WILMINGTON, MA — This year’s race for three seats on the Wilmington School Committee may be uncontested, but that didn’t stop candidates Julie Broussand and Thomas Talbot from participating in a friendly debate earlier this week.
(School Committee Chairwoman Peggy Kane, who is running for her final term on the board, was unable to attend due to an illness.)
The debate was a part of Wilmington’s Annual “Candidates Night,” sponsored by Wilmington Community Television, Wilmington Town Crier, Wilmington Chabmer of Commerce and Reading Cooperative Bank. Town Moderator Rob Peterson moderated the event which was held at WCTV studios. Lisa Kennedy Cox of the Town Crier and Tom Zuppa of the Lowell Sun served as the panelists.
Broussard and Talbot were both asked about later star times, building maintenance/facilities, technology, substance abuse, mental health, special education, and Common Core.
Later School Start Times
“My vote will be for a later start time for older kids,” declared Broussard, who cautioned, that a change of this magnitude could not implemented immediately. “If you look at the research, kids need the sleep, particularly the older children.”
Broussard noted she sometimes has to send her middle school daughter to the bus stop with a flashlight because it’s so dark out. Broussard also pointed out that Superintendent DeLai, when implanting her entry plan, heard from a lot of parents who prefer a later start time at the middles school and high school levels.
Talbot would like to study the issue more and noted that considerations should also be given to bus stop safety and parental work schedules.
Maintaining School Buildings & Ending “Digital Divide”
“Our Town is going through a Facilities Master Plan process to assess the needs of all our buildings in town and I eagerly await the results,” said Broussard, who emphasized that these decisions aren’t just school issues, but issues for the entire town to decide. “Yes, we do have school buildings that will need to be addressed. And yes, it is tough to look at the Roman House in front of the brand new High School, but, on the other hand, it’s got a lot of character and history.”
Talbot would like to get more information on the topic, but noted he is interested in improving energy efficiency throughout all school buildings. In a related question on technology in schools, Talbot advocated for creating a 10-year plan to have all schools in the district attain similar technology capabilities.
Student Substance Abuse
“I like to think we live in a sheltered community, but the reality is that substance abuse hits every community,” said Broussard. “It’s an issue that needs to be tackled by both the family and the school…. Schools need to put supports in place at a young age.”
“I think it’s all about education – getting programs together to educate them on what’s right and wrong,” said Talbot. “These kids think they’re invincible, but they’re not… They need to know you don’t need to do drugs to ‘be cool’ or ‘fit in’.”
Student Mental Health
“If we can support students’ mental health needs, hopefully they won’t develop any substance abuse issues,” noted Broussard, who pointed to the good work that’s already begun with the district’s newly formed Behavioral Helath Task Force as an example of how seriously the school system is taking the issue.
“We need to start educating as young as possible,” said Talbot, who said he was moved by a WHS senior who recently opened up about her struggles with mental health at a recent School Committee Meeting. “We need to teach kids to take pride in themselves and believe in themselves… This has become a major issue in society today.”
Special Education
“We need to look at the whole child and realize that every child is different and will need different supports,” said Broussard. “There is no easy answer on how to improve special education services… Every district struggles with [the answer].”
“We need to make sure every child gets a quality education,” stressed Talbot, who noted he has a son on an IEP (Individualized Education Plan). Talbot agreed with Broussard hat the needs of each child are different and unique.
Common Core Standards
“Am I fan of Common Core? I struggle with it,” admitted Broussard. “There are many pros and cons. One argument against is we’re ‘dumbing down’ the test… That said, a lot of work has already been done in the school district to align curriculum to the Common Core. If repealed, we would have a lot of work ahead of us and would need to start from scratch.”
Talbot acknowledged there are many pros and cons, but has yet to take a firm position on the matter and continues to research the issue.
The Town Election is Saturday, April 23. Polls are open from 8am to 8pm.
Watch the debate, courtesy of Wilmington Community Television, below.
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