About Somerville Schools

January 21, 2007

Dear Neighbors,

Somerville’s schools offer our children a rich environment for learning. This newsletter briefly introduces the schools to our constituents in Ward 6. If you’re currently making school choices, January is a great time to visit the schools. If you’d like to talk over options informally and to meet other parents, we invite you to stop by True Grounds coffee shop in Ball Square on Saturday, February 10th at 11 a.m. Thank you for taking the time to read this, and we wish you the best in the New Year.

If you have a hard time downloading it, please email me and I will send you a hard copy.

Also, if you have any comments or suggestions for future newsletters, send them along to either of us.

Ward Six News (1.85M PDF)

Paul Bockelman
Ward 6 School Committee Representative

Paul Wins!

January 11, 2006

Paul has won the seat for Ward 6 Somerville School Commitee.

Complete election results from the City of Somerville

A Letter from Paul

June, 2005

Dear Friends, Family, and Neighbors,

As many of you already know, I’m running for School Committee in Ward 6 to fill the post Carolyn Taylor leaves after many years of dedicated service.

What do you remember about your school days? Did you love school? Did you feel challenged and engaged? Did you graduate with a great set of skills and a thirst to learn more? Were you convinced your teachers cared about you? Did you feel your parents were part of the team and that the community backed you up?

I’m running for School Committee because that’s what I want for our kids. That’s what all of us — parents, teachers, administrators, and kids — want. (Well, my kids might settle for longer recess…)

How do we get there? For me, the issue is LEADERSHIP. Strong leadership on the School Committee means:

  • Accountability in the Budget – The budget is the school department’s strategic plan. It maps our path for the coming years. We need a shared vision of where we are going and we need to build the budget to get us there. Reeling from one year to the next with budget cuts is not acceptable. Yes, we must be vocal advocates for more state aid. But we also must manage our finances within the existing fiscal realities.
  • Success for ALL Somerville Students – Somerville is rightly proud of many of our schools and programs. We must continue to cultivate our successes, and we have to face up to the work that still needs to be done. Every Somerville student deserves a quality education.
  • Hiring the Best and the Brightest – Many of the school department’s teachers and administrators will retire in the next five years. Their replacements will lead our schools for the next twenty-five years. We must actively recruit the finest educators we can find - educators with a passion for teaching and who reflect the rich diversity of Somerville.
  • Open Communication – Local government is democracy in action, and public participation is key. We need clear communication from the school department, a transparent budget process, and the opportunity for everyone to engage in constructive dialogue.

With 20 years experience in municipal management, I bring leadership and budget skills to the table. As town administrator in Manchester-by-the-Sea for 13 years, I was on the other side of the negotiating table when it came to school budget decisions, so I know the ins and outs. Currently, as Director of Administration and Finance at the Massachusetts Municipal Association, I’m part of the fight to restore critical local aid funds to Massachusetts cities and towns.

It sounds corny, but I love local government and have devoted my life to working in local government. My strength lies in bringing people into the process, listening to all sides, finding common ground, and moving everyone toward concrete solutions. That approach characterized my three years as co-chair of the Choice Program at the Healey School. Emotions often run high in parent-teacher groups, but I liked harnessing that passion and helping people move toward a get-it-done, problem-solving solution.

A few facts about me: I have a Masters in City Planning from MIT. I met Cathy Barber our first day of college 32 years ago and we’ve been together ever since. We’ve lived in Somerville for over 25 years, the last 21 on Wallace Street. We have two children - Corey (7th grade) and Mattie (5th grade) – who attend Somerville public schools.

We get so much pleasure out of our life here in Somerville. Having kids has knitted us into the fabric of the community more than anything. For me, one of the most satisfying parts of being a parent has been getting involved in my children’s school - as a room parent, book group leader, newsletter editor, and as co-chair of the Choice Program. The recently-concluded search for a new Somerville School Superintendent really focused the community’s attention on our schools. That process helped us recognize the many great things the schools are doing, identified the numerous challenges we face, and inspired many of us to work for necessary change.

Many terrific people have joined me in this effort. My campaign chair Jane Becker, treasurer Meredith Smith, and campaign manager Michael Quan are all parents of students in the public school system. Nearly thirty other neighbors and friends have joined our campaign in the effort to bring strong leadership to the school committee.

Please support my candidacy – by coming to the kick-off to cheer me on, by writing a check, and by volunteering to help. I’ve never run for public office before. It’s a daunting task. So I need all the help I can get. Please join us!

If I am elected, you will get a parent on the school committee who will work hard, listen to your concerns, communicate what’s going on, and advocate for excellence in Somerville’s schools.

Over the coming months of the campaign, I hope to earn your support. Please give me a call if you would like to talk about school issues. I’m always happy to listen and discuss what’s on your mind (617) 623-8863.

Sincerely,

Paul