Dear Residents of Holliston:
My name is Tracy Floeckher; I am a 6-year resident of Holliston with 5 kids in our public schools and 20 years of experience as an educator. I am running for School Committee. I made this decision because I believe I can help improve our school district. Both my extensive educational involvement and my experiences as the mother of five beautiful little people leads me to think I am highly qualified for this position.
Starting next year, my children will be in each of the Holliston public schools. This means that I have a fairly unique perspective across the entire district and that my focus will not be one-dimensional; rather I will be looking out for the short- and long-term benefits of all decisions across all schools. I will have the ability to approach an issue in one school with a lens that will allow me to question the effects it will have on the other schools as well as future generations of Holliston students.
In addition to my years as a parent, I am a product of public school education and I have had the opportunity to work as a preschool, high school, and, currently, a middle school educator. Within those levels, I have worked as both a classroom teacher and as a member of support staff, which has given me invaluable insight into what happens on both sides of a classroom door. My role as an educator will be an asset, as the School Committee works to strengthen the bridges connecting the educators of Holliston to the decision-makers. I am able to think like a teacher and understand the perspective of a parent. Our schools need strong relationships between all interested parties to bring about positive change. I hope to be instrumental in strengthening those relationships.
I am running for School Committee to be a strong voice and advocate for all students in Holliston Public Schools. I hope to focus on leadership that is not top-down focused, but instead inclusive of all parties, with the primary focus being on what is best for students. I want to use my years of experience as an educator to set realistic goals and work with leadership to strengthen the public school experience. I want to work with teachers to see what they need as new policies are implemented, instead of assuming we already know. Perhaps most importantly, I want all students of Holliston Public Schools to know they are valued and protected by those entrusted with their education.
My current biggest concerns and areas of focus are:
- Strengthening Relationships between Educators and the School Committee: Recent events have strained the relationship and trust between parties. Growth is only going to happen when we start to work together and collaborate on creative solutions that put our students at the front of all decision making. As a parent with 5 children at each school and 20 year educator I am uniquely equipped to understand both perspectives and foster a stronger relationship between SC and HFT.
- Community Engagement: The School Committee controls a large part of our town budget. The community needs to be a part of the conversation and aware of the schools’ needs and visions. As a SC member I will encourage more communication and transparency from SC to the community at large.
- High Standard Curriculum that addresses the needs of ALL students: Equity is a top priority and focus for all our students. While we continue to support equity in the district, we also need to ensure that students are being presented with high quality instructional materials that adequately challenge them to perform at their highest potential. To do that we also need to enable our teachers with the adequate resources and curriculum support to achieve those goals for our students.
The next three years are likely to be tumultuous times for education in our country, state and local community. I believe that strong leadership and experience will be required to help us navigate these challenges and I believe that I am highly qualified and thus the right person for this job. With this all in mind, I ask for your vote on May 20th!
Thank you,
Tracy
