Henry Gwazda, School Committee

As a School Committee member, I've had a front-row seat to what our schools are capable of, and also to the financial pressures that have accumulated over years. Our students and teachers have continued to deliver despite real constraints. Marblehead schools consistently outperform state averages, and that doesn't happen by accident. It happens because of dedicated educators and a community that has historically cared deeply about public education.

Question 3 is an opportunity to build on that legacy. It restores investments in curriculum, technology, and special education that have been deferred for too long. The in-district special education program alone will reduce what we spend sending students out of district, saving the town real money over time. It eliminates the full-day kindergarten fee, removing a financial barrier that never should have existed in a public school system. And it addresses the capital needs of our buildings. I've walked every school building with our custodians and maintenance crew, and I can tell you firsthand that staying ahead of facilities issues before they become real problems isn't optional, it's just responsible stewardship. Our kids deserve the best facilities we can provide.

The kids in our schools right now, including my two daughters at Brown School, deserve a school system that isn't constantly making do. We aren't asking the community to leap forward. We're asking it to catch up.

Providing a strong public education isn't optional. It is one of the most fundamental things a community owes its children, and it only works when we fund it properly. On June 9th, I hope you'll join me in voting YES on Questions 1, 2, and 3, with the strongest possible support for Question 3.