Wayland 2022 Candidate Profile: Erin Gibbons, School Committee

WAYLAND, MA — In 2022, Wayland voters will get to choose between two new candidates running for school committee: Erin Gibbons and Craig Gruber. Incumbent Kim Reichelt withdrew from the race in March.

Gibbons, an attorney at Bowditch & Dewey, has served on multiple Wayland school councils and is a youth soccer coach in town. She is a graduate of Suffolk University Law School and Fairfield University in Connecticut.

Wayland Patch sent both Gruber and Gibbons a candidate questionnaire to allow voters to get to know them better. Here's how Gibbons responded:

Name: Erin Nicole Gibbons
Age: 38
Occupation: Attorney
Ties to Wayland schools: This September, I will have a 10th grader, 6th grader, 3rd grader, and 1st grader. I have experience with all three levels of the district and have participated with the PTO, principal and assistant principal search committees, and I have coached multiple soccer teams.
Experience as an elected official: Elected to School Council at Happy Hollow, Wayland Middle School and am co-chair of the high school Council.

Why are you running for a seat on the Wayland School Committee?

I am running for a seat on the Wayland School Committee, because I want to provide a student centric, balanced, and solution focused voice for the community that will confront problems head on while constructively working toward positive resolutions through open and respectful communication. I am in tune with the Wayland community as I have been an active participant in the schools, athletics, and other activities for the 16-plus years I have lived here. As an active listener, I know community members feel encouraged to share openly and honestly with me. I want to use my knowledge of the community and my role as a trusted partner and problem solver to continue to serve Wayland by taking a more active and committed position as a member of the School Committee.

What's the biggest issue facing Wayland Public Schools and what would you do about it?

This is a toss up for me; I have narrowed this down to two issues. The two biggest issues that I see facing the Wayland Public Schools are: 1) the communication and collaboration between the teachers, administration, superintendent, parents and students is strained, and 2) equity for all of our learners in the district.

I would address the 1st issue by encouraging positive and respectful discourse between all of the stakeholders in the school district: students, teachers, parents, administration, the Superintendent and the School Committee. By treating members of the school community with kindness and respect, I think that we can begin to increase the dialogue between the parties and encourage a more harmonious working environment that best supports each and every learner and elicits confidence in our district from parents.

To address the second issue, I believe that the school committee needs to work closely with Superintendent Omar Easy to ensure that all of our district’s students are receiving an equal educational experience. For example, we should not have one elementary school that is “better” than another, whether that be in the facilities, the technology, or the class size. The School Committee can support this by revisiting policy at the district level to ensure equal opportunity and outcomes for all students in the district regardless of what their address is.

DESE lifted its mask requirement earlier this year, but coronavirus continues to circulate widely in Wayland and Massachusetts, and there will likely be surges next winter. Would you support bringing back a mask mandate? Why or why not?

None of us really know where the pandemic is going, but I certainly hope we are getting to a place where it will be endemic. I am glad that DESE and our School Committee have made the decision to make masks optional at this point in time. I hope that the climate in the schools is such that those that choose to wear a mask can feel comfortable in doing so without ridicule or judgment. I truly hope that we do not need to reinstate a mask mandate but I am in favor of doing all we can to keep our students physically in school to best support all of their needs.

If you could snap your fingers and fix or change one thing in the school system, what would it be?

While I will certainly have a period of acclimation if elected to the School Committee, I already know that the status of our school facilities leaves much to be desired. Research has shown that the quality of school facilities impacts student learning. If I could snap my fingers to change one thing about our school system, it would be to optimize our facilities. Students and teachers benefit immensely from positive surroundings and having facilities that are subpar undermine the well-being and performance of the students and the teachers. Our middle school had flooding in January that ended up exposing a mold problem and now two classrooms have been forced to close and modulars must be used which have eliminated the use of the new pickleball court. Not only is this disappointing and discombobulating for the students, teachers and staff, but it also takes away the use of a fun outlet for kids during their non-classroom time. We need to best support our students and teachers by providing safe, up to date and size appropriate facilities so that they have the best environment to thrive in. The School Committee can best address funding the proper maintenance and upkeep of existing buildings and the potential for new buildings with a responsible budget that maximizes all available external grants and funding sources so as not to sacrifice the learning opportunities for our students.