The Town of Natick depends on the active participation of its citizens in governance of the Town. Natick voters will on March 30, 2021 cast their ballots for candidates running for Select Board, a contested race.

There are two candidates running for one open 3-year seat on the Select Board, which serves as the chief executive board of the Town and, as such, is vested with all the municipal authority not specifically retained by the Town’s legislative body, Town Meeting.

The Select Board candidates are Paul Joseph and Guimel DeCarvalho.

Natick Report invited the candidates to answer a few questions about their qualifications and priorities for the Town of Natick. Below is  Paul Joseph’s Q & A. Here is a link to Guimel DeCarvalho’s Q & A.

Paul Joseph—candidate for Select Board

Natick Report: What is your background and what qualifies you for a position on the Select Board?

I’ve been politically active in Natick for more than 13 years. An extensive overview of my experience can be found on my website (onenatick.com); however, some highlights include:

• Natick Select Board member from 2010-2013, chair of the Economic Development Committee (EDC) for 6 years, and Town Meeting member for almost 10 years
• More than 30 years of business experience, spanning start-ups to Fortune 100 companies. I’ve started or co-founded three business, served on several non-profit boards, and worked as the CEO of the MetroWest Chamber of Commerce from 2015-2019
• Extensive experience supervising people, including hiring, firing, disciplining and developing; managing high performing teams; and, serving on executive task forces during two major corporate mergers, consolidating different corporate cultures into unified teams
• Business strategy consultant and teacher, including adjunct faculty at Babson, WPI, and in several Executive Education programs. I’ve used simulations to provide experiential education and coaching to business leaders, including international audiences in Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
• Recipient of the Foundation for MetroWest’s “2017 Civic Leader of the Year” award.

My platform is focused on four priorities, including:

1) Hiring Natick’s next Town Administrator
2) Navigating the impacts of a post-pandemic economy on Town revenue and operations, especially municipal services and school budgets
3) More effectively incorporating community feedback into policy decisions, operations, and volunteer appointments
4) Examining Natick’s governance model and operating norms and their impacts on the Town’s ability to grow and operate more effectively and equitably

I became politically active in late 2007, when Natick Public Schools proposed closing Johnson Elementary School to close an anticipated gap in the Town’s FY2009 budget. My interest in one issue sparked curiosity about “why” did things get to that point, “how” does local government work, and “what” can I do about it? I went from volunteering on the 2018 YES for Natick Operating Override initiative to serving extensively in various local government and non-profit roles.

My wife of 23 years, Magdalena (“Lena”) and I moved to Natick in 1995 to attend graduate school. After a brief move to Austin, TX for my job, we bought our first home in Natick in 2002 where we’ve raised our two children. Now aged 20 and 18 years old, our children benefitted substantially from Natick’s public schools, local athletics programs and community resources. Most valuable have been the relationships with our Natick neighbors and our “village,” the lifelong friends we’ve made as fellow parents and community members.

NR: How can Natick further support existing businesses and encourage new ones to come into Natick?

Joseph: Natick must:

1) Update and simplify its zoning bylaws and hearing processes
2) Invest more heavily in economic development, ideally earmarking budget from local options taxes and creating a economic development corporation as a non-profit, public-private partnership with the Town
3) Create and implement a robust business retention and expansion (BRE) action plan in collaboration with local businesses, commercial property owners, the Natick Mall, Natick Soldiers Systems Center, and various Town constituencies, including the Natick Public Schools.

These efforts should leverage the extensive work already completed, including the Natick 2030 Master Plan, the Natick Public Schools 5-Year Strategic Plan, the Natick Center Strategic Plan, the “Golden Triangle” Study, and the 2050 Net-Zero Action Plan, to name a few. These should inform a unified “revenue generation” plan that spans the municipal services and school department budgets and defines measurable and time-bound objectives for growing our commercial tax base.

Throughout the pandemic, our Community and Economic Development (CED) Department, Board of Health, and key community partners, notably the Natick Center Cultural District, have done a great job educating businesses about changing guidance from the Federal and State agencies, conducting inspections, promoting grant and loan programs, and serving as vital resources to our struggling businesses. The CED also effectively partnered with the EDC and outside vendors to launch new a website and online resources to “hook” prospective new businesses during their site-selection processes.

