Political newcomer Kirsi Allison-Ampe took out papers to run for School Committee last week, among a potential field seeking two seats. But the field was trimmed Feb. 22, as incumbent Denise Burns, the committee vice chair, did not return papers. It was announced she is moving to Maine. Earlier, incumbent Spangler decided not to run.

Allison-Ampe introduced herself on the Arlington e-mail list Feb. 17. Her comments are published with her permission. Meanwhile, Kurt Fusaris said Feb. 17 he was dropping out of consideration, but he changed his mind and turned in his papers Feb. 22..

 

Fusaris wrote Feb. 22: " I will run after all. After mulling it over with some of my supporters, they insisted that I press on and continue to be a positive voice for them and Arlington's students. I reasoned I can run for and serve on the school committee while attending to other obligations. I sincerely look forward to the campaign."  

 

Statement by Kirsi Allison-Ampe

My name is Kirsi Allison-Ampe and I'm a concerned parent running for Arlington School Committee. I have the ability to understand the issues, analyze the problems and seek creative solutions, I can work amicably in a group, and am willing to put in the time and effort it requires.

I am running because, as a parent, I would like to see the focus turned back to the children, the schools and their funding. I would like to bring people together to set clear kid-centered goals for the schools, giving a picture of the education Arlington expects to offer, not just defined by government required tests and standards, but by numbers of hildren in the classroom and whether kids will learn art, music, AP physics or more. Budget presentations should also note how close--or how far--they fall from this desired picture.

School Committee members are also charged to educate the public and advocate for the schools, duties which I think are extremely important. This encompasses both explaining funding issues and helping parents understand the educational system and how best to advocate for their child. Finally, I would work together with parents and community groups to support our schools during FY11 to ensure the best year possible for the kids.

About me: although I've been a SAHM [stay-at-home mom] for almost 10 years because of some issues with my kids health, I am trained as a physician and scientist and have strong analytical credentials including a BS from MIT. I don't have a formal background in education, but I learn quickly, and I'm comfortable with numbers. I'm a parent of 2 kids, one in 3rd grade at Stratton, one in preK.

My husband and I moved to Arlington almost two years ago for his new job. We looked at length at the surrounding communities and felt Arlington was the best match for our family, with tight-knit community, urban-style accessibility and strong schools. We are now at a point in our life where we can, as a family, give back to the community in a larger way than the array of children's activities we have coached or led. Our family is concerned about public education and we have been attending School Committee meetings as interested citizens since we first moved here.

I am in the process of organizing my campaign. If you are interested in speaking to me about school issues, if you wish to sign my nomination papers, or if you would like to volunteer for my campaign, please contact me. I will also have a website coming soon.