School Committee: Dawn Neborsky – Incumbent

Holliston neighbors,

Following an eventful three years of hard work and unanticipated challenges due to the pandemic along with significant administrative changes, I seek your support for a second term. I have five children (a 7^th grader, 9^th grade triplets and an 11^th grader) and have resided in Holliston for twenty years serving in a myriad of volunteer positions, including with Holliston Youth Soccer, Holliston Youth Lacrosse, Girl Scouts, the Elementary School Council and as a room parent. I am a litigation attorney, and I bring the perspective of a working parent and a willingness to ask tough questions and advocate diligently for our schools. As an attorney, I bring experience mediating and resolving divisive issues.

I have advocated for community voice and transparency through public forums. I have worked to improve communication with families and school administration, I have acted as a liaison with community groups. I have served as Vice Chair and on the Policy, Budget, Superintendent Evaluation and Communications Subcommittees and worked collaboratively on administrative hiring committees. I have worked hard to listen, learn and be responsive to community concerns. I worked on the negotiating team, and I am pleased that in 2022, the Holliston School Committee successfully negotiated the teacher and paraprofessional contracts demonstrating our shared commitment to excellence in education and an appreciation for the exemplary work our educators and staff do for our students each day. We must continue to attract and retain the outstanding educators and staff that ensure our students’ success.

Holliston demands ongoing excellence from our schools and fiscal responsibility. I am passionate about supporting our schools to help all students grow academically and emotionally. I am committed to transparency, communication and consideration of all perspectives to inform my decisions. I will leverage my experience and demonstrated commitment in advancing my priorities which include promoting academic excellence, advocating for budgets that reflect our district priorities, mitigating the academic and mental health impacts of the pandemic for all students, improving school climate, promoting safe and supportive schools for all and strengthening communication and engagement with the community.

Thank you for the privilege to serve these first three years, and I respectfully request your vote on Tuesday, May 24^th so I may continue to be a voice for Holliston families and an advocate for Holliston students.

Thank you, Dawn Neborsky, 401 Prentice St.

School Committee: Jennifer Peterson

I grew up in Natick and graduated from Natick High. I went to college at UMaine in Orono where I received my Bachelor’s in Communication and Spanish, and a Master’s in Communication. I currently work part time at Heritage of Sherborn, my career has always been in hospitality and food services. I have lived here since 2014 with my husband and our son who is in 4th grade at Miller. My mother-in-law is also staying with us while she recovers from a broken hip. We have dogs, cats, chickens, fish and, currently, a foster dog. I love rescuing animals!

I chose to run for School Committee because I want to become more involved in serving the Holliston Community. I am an active PTO member, I run the Raffle Basket spring fundraiser, volunteer to chaperone field trips, Laps at Lunch, and a Library and classroom volunteer. I also worked in the lunch room while my son was at Placentino. My background in communication has given me the ability to relate to many different members of the internal and external educational community, all of whom benefit from a strong school system. Based on my experience in the schools, I feel that I can best serve the community on the School Committee.

We are seeing the repercussions of a mental health crisis right now within the country. We need to continue to address the mental health needs of our students and teachers proactively, from Placentino through Holliston High. I will seek alternative, enriching settings, beyond the classroom, that are accessible, inclusive, and inviting, for teachers to use as they see fit. I will work with Park & Rec, SEPAC, Diverse Holliston, and others, to create these spaces and opportunities. Comprehensive surveys, outlining what options we can realistically present, need to be sent to all students, parents and teachers so they have agency.

Currently Holliston High School is geared towards college readiness. The school system could be further strengthened with the addition of basic level living skills that teaches students how to budget, how to do taxes, how healthcare works, and how to interview for jobs. We need to teach all the students to step out the door as adults and be set up for success.

We need continuous professional development for tiered interventions to meet students’ individual needs. The Holliston school system is solid. We need to stay current with best pedagogical trends.

I am one person who brings one perspective, but I will be a voice for all Holliston residents. I will work across the town boards to expand our understanding of diversity, equity and inclusion in our community. I want your vote so I can actively listen to the community’s voice. Please vote for me so I have the opportunity to represent you!

Jennifer Peterson, 192 Jerrold St.

Planning Board: Jason Santos – Incumbent

The Planning Board is made up of some the most thoughtful people you can imagine.  They are thoughtful because they are constantly trying to put themselves in the shoes of others who may be positively or negatively influenced by a particular development, bylaw or proposal.  They are also thoughtful in that they give regularly one of the most important commodities we all have, time. 

My 5 years on the Planning Board has made me appreciate more than ever all that the town staff as well as our elected officials do to continue to make this town a wonderful place to live. From large public infrastructure projects to overseeing environmental studies, my experiences as a civil engineer for the past 20 years have given me a unique way of looking at and understanding various property uses and developments. It allows me to always think about what might be missing from our assessment of a proposal. As the saying goes the devil is in the details. Trying to fill in the blanks by asking the right questions gives us as a town a more accurate picture of what a development or proposal will look like, sound like and accomplish. 

I look forward to serving Holliston for the next 5 years to ensure the character of our beautiful town is something my two young children will be proud of for many years to come.

Jason Santos, 183 Marshall St.