Framingham Candidate Profile: Jessica Barnhill For School Board

FRAMINGHAM, MA — Framingham will have several contested races in the November election, including the District 8 School Committee seat. While several candidates in the School Committee race are running unopposed in their districts, District 8 has a three way race heating up. The field will narrow after the Sept. 17 preliminary election in the city.

Framingham Patch asked candidates in the contested races to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Jessica Barnhill, 38, is running for the District 8 School Committee seat. Her opponents are Leslie White-Harvey and Jim Hansen. Barnhill is a Health and Wellness teacher at Natick High School and has spent the last 15 years as an educator. She has one son.

Are you running for office in Framingham? Contact Samantha Mercado at samantha.mercado@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements to Framingham Patch.

Previously on Patch: Tides Are Turning In Framingham City Council: Election Season

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

In my opinion, inequity is the biggest issue facing the Framingham Public Schools. In district 8 there is an opportunity gap. The existing inequities range from an excessive amount of time spent on a bus to lack of access to high-quality preschool.

We need to focus our efforts to eliminate the disparities in our community. Allocating resources to fund universal pre-k is an important investment. The bottom line is that all of our children deserve this opportunity. However, consider the benefits that would extend throughout the entire district. The age of 3-8 is especially critical to a child. With the implementation of universal pre-k, I predict improvements in school performance, increased student achievement, and positive outcomes for teachers.

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

As a longtime resident and a mother of a child who will be entering the Framingham Public Schools, I am deeply invested in Framingham. I’ve spent the past 15 years as a public-school teacher. I am prepared to start advocating for our children and our teachers.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform:

It is time the children of south Framingham had the same educational opportunities as other students in our community. When do we stop talking theory and confront the real barriers to equity in our community? We must address the social, economic and racial inequities in our system now. We have been talking about it for decades while doing little.

South Framingham needs a new elementary school that provides universal high-quality preschool, with staff and teachers who can relate to students culturally and linguistically. We also need to confront the financial and human cost of busing in our district.

If elected to the School Committee, I will work with other School Committee members to evaluate existing policies in depth, study neighborhood school models and evaluate busing practices, and present our findings with transparency to the public.

Some simple facts to consider are:

3 of 9 elementary schools in Framingham are south of Route 9
2 out of 3 of our students live south of Route 9
Also consider the following regarding the students of south Framingham:

25% are below the poverty line
64% speak two or more languages at home
There is a significant achievement gap throughout the district of south Framingham. The availability of high-quality preschool has a direct impact on school performance.

Thus, students from the southside have significantly different opportunities for preschool than their northside peers. It is time for us to implement the best practices like other districts across our Commonwealth and offer universal high-quality preschool that is fair to all our four-year olds district-wide.

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

Throughout my tenure as an educator, I have served on the Natick superintendent’s advisory committee, building advisory committee, and I have been a part of numerous accreditation committees. I regularly write and implement high-quality, standards-based curriculum. I am proud to be part of a district that is a leader in the Commonwealth with respect to a variety of different initiatives. I can provide valuable feedback to the committee. I offer my experience and knowledge to the Framingham community.

The best advice ever shared with me was ...

"If it is to be, it is up to me." This quote was written in a card I received at my college graduation from my aunt Maureen. It continues to motivate me years later.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I love hearing from members of district 8. I invite you to join me to discuss my vision for district 8. Visit my Facebook page - Jessica Barnhill for Framingham School Committee - for information about my next community dialogue. I look forward to the opportunity to earn your vote.