Medford Election Profile: Michael Ruggiero For School Committee

MEDFORD, MA — Medford's municipal election Nov. 5 will send six people to the School Committee out of a pool of 10 candidates. Michael Ruggiero, 41, is one of five current committee members running for re-election.

Ruggiero was a math teacher for seven years and a farmer for four years. He holds a master's degree and is the father of two boys under five years old.

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

Health:

Bodies do not just carry brains, they are the vehicles of education. In terms of health, here are the issues and my suggested solutions.

While not unique to Medford, food insecurity and obesity are serious issues that we need to address. Currently, about one in six of our students suffer with obesity, problems that can later develop into diabetes, hypertension, and cancer. Also, too many of our students do not know when they are going to eat next. I propose a radical revision of our meals program. While we are slowly moving toward a universal breakfast program in Medford, we need to finalize this program now, ensuring that our students have complete meals to start their day. We have some great people in our district working on nutrition, but the school committee needs more directly control our meal program. Pizza should not be a default option for children. Rather than looking at food services as an income source meeting basic FDA standards, we need to teach lunch like any other class. Food is not just fuel, but the foundation of a child’s education.

Once food insecurity is addressed, we must make sure that recess is a part of every child’s life. We can’t expect children to sit for hours unless they have time to run and frolic. Unstructured time is not only healthy, but it also allows the mind to digest what is learned in class. I would also like to open up enrollment for students in all sports. I remember, as a chunky child, being cut from my basketball team and in retrospect, while I didn’t deserve a spot on the starting five, running sprint drills would have been a great use of my time. If a kid wants to play, we should let them, even if they aren’t ready for the starting lineup.

Finally, I believe we need a city wide ban on the sale of vaping products in our borders. I have spoken with many parents worried about the encroachment of vaping not only in our middle schools, but also our elementary schools. Some of these products are designed to be concealed with candy flavors marketed to children.

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

Currently, I am the only certified teacher sitting on the school committee. I believe my class room experience gives me unique insight into both curriculum and the challenges that a modern teacher faces every day.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform:

I would like to make schools more accessible and transparent for parents. We need to post our materials online, not just the agenda. As a member of the school committee, every week I am given a packet of information about planning, curriculum, and the progress of our schools. Other than confidential material, we need to post these packets online. Many cities have implemented this plan, and it has increased parent participation and understanding in every community that has moved in this direction. It is difficult to follow our committee as we discuss papers not in your hands.

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

In these past two years we have completed many projects that were important to us. Beyond selecting a new Superintendent, we have restructured the Science and Mathematics curriculum, we have improved communications between the district and the PTOs, we have begun to address some of the inequities between our middle schools, and we have extended the timeline for budgetary review.

The best advice ever shared with me was ...

Dao Te Ching - Chapter 17

When a Master takes charge,
hardly anybody notices.
The next best leader
is obeyed out of love.
After that,
there’s the leader obeyed out of fear.
The worst leader is one who is hated.

Trust and respect people.
That’s how you earn
their trust and respect.

The Masters don’t give orders;
they work with everybody else.
When the job’s done,
people are amazed
at what they accomplished.

(Translation: Ron Hogan)

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

My name is Michael Ruggiero and I want to thank you for the opportunity to continue to serve you on the School Committee. In these past two years we have completed many projects that were important to us. But much work remains, and I hope you will help me focus on two main areas that I believe present the greatest challenge for Medford moving forward: health and transparency. I hope I will have a chance to meet you personally as I knock on doors over the next few weeks, otherwise, please feel free to call me at 781-866-2191.