Norwood 2022 Candidate Profile: Joan Giblin

NORWOOD, MA - Norwood voters will have a big choice to make in the School Committee race.

There are two seats up for election on Monday, April 4. Incumbent Joan Giblin is seeking reelection. There are four challengers in the mix: Tylor Tourville, Michael Condon, Mark Whouley and Katie Sibbing-Dunn.

To help voters get to know each candidate, Norwood Patch sent all five a questionnaire to probe their thoughts on school issues. Here's what Giblin had to say.

Age as of Election Day: 45

Position sought: School Committe

Party Affiliation: Independent

Family: I am married and have two elementary school children

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

B.A. from Colby College, M.A. in History from the University of Chicago, PhD from Old Dominion University, Master of Legal Studies expected 2022.

Occupation

Assistant Teaching Professor, Graduate School of Education at Northeastern University.

Co-Faculty Lead for the M.Ed. in Higher Education Administration and Dissertation Lead for the EdD program

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Elected to School Committee in 2019

Campaign website: https://www.facebook.com/joang...

Why are you seeking elective office?

When I was first elected in 2019, my goals were to combine responsible fiscal stewardship and management with best-in-class education. I have done that over the past 3 years, through a pandemic. I wish to continue this work.

My goals for her second term include:
*Creating a monthly newsletter to improve parent communication
*Ensuring the best possible outcomes for the middle school building project
*Implementing updated policies
*Continuing sound financial stewardship

The single most pressing issue facing our board is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The single biggest issue is communication. The school committee has not crafted a communication strategy so that parents know where to look for information most pertinent to them. Some information is sent home via backpack, some through emails, some through robo-calls, and some through school newsletters. This can be remedied by streamlining communications into a more manageable form and ensuring that we have one approach. I plan to address this in my next term if elected.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

The most critical difference is that I have a track record of delivering on my promises. As the incumbent, voters can see how I voted and what I have done during unprecedented times.
I was part of the school committee that:

*Kept to the override pledge of limiting non-mandated growth to under 3.5%
*Supported robust remote learning options during the pandemic
*Negotiated five union and association contracts, plus memorandums of understandings due to the pandemic
*Voted to combine joint facilities with the town to improve efficiency
*Created a special education stabilization fund with the town to reduce unforeseen shocks to the budget

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

Over 50% of our students qualify as “high needs.” This means they are either English Language Learners, require special education, or are economically disadvantaged. We need systems and curriculum that addresses ALL of our students. If we want our test scores to rise, if we want to improve our school system, we must take an unflinching look at how to best do this. We must provide a curriculum that enhances the growth of all our students.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

During the past three years, we have faced unprecedented challenges. My past votes demonstrate that I fulfill promises. During the pandemic, we kept to our override pledge and still funded a remote school option well beyond requirements and what other districts in our area offered.

During the pandemic the Norwood School Committee:
*Provided Chromebooks for every NPS student, first grade through high school, to ensure all students had the tools to access remote learning
*Provided wi-fi hotspots for students without home internet access
*Secured grants to expand the school lunch program to make sure students and their families had continued access to healthy breakfasts and lunches
*Kept NPS teachers employed without cutting salaries or positions
*Implemented innovative solutions for remote learning, resulting in more direct instruction time for NPS students compared to other districts
*Reallocated budget to enable the district to hire needed staff for remote learning