A very personal note from Megan,

I have had a lot of people ask me why I am running for School Committee. I always seem to stumble when I answer this. There are the expected answers, very real facts, but it goes a lot deeper for me. Equity is huge to me. All kids in this district having equal access to a wonderfully fulfilling education regardless of any differences, is a big one. Having accountability from everyone involved in making sure this happens, again a big one. These are not the driving needs behind why I am running though. Running for this takes a lot of time and energy. I am sure that doing the work will take even more. It is hard to go to all these various meetings, introducing myself to a lot of people, who are all equal in my eyes, with their very real concerns about their children's education. I never really planned to become this involved in the schools but as I became more involved in the schools each year, I realized there was more work to be done. I took the first step by going to a Mark's Meadow PGG meeting, to see what I could to to help out in the school. This lead to the Diversity Study Circle that we did in 2007, then to Diversity Committee and finally the School Governance Council. Last year the School Committee put together a sub-committee called the Amherst Schools Organization Committee, which I also participated in. So I keep taking these steps forward and getting more involved and learning more everyday, about how the schools work.
I want this to be clear, I am not running to save Mark's Meadow from closing, as much as I love that school, I do feel closing it needs to be an option. I am not running to save certain programs, as much I have find tremendous value in them all. I am running because there is a driving need inside me to step up and do something for ALL the kids. When I look at myself in the mirror, I see someone who can help all the kids in this district. I want to see each and EVERY one of these children to succeed. I want to see each of them find their true passions and go out there in the world and make something of themselves, with confidence. Each child has that power in them.

Some have told me I should have waited a year. I couldn't do that. I honestly, could not look at myself in the mirror and like what I see if I did not step up and try, knowing that I could have been the one to do something for these kids. I had not found the words for this until last night. I was sitting there in the Regional School Committee meeting and saw the Middle School Principal get teary eyed at one point, talking about what these cuts mean to the kids. I felt that, deep down in the core of me.

It is easy to get caught up in the campaign, making sure we talk to all the right people, getting to all the events we should go to, having lawn signs up and all the other various things that go on with running a campaign. You can lose sight of why you're running with all the things you have to do. I stopped running for a few minutes last Friday afternoon. I was picking up my oldest son from after school basketball. We had gone early to watch for a little while. Here were all these kids playing simple games of basketball, with all the hopes and dreams that kids have. They were all so excited and into the games. So wonderful to watch. It was a total reminder to me of why I am doing this. For each and everyone of them. This is not about the parents to me. This is directly about the kids. My running for School Committee is coming straight from my heart. I want every single one of those kids to succeed, where ever life takes them. Many will go on to college, some may move on to the wonderful Vocational schools we have, some will go straight to work after graduation. Where ever these children decide to go with their lives, the major job we have, is giving them the best start we can. Give them all the tools they will need to succeed in the world.

People have brought up these questions/concerns to me:

I don't have college degrees, so am I a good candidate? My answer: YES!! I may not have the degrees yet, I do have some college classes done for a degree in Accounting at GCC, which I have taken in between having my kids.

Will I do something with those classes? Honestly, probably not. Accounting came very easy to me so it was an easy decision to take those classes. I have found, in recent years, that I really love being able to help people. I have great empathy and because of personal experiences, I had wanted to go into nursing. For several years now, I have been getting more and more involved in the schools and that passion is finding a new path towards helping children succeed.

So, do I value a college education? MOST DEFINITELY!!

Is it in my deck of cards? Yes, when the time is right for my family and myself.

Do I see that children can succeed without going to college? YES!! My husband is a perfect example of that. He graduated from Smith Vocational in Northampton and stayed with the same company he worked for as his Co-Op job, for 10 1/2 years! He now works for a Newell Rubbermaid Company, Lenox Tools in East Longmeadow and was just promoted to Senior Phone Systems Engineer, after being there just over one year.

I am young! I was 19 when I had my first child. It may not have been an ideal age to start a family, but there were other reasons that I had to have children younger. When I was 17 we found out that I have genetic condition which guaranteed that I would have had colon cancer by the time I was 30. The surgery that I had in July 2005, removed my colon and made an internal pouch instead. This surgery makes it pretty hard to carry a baby to term, so some choices needed to be made earlier than I was planning. Being a mother is the most important thing in the world to me. It gives me more happiness than I could ever imagine!! I got really lucky and found a great husband and we have an amazing family now!! There have been some really difficult challenges to making this work, being so young was a major issue. It took a lot of family support to get us to where we are today. I can relate to a lot of families out there who are dealing with situations similar to this. Young families need support, I would like to continue to build the supports within the schools for these families and encourage them to become more involved in their children's schools.

So why I am running is bigger than the immediate issues we are currently facing. I am running because every ounce of my being is telling me to stand up and fight for these kids. I am running because I can and will do right by all of them. I am running because each and every one of them deserves a chance to be the best they can!!

