Get To Know Braintree School Committee Candidate Rachel Horak

BRAINTREE, MA — Local elections in Braintree are less than a month away, and Patch is determined to help residents get to know their candidates for council, mayor and school committee.

Patch has sent candidate questionnaires to each of the candidates that will appear on the ballot in a contested race for each of those three positions.

In this profile, get to know School Committee candidate Rachel Horak:

Name

Rachel E. Ann Horak

How old will you be as of Election Day?

45

Does your campaign have a website? If so, include the URL here.

https://bit.ly/Horak4Braintree...

What city or town do you live in?

Braintree

What office are you seeking?

Braintree School Committee

Education.

I have a PhD in Biology from Georgia Tech, a Master's degree in Biology from College of William and Mary, and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Davidson College. After my doctorate, I completed two post-doctoral fellowships: one in Oceanography at the University of Washington and another in Biology Education Research at a professional association.

What is your occupation?

I am a scientist and science educator. My job title is Senior Specialist in Education at the American Society for Microbiology (a non-profit science association), where I have worked for four years. In this role, I help college biology faculty learn how to implement evidence-based inclusive teaching. Prior to this role, I was a Visiting Assistant Professor at Stonehill College and Bard College. For my graduate school training and fellowships, I spent 12 years studying microbes that live in the ocean, through participating in ocean-going voyages, diving in research submersibles, and conducting lab experiments. Overall, I have 15 years of experience in science education.

Do you have a family? If so, please tell us about them.

My spouse is Tim, who is an engineering director, and my three children are Audrey (8-years-old), Ally and Elena (twin 6-year-olds). All three children attend Flaherty Elementary School.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

Nobody in my family works in politics or government.

Have you ever held a public office, whether appointive or elective?

I have never held any public office.

Now we'd like to ask a few questions about your reasons for running and your general views on politics and government. First, why are you seeking this office?

I have the educational and professional background, skillset, and commitment to serve my community. Given that my young children and I have over 10 more years in Braintree Public Schools, I look forward to making a positive difference in our town's public schools.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is \_\_\_, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ensuring that there is enough funding to fulfill the mission of Braintree Public Schools, which is "to prepare all students to become responsible and contributing members of a diverse and global society." 2024 will present a number of exceptional financial challenges for the Braintree Public Schools. Because of the Town Charter and government structure in Braintree, the School Committee itself does not have full control over the financial allocation from the town. Thus, School Committee members are limited in actions it can take to improve the financial standing of the public schools. However, as a School Committee member, I will be a strong advocate for improved facilities and school building infrastructure and programs that help all of our students improve their achievement and growth.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

My science background, 15 years of teaching in colleges and universities, and extensive experience in leadership for non-profit associations is distinct. Also, I am in my second year of volunteering as the co-President at the Flaherty Parent-Teacher Organization, where I help organize activities and initiatives to strengthen our school community and family engagement. My favorite activity that I lead is the Flaherty community organic garden, where the students learn science while enjoying the beauty of the Flaherty outdoor classroom.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

2023 MCAS scores indicate that a growing number of students are “not meeting expectations.” We need to disaggregate the data to find the groups of students most in need, identify drivers of this growing gap, and generate solutions.

I pledge to ensure that the School Committee follows policies and regulations to make optimal decisions with the input of all stakeholders, including families, teachers, and staff.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

My educational and professional background as a scientist means that I use data-driven evidence as the basis of my decision-making. My career-proven ability to assemble, process, and analyze diverse datasets has been honed through decades of scientific research and education (published in a college textbook and in both biology and education-centric peer-reviewed journals), including education policy at the international level.

I have built my career on networking communities and relationships to advance learning initiatives. In my role as an education developer at a professional science association, my directive is to help biology faculty improve their quality of teaching through establishing learning communities - every single day I build new relationships through transparent communication, providing useful resources, and, most importantly, taking the time to patiently listen.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Education isn't something you can finish (Quote from Isaac Asimov)

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

In my spare time, I am a leader for several local organizations, which shows my commitment to young people and my community. For instance, I serve as the President of Sustainable Braintree (a local volunteer non-profit), coach the year-round youth swim team at the Hale Family YMCA (the Strypers, in Quincy), and was a volunteer coach for Braintree Summer Track and South Braintree Softball this year.