jonathanyeoforschoolcommittee - Jonathan's Blog

Letter to The Newton Tab, Allison Daskal Hausman - Auburndale

Sat, 29 Oct 2011 10:01:26 -0800

To the Editor:

As someone who works with school districts across the country and a Day Middle School parent, I strongly recommend that Newton voters join me in voting to re-elect Jonathan Yeo to the School Committee on November 8th. It is rare to have an individual service who understands how to take groundbreaking action in a way that sustains and strengthen the system. His experience with Newton schools, successful leadership on the Committee, and his impressive public management background make him the best choice for this seat.

Jonathan is a driving force on the committee for improving classroom education while creating sustainable budgetary conditions. His role in hiring David Fleishman as superintendent has paid off with improving teaching and learning conditions. His leadership in negotiating substantial savings on the lunch program and the new long-term contract with the teacher’s union are huge accomplishments.

For the past six years Jonathan has been a strong advocate for the schools in Ward 4 and I know he will do the same in Ward 2. At Burr School he delivered curriculum support that improved student learning, replaced the building’s leaky windows, and securing a modular classroom to address the school’s growing population. He is also working hard to address the long-term enrollment increase at Day. He pays attention to details and stays in touch with parents and staff to make sure schools get what they need.

Please vote to elect this highly qualified and experienced leader to serve his final term from Ward 2.

Allison Daskal Hausman,

Auburndale

Letter to The Newton Tab, Daniel Clifford - Newton Highlands

Sat, 29 Oct 2011 10:00:33 -0800

To the Editor:

I ask Newton voters to join me in supporting Jonathan Yeo’s reelection to the Newton School Committee. His experience with Newton schools, successful endeavors on the School Committee, and his substantial public sector management background make him a well-rounded committee member.

The School Committee has the critical job of overseeing, guiding and supporting the Superintendent of Schools and passing an annual budget. Jonathan has the analytical, management and personal skills to perform these responsibilities in a highly competent manner. Jonathan is focused on ensuring that the school administration is providing great teaching and learning in the classrooms for all students.

Beyond his School Committee focus on classroom teaching, Jonathan is a supporter of the arts, athletics, clubs and extra-curricular activities in Newton schools. These are vital components of our school system and community.

Jonathan has also been closely involved in the needs of larger schools, like the Countryside School in my neighborhood, and supported better staffing and implementation of the school’s space task force recommendations.

Please vote for Jonathan Yeo on November 8th. Let’s keep this highly qualified, experienced and reasonable person on the School Committee.

Daniel Clifford,

Newton Highlands

Letter to The Newton Tab, Barbara Fain - West Newton

Sat, 29 Oct 2011 09:59:21 -0800

To the Editor:

I encourage Newton voters should join me on November 8th in supporting Jonathan Yeo’s re-election to the School Committee. As a Ward 2 resident, I was delighted that Jonathan and his extended family had moved from Auburndale to our neighborhood and that he was running for a fourth and final term from here. His experience with Newton schools, work with parents on a range of school issues, and his management background have made him an excellent committee member and leader.

Jonathan has the analytical, management and personal skills to provide expert oversight, guidance, and support to the superintendent of schools and to pass an annual budget – the main roles of the School Committee. During his years on the School Committee, Jonathan’s top priority has been to ensure that the school administration is providing great teaching and learning in the classrooms for all students. Jonathan has also been very successful in leadership positions – hiring Jim Marini as the interim superintendent, negotiating an entire revamping of the School Lunch Program to save $1 million a year, and just recently leading the effort to reach a fair and affordable deal with the teacher’s union on a long-term contract.

Beyond his School Committee focus on classroom teaching, Jonathan is also a supporter of the arts, athletics, clubs and wonderful programs like Understanding Our Differences in Newton schools. Activities and programs like these make Newton schools special and enrich our community.

Please vote for Jonathan Yeo on November 8th to keep this successful, experienced leader on the Newton School Committee.

Barbara Fain,

West Newton

Newton Tab Op-Ed, October 2011

Sun, 23 Oct 2011 18:00:48 -0800

I am running for re-election to my fourth and final term on the Newton School Committee because I am passionate about our schools, and deeply committed to helping our excellent schools become even stronger at meeting the needs of our diverse student body. This is an exciting—and challenging—time to be serving on the committee. There are sweeping changes taking place in the world around us, and we must invest in our schools in order to provide our children with a great education. At the same time, we are living in tough economic times, and so we must be open-minded, creative and as efficient as possible when making tough budgetary decisions. During the past six years, I have been fortunate to be a part of a collaborative committee that has tackled tough decisions and made great progress. I’d like to review my experience, accomplishments and priorities.