Further, we’ve become more agile and flexible, allowing some short-term changes to zoning and permitted uses of space—curbside pick-up, sidewalk dining, etc. We “must not waste a good crisis” and make sure that some of these improvements don’t get lost when we return to our new normal! Let’s learn from these “exceptions” and permanently adopt those practices that will accelerate our economic recovery and enhance our quality of life!

NR: How should Natick manage the financial implications of the pandemic going forward?

Joseph: Effective planning must take both a longer-term and “singular” view of our revenue and operations—we must get away from the parallel processes undertaken annually by the school department and municipal services “sides” which then subsequently try to reconcile gaps through often heated, “zero sum” negotiations. Our taxpayers are better served when we focus more on growing the pie together and less on fighting over the slices.

Natick must employ more sophisticated, and multi-year, scenario planning, working from a unified accounting/IT system, and through a process predicated on the effective and respectful collaboration between the town’s two “chief executives, the Town Administrator and Superintendent, their department heads, and the major policy boards.

We need to leverage Natick’s strong bond rating and reserves by focusing our budget with “the end in mind” – big picture thinking about what the community wants from its schools and municipal services in the next several years, not just one year at-a-time, and establishing the goals, and metrics, that will take us there. On the operations side, we should establish metrics such as “service level agreements” (SLAs), “quality of service” (QOS), etc. while potentially sharing services across departments. This approach will help each “side” take baby steps toward a more unified, transparent, and value-oriented budgeting process.

If we continue to build budgets with an “incremental” or “level services” mindset, compounded by our parallel planning and budgeting processes, Natick will rapidly fall behind other communities with more agile systems and governance already in place.

NR: How can Natick best continue to act on the concerns of its residents of diverse backgrounds?

[Read more…]

The Town of Natick depends on the active participation of its citizens in governance of the Town. Natick voters will on March 30, 2021 cast their ballots for candidates running for Select Board, a contested race.

There are two candidates running for one open 3-year seat on the Select Board, which serves as the chief executive board of the Town and, as such, is vested with all the municipal authority not specifically retained by the Town’s legislative body, Town Meeting.

The Select Board candidates are Guimel DeCarvalho and Paul Joseph.

Natick Report invited the candidates to answer a few questions about their qualifications and priorities for the Town of Natick.

Below is  Guimel DeCarvalho’s Q & A. Here is a link to Paul Joseph’s Q & A.

Guimel DeCarvalho, candidate for Select Board

Natick Report: What is your background and what qualifies you for a position on the Select Board?

Guimel DeCarvalho: My proven leadership and service on Finance Committee, Natick Is United, and the Natick Equity Task Force, as well as my professional experience as the Vice President of Human Resources & Chief Diversity Officer at Wayside Youth & Family Services, will help me move our town forward in a direction that is best for all of our residents. With over 4 years of leadership experience reducing overdue investigative cases, increasing connections to community-based ongoing services, and managing multi-million dollar budgets I’ve seen how services can be a lifeline for families. Additionally, with close to 5 years of executive leadership at Wayside I’ve implemented wholesale organizational culture change; reduced turnover of staff of color 10%; increased recruitment & retention of staff of color by 6%; and doubled the number of managers of color. I’ve shown that through investment in communication strategies and collaboration, you can engage communities around a unified vision. I’m running to bring an equity focus to the work of the Select Board.

NR: How can Natick further support existing businesses and encourage new ones to come into Natick?

DeCarvalho: The best way to support existing businesses and encourage new ones to come to Natick is by focusing on the issues that matter to our residents, including those who have not been part of the political process before by:

• Attracting a diverse range of businesses and jobs to Natick to ensure our economic and cultural vibrancy.

• Promoting affordable housing policies that take into account the needs of seniors, families, those with disabilities, and veterans.

• Supporting our schools, students, and educators to make sure we are providing children with what they need today and in the future.

