by Ann Boese

I am writing to urge voters to support Eileen Jay for School Committee on Election Day, Monday, March 7. Eileen brings an impressive depth of experience to the School Committee. Professionally, Eileen has a doctorate in education from Harvard, and worked as a researcher, studying and writing about how one teaches and develops critical thinking skills. As an incumbent, and member of the School Committee for the past six years, she has a deep knowledge of how our school system works, the key issues we face in these complex times, and most importantly — how to get things done. With more than 20 years volunteering in our town, both as a parent and a Town Meeting member, she knows and has a demonstrated commitment to our community and its well-being. Finally, Eileen has a particularly important quality in leadership; she is an experienced listener. Eileen is committed to hearing the voices of all — community, students and staff — and what she learns informs her decision-making.

We need steady leadership to guide our schools through the hard work, exciting opportunities and unique challenges ahead. I have no doubt Eileen will provide insightful and sound guidance regarding the academic, social and emotional needs of our students.

— Ann Boese, Spring Street

by Layla Hariry

Please vote to re-elect Eileen Jay to the School Committee.  

I am a Lexington resident since 1998 with three children who have recently gone through the LPS system.  But I am also the daughter of a teacher nearing retirement who also resides in town.  As a family we all feel deeply indebted to all the opportunities Lexington has given my children.  We are unquestionably committed to making sure Lexington schools continue to offer the academic excellence my children experienced for our town’s children in the future.  However, we are also personally mindful of the financial pressures of living in a town that has provided my children incredible golden opportunities I could have never imagined. 

I have know Eileen Jay for over 15 years, since she was an LHS mother organizing a parent support group that met weekly at Lexington High School.  She has enthusiastically continued managing the parent group of recent LHS alumni weekly from that time.  She even arranged to shift it to Zoom throughout the pandemic to offer a lifeline of support and community when all public spaced closed down in-person meetings.  Through these weekly group discussions, coming on two decades, I’ve come to know Eileen Jay’s values, expertise, and personal circumstances.  With a doctorate from Harvard’s School of Education, I appreciate the wisdom she always offers, developed through both years of formal training and hands-on experience as the Chair of the Lexington School Committee.  I have also seen her fortitude and warmth in facing the challenges of juggling college bound high school boys, while also supporting the wishes of aging parents nearing one-hundred, wanting to remain in their home, the home she grew up in Arlington.  

I know the academic ideal and fiscal reality is always a hard circle to square, but I trust Eileen Jay understands, from first hand experiences developed over decades of the critical importance of balancing academic excellence with the needs of all in our community.  So please join me in voting to re-elect Eileen Jay to continue working to make Lexington’s future brighter for all.

— Layla Hariry, Bowker Street

by Eileen Jay

I am excited to announce my candidacy for re-election to the School Committee in the March 4 election.  I truly enjoy the work and love collaborating with others to provide the best educational experience for our students.

As current Chair of the School Committee and member for the past three years, I have played an active role in recent accomplishments of the committee.  I was Co-Chair of the Superintendent Search Committee, which engaged in a thorough, transparent process that included community and staff input.  We are thrilled to have Dr. Julie Hackett as our new superintendent.  As Chair of the Policy Subcommittee, I played a vital role in drafting a new homework policy and other policy revisions.  I have worked on many important issues facing our schools, including increasing enrollment, accessing space needs, design and construction of building projects, student stress and mental health.

I am excited to continue working as a team with my colleagues and Dr. Hackett to address the challenges ahead.  With increasing enrollment, it is vital to address space needs at the high school and other levels in a way that balances capital needs with fiscal concerns.  The district’s efforts on diversity, equity and inclusion aim to embrace the diversity of our student body, support inclusion, and provide equitable opportunities for all students.  I look forward to developing an educational vision that reflects our values and aspirations for student learning and that will establish priorities for the district.  I am committed to continued work on helping students find balance between achieving academic fulfillment and maintaining their health and well-being.

To me, it’s an exciting time to do this work.  I am grateful for the opportunity to enrich the learning experience for our students.  I ask for your support in my re-election.

For more information, visit jayforschoolcommittee.com

Eileen Jay

Waltham Street

by Abby Schwartz, student representative on the School Committee 

This morning I received an email from Eileen Jay, current candidate for the Lexington School Committee asking for my endorsement as the student representative to the School Committee. After researching her and the other candidates I have decided to give her my endorsement. First let me say that I did not find anything wrong with the other candidates, and I think it is important to keep local politics less divisive than national politics. The following are the reasons I am endorsing Eileen Jay:

• She is a parent of recent LHS graduates and seems in tune with the academic and social climate within the schools.
• She is already working to reduce stress withing the schools.
• She favors having the education system in Lexington focus on learning, and instilling a love of learning, rather than on getting into the most exclusive college.
• She is in immediate action to alleviate overcrowding, and is in favor of the budget override. She also favors doing something beyond modulars to fix overcrowding at the high school.
• She has a background in education research around critical thinking and creativity, and worked with Howard Gardner.
• She is able to explain her positions eloquently and clearly without using excess jargon and acronyms.

