Candidate Profile: Bridget Garabedian, Tewksbury School Committee

TEWKSBURY, MA — Tewksbury will have contested races for both School Committee and Board of Selectmen in the April 10 town election. Tewksbury Patch asked candidates in both races to answer questions about their campaigns and is publishing candidate profiles.

Bridget Garabedian is running for election to the School Committee. There are four people running for two available seats. Garabedian faces Jamey Cutelis, the sole incumbent, and Nicholas Parsons and Deb Wall.

Garabedian is a registered nurse.

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

Previously on Patch: WATCH: Tewksbury Town Election Forums

Bridget Garabedian

Age (as of Election Day)

47

Position Sought

School Committee

Family

Husband Mike; daughters Hazel, 14 and at the Wynn; Jane, 12 and at the Ryan; and Vera, 10 and at the Trahan.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

My sister-in-law, Kate Lipper-Garabedian, is a Massachusetts state representative.

Education

BS in Nursing, RN

Occupation

Registered Nurse

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Tewksbury North and Trahan School Reuse Committee, Member at Large

Campaign website

www.garabedian4tewksbury.org

Why are you seeking elective office?

Because I believe that every child in Tewksbury deserves a quality education. Because I am invested in our schools, having held dozens of leadership volunteer roles and seats on school and community boards and committees. Because I believe that our district can be a regional leader.

And because I have the experience to be an effective and collaborative member of the Tewksbury School Committee on Day 1.

Given the high-stakes fiscal, social, and health challenges facing our school community, I believe that we need members with working knowledge of our district. I have proven my dedication to our schools, and in return, I have earned deep insights into the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges facing our district. I want to apply all that I have learned to serve our community.

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

The most significant challenge facing our district today is continuing the tactical work of transitioning our school community back to in-person learning while thinking strategically about the challenges — educational, emotional, and financial — that the COVID crisis has brought to our door. This requires executing a multistep plan.

First, I will advocate to ensure that we have the right social and emotional support systems in place for our students and staff as they transition back to the classroom full-time, while continuing to meet the needs for those choosing to remain fully remote. We can do both.

Next, we need to meet students where they are in their learning. I will advocate to support staff as they assess educational progress and provide the services needed for students and families to be successful.

As a community, we need to be aware that families coped with the unprecedented situation of the past year in different ways. I intend to remain engaged in the reentry process; encourage our district to seek input from families, staff, and stakeholders; and advocate for formal social and emotional support across the district.

Most importantly, I will ask that our families receive communication. Information about both the educational opportunities and the social and emotional supports available to students.

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

Tewksbury is fortunate to have a range of School Committee candidates in what is an unprecedented time for our district.

My professional, community, and school volunteer experience differentiate me from others seeking the office.

Working in charge positions as an R.N. in a high-volume Boston Emergency Department has developed my leadership skills. I regularly manage complicated, high-stakes, confidential, and time-sensitive situations, advocating for patients and my colleagues. I am a resource for peers and work collaboratively with professionals in multiple disciplines. As a school committee member, I will apply those same attributes to advocate for our students and the educators and staff in our district.

In the community, I am active on town committees and in our schools. For example, as vice-chair of the Trahan and North Street Reuse Committee, I am working with residents and representatives from the Board of Selectmen, School Committee, and Planning Board to recommend to Town Meeting the best possible use of the two elementary school buildings that will be vacated in Fall 2022.

I am passionate about the educational experience for all students. I have been a co-chair and board member on four school PAC boards and have participated in multiple school-related committees, including our District Reopening Taskforce. I have three children in the district and thus have balanced insight into the student, parent, and staff experiences.

I am committed to supporting our teachers and staff, ensuring they have what they need, are supported, and feel valued. Having spent nearly a decade raising money, holding events, and finding ways to recognize the hard work of our educators, I am acutely aware of the many needs that exist in our classrooms.

It is this work that has motivated me to participate in a bigger way, to apply myself in a way that makes a larger impact.

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

One strong suit for our School Board is diversity of experience, and I believe my skills will complement those of other members.

As anyone who has served on an elected or appointed board will attest, it’s easy to stand on the outside and criticize. But to serve the community and the citizens who entrusted them to their positions, elected and appointed officials have a duty to listen, learn, and seek to forge consensus on the best path forward for all stakeholders. That balance and ability to build bridges, not walls, is a big part of what I bring to the table.

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

At the start of the Covid crisis, I was moved to apply to volunteer on the District Reopening Task Force, a multidisciplinary committee of community stakeholders working together toward one goal: a safe return to school. I believed that my experience as a nurse working with adult and pediatric populations, active with the medical response and treatment of Covid-19, coupled with my time in our schools, made me well-qualified to advocate for our students and families and help our district manage the response to Covid-19. I was selected to sit on this task force, and it’s given me great insight into our response.

Overall, I am proud of the school district’s performance, given the unprecedented challenges we faced. Remember, no one knew the path forward. Across the Commonwealth, every district was learning as they went.

We now have the opportunity to reflect on the mitigation strategies that were instituted. In my opinion, overall, our district has been successful in accomplishing the most important priority: keeping the school community safe

We are debriefing in the hospitals and in my Emergency Department regarding how we responded to the Covid crisis; it is necessary for our school community to do the same. There is always room for improvement. I am hopeful that our district, with input from all stakeholders, will formally look back on our response in hopes of harnessing the lessons we learned to respond more efficiently in the future.

This past year has been challenging for all. At the start of this school year, it was stressful and frustrating for families and for staff to not have a school reentry plan in place. I would have appreciated our district sharing a plan proactively, earlier than when it was put forward. It would have helped for families to have had more open forums and informational opportunities in the weeks leading up to the start of school. That’s why better communication is a core pillar of my platform.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Communication.

Social-emotional and educational supports for our students as we re-enter school full time and for those remaining remote.

Outcomes of individual learners. There is no one-size-fits-all. We need to honor and respect individuals and focus on outcomes — not achievements, outcomes.

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

1. Engagement: I have a proven record in our town of showing up and doing the work. I seek out opportunities to participate in, coordinate, and lead initiatives that have benefited our schools and our community.

2. Success in my professional practice: As an RN, I have advanced myself by gaining certifications, seeking opportunities to expand my knowledge and ability to care for many of the sickest patients in our state. I have the skills to meet the needs of all of my patients and their families, collaborating with many disciplines, working professionally with my colleagues, and being a leader with grace.

3. The ability to prioritize: Professionally it’s the patient; in our schools, it’s our children.

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

I am innovative and creative by nature. I’m interested in new ideas, and I trust data to support changes in practice. I am committed to supporting our district in moving forward after a challenging year. I am able to recognize the practices and efforts that are working while taking on the challenge of finding new solutions. These can be done simultaneously.

Personally, I support finding creative ways to solve problems. I am interested in how to re-engage learners and support the needs of all of our students, families, and staff. If the citizens of Tewksbury trust me with their votes, I pledge to listen, be accessible, share information, and communicate effectively.

In closing, I’d like to thank the Patch for providing a platform for candidates to connect with voters. Communication is at the heart of a healthy community. And, please vote on April 10!

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