Candidate Profile: Shawn Fitzgibbons, Ward 6 School Committee

NEWTON, MA — Shawn Fitzgibbons is running against Paul Levy for Ward 6 School Committee. There are 10 people vying for the eight seats on the Newton School Committee in the Nov. 2 municipal election, as well as contested races for City Council and mayor.

Newton Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles this week.

Fitzgibbons is currently Senior Director of Principal Gifts at Mass General Hospital and has over 23 years of development experience. He has past experience with the Newton Child Care Commission and the Newton Democratic City Committee.

Are you running for office in Newton? Contact Annie Sandoli at annie.sandoli@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate profile and submitting campaign announcements to Newton Patch.

Campaign website

www.shawnfitzgibbons.com

Age (as of Election Day)

47

Position Sought

School Committee Ward 6 (all Newton residents can vote for this office)

Party Affiliation

Office is non partisan, I am registered as a Democrat

Family

Our family, counting non-human members, is very large. My wife Dr. Kate Wissel is a veterinarian at Commonwealth Veterinary Hospital in Newton. Our children are Colin (9) who is in fourth grade at Mason Rice Elementary School, and Claire (11) who is in 6th grade at Bigelow Middle School.

Together, we oversee a small “farm” of pets which includes Tessie (dog), Mosey and Pirate (cats), fish, Spot and Burrito (guinea pigs), Bizou, Poppat and CoCo Bean (rats - they are fantastic pets), and six chickens named Peanut Butter, Jelly, Kiesha, Josie, Rocky and Snugget.

If you'd like to meet my family pets, click here to visit a website that my daughter Claire set up. https://sites.google.com/view/...

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

Bachelor of Arts in Communications- American University in Washington, DC

Master of Arts in International and Intercultural Management from the School for International Training in Brattleboro, VT.

Occupation

Development/23 years. Currently Senior Director of Principal Gifts at Mass General Hospital.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Past Positions:
Commissioner, Newton Child Care Commission- I was appointed to this role by the (then) President of the Board of Aldermen (City Council). The Child Care Commission helps low-income families in Newton access early education services for their children.

Chair, Newton Democratic City Committee- This is an elected role with two-year terms, voted by the NDCC’s three-hundred person plus membership of democratic leaders across Newton. As chair, I led efforts to elect Democrats to serve at the local, state and national levels. I worked hard to inspire volunteers that promote values of diversity, equity and inclusion and support the principles in the national democratic party platform.

Why are you seeking elective office?

I am running for School Committee to ensure that all Newton students are able to access an excellent education.

For me, our community’s highest priority should be to ensure that our children are educated and prepared to be active citizens of the world. This is the true mission of public education in our country – high quality, free education for all students. Here in Newton, we do many things well, and yet there are still opportunities for us to steer closer to that true ideal of public education.

If I am elected to the Newton School Committee, here are my priorities:

Respond to the pandemic
- Keep schools open and safe
- Close pandemic-related learning gaps
- Provide social and emotional support

Maintain academic excellence for all students

Promote anti-racist policies and an anti-racist culture

Attract, support and retain high-quality teachers

Ensure open and transparent communications

Anticipate and plan for fiscal challenges

Expedite school building renovations

Advance environmental initiatives

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

Ensuring we respond to the impacts of the pandemic. What I intend to do is 1) ensure the Newton Public Schools are assessing students and providing learning support as needed to address learning gaps, 2) ensure that the NPS is actively educating families and students about mental health resources and providing assistance to those who needs help. I support using federal relief funds to address learning gaps and mental health care needs. I will ensure the NPS is doing as much as possible to reach out to and support communities who may have been hit hardest by the pandemic.

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

I am running for school committee and not against any specific candidate. I am glad to share experience I have that qualifies me for this role. I have significant experience with youth- and educational-focused organizations as a board member and leader. Professionally, my experience includes academic hospitals and universities. As a volunteer leader, I have been involved with youth-focused non-profit organizations including FamilyACCESS of Newton and the All Newton Music School. I also serve as a Mason Rice School Council member, and previously served on the Newton Child Care Commission. At Family ACCESS and the All Newton Music School I have been closely involved with efforts to return to in-person learning, health and safety, and budget planning related to the pandemic. In my capacity as a Board leader, I have had oversight of CEOs and contract negotiations. My work style is collaborative, open, and honest.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

I am running for an open seat.

How do you think local officials performed in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?

With respect to the schools, local officials worked hard during what was a terrible situation. Looking back, there should have been 1) a more rapid implementation of in-school safety measures such as pooled testing, 2) improved coordination with teachers and staff about the return-to-school plan 3) faster, more innovative planning so that our system could anticipate and be ready for state decisions related to returning to in-person learning and 4) improved communication overall with parents and all those in the NPS community about important decisions that needed to be made during the pandemic. If I were on the School Committee during that time, I would have hoped to have focused on these priorities so that our many students could have returned to the classroom as soon as possible. Overall, I note that the pandemic last year was a terrible and difficult time for all of humanity, including our local officials.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

If I am elected to the Newton School Committee, here are my priorities:

Respond to the pandemic
- Keep schools open and safe
- Close pandemic-related learning gaps
- Provide social and emotional support

Maintain academic excellence for all students

Promote anti-racist policies and an anti-racist culture

Attract, support and retain high-quality teachers

Ensure open and transparent communications

Anticipate and plan for fiscal challenges

Expedite school building renovations

Advance environmental initiatives

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

1) SUCCEEDS IN COMPLEX ORGANIZATIONS
During my career, I have excelled working in large, complex environments where collaboration helps ensure success. At CBS Broadcasting, Cornell University and now Massachusetts General Hospital, I have enjoyed working in a collaborative way to achieve professional goals. I have also worked successfully with Newton's governmental leaders to successfully achieve policy goals. For example, I was closely involved with passing the Welcoming City Ordinance in Newton, and other civil rights policies. As a School Committee member, I will look forward to working collaboratively and positively with diverse interests including educators, school administrators, Newton elected leaders, parents and community leaders.

2) COMMUNITY FOCUSED
Since moving to Newton in 2007, I have been deeply involved in Newton civic life. In addition to serving as a leader with non-profit, youth-focused organizations, I also have worked closely over the years with Newton's elected leaders at both the state and city level to advocate for important causes. I know the City well and look forward to joining the community of leaders who work to keep Newton an amazing place to live and attend school.

3) TEAM PLAYER
Throughout my time living in Newton, I have worked closely with elected leaders at the state and local level. I have strong, positive and collaborative working relationships with our state legislators, and with the Newton Mayor, City Council and School Committee. If elected to the School Committee, I will be able to hit the ground running as part of a team - our city leaders - who will be focused on ensuring our students are always a priority in our community.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Listen more, talk less.

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

I am a strong advocate for environmental issues and in particular sustainable, non-car travel. I am an avid cyclist, biking thousands of miles each year around the Boston Metro Area and all over New England. This past summer, I rode from my house in Newton, in one day trips each, to Bath, Maine, Squam Lake, NH, Portsmouth, NH, and Ludlow, Vermont. I am a member of the Boston Cyclists Union, Mass Bike, Charles River Wheelers and Bike Newton. I strongly support the Safe Routes to School initiative in Newton.