Arlington Vision 2020 Education Task Group Meeting

Vision 2020 Launches
Education Task Group

Group plans to work
with School and Town Leaders on a Broad Range of Education Issues

ARLINGTON, MA, Vision 2020 is excited to announce the launch
of its new  Vision 2020 Education Task
Group, which will hold its first meeting Wednesday, February 26th.

Dormant for more than 10 years, the Education Task Group has


been revitalized under the new leadership of Michael Stern and Danuta Forbes.

Stern and Forbes are both Town Meeting Members and parents of children at the

Brackett School.

"We felt it was important to develop an Education

planning group that covers a wide range of issues," explained Stern.

"While the Arlington Education Foundation doles out grants for specific

education projects, and the PTOs are school specific, we felt a group working

on long-range planning across the board-- Academics, Buildings, Budgets-- would


be essential for our burgeoning Town."

The Standing Committee of Vision 2020 approved the new group


at a December 2013 meeting that included School Superintendent, Kathleen Bodie.

Mary Harrison, Vision 2020 Co-Chair stated, "Given the challenges facing

the schools - increasing enrollments and the need for major  improvements to the high school among them -

it is important to revitalize Vision 2020's Education Task Group."

"I'm looking forward to the Vision 2020 Education Task Group


making contributions," said School Committee member, Jeff Thielman.


"We can certainly benefit from getting Education related questions onto


the annual Vision 2020 survey, which can help guide our thinking on some


issues."

Near term goals the group plans on tackling include:

such as the 3rd and 4th grade Math morning sessions at Brackett.

-- Explore the use of University education students as


interns in the classroom, helping to assist teachers.

-- Craft questions for the Annual survey that 1) help


educate the Town citizenry re: current issues for the schools such as low


teacher pay, need for building improvements; and 2) help measure the appetite

of the citizenry to approve financial mechanisms to achieve Education goals.

-- Work with and promote existing Town Education groups such


as AEF, PTOs, Advisory Councils; as well as other Vision 20/20 Task Groups that

might have overlapping concerns/ agendas such as Diversity and Fiscal


Resources.

The first meeting will be held at the lower level of


Jefferson Cutter House/ Dallin Museum (611 Mass. Ave.) at 7pm. Anyone with an

interest in Education issues is welcome to attend.

Contacts:

Michael Stern, Group Co-Chair, 617-620-4606

Danuta Forbes, Group Co-Chair, 781-316-8257