Marblehead Beacon School Committee Questionnaire - Don DeWitt
Regardless of whether you are appointed to fill the current vacancy, do you plan to seek election to the School Committee during municipal elections this coming June 2023?
Yes, regardless of whether I am appointed to fill the current vacancy on the School Committee or not, I do plan on running for a School Committee seat in 2023. I have been an active attendee of SC meetings for the last two years and have been listening closely to our community’s concerns. I share similar frustrations to our parent and administrative bodies so I think it would be important to continue to seek to represent those voices in June should I not be appointed now.
What aspects of your background or experience best prepare you to serve on the School Committee?
What I would bring to the School Committee seat is my ability to look at our Public School System through the lens of a business owner and parent. From my many years in the hospitality industry to now as a local business owner, I understand the priorities of working collaboratively, developing solid working relationships and managing a tight budget.
What do you believe are the most significant strengths and weaknesses of the current school administration?
The most significant strengths of our current School Administration are our teaching staff. We are so fortunate to have so many dedicated educators. I’m always impressed by the way teachers and coaches go the extra mile for our students, especially over the last two years. I would also like to say that our student body is a huge strength. The children and young adults in our community are curious, giving, smart, creative, athletic, and hard working. I’d like to highlight how awesome our kids are while also making sure they get the services they need. Their educational and mental health would be a priority of mine.
Our most significant weakness is our inability to budget and manage funding.
What are your top priorities if you are appointed to the School Committee?
I have both a student athlete and a special education student in the system so I can’t deny that those areas are some of my top priorities because I am already well versed in the challenges that exist there. But the MPS budget from top to bottom would be the area I’d like to focus on most because it impacts ALL our students and administrators. I feel like it’s been an area crippling to the progress of the current Administration and School Committee not to mention to our taxpayers.
RELATED ARTICLES
