Letter: by Laurie Wodin

Upton Daily accepts signed letters to the editor, contact jenniferd@uptondaily.com

As an Upton resident whose daughter went to the Mendon Upton schools, as well as a lifelong educator in a neighboring town, I’ve had a good vantage point for observing the schools for 35 years. I have seen it through good times and bad.   And I can tell you, that for the first time ever, we are poised on the edge of excellence.  This is the best shape this school system has ever been in.  Our children leave Nipmuc, can go to the best schools, and are successfully navigating the world of work.

For all these years, Nipmuc was ranked as a Level 3 school by colleges. Where our kids could hope to go to after graduating was extremely limited.  Then things started to get better and our students were beginning to get into Providence College, Tufts, even MIT; we were much more competitive. In 2008, the recession hit, and our superintendent at the time didn’t have the skills to handle this crisis, and there wasn’t nearly enough money to run the schools.  We laid off 67 teachers and staff that year, mostly teachers, and more the following year. I did not see any way that our school system could possibly recover.  We were on the verge of losing our accreditation.  Our homes would have been worth nothing. Who would buy a house in a town with an unaccredited high school?

Finally we hired a talented, focused new superintendent to lead us, and working with creative, dedicated teachers and curriculum people, they pulled us right out of the basement and turned the entire school system around. Things are different in the MU schools now. In four short years, we are leaders, innovators.  Our students’ scores are higher, they are learning the skills and content they need to excel.  We are no longer a Level 3 school.

I do not know this superintendent, never even met him, but he has brought our schools to excellence without asking for any extra money…until now. I think he has done extremely well by us so far, and I think we should give him our vote. We need to do this for our children, for our community, and for ourselves, not to mention the other town services that’ll be seriously cut if our Upton override doesn’t pass.

Today, we‘ve risen in all the rankings and are being recognized for the excellent education we offer. We aren’t trying to be Wellesley or Newton, but we are starting to look a lot like them at a fraction of the cost. Let’s not go back to the dark days of 5 years ago. Let’s move this town forward. We will all benefit.  Please vote.

by Laurie Wodin – Upton