I believe public education matters, for our kids, our town and our country. I am asking for your vote on March 14th for a seat on the Milford School Board.
Milford is an incredible town full of character! My husband
and I moved here almost 14 years ago to be closer to my
parents and raise our family. I have a degree from BU in
English/Pre-law with a minor in Business Administration and
for the past 12 years I've run a small design firm here in town.
Our schools are highly regarded by many, both in and outside of our district, for the quality and diversity of the curriculum offerings along with the many exceptional educators and staff. I want to make sure we are able to build on this level of quality education in our town for many years to come.
Having spent the last two years volunteering on the School Budget Advisory Committee, I have become familiar with the budget review process, and many of the issues that the School Board and Administration have had to consider for several years now.
I believe in the critical importance a comprehensive education can bring to all of our children. They represent our future, and should be capable and prepared for all of life’s challenges once they graduate, whether they continue on to college or not. Our school district has been trying to deal with declining revenues and rising expenses across the board all while trying to maintain several aging school buildings. Each and every year the Board along with the Administration and the Budget Committee are tasked with finding savings and cutting whatever may be wasteful or unnecessary. Each year this has meant that our town has had to raise property taxes just to maintain the same level of educational offerings at our schools. And most recently, these cuts are getting closer and closer to the core of our children’s education. I am concerned about the fixation on cutting expenses, rather than any time spent focusing on reversing the dwindling revenue streams or, better yet, finding new innovative sources.
I’d like to try and increase the value our schools bring to the entire community, not just for those with children in the various schools. I’d like to increase the connections between the community and the schools, boost participation in the PTO groups and fund-raisers that offer much needed support and money for many enriching extra-curricular activities. And finally, I’d like to brainstorm with you on how to grow our revenue streams, to help fund our district in innovative ways which reduce the need for property tax increases while also increasing the variety of educational offerings. Toward this end, I welcome and encourage any and all input from anyone wishing to become involved.
I look forward with enthusiasm to work with the other individuals on the Board and the administration to tackle the challenges we face with ingenuity, creativity and careful consideration. I know that working together, and making smart choices, we can keep the future bright for our schools and community as a whole.
I am asking for your vote on March 14th.
Thank you!
~ Jenni