Experience

During my three terms I have led important projects and union negotiations, asked tough questions, researched issues and analyzed data, and engaged with advocates, parents and staff.   For 15 years I have been working to strengthen Newton schools, including co-presidencies at Williams PTO and city-wide PTO Council.

I am a scientist with a Masters Degree in Public Policy from Harvard University and I direct the state’s 180-person division of water supply protection. I have direct experience in leading a complex public organization and working under tight budgets.

Accomplishments

During my three terms I worked effectively with the committee, superintendent and others to make progress in important areas including:

Improvements & innovation – I have worked to focus the committee’s time and attention on classroom teaching excellence and student achievement. Our strong new superintendent David Fleishman, who I selected, has expended great efforts in this area, helping spread best practices across 22 schools. I have supported innovations in special education, increased use of data to refine teaching, successful elementary math improvements, and new classroom technology. I have successfully advocated for school building improvements, better maintenance coordination with the city’s Public Buildings Department, and money-saving energy conservation projects.

Building a sustainable future – As chairman of the Union Negotiations Team I led the committee’s lengthy effort to revamp the School Lunch Program, saving $1 million a year and improving food quality. I am now leading our contract negotiations with the teacher’s union for a long-term agreement that is both fair and affordable, helping Newton schools for many years. With no big improvements anticipated in our municipal finances, the committee must work to address budgetary drivers so NPS can provide a comprehensive and equitable K-12 program with reasonable class sizes. I support increased fundraising efforts for technology and other school improvements.

Advocating for students & families – I have continued to work with individuals and school communities on issues including space crunches, transportation, and equity of services for larger schools. I have supported arts, music, and athletics in our schools and making sure that students with learning differences are provided great classroom opportunities.

Priorities and Future

My next term priorities include:

·         Budgetary improvements – The financial challenges facing Newton and other school systems require us to fully implement sustainable budget practices and to scrutinize all aspects of the system for efficiency and effectiveness. I will continue to work with unions on sustainable contracts, including the implementation of health insurance plan changes with significant savings for the school system and ensure high quality health care.

·         Improving school buildings and addressing overcrowding - While gains have been made recently in school building maintenance, there is more to do. Overcrowding at Day and several elementary schools must be addressed with solutions that meet the school’s needs. I will work with city leaders to move renovation plans for the most deficient schools into design stages with a real financing plan.

·         Curriculum and classroom teaching – Well prepared teachers with great classroom skills are the key to excellence in our schools. We need to hire excellent candidates, effectively assess them, and encourage team-work and development within schools to focus on student progress and achievement. The committee must review curriculum issues, address challenges and ensure consistent high-quality results across the system. As a scientist I support further strengthening our STEM curriculum and activities.

The strength and reputation of our school system plays is vital for our city. We need to keep its strengths, deal with weaknesses, and work with our superintendent on great classroom teaching and learning for all students.

Please visit www.yeofornewtonschools.com for more information. I ask for your vote on November 8th.

Letter to the Editor, Newton Tab, Oct. 14, 2009

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:59:26 -0800

Yeo: An experienced manager

I strongly support Jonathan Yeo for reelection to the Ward 4 seat on Newton’s School Committee. The next two years will bring a great deal of change in the school system with a new superintendent, several new School Committee members, a new mayor, and extremely challenging financial times. Jonathan has the credentials, experience, energy, inventiveness, and proven track-record to guide our school system and make the necessary, critical decisions going forward.

Jonathan’s career in data-driven environmental science, his experience managing large organizations and budgets, and his Masters in Public Policy give him the skills on the School Committee to help the next mayor develop a city-wide performance management system. Professionally, he contributed significantly to the development and implementation of a long-term, performance management system that is guided by the motto “what gets measured, gets managed”. He also serves in a senior management role in state government where he functions with a high level of accountability, transparency, public interaction, and responsibility for critical resources.

Jonathan is an independent voice on the School Committee who makes decisions with a focus on strategic objectives while also carefully examining the details of the school system. He has demonstrated he cares tremendously about the quality of classroom education from K to 12th grade as well as the full school experience of extra-curriculars, arts/music, and sports.

Please join me in supporting Jonathan’s re-election.

Dede Vittori
Newton, MA

Letter to the Editor, Newton Tab, Oct. 7, 2009

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:54:29 -0800

To the Editor:

With three open seats and a new mayor coming on board, next year’s School Committee will look – and act – quite differently from this year’s. New and old members will have to quickly master complex budget, contract, capital planning and academic policy issues. When old and new members of a group work well together, everyone benefits.

