To the editor:
First and foremost, I want to acknowledge and thank our school superintendent, School Committee, town administrators, school leaders and educators for how hard they have worked to keep our children engaged and excited to learn, and for the many hours they continue to put in to ensure the safety of each and every student, teacher, and employee working in our schools.
I do not envy the difficult circumstances they have found themselves in during the past year. They have had to make some very tough decisions that at times weren’t very popular. However, I believe our elected officials have done the very best job they could with the information and resources that were available to them.
It is now our turn as the registered voters of Lynnfield to make a difficult decision. We have the opportunity to select two of three excellent candidates to represent our community on the School Committee.
Each of them has unique skills, experiences and perspectives, but one in particular exemplifies the strong competencies I would want in a leader. In addition to being caring, patient and kind, Kate DePrizio has the courage to ask hard questions, the capacity to understand complex issues, and the ability to seek and understand her constituents’ worries, fears and needs with an open heart and mind.
Kate’s fierce determination, dedication and commitment to this town has never been more apparent than by her tenacious leadership as president of Together We Grow. She and her team of volunteers mobilized residents to vote in favor of a large budget increase that will provide funding for the much needed expansion of our two elementary schools.
In her current roles as co-vice president of the Huckleberry Hill School (HHS) Parent Teacher Organization and president of the Tower Day School Parents’ Forum, Kate has worked collaboratively to bring various events and programs to fruition, to allow children the opportunity to connect safely with one another and have a positive impact on the world around them.
For example, as a Brownie troop leader, Kate is helping to organize the third annual spring clean-up with the Girl Scout troops and Boy Scout troops, while inviting and encouraging all neighbors to participate. She is co-directing this year’s Variety Show at HHS, taking into consideration all safety guidelines and protocols.
She recently helped coordinate the Bare Necessities “hygiene drive” in collaboration with HHS, Summer Street School, Lynnfield Preschool, Tower Day School, and The Bethlehem School, delivering four completely packed carloads of donations to benefit Peabody’s Citizens Inn.
She is also a cheer coach and proud full-time mom to four young children. So to say that Kate cares deeply about the future of our schools and the betterment of this community would be an understatement.
Kate is passionate about the safety and education of our students with disabilities, and will work to serve the needs of all children. She recognizes the importance of expanding our social and emotional learning (SEL) curriculum, especially in the aftermath of the pandemic. She is eager to join the diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) conversations, and has some great ideas for how we can work to build a more inclusive school system, as well as promote a more equitable community.
Kate is an attentive listener who respects opinions that differ from her own. She seeks to understand, without judgment; she is straightforward and impartial. She thinks about the big picture, not just how to get there.
A big responsibility of the School Committee is to approve the annual budget for the school department, which makes up nearly half of the overall town budget. This requires balancing the needs of many programs and the ability to prioritize and maximize the use of tax dollars. As an informed decision-maker and natural problem solver, Kate is someone I want on board helping to make these difficult choices, while meeting the needs of both our children and our community at large.
Kate DePrizio is a candidate who demonstrates an innate leadership style that incites enthusiasm and respect. She is compassionate and empathetic, and would be a positive addition to our School Committee. It is for these reasons and more that I ask you to please join me in voting for Kate DePrizio for School Committee on April 13..
Kimberlee Kossover Hansen
Lynnfield
