by Sara Mei

I’m Sara Mei, the student representative on the Lexington School Committee, and I have had the pleasure of working with Eileen Jay for the past three years. Eileen was chairwoman at the time I was elected to serve my sophomore year; she welcomed and helped me get acclimated to what it was like on the School Committee. Being a student representative and a nonvoting member, many overlook the impact that we can have in our communities. However, from the start, Eileen, along with Dr. Hackett, emphasized the importance of student voice, encouraging me to participate and share my ideas. She has mentored me through the ups and downs of serving this amazing Lexington community.

As I grew more accustomed to talking in front of an audience of staff, educators and community members, I realized the profound impact that these elected officials can have on our school community — the simple strike of a pen or a roll call vote can change the entirety of a kiddo’s school experience. I realized how fortunate we are to have elected leaders that truly have the best of LPS students in their heart. Eileen Jay epitomized the characteristics of a leader and what our district needs in terms of caring and compassionate leadership for our students. The best thing that elected officials can do is listen — and listening is what makes Eileen stand out from most.

Being plagued with mostly COVID related discussions for the past two years, I’ve seen Eileen put student and staff safety first through supporting social distancing, masking and all the mitigation measures that we are in the process of easing now our third year into the pandemic. I have watched Eileen tackle divisive issues such as redistricting through hearing from community members impacted by each of the proposed plans. She has reviewed budgets, advocated for curriculum improvements and listened to community members. Being a high achieving school district, she has pushed for academic rigor while paying attention to the student achievement gap and student mental health. Eileen is not afraid to vote based on what she believes is best for students.

I support Eileen Jay for her reelection to the Lexington School Committee.

— Sara Mei, Gleason Road