Select Board responded to Patch's questionnaire about their platforms and experience. We've collected some of their responses below so you can compare their answers in one place.

Previously on Patch: North Andover Election Guide: Candidate Profiles

Full profiles:

• Andrew McDevitt*
• Rebecca Stronck
• Pamela Pietrowski
• David Brown
• Joe Hicks

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

Andrew McDevitt:

Return to school. It is paramount that we return to school for the education and mental health of our students and faculty. Teacher vaccination will be a significant opportunity for this to happen. We have been actively working to bring the vaccine to NA teachers, faculty, & staff so we can help them ensure access.

Rebecca Stronck:

I feel, aside from issues surrounding the pandemic and getting a plan in place to get children back into school safely, the other pressing issue is related to communication. I feel as if the School Committee has not been effectively communicating and being completely transparent with the community. I believe that I'll be able to bridge the gap and keep the community better informed with regular question and answer events, as needed. I will also keep my email box open and I'll respond with clear, factual information.

Pamela Pietrowski:

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.

David Brown:

Funding, both short term in terms of Covid-mitigation and recovery, and then long term, to raise the level of performance of the district. According to the Mass DOE, we are considered 50% in "progress towards improvement targets" and 58% in "accountability" (with respect to MCAS and other measures), these are pedestrian results; our community should certainly strive to be higher!

Joe Hicks:

The most important issue facing our district is how we return to school. Part of that answer includes when we return, and like many people in North Andover, I want that to happen as quickly and safely as possible. I'm really excited to return to school. I miss my students. I miss my colleagues. I miss talking with people face to face.

But the return to school isn't only about when it happens. It is also about how and the plans that we make to re-acclimate our learners. It is about uncovering the unfinished learning, and acknowledging the unfinished teaching. It is about giving teachers the support they need to meet across grade levels to realign curriculum maps, to develop formative assessments, and to create and implement targeted support plans. It is making sure that we have strong SEL supports in the classroom.

When we return to school, I do not want to return to normal. I want to return to something better. Our return is an opportunity to transform our district. To do that will take careful diligent planning. It will require that we take a hard look at our policies and practices and make the necessary adjustments.

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

Andrew McDevitt:

Knowledge of the virus has changed dramatically since it first closed schools in March 2020. We modified guidelines, safety protocols, and recommendations as data has changed. We've worked with local and state Departments of Public Health as well local physicians and nurses. There is constant communication between the Board of Health and the NA School Administration. While we might be considered too cautious, the well being of our faculty and students is paramount in my decision making.

Pamela Pietrowski:

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.

David Brown:

Under the circumstances, the current Board and Administration have handled this reasonably well. It's a complex situation, and they have had to adapt and overcome on the fly. The principal difference would have been that I would have communicated to the public more frequently and in more detail.

More is better than less, as long as it's truthful. If you don't have the answer yet, but you're working on it, say that. When it's a crisis, it's almost impossible to overcommunicate.

Joe Hicks:

The pandemic has not created new problems, but has exposed some areas of weakness that we need to address. Before the pandemic, North Andover was not a 1:1 technology district. This prevented us from pivoting quickly to online and remote learning last spring. District level communication this past year has been problematic. For too long, the community did not know the plan for returning our students to school. Our capacity issues at the Middle School are not new, and we must seriously address the needs of that building. We have chronically underfunded our schools for years.

It is also important to note what we have learned over the past year. We have learned to utilize technology effectively in the classroom. We have embraced learner-centered instruction, a key lever to improving student engagement. We have learned new ways to give targeted support to students and how to have students collaborate with each other. We have learned how amazingly independent our learners can be at a young age and we have given our learners authentic opportunities to solve problems and manage their own time.

I would have been provided the town with a clear action plan that included more specific metrics for moving towards full in-person learning.

Why are you seeking elective office?

Andrew McDevitt:

We all have a vested interest in the education of our children. As a resident, I continue to look for accountability of the budget. The past year has most certainly been a challenge for all families. Every family has different experiences and truly personal perspectives. My job has been, and will continue to be if re-elected, to listen to as many perspectives as possible and use that to make my decision/vote.

This past year, I again worked to negotiate with the teacher's union. Upon completion of their 3-year contract, we quickly began to renegotiate a return to school. You might remember the union picketing at a SC meeting and many letters from teachers regarding not returning to school. In the end, we were successful in our return to school plan. This involved ensuring safety of the buildings, proper spacing, sanitizing protocol, and adherence to CDC and Board of Health regulations to name a few points. This nearly nightly negotiations started in July and continued into September. During the summer, as a School Committee we approved for hybrid, full-day classes for our students. As we have begun 2021, I have been advocating for increased learning time for our students, especially at our youngest grades. The guidelines are changing, and we need changes as well. I hope you allow me to continue to fight and advocate for the best for our town, community and most importantly our students. As we return to school, I will also advocate for the support our students and teachers need.

Rebecca Stronck:

I am seeking office of School Committee to become more involved in my hometown. As a lifelong resident, I know our public schools can re-establish academic and social/emotional excellence, and I want to be a part of that. The positive experience I had coming through the public school system in North Andover has afforded me success in both my academic and professional journeys.

Pamela Pietrowski:

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.

David Brown:

I'm truly interested in public service and the greater good, and have been volunteering in town since we moved here in 2000. Schools are the heart and soul of a community - my family was well served and I want to give back! I'm concerned that our performance is not what it should be and can be, and want to help fix that.

Joe Hicks:

I want to build a better future.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Andrew McDevitt:

As we return to classrooms, what is going to be critical are two key components - building on the educational foundation and catching students up academically and addressing social and emotional issues. We cannot simply toss funds at the problem. (It's the reason I voted against the budget - for lack of detail) We need to know where the gaps are, and provide teachers and students with the right tools to succeed. It might be smaller group learning and it might be an different approach to learning. It will vary by school, grade, and student. We need to review the data and have a thoughtful plan. Regarding social and emotional learning, students are going to need time to just be together. They are missing the connections with each other and their teachers. We need to allow for this development. However, there are students with significant concerns and fears. We need guidance counselors, nurses and staff trained to help these students and provide referrals/parental meetings when appropriate.

Rebecca Stronck:

My campaign platform is that of children first. Our children are our legacy and deserve the absolute best public education possible.

Pamela Pietrowski:

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.

David Brown:

Expand/Promote/Expect Accountability:
Are we getting the results we are paying for?
Show us the performance data
Evaluate the District's performance vs. other towns and vs. private schools
Push for continuous improvements
Advocacy and Inclusion:
Consider all stakeholder interests
Address socio-economic equality issues in the district
Ensure fairness and equity in facilities and programs
Plan for specific ways to help disadvantaged students in the current and post-pandemic environment
Problem Solving:
Address NAMS facility in particular & space planning in general
Improve communications: volume, frequency & substance

Joe Hicks:

I believe in open, honest, transparent two-way communication. I will work to ensure that our community knows how to talk with me so that I can listen to their concerns. I believe we have an obligation to seek out new ways to be more equitable, inclusive, and just. I believe that we must examine our policies and procedures and dismantle barriers that inadvertently limit student choice and voice.

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