LETTER: Wilmington School Committee Member Nick Golden Endorses Jennifer Bryson & Michael Mercaldi For Re-Election

Dear Wilmington voters,

I write to you today to ask that you join me in voting to reelect Jennifer Bryson and Michael Mercaldi to our school committee.

I have had the pleasure of working with both Jenn and Mike on the committee for the last two years. I have seen their efforts up close over countless hours of meetings. From hiring two new superintendents to navigating four different contract negotiations last year, both Jenn and Mike have made important contributions during their terms to the committee’s work supporting our students, faculty, and staff.

Jenn’s experience as a classroom teacher and now as a professor of elementary education – a teacher of teachers – has been invaluable to our committee and to our district. When committee meetings become too abstract, Jenn consistently brings us back to the daily realities students, teachers, and families face. As our longest serving member, her vision about where Wilmington schools have been, and where they need to go, has been a foundational part of our work.

Mike’s experience in the private sector as a biotech executive offers a different but no less impactful set of skills to the committee and district. Mike gets to the heart of the matter in committee meetings, looking ahead and identifying the important part of any topic, both risks and opportunities. He routinely centers community perspectives, bringing the type of questions parents ask each other on the soccer field to district leadership.

The pair have also contributed significantly to the hiring of our superintendents. Mike has added his experience in private sector hiring to the screening and hiring process, while Jenn’s prior experience hiring superintendents in the district saw her take a leadership role in our recent hiring processes.

I also served with both Jenn and Mike on our contract negotiation teams last year. Both worked hard to strike that crucial balance between supporting our educators and finding the right agreement for the district’s financial future, producing what I believe to be strong contracts for the district.

Jenn and Mike have both demonstrated true leadership as members of the Wilmington School Committee, and are each vital to the continued improvement of our school district. Please join me in casting your vote to reelect Jenn and Mike to the school committee on April 25th, 2026.

Warmly,

Nick Golden