Abigail Schwartz
School Committee student representative
Concord Avenue

by Barbara Manfredi, Former Principal at Bridge Elementary School

I am writing to endorse the candidacy of Eileen Jay for School Committee.  She is an outstanding candidate and I can personally attest to her excellent qualifications.  As a Bridge parent, Eileen volunteered for years in her two sons’ classrooms and enhanced the curriculum.  Her passion for the Lexington Public Schools was apparent from the beginning. Eileen demonstrated her commitment to students and how they learn.  Eileen has a rich background in educational research.  She understands the challenges facing Lexington.  Eileen is a thoughtful, reasonable woman who advocates for all of our students.

There are many important educational and fiscal decisions to be made and Eileen has the leadership and executive skills to be involved in those decisions.  Eileen is smart and collaborative.  She will provide the necessary balance that the School Committee needs in order to be successful.  Eileen understands the key areas of need and will work toward accomplishing the mutual goals of the group.

I wholeheartedly support Eileen Jay’s candidacy and hope you will join me in casting one of your two votes for her on March 1^st.

Barbara Manfredi, Retired Bridge Elementary School Principal
Taft Avenue

by Olga Guttag

This year we have strong candidates vying for two seats on the School Committee. I am most impressed by Eileen Jay, whom I met during last year’s election campaign season, and with whom I have worked on assorted school-related issues ever since.

Eileen has devoted her life to education, has a graduate degree in an area of education that is most important, and – most of all – has worked as a volunteer in our schools for about 20 years. She did not just stick to the classrooms that her children attended. She offered her considerable skills system-wide. This background gives her an excellent understanding of the programs we offer at all levels in our schools, and their strengths and weaknesses.

A School Committee candidate who has solid working knowledge of school system operations can be an effective elected member from the start.   Eileen will have enough knowledge to understand what questions to ask, and how to evaluate proposals the administration will bring to the School Committee. From my talking to her I know that she will use her rich background to ask the tough questions and, applying her considerable analytical skills, will help her colleagues and the Superintendent strengthen our already excellent schools. 

Since Eileen is and always has been a collegial, supportive and modest person, she will be a true asset to the School Committee.  I expect that our new superintendent will appreciate taking some of Eileen’s ideas and running with them in her usual energetic way. I can’t wait to see the positive energy Eileen will bring to the School Committee.

On March 1^st please join me in casting one of your School Committee votes for Eileen Jay!

Olga Guttag, Former School Committee Member

Emerson Road

by Harvy Simkovits

I’ve known Eileen in many school and town-related capacities over the years. She brings to her School Committee candidacy a PhD in Education, an involvement in the Lexington elementary, middle and high schools, and a desire to help students and parents manage the challenging demands of the Lexington school curriculum and system. She has been very involved with site-based school councils and with school committee members, especially participating in the search and decision to bring on our new superintendent. These varied experiences put her in a great position to represent our community well on the SC. What particularly stands out about her is a desire to listen and learn, and to engage our parents and community in the issues and challenges that face our already great schools. She has her own strong beliefs and works to seek understanding and consensus among parents and peers. She understands and takes into consideration the diverse views and needs of our town. Our Lexington community would be well served by engaging and leveraging her talents for our schools. Do stand with me to vote for Eileen on March 1.

Harvy Simkovits, Angier Road

by Patricia Valda

I met Eileen Jay during a Site-Base School Council/PTA’s joint effort to get parents from our different communities more involved and active in our schools. Right from the start, she impressed me with her incredible experience in our town’s and schools’ related issues, as well as her leadership skills. I have witnessed her drive in embracing responsibilities and commitments with passion, dedication and intelligence, throughout our work together.

Not only an effective advocate of our schools, Eileen has also been a major force behind the efforts to stop one of the biggest problems that our schools face today: Student stress. She was one of the leaders behind a presentation to the School Committee on student stress that lead to the creation of the Ad Hoc Committee for Youth at Risk.  She is the lead author on the report produced by the committee, which had much needed recommendations about stress reduction and management for the schools, town, and community. 

All her years of experience as a parent volunteer, as a Site-Base school Council, and as an academic in education field make her the perfect candidate for our School Committee.

As a mother of three children who currently are in the Lexington schools, as well as a very active Lexington resident, I truly believe that Eileen Jay is the independent, smart, decisive, level-headed leader that we desperately need in the Lexington School Committee.

I ask that you join me in voting for Eileen Jay to the Lexington School Committee on March 1st. If you want to know more about Eileen Jay, visit her website: jayforschoolcommittee.com 

Patricia Valda Luzio, Follen Road

 

 

By Van Seasholes

Eileen Jay has the personal qualities, professional qualifications, and history of service to our community to make her a first-rate member of the School Committee.

I first met Eileen when we were members of a committee planning a memorial to Michael Fiveash, Lexington High School teacher of Latin and mythology.  We were in agreement that Michael was one of the very best teachers we had ever known.  Eileen contributed much to our work.  She listened carefully to other members and made thoughtful comments and suggestions.  She was always willing to take on tasks large and small that needed doing.  The end result was a memorial program in January 2014 at Cary Hall attended by nearly 300 former students, colleagues, parents, and other members of the community.

Eileen, who has a  doctorate in education from Harvard, has worked for twenty years as a parent and community volunteer to help make the Lexington Public Schools the strong institution it is today.  Continue reading →