Tewksbury Election: Bridget Garabedian Candidate Announcement

TEWKSBURY, MA — Bridget Garabedian is running for a seat on the School Committee in the April 10 town election.

An ER nurse in Boston, Garabedian is one of four candidates who have taken out papers to run for two open seats on the committee. She faces incumbent James Cutelis as well as Nicholas Parsons and Deborah Wall.

>>Tewksbury Candidate Forum Planned For March 18

Garabedian submitted the following candidate announcement to Patch for publication:

Bridget Garabedian is running for a seat on the Tewksbury School Committee. A lifelong resident and active community member holding positions on multiple PACs and town boards, Garabedian currently serves as a parent representative on the District Reopening Task Force and is vice-chair of the Tewksbury North and Trahan School Reuse Committee.

“A safe return to the classroom, open communication, and improving educational achievement and outcomes for all learners are my top priorities,” says Garabedian. “I will be a committee member who will work hard, invite everyone to the table, listen to all stakeholders, and encourage that we allocate our tax dollars and resources responsibly.”

Garabedian and her husband, Mike, are lifelong town residents and parents of three children in the Tewksbury schools. She has 26 years’ experience as a trauma nurse in a Boston ER, often in leadership roles that require triaging critical issues and concerns and collaborating with colleagues in multiple disciplines. That knowledge will help guide our district through the pandemic.

Garabedian has served on general and special-education new-hire committees and is familiar with the experience and education needed to be successful. She is an active volunteer with proven commitment to our school community.

Her platform consists of:

A safe return to the classroom: The disruption in educational routine may have long-term effects on our students, families, and staff. Having appropriate support in our schools will be essential as our students move to in-person learning. I will advocate for more formalized programming in our schools to support this transition and beyond.

Communication: As a school committee member, she will encourage open and transparent communication by working with the district to field effective staff and family satisfaction surveys, fully disclosing results, and taking actions based on findings.

Student achievement: She will encourage a proactive and collaborative approach for our district to assess and implement policies to improve outcomes. This is especially important as we transition to more and all in-person learning.

“I’m often asked, What do you see as the biggest challenge in the schools?” says Garabedian. “Clearly, the top priority now is to transition back into the classroom as quickly and safely as possible. That will require supporting our administration and staff in finding solutions to the obstacles preventing more in-person learning. As a school committee member, I look forward to facing the challenges beyond the pandemic: Considering the needs of learners, what they have missed, and how they have been impacted.”

The annual 2021 Tewksbury Town Election is set for Sat., April 10. The last day to register to vote is March 19. To find out more about Garabedian’s platform and priorities, visit her page at BridgetGarabedian4Tewksbury, where you can sign up to host a lawn sign or virtual meet-and-greet.

She will also take part in the Town Crier Candidate Forum on March 18.

“I respectfully ask for your vote and pledge to always put our children first,” says Garabedian. “I have a proven record advocating for our students and collaborating well as a committee member. I pledge to be an asset to our board and accessible to parents and residents on educational issues. For more information or to get involved, please reach out. You can contact me any time at Garabedian4Tewksbury@gmail.com.”

This announcement was produced by Bridget Garabedian. The views expressed are the author's own.