Long-term planning. The Board authorized an update of the enrollment and capacity study performed in 2013 and the new results are published. The updated study projects continued pressure on school facilities with enrollment rising by an additional 800 students over the next ten years. Existing facilities continue to age and subpar facilities need to be renovated or replaced. I believe it is imperative to address this issue within the next three years. A cooperative effort with the City Administration and various boards (Board of Representatives, Board of Finance and Planning Board) needs to be initiated now. We cannot wait five years to start the process.

Regional services. Given the difficult financial condition of the state, we expect pressure on our budgets over the next five to ten years. Each town/district has programs and services that might benefit from seeking a regional solution. These are not easy to organize, since each school district tends to take a parochial view towards its operations. However, opportunities do exist (e.g. regional transportation contracts) and are worth exploring.

Setting goals for the school district and the correspondent allocation of resources.

I represent the Board at the School Readiness Council. I participate in two committees of the Cradle to Career initiative.