Milford Candidate Profile: Jennifer Parson For School Committee

MILFORD, MA — Four local residents are running for Milford School Committee in the 2020 spring election, including three newcomers and incumbent Jennifer Parson — the committee's chairperson.

Parson, 51, an assistant superintendent in Hopkinton, has already served two terms on the Milford School Committee. She wants to keep her seat as the district expects to see a rise in student growth in the coming years. That will bring challenges for school buildings, especially the high school and Stacy Middle School, she says.

Patch sent questionnaires to candidates running for the School Committee and Board of Selectmen candidate. Here's more about what Parson told us about why she's trying to keep her seat:

Family: Kyle, husband; Eva, Milford High School Junior; Ben, Stacy Middle School 8th grader
Education: CAGS in Educational Leadership, Bridgewater State University; M.Ed in Curriculum and Instruction, Lesley University; B.S. in Elementary Education, University of Rhode Island
Occupation: Assistant Superintendent, Hopkinton Public Schools (2 years); Principal, Lincoln Street School, Northborough Public Schools (7 years); Principal, Center School, Hopkinton Public Schools (7 years); Assistant Principal, Israel Loring School, Sudbury Public Schools (3 years); Teacher, Natick Public Schools (7 years)
Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office: Milford School Committee (6 years...two full terms)
Campaign website: Jennifer Parson for Milford School Committee

Why are you seeking elective office?

A resident of Milford for 23 years, I have been honored to spend the last 6 years as a member of the Milford School Committee. Additionally, throughout my career, I have worked in several Massachusetts communities as a middle and elementary school teacher, an assistant principal, principal, and now assistant superintendent.

Serving on the school committee has afforded me the opportunity to advocate for excellence in the Milford Public Schools. This work has included: supporting valuable programs and positions, collaborating on responsible budget preparation, negotiating contracts with our unions, contributing to policy development, improving our technology infrastructure, hiring a forward thinking superintendent, and celebrating the opening of the Woodland School. I have had the distinct privilege of seeing our students’ accomplishments as they leave MHS prepared for their next chapter, whether that is the job force, the military, or a college experience.

Our school committee is positioned to face the challenge of Milford’s rapidly growing student population, combined with some of our aging and overcrowded facilities. I very much embrace the possibility of contributing to this important work for 3 more years.

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

We have an aging high school which is no longer able to meet the needs of our current and future programs. In addition to the challenges associated with the high school facility (along with its systems that are nearly 50 years old), we have a rapidly expanding student population; our current facility is getting to the point where the building itself is impeding our ability to provide instruction to the best of our educators' abilities. Likewise, we have rapidly growing enrollment at Stacy Middle School, which is also in need of a plan that will allow for appropriate instructional space in which to educate our students.

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

A benefit of having 7 elected officials is that we have a committee of individuals with varied backgrounds, experiences, talents, and strengths. I am proud to bring my 25 years of firsthand experience in the classroom, in school buildings, and in a central office setting to my seat on the board. Having served the Milford community as a school committee member for the past 6 years, including this past year as the chairperson, also allows me to bring my experience working with the Milford Public Schools and other branches of our town government to the table.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

Facilities: We have much work to do as a school committee. First and foremost, we need to focus on our aging buildings and crafting a plan that will result in a solution that is educationally sound and that is endorsed by the Milford community.

Student Needs: Milford has seen a rise in the needs of our individual students. We have students with significant emotional challenges that can be very complex to navigate for our school faculty, a rising poverty level which impacts our students' ability to focus on learning, and we have a growing number of students who require instruction as they learn the English language.

Preparing Students For Post-Secondary Experiences: Our school administration and our educators are working to best align our curriculum with the MA curriculum frameworks, including focusing their attention on available data to help inform excellent instruction. In addition, our HS is focusing attention on the varied ways in which students can be supported to explore various pathways that will offer them a foundation in many areas including the trades, STEM fields, early college access, and pathways towards success prior to their high school graduation.

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

The voters of Milford demonstrated their confidence in me during my two previous elections. I have worked tirelessly to support our students, educators, administration, and community through work on items such as: the opening of a new Woodland School, the successful negotiation of union contracts, and the hiring of many school administrators including our Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, and Director of Student Services. During my time in Milford, we have seen incredible growth in our technology infrastructure, instructional programming, and in the devices that are supplied to our students. I have received outreach and requests for assistance by community members over my six years and I feel that I have been able to provide people with sound advice using my knowledge of the Milford Public Schools, as well as my 25 years of first-hand experience in "how schools work." I am proud both of the work that has been accomplished during my 6 year tenure, and of the congenial working relationship that has been forged between our committee members and the school administration and teachers' association.

The best advice ever shared with me was

I am fortunate to have a father who has imparted much wisdom over the years. I continue to abide by his advice of, "If you have a problem, it will always seem the most daunting at night. Sleep on it, and things always seem better in the morning.

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

School committee members make an incredible commitment to the towns in which they serve. Thursday night meetings are only one small part of the incredible scope of these positions. I have been an invested, dedicated member of the Milford School Committee for 6 years. I remain inspired by the prospect of serving our amazing town for 3 more years, and I would be most grateful for your support and your vote on April 7.