I have pasted below my three-point plan for improvement for Quincy Public Schools. It has three parts: Aim High, Engage the Community, and Invest Wisely. I drafted this plan after study and lots of conversation with Quincy administrators, parents, teachers and citizens. It calls us on to preserve the best aspects of our system and to set and achieve an ambitious goal for improvement where we need it.

three-point_improvement_plan

Here's a bit more background on who I am and why I'm running.  I live on Glendale Road with my wife Jenny and our three children, Evie, Emmett, and new baby Eliza (born August 13).  I am a product of public schools in Boise, Idaho, and came to the Boston area for college at Harvard and business school at MIT.  I manage strategy and planning for Harvard Pilgrim Health Care's Massachusetts business.

I'm running for school committee for three reasons.

First, I'm concerned with ensuring a good education for my kids and I believe all of our kids deserve that.  I believe we should aspire to schools that live up to the great legacy of this city and support its future.  John Adams' father sold land to send John Adams to Harvard, and two generations later, John Quincy Adams left part of his fortune to build a personal library of 14,000 volumes.  They believed in education and education gave them opportunities.

Second, great schools support the economic and social future of the city.  If the schools are great, more people will want to move to Quincy and we'll have a more vibrant community.  That will also help our home values recover and put money in the pockets of local business owners.

Third, I believe my success managing strategy and planning in another complex area, healthcare, will bring a fresh perspective to the work of school committee.  Healthcare and education are similar - lots of competing interests and never enough resources.  But schools have some key advantages.  We have teachers who work with students every day and really know their needs.  We can also make early investments in reading or math and know we'll see the benefits in middle and high school. 

The City of Presidents needs Schools fit for Presidents.  That's my view.  What's yours?  I hope you'll support this campaign by joining the debate, volunteering, donating, and supporting me with one of your three votes on November 3rd.