Teddy Tarallo

This is sixth in a series I will publish on Waltham Patch, so we can better know our candidates and what they stand for. These interviews and observations do not reflect my personal political views. This series is meant to introduce candidates to constituents in an easy-going, positive way. I will not ask questions comparing candidates, nor will I provide my personal political opinions. My series will include individual articles with a candidate's interview. Then, when each interview has been published, I will post an article containing all the interviews.
If you are a Waltham political candidate and would like to request an interview, please feel welcome to contact me. The Patch reporter is also running a separate series.

Throughout the summer I attended many Waltham events, and if there were kids or outdoor fun involved, Teddy Tarallo was likely to be there with his family. He is a candidate for Waltham School Committee. I had the opportunity to chat with him at length at one of Waltham's family-friendly concerts on the common. Later I conducted the following interview.

JL: What name do you like to be called by?
TT:Everyone who knows me calls me Teddy; the only people who call me Edmund are telemarketers and my mother, when she is not happy with me.

JL: Where are you from? How long have you lived in Waltham?
TT:I am from Waltham; I was born at Malden Hospital and have lived in Waltham all my life.

JL:A little about yourself (ie, your education, family life, etc.).

TT:

• ● Married my lovely wife Lauren in 2012
• ● We have a three year old daughter and a 5 month old son ● Education:
  • ● MacArthur Elementary School
  • ● Fitzgerald Elementary School
  • ● Kennedy Middle School
  • ● Waltham Senior High School Class of 2000 *National Youth Leadership Forum *National Honors Society
  • ● Brandeis University Class of 2004 *Class of 2004 Senator Brandeis University *Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
  • ● American International College *Master of Education in School Administration 2011

JL: What is one of your favourite Waltham memories?

TT: There are so many great memories of Waltham! I grew up here, went to college here, met my wife here, and I am raising my family here! One of my favorite memories from when I was a youngster was winning first place at the Boy Scout Annual Pinewood Derby Race two years in a row; the race that has the big trophy that you don’t get to keep but they put your name on it. It was my very first time building the car, and I had no idea what I was doing. I told my parents how I wanted to design the car. My dad questioned whether it was a good idea; I assured him it was. Then, I spent the next week bringing it to life. I can’t tell you how much sanding I did,but it was a lot. When race day came, I told my dad I was going to take that big trophy home, and he chuckled. He was supportive; however, he also tried to reassure me that it was ok if I didn’t win. That day, I won race after race; I was over the moon! The last race was next, and everyone was trying to be supportive while also bracing me for a potential loss. In the end, my car won the race, and I told my dad, “I told you so.” He was so proud of me. The following year no one questioned my design. They tried to be realistic because no one has ever won two consecutive years, which only made me more determined because it would be my last opportunity to race due to my age. This time there was no I told you so; there was only the trophy.

JL: Tell us your hobbies.

TT: Right now, the only hobbies I have time for are dance parties, art projects and scooter rides with my 3 year old daughter and games of peek-a-boo with my 5 month old son.

JL: What has been your previous involvement been in Waltham politics?
TT:I have been involved with Waltham politics for as long as I can remember. My grandfather and parents have always been involved in Waltham politics, therefore, starting at a young age, I was holding signs, going to fundraisers and dropping literature. It’s so important to be involved and have a sense of community; when I saw a need for improvement in the school district, I decided to get involved and give back to the Waltham community.

JL: Do you consider yourself a politician?
TT: No, I am an educator who ran for office to help our community improve. Politicians make politically-motivated decisions, but as an educator, I make student-centered decisions. When I start making politically-motivated decisions, it will be time for me to move on.

JL: When and why did you consider running for School Committee?
TT: I ran for School Committee when I bought my first home here and saw concerning issues with our schools. For example, we had a dropout rate that was higher than Boston! At the time, I was a high school math teacher in an alternative program for at-risk students, and I was appalled to see this happening in my hometown. And furthermore, no one was talking about it nor working to fix it. I could not ignore such a pressing issue; I had to take action. I knew Waltham could do better and has done better; the dropout rate has decreased over 70% since I was elected. There is more work to be done, and my two young children have given me additional inspiration to run for another term on School Committee because I want my children and ALL the children of Waltham to receive the best education!

JL: How does Waltham inspire you?
TT:It’s everything I have already said. This is an amazing City that has given me so much in life, and I feel a large sense of community and I need to give back to this community. The schools are our future, and you cannot make a better tomorrow if you do not educate the youth of today. The possibilities for our students are endless. I see it as my duty to ensure this City gives the best as others did for me.

JL: Do you have a particular leadership style?
TT: I believe I am a thoughtful and inquisitive leader. I ask a lot of insightful and thought-provoking questions and gather all the information possible to then make the most logical and appropriate student-centric decision. I try to look at the big picture and see how my decision will affect the future.

JL: Is there anything about local politics that you find particularly challenging?
TT: I find it particularly challenging to not have a daily newspaper anymore and only limited coverage of our meetings. People cannot be involved if they are not aware of what is going on. The local media is important to local politics; we all suffer without strong local coverage. It also makes conveying my message that much harder.

JL: In your profession, do you have to travel? How much of your time do you spend away from home for work or vacation?
TT: I do not travel, other than to Peabody High School where I am a dean of students. I rarely spend time out of New England with two young children and a wife who works full time; our downtime is spent together locally, mostly at playgrounds and family day trips.