• Working to further make Natick a town that is truly welcoming to all people, regardless of their race, age, gender, sexual orientation or economic situation.

These issues are not always easy and oftentimes there are conflicting interests and priorities, but I believe that if we focus on people first, ALL people, we can continue to see Natick move forward sustainably and responsibly for decades to come.

NR: How should Natick manage the financial implications of the pandemic going forward?

DeCarvalho: Collaboration and communication from the start. In order for town departments to work together, they have to have a shared vision. That vision should encompass our values as a community and has to include compromise and a deep understanding of the needs of all of our residents. Important services can’t go by the wayside. We need to prioritize and think creatively about solutions to extend our dollars, and also look at things we’ve invested in the past that may no longer work. These important conversations can only happen when all departments come together, which I believe the Select Board should facilitate.

NR: How can Natick best continue to act on the concerns of its residents of diverse backgrounds?

DeCarvalho: The Select Board can help set the tone of municipal discourse and has the ability to prioritize certain issues, including issues relating to equity and social justice. The best way to address the concerns of its residents of diverse backgrounds is to act. By applying both a social justice and equity lens to the broad range of issues before them, the Select Board can demonstrate that the diverse experiences and interests of Natick residents have a place at the table and a voice in town decisions.

We have seen that broader engagement of those voices can happen through tools like Zoom, social media, informational websites, and translation software. It’s important to make clear that participation in local government and community events is possible for those navigating childcare, work, language barriers, and new-ness to these systems. It’s up to the Select Board to go to these communities, not the other way around.

NR: How should voters reach you if they want more information?

DeCarvalho: Residents can reach me at guimel.natick@gmail.com or message me on my Facebook page @guimelfornatick. Make sure to also go to www.guimelfornatick.com to see more about the campaign and information on how to get your mail in ballot or vote in person on March 30th.

NR: Is there anything else you would like to say that the above questions did not cover?

[Read more…]

The Town of Natick depends on the active participation of its citizens in governance of the Town. Natick voters will on or before March 30, 2021 cast their ballots for candidates running for School Committee, a contested race.

The Natick School Committee is an elected town-wide board. Among other things, it approves Natick’s school budget, appoints the Superintendent, and establishes educational goals and policies for Natick’s schools as a whole.

There are three candidates running for two open 3-year seats on the School Committee—Matt Brand, Shai Fuxman, and Catherine Brunell.

Natick Report invited the candidates to answer a few questions about their qualifications and priorities for the Town of Natick. Below is Shai Fuxman’s Q & A. Here is a link to Matt Brand’s and to Catherine Brunell’s.

Shai Fuxman, candidate for School Committee

Natick Report: What is your background and what qualifies you for this position?

Shai Fuxman: My professional background in education, my passion for service, and my personal experiences as a parent qualify me for School Committee re-election. Professionally, I have a Doctorate in Education and over 20 years of experience applying research to improve educational practice and policy. I provide training and consultation to states’ departments of education—including the MA Department of Education (DESE)—and school districts across the country. I also bring years of commitment to serving my community. Since I first arrived in Natick over 11 years ago, I got involved in various volunteer roles including the Natick Education Foundation, Natick Soccer, as a board member of my faith community, and as chair of the Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC). Finally, I bring a unique set of personal experiences as a relatively new and proud American, and as a parent of a child with special needs. Through these various experiences—both personal and professional—I bring a set of perspectives and expertise that uniquely qualify me to continue my role on the committee overseeing our children’s education.

NR: If elected, what do you hope to accomplish on the School Committee during the upcoming 3-year term?

Fuxman: I have three main goals for the School Committee over the next three years: supporting students academic and social-emotional growth in the aftermath of the pandemic (see next question), promoting inclusion and equity in our schools, and collaborating with town partners to find solutions to our difficult budget challenges.

