Wayland 2023 Candidate Profile: Erin Mueller, School Committee

WAYLAND, MA — Wayland's school committee race will likely be the most closely watched in the April 25 election with four newcomers vying for two seats being vacated by incumbents.

One-term member Chris Ryan and longtime member Jeanne Downs have both opted not to run for reelection this year. Candidates Craig Gruber, Dovie King, Erin Mueller and Christina Rodrigo have filed to run for the seats. Gruber ran unsuccessfully for a school committee seat last year, while King ran unsuccessfully in 2022 for a select board seat.

The two new members will join the committee at an inflection point. In February, the committee put Omar Easy on leave from his job as superintendent, and has not yet given a reason for the divorce. Easy then filed a discrimination complaint with the state against Wayland; Ryan and Vice Chair Ellen Greico were also named in the complaint.

Since then, the committee has voted to hire a former Newton superintendent to take the helm for one year as interim superintendent — an indication that Easy will likely not return to the job.Several other key Wayland school leaders have also departed, and the district will begin searching for replacements soon.

To help Wayland voters get to know the school committee candidates better, Wayland Patch sent each candidate questions about why they're running for a seat. Here's how candidate Erin Mueller responded.

Why are you running for the school committee in 2023?

My name is Erin Mueller and I would like to earn your vote on April 25. As an active member of the Wayland Community for 17 years I have a unique perspective that combines a multi-generational pulse on community needs, three children that will soon span high school, middle school, and elementary school and a reputation for being a trusted sounding board amongst my peers. I hold this responsibility in the highest regard, and it is what drives my campaign for School Committee.

My family and I continue to find ways to give back to the programs, services, teams and schools that connect us to our community. Serving on the board for the Wayland Public Schools Foundation for the past five years I have gained valuable insight into the demands on the school budget and the needs of our educators. Annually, Wayland teachers submit grant requests geared toward enriching the core curriculum, providing new technology, and cutting edge programs that would otherwise go unfunded. I am proud to be part of the solution in coordinating events to raise awareness and donations, alongside networking with our educators to serve as a resource during the grant process. I am also actively involved in school and community initiatives including serving as a room parent, library volunteer, 5th grade activities coordinator, compost educator and “Just Like Me” program volunteer. I co-coordinated the DCF Holiday Gift drive, founded the Happy Hollow “Spirit Wear” program, fundraised for Wayland Youth Lacrosse, and chaperoned the Nashoba Ski Program. In short, when there is a need I show up and get the job done.

Should I be elected to serve in the role, I will work hard to earn the trust of each member of our community. I will lean on my business acumen and experience to provide a unique and unbiased perspective on the committee. I will share more than 20 years of sales, marketing, recruiting and executive level business and management experience. I will foster collaborative working relationships and bring people to the table to inspire critical thinking, constructively evaluate information and build consensus.

The removal of Superintendent Omar Easy has been the top issue in the district recently. How would you grade the school committee on its handling of that situation, and what would you have done differently?

As mentioned below, we do not have the information as to what transpired to warrant putting Dr. Easy on leave. I am going to assume best intent and understand that the school committee is working hard to move our district forward.

To avoid arriving at this seemingly irreparable situation again, I will identify the processes that led us here. I will establish strong hiring practices, constructive review processes, collaborative and consistent feedback to ensure that our next superintendent is well positioned to lead effectively.

The school committee has not said why it put Easy on leave. Do you feel the public has a right to know why that happened?

I feel more transparency is needed, however, I am unable to comment on how much transparency is possible given the current situation. While our school committee may want to be more transparent with the community, the situation remains a personnel and HR issue which are protected matters. I would like to see communication guidelines built into our policies, ensuring the community is engaged to the degree possible in the future.

Do you want Easy to return as superintendent, or do you feel the district should sever his employment permanently?

Regardless of my personal opinion, it is irresponsible for me to comment without access to the same level of information that the current school committee has. It is the responsibility of the School Committee to ensure we have a superintendent and stable leadership in place. With the upcoming departure of Dr. Graham on July 1, the School Committee has hired an Acting Superintendent to provide stable leadership despite the current uncertainty.