JL: Is there a main message in your campaign that you would like voters to know?
TT: I will continue to demand transparency within our administration and be fiscally responsible while continuing to bring academic excellence to our students. However, I can only achieve these goals with your vote on Election Day. I look forward to your support and ask you for one of your three votes for School Committee so I can continue improving education for Waltham’s future.

JL: What would you do to create pride in our community?
TT: I would work to continue to foster an inclusive culture and a positive environment. When people feel welcomed and included, pride grows and thrives. Our strong neighborhoods and school communities help with our goal of One Waltham. The Breezers Ball helps promote pride for our community shown through all those who are new and old to Waltham. We must show that everyone in our community is welcome and we are One Waltham.

JL: What do you think is Waltham’s biggest challenge right now, and how would you address it?
TT: I will answer this in terms of the school district. We are still having a large population influx. We need more educational space to support the students. The delays on the new Waltham High School has hindered our master plan to renovate the current high school building to create that much-needed space. We need to educate every student that walks in our doors.
The School Committee needs to work with the other branches of our government, those that control development and our finances. Working together, we will address the impact growth has on our community and allocate the financial support needed to meet these growing demands. It starts with the immediate construction of our new high school.

JL: What are some of the things you would focus on as School Committee member?
TT: It begins with the construction of our new state-of-the-art high school so we can implement our education plan; simultaneously, we must work to control the cost of the new high school while continuing to collaborate with the neighbors to the site and our whole community to achieve a final development that all will be proud of. In addition, I will focus on the following:

• ● Renovating the former high school building into new classroom space. I know our Dual Language Program has outgrown its current location. Our middle schools are reaching capacity. Our current enrollment and future projections show our population is still growing at an alarming rate.
• ● Continuing to advocate for small class sizes to ensure our teachers can deliver high quality education at all levels. Waltham has made a commitment to small class sizes that our parents expect and our students deserve; it is my goal to deliver on that promise and keep class size low and equitable across the City.
• ● Continuing to increase our graduation rate and decrease our dropout rate. We have made great progress, however, we can still do better.
• ● Ensuring that our two previous turnaround schools, Waltham High School and MacArthur Elementary, stay on track and that ALL our schools keep delivering on our promise of a world class education while closing the achievement gap for ALL our students at every level.
• ● Supporting our teachers with a comprehensive professional development plan that has clearly articulated and measurable goals, created with wide input from administrators and teachers at all levels; this collaboration will foster unity and boost teacher morale. We must provide professional development for growth and advancement opportunities for our staff.
• ● Most importantly, selecting and retaining a new superintendent who will lead the construction of the new high school and the implementation of its education plan, will actively and consistently communicate with all members of our community and will elevate our schools to a higher level; these qualities are essential for our district to flourish and our students to achieve their full academic potential.

JL: How would you preserve the integrity of Waltham’s history while leading the city forward?

TT: I support the History of Waltham class that has been taught at Waltham High for years by Mr. Cox. I, unfortunately, never had the opportunity to take this class, however, I have always heard how this has been an important component in understanding and appreciating Waltham’s history. I also support the creation of a Waltham Room in the new Waltham High School. Waltham was the birthplace of America’s Industrial Revolution; a fact that is often overlooked by people. The “Waltham Room” will be a place where we will have historical artifacts that students can explore and continue to learn about Waltham’s great history.

JL: How important are local museums such as The Telephone Museum on Moody Street and The Waltham Museum on Lexington Street to our culture?
TT: It is incredibly important to a community to know about its history. I wish they were more widely advertised and known. We have these hidden jewels to share with the community, and I love places where history can come alive and inspire the next generation.
As the home of the Industrial Revolution our local museums are part of Waltham’s glory.

JL: What would you do to encourage Science Technology Engineering Math Art and Science (STEAM) in Waltham’s youth?
TT: The School Department has partnered with Dr. Michael Barnett and Boston College School of Education-Science Education Department for the last few years. The goal is to collaborate with experts in STEAM from Boston College and other organizations to further develop and enhance the Waltham’s educator capacity at all levels to deliver student-centered STEAM learning. We have worked to provide every middle school student the opportunity to engage in productive and engaging STEAM learning experiences. In addition, we are increasing our vocational STEAM offerings, and with the new high school, the number of opportunities will continue to increase. Waltham has always made its robust art department a priority and will continue to do so.

JL:Do you see politics as a career?
TT: No, my career is in education. I see running for School Committee as a way for me to give back to my community by utilizing my skills and experiences that I have gained throughout my professional career.

JL: Do any former or current Waltham residents inspire you? Why?
TT: Yes, my parents inspired me to give back to my community along with my children and all the children of this fine City. I see in their eyes the future and endless possibilities of a better Waltham and country.

JL: Have you learned anything about Waltham during your campaign?
TT: Yes, I learned about William F. Keough Jr., who was originally from Waltham. In 1979, he was superintendent of the American School in Pakistan. He was taken hostage when the U.S. Embassy in Iran was overrun by militant students and was held for 444 days. Upon his release, he was quoted to say, “when you lose what you assume, you appreciate it more.”

JL: Imagine a future after you have served as School Committee. How would Waltham be changed?
TT: Waltham will have a state-of-the-art new high school that is the crown jewel of this City. Space will no longer be an issue and class sizes will be small. Our Dual Language Program will be fully expanded and thriving. The graduation rate will be soaring as the dropout rate will be minimal. We will have retained a dynamic superintendent who will restore morale and will foster educational excellence for each and every student.

For more information about Teddy Tarallo for School Committee, or to contact him:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Edmun... Website: TARALLO.US
Email: edmundtarallo@gmail.com.