I’m announcing today my 3-part plan for improvement for Quincy Public Schools. 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. I look forward to your feedback; click on the link “Why I’m running.”

I need your vote on November 3rd and pledge to work in cooperation with the mayor, school committee colleagues, and all constituents for our success.

I’ve devoted this blog so far to the policy issues that confront the Quincy School Committee. This post is a bit of a departure. To help you get to know me, I thought I’d share three of my personal experiences in education.

Elementary

I wasn’t much of a student in elementary school. My favorite thing about school was recess followed closely by lunch. Sometimes, I pretended to be sick so I could stay home and play with Legos. As for grades, I earned mostly Bs, a few As, and the occasional C.

Mr. Scholer was my 6th grade teacher and he changed my attitude toward school. In September, Mr. Scholer wrote our names in rows on the blackboard and began to award points for good work (turning in homework, asking good questions, getting the right answer). After a few weeks, I was surprised to find myself fifth or sixth on the list. I thought, “Maybe I can do well in school, maybe that’s what I’m about.” I became devoted to school work. It was part of how I defined myself.

From that point forward, I worked hard and got good grades but I still wasn’t very organized. In fact, I fell so far behind in social studies in 8th grade that I pulled my first all-nighter to complete five current event reports.

High school

I continued that way into high school where I encountered a history teacher named Mr. Heller. Mr. Heller had a splendid collection of suits; one for every day of the month. He called us “Mr.” and “Ms.” and in every way set a professional tone in the classroom.

I often turned in homework late. One time, after I mumbled “sorry” while others handed in their work, he said to me: “Mr. Mullaney, don’t be sorry. Be different.” Those words, from him, marked the end of my desire to make excuses.

I’m still ready to say “I’m sorry” when I need to, but I don’t regard that as sufficient by itself. I try to be different (better).

College

One last experience and lesson, in this case, learned on my own. I was accepted to Harvard with a scholarship and came to Cambridge expecting to fit right in. I’d been to Europe, my mom listened to classical music, I spoke moderately fluent Spanish, so I thought I was pretty sophisticated.

Of course, I mis-understood the situation completely. Among my freshman roommates was Bob Hope’s grandson and the daughters of U.S. Senator Tim Wirth and the owner and editor of The New Republic. The most important difference between us, however, was that they knew what they wanted out of school, or appeared to, and I certainly did not.

I ended up taking a year off from college so I could return with more focus and independence and take better advantage of what Harvard had to offer. I graduated with a degree in History and Literature in 1992. While I’ve continued to explore different interests since 1992, and have had ups and downs like everyone, I’ve never felt I lost my footing: my sense of who I am and my values.

Since we’re a big city, and I haven’t had a chance to meet everyone yet, I thought this background would help you get to know me.

I’m very pleased to tell you that 3,886 voters marked Lockwood Mullaney on their preliminary election ballot. I am within 1,000 votes of a school committee seat on November 3rd. With 4,265 votes up for grabs with the departure of the 7th- and 8th-placed candidates there is a big opportunity to make up the ground.

I’m especially glad that in precincts where I focused time and energy I came in 2nd or 3rd; that suggests that I’m making a good connection, personally and on the issues. Between now and November 3rd, the campaign will focus on areas where voters are less familiar with me.

Our success on 9/22 is a testament to the more than $6,000 raised to date, 53 yard sign locations established, >5,000 postcards mailed, and dozens of folks we had standing out at key precincts. We’ll need more of all of that in the weeks remaining!

Before rushing ahead, though, I want to take a moment to say thanks to everybody who got us through today successfully, including my treasurer Hannah Will, my web and graphics experts Mark Withington, Michael Richardson, and Caroline Stoffel (who introduced me to the complex world of site design and hosting), Bob Sullivan and Joel Deery who were invaluable with yard signs, those who’ve helped with mailings like Cheryl Cassidy and Meaghan Asuaje, those who’ve organized my visits to senior centers, the dozens of people who stood out for me today at our targeted locations, the dozens of others who donated generously to the campaign, those who’ve educated me in the complexities of special education and other K-12 topics, and those who’ve opened themselves to a newcomer with and a new perspective on the issues. I also want to thank my fellow candidates for a civil (and even enjoyable) discussion on the issues. I know I’m forgetting someone… sorry!!

Last but far from least on the thank you list, I want to thank Jenny, and Evie, Emmett and Eliza, for your forbearance and support with the time and effort required to run this race.

Finally, in keeping with my campaign theme of Schools fit for Presidents, I’ll close with a quote from John Paul Jones, the Revolutionary War navy captain. After a brutal exchange of cannon fire, Jones was given the chance to surrender by the captain of the larger British vessel that had engaged him. With fires on board and water pouring in, Jones declared: “I have not yet begun to fight.” Hours later, the captain of His Majesty’s Ship Serapis surrendered to Jones.