I’m writing to urge you to return Claire Sokoloff, Renee Murphy and Jonathan Yeo to the committee and to bring Margie Ross Decter aboard on November 3.

Claire, Renee and Jonathan have worked countless hours to keep school policy and decisions moving forward over the past two years. We need their collective memories of options considered and decisions made to help new members gain depth and perspective. We need their energy and their commitment to improving all aspects of our schools.

Margie has the intellectual energy to grapple with complicated issues. I like that she can see the big picture. Whether in public meetings or behind the scenes, I’m sure that Margie will quickly become a valued member with her thoughtful analytic approach. Her knowledge of health care benefit structure will be an asset to the contract negotiating team.

We are extremely fortunate to have so many exceptionally talented candidates this year. Please vote to send Renee Murphy, Claire Sokoloff, Jonathan Yeo and Margie Ross Decter to School Committee on November 3.

Thank you.

Linda Green
54 Goddard St.
Newton

Letter to the Editor, Newton Tab, Oct. 7, 2009

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:52:42 -0800

Re-elect Sokoloff, Murphy and Yeo

I am writing to urge all Newton voters to join me in voting to re-elect Claire Sokoloff, Reenie Murphy, and Jonathan Yeo to the School Committee. As the chair of the School Committee, I have worked closely with Claire, Reenie, and Jonathan. Each one is a leader and independent thinker with a demonstrated ability to work effectively with others.

Claire is the vice-chair of the School Committee and in that role has been a true partner in leading the system forward. Through Claire’s efforts, the Newton Public Schools have an excellent strategic plan which contains a new mission statement, core values, and goals for achieving excellence in the 21st century and is a blueprint for the future.

Reenie has led the School Committee’s efforts in public engagement and forming public-private partnerships. She has been the driving force behind our website, our electronic newsletter that now reaches over 1,800 addresses, and our review of food services. She and Claire are the co-chairs of the Superintendent Search Committee.

Jonathan chaired the effort that led to the hiring of our outstanding interim Superintendent Jim Marini and leads our ongoing review of the recommendations of the Citizen Advisory Group. He has been a forceful advocate for the families of our students with special needs.

Newton needs Reenie, Claire, and Jonathan to continue their work. Please vote for them on November 3.

Marc Laredo
Chairman, Newton School Committee

Letter to the Editor, Newton Tab, Sept. 30, 2009

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:18:51 -0800

To the Editor,

As a scientist, former Burr PTO president, and a parent committed to quality science education, I urge all Newton voters to re-elect Jonathan Yeo to the Ward 4 School Committee seat. Jonathan has both academic and professional knowledge of the value of a strong science education, reflected in his unwavering commitment to Science, Technology, Engineering And Math (STEM) education and to outside-the-class opportunities at all levels.

Newton schools have many strengths in STEM education–some of the highest average SAT scores in the state, extensive Honors and Advanced Placement options with impressive AP test results, our championship robotics team. But as Jonathan outlined in his Tab op-ed in June, there is more work to do. We must provide needed resources for young students struggling with math, and we must make sure to challenge students at all levels through differentiated instruction and better technology integration in the classroom.

Jonathan serves Ward 4 well as an independent voice on the committee. His extensive public management experience has helped lead our school system to improvements, even during difficult financial times. Jonathan stays in close touch with school communities, bringing our issues with him to the School Committee.

Of course we need continuous change and improvement in our schools. We also need the intelligence, experience, and responsiveness to our community that Jonathan has consistently brought to the School Committee. Please learn more by visiting www.yeofornewtonschools.com, and please join me in supporting Jonathan Yeo for re-election from Ward 4.

Ezra Hausman
Auburndale

Letter to the Editor, Newton Tab, Sept. 16, 2009

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:14:17 -0800

To the Editor,

I strongly recommend that Newton voters select Jonathan Yeo in the Ward 4 race for School Committee. Jonathan has the experience, dedication and problem-solving skills to help lead the committee during this period of great transition and challenging financial times.

I served as PTO co-president at Williams Elementary School with Jonathan. From the first month of his oldest son entering Kindergarten, he was involved with the PTO in advocating for high quality education at Williams School. He later stepped-up his responsibility level with two years as PTO co-president and one year as the co-president of city-wide PTO Council. He is a solid team player, listener, decision-maker, and leader. He has served Ward 4 well as a clearly independent voice on the committee, not afraid to speak his mind and use his extensive public sector management experience to ask probing questions and solve problems. He also stays in close touch with parents and school staff about issues and concerns.

