Q and A with School Committee Candidate – Stephen Nelson

School Committee incumbant Stephen Nelson is back on the ballot this Saturday. He is one of two candidates up for two open spots on the committee so it is a fair bet he will serve another term. However, we thought this would be a good time to catch up with Nelson and ask about why he decided to run again and what he hopes to accomplish in his next term.

Click for the questiona and answer article with School Committee candidate Kristin Russo.

Why do you want to be on the School Committee? Or, since you've already served, what drives you to remain on SC?

“I enjoy working with my fellow School Committee members on solutions to the various educational challenges that face our community. First and foremost, it is of paramount importance for School Committee members to advocate for sufficient funding to maintain reasonable class sizes, attract talented and professional teachers and support staff, and to provide the resources necessary for implementing the programs and curriculum we want and expect our students to master. In this regard, I served for three years on the Ways and Means Committee before was elected to the School Committee. While on the Ways and Means Committee, I served on the School's Subcommittee and was responsible for reviewing proposed budgets and warrant article requests. This service enabled me to understand how the school budget interacts with the town budget and the importance of working with the Board of Selectmen and the town financial team to craft solutions to budgetary issues.

What is your background/experience - professional, in education, and in public service/elected office?

“My family moved to the Town of Burlington when I was a young child, and I attended Burlington's Elementary, Junior High School, and High School. My class was the first full year class graduating from the current Burlington High School campus. Following my graduation from BHS, I attended Boston College, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts Degree (English major). I went on to obtain a Law Degree from Suffolk University Law School, and I have been practicing law in the neighboring community of Billerica for many years. I am a partner in that firm, known as Shea, Dangora & Nelson, and I concentrate in the practice areas of civil litigation, probate and family law and real estate matters.”

Why do you think you will make a good School Committee member?

“I believe that my education, training and experience makes me a strong School Committee member. My colleagues on the committee have elected me as Chairman on three separate occasions, and I believe I have the skills to work well my fellow members and other boards and elected officials in town to better serve the needs of the students of Burlington.”

What do you think are the main issues facing the school district and what would you like to do to address them?

“The Committee has been addressing several important issues facing the district on an ongoing basis, i.e. adequate funding in the face of shrinking budgets; construction of new facilities and securing state reimbursement for the costs associated with same and staying ahead of the curve with respect to technology and updating our curriculum.”

“We need to continue to advocate for sufficient funding to incorporate technology into all levels of learning, particularly at the high school, and we need to adequately train our existing professional staff to utilize technology. We also need to provide equity at the elementary school levels now that the new Memorial School is coming on line in September of 2011.”

What will you strive for if elected to School Committee - other goals?

“We have an outstanding superintendent who is, in my opinion, a visionary leader. He has been wearing several hats since he came to Burlington, and we need to provide him with proper administrative support going forward. We need to continue to provide extra curricular opportunities for all students, without imposing user fees, and we need to continue to support children with special needs. The best way to accomplish that goal is to maintain funding for many of those needs as a fixed expense outside the School Committee budget, an approach the town agreed to several years ago.”

Make sure you get out April 9th and vote in the upcoming town elections.