Why I am running for School Committee

Equity, Excellence & Accountability

Why I am running for School Committee:

I am running for School Committee because I believe every child in this town deserves the BEST education we can offer them, regardless of class, culture, or a parents’ level of education; whether they are a child with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), ELL student or a child who benefits from having extra assignments. The BEST education to me means that children are challenged and encouraged to hold on to their love of learning; holding teachers and administrators to high standards and evaluating regularly to continue teaching for a 21st century world; keeping art, music and instruments in our schools; to increase the communication between teachers and parents. We need to challenge the whole child continually on whichever level they achieve, from preschool all the way through high school graduation. That is what I want our School Committee to achieve and what I will work hard for.

Who I am:

I am a product of the Amherst public school system, having attended the Middle School and eventually graduating from Amherst Regional High School. I have 3 children; this coming fall two will be in elementary school and one in the Middle School. This gives me the unique perspective of knowing the Amherst schools as a student and as a parent. Additionally, I am a parent of one child who requests extra work on a regular basis, and understand the challenges of getting him every thing he needs to perform to his full potential. I also have another child in the SPED system and I work hard with his teachers to reach the goals we have set and to fully integrate him into the regular classroom curriculum and perform at the same level as his peers.

My husband Paul and I have a bi-racial family. Paul was born in Puerto Rico, so we understand and relate to many other families in Amherst who are raising children from different cultures while sending our kids to Amherst's diverse schools. I also live with an extended family member, my dad, Rick. Having the support of my family is very important in this endeavor as a public official. My lifestyle offers me the ability to commit as much time and energy as needed to this elected position.

I have been a very active parent in the schools, one who has been consistently involved in the Parent Guardian Group at Mark’s Meadow, which I currently Co-Chair, I also serve on the School Governance Council, the Diversity Committee and I participated in the Diversity Study Circle at Mark’s Meadow in 2007. Moreover, I have also been a member of the Amherst Schools Organization Committee, organized by our former superintendent, Jere Hochman, to address the issues ahead with redistricting our Elementary schools for equity.

Drawing this picture of my family and my volunteerism to you, the community is my way of saying that I have diverse experience as a mom, a community member and a leader in my children’s school and in the district. I also have had the good fortune of listening and participating in a dialogue that addresses, equity, excellence and diversity issues.

Some solutions:

We are surrounded by extraordinary resources, our 5 Colleges, which, it seems, are underutilized in our public schools. I will work with our Superintendent to reach out to these higher education institutions and encourage them to bring grant-making opportunities to the District, and work on new innovative creative programs, which will directly end up in our classrooms; programs where we can generate better results for our children for less money expended.

We also need to look at ways to use technology to become more of a up to date school system; update our schools websites; make communication easier between families and the schools; look at other districts to find ways that work to improve our own district; use the colleges around us to develop new ideas that help to bring our schools into a productive future.

With any program our District offers I will ask for a new level of accountability. We cannot operate without a strategic plan. A plan with ongoing accountability structures built into it. These structures, once set up, will help our administrators and our Town Manager achieve better transparency with little effort. We should be able to ask for updated results and receive them. We should have a plan where we continually evaluate how these programs are performing, such that we can make adjustments far in advance of any crisis. This is what I will be working towards, for our town.

There is also more that individual schools can do to help. Recently, the four Parent Groups from Crocker Farm, Fort River, Mark’s Meadow and Wildwood, worked on a game called Amherstopoly, which is expected to raise $25,000 for the benefit of all the Amherst Elementary Schools. This project could be the beginning wherein all school parent groups are collaborating to provide ideas, enrichment activities, after school clubs, fine arts performances, and much, much more. This is an example of the collaboration I know is possible between our schools, here in Amherst

We all know the saying “It takes a village to raise a child” and it is very true. Amherst, as a community, can do what is right for our kids, by fostering an educational experience that helps create a well prepared 21st century adult that the Town of Amherst can be proud of.

Questions for me

Hi everyone. I have received a number of requests to do a question and answer section on this blog. At this time, I feel it is best to leave the site as it is. I would however, like to invite you to ask any questions you may have. You can email me at meganrosa@comcast.net or call me at (413)230-3053

Thank you very much for taking the time to read my website.

Remember to register to VOTE

This is just a reminder to make sure you have registered to VOTE by March 11, 2009 to vote in the Town Elections March 31, 2009. You can find this information here.

How to help

These are ways you can help get Megan Rosa elected:

• Register to VOTE by March 11, VOTE on March 31

• Make a donation to the campaign- To make a quick and easy donation online click HERE

• Send donations to:

Megan Rosa for School Committee
C/O Dan Kramer
180 Summer St
Amherst, MA 01002

• Sign up to be on the supporters list

• Host a "Meet and Greet" for Megan

• Ask for a lawn sign to be displayed at your home
  

• Invite your friends to join you in supporting Megan

• Hold signs around Amherst before the election

• Hold signs on election day

If you would like more information about any of these, please email Megan at meganrosa@comcast.net or call (413)230-3053