As a parent of a student heavily involved in music and theater at Newton North, I am very glad that Jonathan is on the committee. He has a strong commitment to supporting the arts programs at the two high schools and across the system. Not only are the arts critical for a well-rounded education, they are also a college and career path for many Newton North and South graduates.

Please join me in supporting Jonathan Yeo’s re-election to the School Committee. He is on-line at www.yeofornewtonschools.com.

Donna Vona
West Newton

Newton Tab Op-Ed: Yeo on Strengths and Weaknesses in Newton’s STEM Programs

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 23:27:48 -0800

Numerous studies highlight the dilemma the U.S. faces in education and recruitment for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). However, TAB op-ed headlines screaming of a Newton STEM education "crisis,” while great for political theatre, are far from reality. NPS has strong, albeit not perfect, STEM-related programs across the system.

As one of three science professionals on the School Committee, I am committed to improving our STEM curriculum and activities by addressing weaknesses and helping to create innovative new programs that inspire student interest. Over the past two years, the School Committee has frequently docketed STEM discussions, prioritized elementary math improvements, and encouraged new programs like interdisciplinary science/technology and SIMMS, a problem-solving high school math curriculum.

Let’s start with some of the strengths of Newton’s programs:
•    Massachusetts students have the best NAEP test scores in the nation and rank up with the best international competition on the TIMMS math/science test. Newton participates in these tests.
•    Math SAT scores for both Newton high schools are in the top 10 for public school districts in Massachusetts. Both have mean scores over 600 - quite an accomplishment. South placed 4th and North 9th in the 2007 state rankings. 2008 scores rose further.
•    Advanced Placement (AP) test scores in STEM areas are extremely impressive at both high schools – over 90% of the calculus, chemistry, computer science, physics, and biology scores are in the “pass” range required for college credit.
•    The Science and Math teams at both high schools have been extremely successful in local, state and national competitions.
•    Both schools have a wide variety of STEM elective courses including oceanography, engineering, robotics, neurobiology, environment, anatomy, network systems, and Career & Technical Education classes.
•    The North/South Ligerbots robotics team had a fantastic rookie year in tournaments and has attracted large numbers of enthusiastic participants.
•    New K-8 programs challenge students to think like scientists and engineers, design experiments, and write about the process.

But there are known weaknesses in NPS. Elementary teachers everywhere historically have not been hired with extensive math training. The high failure rate on the State’s new, long-overdue math test for aspiring teachers shows the problem. The School Committee has funded an elementary math initiative that has successfully combined professional development, part-time math coaches (at the highest-need schools), and teacher-to-teacher initiatives to boost student understanding and performance. The program is designed to target high-risk students early, narrow achievement gaps between schools, and give teachers differentiated instruction techniques that challenge students with different learning styles and paces. The early results are promising and feedback from parents and principals has been extremely positive.

Unfortunately we have little idea how many Newton grads choose STEM careers. Over the past four years some 26-30% of Newton students answering an optional question at SAT sign-in who stated they had a college major in mind chose a STEM field. This is far from a reliable long-term data point. A Newton South parent recently quizzed her 24 year old about the career fields of his 23 South friends and found 17 were working in STEM professions. But we need more than anecdotal information.

Some of my recommendations on what NPS should do:
Pathways to STEM success – Conduct longitudinal surveys of students to determine why some choose and succeed in STEM classes and then decide to pursue college STEM majors and careers.
Maintain our strong programs at the high schools – In order to maintain the rich STEM curriculum at both high schools, and effective programs to close achievement gaps, we need sustainable long-term budgeting and action on school cost drivers.
Hire new teachers with STEM strengths – All school levels should recruit new teachers with STEM backgrounds, including those in mid-career who could be trained through Newton’s certified teacher training institute.
Early identification of students struggling with math – All K-2 teachers should continue to be trained in new assessment/corrective measures to address early problems before curriculum gets more challenging and before children lag behind and lose interest.
Better integration of technology into the classroom – Technology can greatly improve teaching and student interest and achievement in math/science courses. The School Department has made progress over the past two years and the Newton Schools Foundation has launched a $2 million 21st Century Classroom campaign.
Challenge all students in and out of the classroom – We must continue to support efforts such as the Countryside and Peirce pilots whereby teachers are collaborating across grade levels to differentiate instruction to challenge all students. We also need even more in- and out-of-classroom activities to excite students about science; and increased STEM-related grant support.

There are some people who support STEM education in Newton, like I do, but favor replacing entire programs and ignoring our many student and teacher accomplishments. I support working together with our system’s professionals to further improve STEM education.