Candidate Profile: Melissa Plowman, Wilmington School Committee

WILMINGTON, MA — Wilmington will have two contested races in the April 24 town election: one for two three-year terms on the School Committee and one for a two-year term on the committee. Wilmington Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles over the coming weeks.

Melissa Plowman is running for the two-year seat on the School Committee. There are three people running for the seat. Plowman faces Justin Cusce and Yvonne Helbert.

Plowman is a mental health counselor running for her first elected office.

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

Melissa Plowman

Age (as of Election Day)

43

Position Sought

2 year seat School Committee

Family

Nate (husband)
Kylie (13)
Natalie (11)

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

Master's Degree from Boston College in the field of Counseling Psychology

Occupation

Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Owner of a private practice in Woburn, Clinical Consultant to neighboring school districts,

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

None

Campaign website

https://www.facebook.com/MelissaPlowmanforWilmingtonSchoolCommittee

Why are you seeking elective office?

I have contemplated running for school committee for a few years now. The timing was difficult though during the opening phase of my private practice. But during that time I tried to work closely with the school system by volunteering on various committees, communicating with teachers, and giving feedback to counselors, and nurses about topics important to me, particularly those of an SEL nature. I have felt for a while now that I have experiences that can help Wilmington grow. And then after this past year it seemed more important than ever that I make myself available for this work, for my own children and the youth of this community. I believe my knowledge of schools, and background in child/adolescent mental health comes at a critical time. But I also think I have strong leadership and communication skills that will be an asset as well.

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

The obvious answer to this question is understanding the impact of Covid-19. But I always come back to this answer--it's about relationships. I think our district needs to rebuild and re-establish respectful, working relationships between families and our schools. For several years there has been a sense of growing divide between Wilmington families and Wilmington schools. There have been several years of concern around the operations of the Middle School, there is concern about enrollment and with the pandemic, families seem to be more and more skeptical of the system we are raising our children in. And as such, and I have seen firsthand, the majority of families have stepped back. There is honestly a lack of engagement from families. That dynamic must shift. We must work together, collectively, if we want to do best for our kids. How can we start this process?

Our first priority will need to be assessment. We need to understand the impact of the pandemic on the children and youth of Wilmington and their families, both academically and socially/emotionally. We need to hear what students and caregivers need as we transition back to somewhat normalcy. We also need to bear in mind that the adults who nurture and educate our children are also recovering from a pandemic. We need to start speaking to each other respectfully, listening to each other, and operating from a trauma-informed place with compassion and an effort to understand--because our children are watching and they are learning all of the time. I intend to model these behaviors because I feel strongly that people in leadership positions have a duty to . I believe that my strong leadership and communication skills will be an absolute asset in this process. I pride myself on my ability to establish respectful, effective working relationships with others. I intend to listen to what each stakeholder in our town believes are our strengths and what are our weaknesses as a school system. I intend to advocate for what I believe is in the best interest of WPS students overall health and wellbeing.

Beyond the recovery from Covid, it would be a priority during my two year term to understand and make effective change at the middle school. I can't say what that change is per se, because I don't understand the needs per se. Clearly, assessment is also needed on that front and is currently underway so I look forward to learning what the middle school focus group determines as the result of their work. Every child in this town will spend three informative and transformative years at our middle school. That environment has got to be one that children feel safe in, feel inspired in, and feel connected to others while there.

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

I can't answer that. I honestly have not seen any information made public about the other candidates running for the 2 year seat at this time.

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

I don't believe the school committee has failed the community. I think many people would impulsively say that not getting kids into schools sooner was a failure, but I don't believe that rested solely on the shoulders of the committee or Dr. Brand. We are one school district operating under incredibly challenging times with wavering leadership at the state level throughout this year. Do I wish that teacher negotiations were able to happen more efficiently and with greater consideration of student needs--yes, I do. But I don't consider that a 'failure'. I am grateful for the hard work our current committee has done. And until we see the data on student outcomes post-covid it feels unfair to say we've failed at anything.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Supporting the SEL needs of students, and this conversation can't happen without also discussing Equity and Inclusion

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

I'd say starting my own private practice speaks a lot to my abilities professionally. Being able to balance the art of my clinical work with the details of operating a small business is a big challenge. There are many moving parts and details to track. There are lots of decisions that need to be made.

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

I would like voters to know about my work ethic and my background and how I got myself here from a tiny town in rural Vermont.

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