The first test: School debate begins in Lynn

LYNN – The School Committee debate felt more like a friendly question-and-answer Wednesday night at the LynnArts building.The event was hosted by the Lynn Community Association and moderated by LCA board member Joshua Goodwin. The 10 committee candidates sat side-by-side at a table at the front of the room facing more than 50 people in the audience.Candidates include Michael Ouk, Jared Nicholson, Natasha Megie-Maddrey, June Natola, Dolores DiFillipo and Lorraine Gately, as well as incumbents Patricia Capano, Donna Coppola, Maria Carrasco and John Ford.Six of the 10 candidates will be elected to the School Committee on Nov. 3.Wednesday’s forum gave each candidate the opportunity to express his or her goals and views on the public school system.After brief introductions, candidates were asked one question at a time, with up to 90 seconds to respond. For the most part, candidates were in agreement about the issues.Nearly all felt that parent involvement was a big issue that needed to be addressed. However, they offered different ways toward achieving that goal.”One thing that needs improvement is parent involvement,” said Megie-Maddrey. “Parents need to get involved. We need to be welcoming, provide child care. They want to be involved.”We need to be approachable,” she said. “Someone you can call and ask questions.””It should be like a team,” said Carrasco. “Teachers, parents, and students all working together. If you make a phone call, I will answer.””I’d like to see collaboration happen here,” said DiFillipo.Candidates recognized the hard work and success of the teachers, but also thought both teachers and students would be better off with less testing.”One problem with testing is that MCAS is primarily for English-speaking students who can read and write,” said Natola. “Many kids in our system, when asked the same question, would be able to answer verbally a lot more effectively.””Teaching should be fun,” said Megie-Maddrey. “I want my kids to wake up and want to go to school in the morning. Learning should be fun, learning to read should be fun. I definitely believe there should be less tests.””This is a problem that is nationwide and that discourages me a lot,” said Gately.”MCAS is a little bit arbitrary,” said Ouk. “Teachers are being forced to teach for the test rather than what they are passionate about. They teach because they have a passion to teach. I say we let them teach. It takes much more than acing an MCAS test to be successful in life.””I agree that we are overtesting,” said Coppola. “I also don’t know that we’re ready for PARCC (a proposed alternative to the MCAS test) yet. We don’t have the computers needed to have it.”It was also discussed that the funding from these tests is necessary for the schools and for the different requirements students need to fulfill to receive a degree.”In Lynn we can’t refuse money,” said Capano. “But we have to find another way.”Improvement to the special education department was another concern of many candidates. Megie-Maddrey argued that parents “have a right to have an advocate come to IEP meetings, but it’s not free.” She suggested the committee come up with a program to help parents understand, and the majority of the candidates agreed.Ford felt it was important to “put more emphasis on inclusion. Meaning, keeping special education students incorporated with other students.””As a mom of 19 foster kids, some of whom were on a (special) ed plan, I know it’s very emotional and you want the best for your child,” said Coppola. “You really need multiple meetings to complete a good plan.”Capano disagreed.”I’m a lifelong person with a child who has disabilities,” she said. “In the Lynn school system, he had the foundation that made him a whole person.”My son made gains through his peers,” Capano said.Other issues were brought up, including Ford’s suggestion to steer kids away from violence.”I think it’s very important to tell kids in Lynn that there are alternatives to violence,” he