As a parent of a child with special needs, promoting equity and inclusion is a very personal cause for me. My heart was broken too many times when she, and I, were made to feel excluded because she was different. As a current School Committee member, I have advocated—and will continue to advocate—so no student in our schools feels excluded or forced to hide who they are due to race, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, gender identity, ability or political ideology. To do so, we need a K-12 approach to teaching the value of inclusion through academic instruction—we can promote these values through literacy, social studies, civic education, health, and world language classes. We also need to teach students to be active bystanders in the face of microaggressions, bullying and other forms of exclusionary behaviors. Lastly, we need to make sure that we have the staff and resources to support students’ various needs, including students with special needs, English language learners, and those requiring mental health supports.

Lastly, during my time on School Committee I have learned that those of us in local government often find ourselves, particularly during budget season, working against each other to defend our piece of the pie rather than working together to solve common challenges. Ever since I joined the School Committee, I have been reaching out to colleagues in town government including members of the Select Board, Finance Committee, and Town Meeting. This has allowed me to both better understand other people’s perspectives, as well as to explain mine to them. If re-elected, I will continue to build bridges between my Committee and the other entities of town government so we can work on finding common solutions to our common challenges.

NR: Going forward, what are the top challenges you see facing Natick Public Schools from the pandemic?

Fuxman: The top challenge facing our schools is finding the balance between three critical areas of need for students’ wellbeing: COVID-19 health concerns, academic recovery, and social-emotional well-being/mental health. Realistically speaking, it is likely that next fall we will need to continue to put in place health-related precautions such as mask wearing and physical distancing in buildings. The process for easing these precautions over time will be determined by the school district, based on federal and state guidelines, and in close collaboration with our local department of health.

At the same time students are going to need, to varying degrees, supports for academic recovery associated with the learning time lost in the past 1.5 years of restricted education (for example, according to some national studies students are showing regression particularly in math). On top of the health and academic challenges, there are mental health concerns associated with students struggling with the sense of isolation, lack of proper structure and routine, and a general sense of fear and disorientation related to the pandemic (various studies are showing an increase in mental health struggles for children and youth). Over-emphasizing the need for academic recovery can also exacerbate students’ social-emotional wellbeing. In short, the challenge over the coming year is to find the right balance between keeping our children healthy—physically and mental health-wise—while helping them get back on track academically. Addressing this issue begins with the recognition that different students will need different types of supports. We will need to tackle this trifecta of challenges through a personalized learning approach. This includes assessing students both for academic and social-emotional needs, and providing necessary supports through a well-implemented tiered approach (i.e., Response to Intervention or RTI).

NR: Other area schools have hired a Directory of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. Given that promoting equity and inclusion for all students is a top priority in Natick schools, would Natick benefit from such a hire? Why or why not?

Fuxman: I have personally worked with Directors of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in other districts and value the contribution that such a role can bring to helping us achieve our stated commitment to equity and inclusion here in Natick. Therefore, my answer to the question is yes, we should consider creating a role of Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. Creating this role will need some consideration given the town’s current budget crunch. In my view, the solution is to re-define current district-level roles, for example director of human resources and/or director of communications to create this new role, rather than adding a new position in central office beyond those that already exist. It is important to note that while this is a recommendation the School Committee can and should put forth, the decision for hiring and managing central office roles lies with the Superintendent. Lastly, it is also important to note that one person alone cannot address the critical issues of equity and inclusion facing our schools and our community. Even with a Director of Equity & Inclusion, everyone will need to do their part to ensure we are meeting our equity and inclusion goals.

NR: Is there anything else you would like to say that the above questions did not cover?

Fuxman: My commitment to improving education began over 22 years ago when I chose to pursue a career in this field. Throughout this two-decade journey I have expanded my horizons and deepened my expertise by obtaining both my Masters and Doctorate in Education; working with state agencies, school districts, and community-based organizations throughout the country (and internationally too); and volunteering in various capacities, both within and outside of Natick. This is my calling! Serving my community through my passion and expertise has been an honor and a privilege. I look forward to continuing to serve my community over the next three years and beyond.

 NR: How should voters reach you if they want more information?

Fuxman: I welcome voters to reach out to me via email: shai4schoolcommittee@gmail.com or by following me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shaiforschoolcommittee. They can also read more about my background on my website: www.shaiforschoolcommittee.org.