Ann-Marie Jordan
- Retired educator; integrated preschool director
Do you support the override this June? Which tier will you vote for?
“I do support the override that will be on the ballot this June. Specifically, I support Tier 3/Question 3. To be clear, I do not take asking community members to raise taxes lightly. As a homeowner, I understand how rising costs are difficult.
Specific to the schools, I believe the district leadership team and School Committee have been diligent in identifying areas of the budget to cut. I have come to this conclusion by listening to School Committee meetings, reviewing meeting notes and speaking with the superintendent of schools, School Committee members, Finance Committee members as well as parents and other community members.
I believe that this is a structural deficit that cannot be overcome by just cutting more and more from the budget. If we do, it will not only have a negative impact on students but on the community at large.”
If you’re elected, what are your top three goals for Marblehead schools during your term?
“Overall, my goals for the Marblehead Public Schools align with the goals set out by the school district.
My first goal is to ensure that MPS develops a new strategic plan. The district developed a five-year plan that ends this year. That plan is due to be updated this year. I plan to work with my School Committee colleagues to review and approve a district strategic plan that is developed by the superintendent, with documented input from school and community stakeholders.
My second goal is to work with School Committee members and the superintendent to better understand the assessment protocols that are in place in the schools. Key questions are what are the assessments telling us about student achievement, what do we need to improve and do instructional staff have the resources (curriculum, professional development) to teach and assess effectively.
My final goal is for transparency from the School Committee. Marblehead deserves to know what decisions are made and how they are made, how funds are being spent and the reasons for the financial choices the School Committee makes in order to build trust with the community.
I believe this work has already begun. The subcommittees of the School Committee are meeting on a regular basis with posted agendas and minutes on the school website (marbleheadschools.org). Detailed budget sheets are readily available on the website, and the School Committee is publishing a monthly newsletter. The newsletter is on the school website and is sent to all school families and highlights the current work that is being done by the committee.”
What can the School Committee do to reverse the MPS enrollment drop and bring more kids back into the public schools?
“I believe that there are some limited strategies that the School Committee can implement that could address enrollment decline. For instance, documenting why families are leaving is a strategy other school districts on the North Shore have used. If Marblehead developed an exit survey, it may provide data to help the district address educational issues related to families leaving.
Even with successful family outreach and retention efforts, there is very little the school district can do to impact the larger issues of declining birthrates and the rising cost of real estate that prevents young families being able to afford to move to Marblehead.”
Do you feel the district’s budget is right-sized, given the cuts made in the fiscal year 2027 budget? If not, what changes do you recommend?
“I do believe that the district budget is right-sized going into fiscal year 2027. From my review of budget subcommittee minutes, it is apparent that both school and district leadership worked very hard to make cuts that had minimal impact on front-line work with children. It appears that leadership was creative and thoughtful in their approach to staffing. Additionally, based on state data, Marblehead’s professional teaching staff has declined over the past few years, meaning the right-sizing has been occurring over several years.
However, I feel that we need to make sure that we do not end up with insufficient staffing going forward. School populations are not static. Students come and go constantly throughout the school year. It is imperative that the School Committee work collaboratively with the superintendent to make sure we are meeting our obligation to provide all students with the education and services they are entitled to under the law.”
In a time of tight budget constraints, at least four districts in Massachusetts have cut DEI initiatives or positions, according to a recent story in Commonwealth Beacon. Should such initiatives or positions be a priority in the Marblehead Public Schools budget process? Why or why not?
“First, I want to state that I believe that all students and faculty should feel that they are integral members of the school community. This does not always happen. Without this sense of belonging, some students struggle to succeed in school. These inequitable gaps in school experience and educational outcomes are across ethnic and racial groups, economically disadvantaged students, students with disabilities and English language learners.
This is a local issue and an issue we are obligated to address. Some want to call it DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion). I prefer to call it good, moral practice. No one should feel excluded, less-than or othered. When we all come together to create an inclusive community, everyone is better for it.
As a relatively small district with a tight budget, I believe that we can accomplish this through the following:
- Confront and address prejudice when it occurs.
- Review curriculum and instructional material for potential bias and ensure educational material is culturally and linguistically inclusive.
- Provide meaningful professional development that supports staff in these efforts.
- Continue to provide multi-tiered systems of support for all students.
