Norwood 2022 Candidate Profile: Michael Condon

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 Michael Condon had to say.

Age as of Election Day: 40

Position sought: Norwood School Committee

Party Affiliation: KidsBeforePolitics

Family: Wife: Megan. Children: Luke (10), Blake (8) and Patrick (6)

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? No

Education: Masters in Finance

Occupation: Audit & Compliance Professional (18 years)

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office: Not Applicable

Why are you seeking elective office?

To ensure that all Norwood Students receive the best possible education, in a safe environment, that is free from personal political beliefs.

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

The school start time change with an implementation of September 2022 is the most pressing issue. It simply does not work for working families - especially those with older siblings who could watch their siblings when they get home from elementary school. This means that families are now expected to pay for extended day for an additional 2 to 4 hours per day, per child.

Young children need more sleep - not less. This will directly impact our young students who need more sleep.

For parents with young children not quite at the middle school level, this time change could directly impact your financial situation, at a time when you no longer would expect to pay for childcare, if not overturned immediately. As such, I intend to overturn this decision.

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

I’m the only candidate who explicitly stated that mandatory masking is no longer needed. Period. Families can and should be able to choose what works best for themselves when it comes to masking.

I’m the only candidate to explicitly state that the school start time change decision should be overturned and I will be at the forefront of making this happen-whereas others have either voted for the change - or will consider looking into this issue. Also, some candidates have started to alter their original stance since they have seen this topic become a controversial centerpiece of this election. I have never wavered on this issue.

I’m the only candidate to admit that I don’t have all the answers - but will work with stakeholders to figure it out.

I’m the only candidate to acknowledge that this is “The People’s” seat and will listen to the ‘will of the people.’

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community?

They did not listen to the will of the people regarding school start time changes. It was recently suggested that surveys should be provided to families to reassess the decision to identify any potential impact to working families. The negative impacts were clearly communicated to the School Committee. I’m all for surveys and feedback, but this demonstrates that the petition against the time change, which was signed by ~500 Norwood residents in less than 24 hours, was ignored. Similarly, months of commentary during the public forum against the time change was ignored.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

I will put Kids before Politics.

Parental choice matters. Mandatory masking needs to be a thing of the past.The kids should see their classmates and teachers smile. (Masks should be optional)

I believe that sufficient resources should be directed to special education students and mental health services. The well-being of our students is critical.

Parent input and involvement matters. I will ensure curriculum transparency. Parents should know what their kids are learning - and have input. I will also make sure the School Committee agenda is sent to all parents in advance of School Committee Meetings once posted in accordance with M.G.L. This will allow parents to assess what matters to them and their level of participation.

Community input matters. If elected, I will meet with Administration, Principals, Teachers, School Staff, Coaches, Students, PTO’s, Parents and other key stakeholders within the first 90 days to listen to what is working well and what can be improved.

Fiscal Responsibility matters. My background in the financial services sector has prepared me well for this responsibility.

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

In my professional life (audit and compliance), it’s been my job to find things that are broken and fix it. I will remediate anything that needs fixing, including any process inefficiencies. I do this every day.

I helped my 3 boys with remote learning while working full-time (we all did, so this is a shared accomplishment that we should all be proud of - and glad that we will NEVER have to do it again.)

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Sweat the small stuff. It matters.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I will reiterate my positions on key issues:

Mandatory masking needs to be a thing of the past. The kids should see their classmates and teachers smile. Masks should be optional. Parental choice matters.

I believe that sufficient resources should be directed to special education services and mental health services. These services matter.

I believe the school committee agenda should automatically be sent to all parents in advance of the meeting, once posted in accordance with MGL. This will allow parents to assess what matters to them and their level of participation. Parent involvement matters.

I’ve been against school start time changes since the day I announced my candidacy, and my position will not change.

If elected, I will meet with the School Administration, Principals, Teachers, School Staff, Coaches, Students, PTO’s and Parents within the first 90 days to listen to what is working well and what can be improved. Community input matters. #ConnectCondon