After serving nearly seven years on the Newport School Committee, I’ve seen behind the curtain enough to recognize who should be trusted to represent the best interests of our school system.
Candidates Elizabeth Barron, Carrie Cassady, Penelope Hunt, Kendra Wilson Muenter, and Amy Yozura will build a competent school committee for Newport. They bring deep experience in budgeting, policy development, teaching and learning, mental health, and community organizing. More importantly, these women know the critical difference between governing and managing. They recognize that the school committee is a team, and a team only wins when all members act with integrity and selflessness.
These candidates will work together to guide their Superintendent and will focus on only the decisions that belong to their role. They will collaborate with patience and professionalism, because the school committee must act as a body. They will use policy, smart goals, and strategic plans as their roadmap to solutions. They will be transparent about the very complex world of education and remember their duty to advocate for sustainable and appropriate school funding. They will bring the voices of students and families to the table. They will prioritize accountability and student achievement, and empower the paid professionals inside our schools to do their best work.
I wholeheartedly endorse Elizabeth Barron, Carrie Cassady, Penelope Hunt, Kendra Wilson Muenter, and Amy Yozura and urge Newport voters to choose them on November 3rd. Even if you don’t have children or don’t have children in our schools, remember that when a community decides to put its schools first, that community thrives. Please don’t ignore this crucial opportunity to bring new leadership to Newport Public Schools.
Stephanie Winslow
Newport School Committee
