Name: Henry Gwazda
How long have you lived in town? 12 years
Profession: Graphic design manager at Cell Signaling Technology
Elected and appointed positions: This will hopefully be my first.
What are your goals for the next three years should you be elected?
My primary goal is to rebuild trust and be a vocal advocate for our schools. We need the town to know that the School Committee can manage its core responsibilities, not get distracted by hot-button issues, and trust administrators to do their jobs. We need our educators to trust that the School Committee is their partner, not their adversary, and they can rely on us to listen to them and advocate for funding and resources. And we need the students to know that we are effective stewards of their education and personal growth. We need to keep focused on a specific and measurable set of goals that reflects the primary responsibilities of the School Committee and the concerns of the students, our educators and the town. We owe it to our kids to provide them with effective governance for a successful and enriching experience in our schools.
After the turbulence of the last three years, what issues would you have handled differently, and how?
I respect the incumbent committee members for volunteering their efforts, but I would have done things differently. There were many mistakes made during the teachers’ contract negotiations. The biggest was damaging the relationship between the town and our educators. It was a missed opportunity for joint advocacy for school funding and to collaborate on a shared financial challenge. The failure to effectively manage the MHS roof project is not only a project oversight mistake, but it illustrates a larger issue. Many in town want to fund the schools but don’t think the School Committee can manage that money. I think the insistence on creating a flag policy was misguided. We should leave that to the school administrators. The subcommittee asked for feedback, and the community, the teachers and, particularly, the students stepped up and were ignored in favor of bad advice from their lawyer. Our town deserves better representation.
What skills and experience would you bring/add to the committee?
I have roots in public education through my own schooling and teacher parents, and with my daughters in our school system (one heading to kindergarten). My wife is also actively involved as a substitute and garden teacher. I’m deeply invested in our schools’ success. The skills I’ve developed in 20-plus years as a graphic designer translate directly to the School Committee. Design thinking means understanding needs, challenging assumptions and finding innovative solutions. My job is problem solving, presenting and defending proposals, gathering and acting on feedback and managing projects and timelines — skills essential for the School Committee. I have experience setting and managing goals and deadlines for me and my team. Leading design teams for over a decade has also taught me how to manage, evaluate and advocate effectively. These experiences prepare me well for the challenges ahead on the committee.
Given orders from the federal government to restrict DEI, where do you stand on diversity, equity and inclusion curriculum and programs in Marblehead schools?
I value DEI in our schools. There is strength in recognizing, valuing and discussing our differences. This is especially meaningful in an academic setting. Exposure to diverse perspectives enriches the learning experience, broadens understanding and helps students develop critical thinking skills. We rely on equity in education to ensure that students with unique needs get the specific resources they need to overcome barriers and succeed. We want to foster an inclusive school culture where everyone feels a sense of belonging and feels safe to express themselves. Effectively promoting DEI in our schools leads to improved academic outcomes, better social and emotional development, increased engagement, less bullying and discrimination, and prepares our students for the challenges of the diverse world they are graduating into.
