Newton School Committee: Chris Brezski To Run In November

NEWTON, MA — A Newton father of two is running to replace School Committee member Margaret Albright of Ward 2, whose term ends this year.

"Newton Public Schools are Newton’s greatest asset, and as an NPS elementary parent I want to safeguard the district's future as a leader in education," Chris Brezski said in a statement Friday announcing his campaign.

Brezski has two children in the system and has taught economics at New York City high schools as a volunteer. More recently he has been active in advocating for an increase in safe in-person education in Newton this past year, coordinating a push among residents to ask for a medical task force made up of experts to advise the district on reopening.

"The impact of this pandemic will be felt long after students have returned to their classrooms, and we will need strong leadership from our School Committee to create an environment where our schools can address the impact of the pandemic disruptions and ensure that NPS thrives," he said.

Beyond a full September reopening, Brezski said he plans to focus on finding ways to make the budget sustainable, support a robust curriculum, deliver instruction and targeted support within reasonable class sizes.

"We will have to address our kids’ social and emotional growth on the heels of the pandemic, and further address inequities that have been exacerbated by remote and hybrid learning models," he said. "All of this will require critical thinking, creativity and transparency."

Brezski said he's spent more than 20 years in leadership roles requiring analysis-driven decision-making, creativity, and the ability to adapt to changing circumstances as an institutional investment manager will help him to that end.

"I have built businesses and managed through crises," he said. "I collaborate with others toward common goals despite sometimes having divergent or competing interests. I believe that a sound decision-making process is necessary to have the confidence to transparently own those decisions. These skills will enable me to make an immediate and meaningful impact on the School Committee."

In addition to Albright, Ruth Goldman of Ward 6 and Bridget Ray-Canada from Ward 1 are also stepping off the board and leave vacancies in the November 2021 election. So far, Shawn Fitzgibbons, former chair of the Newton Democratic Party, and Paul Levy have both said they will run for Goldman's open seat.

Previously: Newton School Committee Member Says She Will Not Run Again

Jenna Fisher is a news reporter for Patch. Got a tip? She can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna). Have a something you'd like posted on the Patch? Here's how.