Easy is the district's first Black superintendent, and the first Black leader perhaps ever in Wayland. He was subject to public racist taunting and has filed a discrimination complaint against the district and key officials. Do you think there's a problem with racism in Wayland schools, and if so, what would you do about it?

It is my whole hearted belief that every single person holds a responsibility to embrace our human differences. The greatest challenge I have seen recently in Wayland is that we have been unwilling to accept a difference of opinion, priorities, and are unable to communicate effectively. We lack respect and trust in one another. It should be our priority to create an environment for our students where each human being feels heard, respected and supported, regardless of our differences. Our students learn from the examples of their caregivers, teachers, administrators and peers. It is our responsibility to emulate our own ability to respect one another. We are adults - we can do better.

Wayland has also seen other top administrative leaders exit in recent months. How would you handle replacing those positions as a school committee member?

While it’s true that Wayland has lost some of our leaders with incredible institutional knowledge, our district remains rich with collaborative, highly skilled and dedicated teachers and leaders. It is evident through the qualified applicants we have received that Wayland continues to be an attractive district.

The School Committee is responsible for hiring the Director of Finance and Superintendent and oversees the Superintendent. The emphasis on selecting the most qualified, collaborative and transparent leader has never been more important.

I will lean into my professional recruiting and management experience. I recently served as a recruiter, hiring for both interim and permanent placements. I will ensure that we apply recruiting best practices while building connections to better understand personal experiences and demeanor. I will advocate for formal evaluation tools which will allow the committee to analyze feedback in an actionable manner. A formal process will safeguard our requisite qualifications, experience and interpersonal skills that are mandatory for the candidate to advance through the recruitment and annual review process.

Wayland is ready to welcome long term leaders. We will have the opportunity to slow down, carefully consider, dig deep into references and offer opportunities to get to know the candidates. It’s important that we bring back a culture where we feel personally invested in one another and each team member feels their opinions are valued and considered. Personal investment, professional respect and collaboration need to be evident from the bottom up and the top down.
Over time, through thoughtful leadership and transparent communication we will rebuild trust and move forward.

As far as academics, what's one thing Wayland Public Schools is doing well, and what's one area where it needs improvement?

Wayland is one of the top school districts in Massachusetts. With so many outstanding accomplishments it is difficult to highlight just one strength. I recently had the privilege of meeting with the Wayland Student Press (WSPN) and was incredibly impressed by their professionalism. I was pleased to see WSPN recognized by ranking among 16 schools awarded the 2023 First Amendment Press Freedom Award. Cheers!

Wayland is very strong in our support of typical and high academic learners. Consistent programs and interventions will provide a level of consistency that will ensure we are able to clearly identify learners that would benefit from added support and intervention. Special Education remains one of our largest district wide challenges. With 18.29% of our student population receiving special education services, our learners will benefit from early and proven intervention.
Wayland Public Schools has an amazing foundation, with excellent educators and an extraordinary community of families and learners.

In closing, I’d like to bring us back to our district mission. I encourage us all to keep the students at the center of our focus.

“Personal and civic responsibility, love of learning, and empathy for others: these are the qualities that the Wayland Public Schools seek to instill in its students. At its core, our mission is to provide a rigorous and stimulating academic environment that promotes the acquisition of knowledge and skills. Yet we deem it equally important to nurture self-confident, collaborative, and conscientious individuals. We strive to create a climate where risk-taking is safeguarded, open expression is encouraged, and free association is protected. Our goal is to advance our students' growth into principled, informed, and capable citizens who will help guide a democracy that follows humanitarian principles in the global forum, and shape a just society where individuals may reach their full potential.” - Wayland District Mission Statement

If you’d like to learn more about me, please visit my website at: https://erinforwayland.com/ or reach out to talk. My name is Erin Mueller and I’d be grateful to earn your vote on April 25.