Re-elect Beth Eklund to the Seekonk School Committee

My fellow Seekonk residents,

Over the past three years, I have had the opportunity to serve on the Seekonk School Committee. As a committee member, our three main responsibilities include budget oversight, policy review, and the hiring and review of the superintendent. To that end, I have continuously been an advocate of not only understanding and questioning of the budget each year, but being sure that there is communication between our board and the other boards in town when it comes to the budget. To help facilitate that communication, I try to attend Finance Committee, Board of Selectman and other town meetings as often as possible to ensure that I am apprised of what is happening in the town as a whole and not just the school department. In my time on the board I have been thrilled to see communication and collaboration between all the town boards grow.

As a member of the committee assigned to policy review, I have been working to help to review and update many of our school policies to align with new issues facing our schools. During this school year we having been reviewing at least two policies a month to ensure that they are updated as appropriate. Additionally, each member of the committee acts as a liaison to a school, my responsibility being Hurley Middle School where I have attended all School Council meetings and as many PTO meetings as possible so far this year. During the 2018 school year we were faced with the retirement of our Superintendent of schools. I was nominated to start the search process by the School Committee and then acted as the Chair of the Superintendent Search Committee and am very proud and honored to have served in this capacity which led our School Committee to choose Dr. Rich Drolet.

As a product of the Seekonk School system, I am forever grateful for the investment the citizens of Seekonk have made in public education. I have a vested interest in making sure Seekonk continues to make that investment as I have a son, Andrew, currently attending Hurley Middle School and a daughter, Katie, currently attending Aitken Elementary. The outstanding schools we have today are due to the investment our senior citizens made and continue to make in public education as well as all of the new and returning generations. I will continue to be dedicated to making sure this investment is protected and future investments are fiscally responsible with an eye toward making sure Seekonk Schools remain a source of pride for our community.

I have a strong record of serving the Town of Seekonk in many volunteer roles. Some of these roles include coaching recreational soccer and basketball, leading a Girl Scout troop, as well as having served on the Aitken School PTO board and School Council. I also was a member of the most recent Town Charter Review Committee and I am currently serving on the Building Committee for the Aitken School expansion project.

In conclusion, I am asking for your vote for reelection to the Seekonk School Committee. I feel my passion for this role is stronger than ever and that I can continue doing a great job representing Seekonk.

Sincerely,
Beth Eklund