BOE Member Mitch Slater Will Seek Second Term

Three years ago, I was asked by a colleague to run for the Westfield Board of Education. At the time I was frustrated by some of the Board’s recent decisions and, more importantly, by the lack of transparency in communicating with the public.

Today's Board has come a long way and I am proud to be part of this incredibly dedicated and hard working group of individuals representing the town of Westfield. Although more than a few people have joked that being a board member is "one of the most thankless” jobs, I am personally thankful for the opportunity to serve.

The Westfield School District, in a word, is awesome. It’s not perfect—nothing ever is—but it is truly state of the art. From the top down I have marveled at the talent and strong work ethic in our schools and in our administration. As a parent I genuinely feel my kids have gotten an excellent education that is not only commensurate, but often superior, to other schools in the state. But there is still more work to be done. 

I pledged during my 2010 campaign to try to improve the technology in the classroom and bring STEM to the forefront. I am happy to report that great progress has been achieved, but we must finish the job. That takes not only great leadership, but money. I made it very clear in my last campaign that I was concerned about our decreasing state aid and our increasing labor costs— roughly 80% of our current budget. It is my hope that during my final term that we can make significant strides to do a better job of allocating budget dollars toward a strong education,  and one that will prepare our kids for the ever-changing global economy.

As chair of the Technology Committee I will also continue to push forward on a new district website and increasing our social media presence to connect more directly with our community.

One other area  that I believe needs further study is what is commonly referred to as the "Race to Nowhere" issue. The burden of too much and unnecessary homework continues unabated. We need to challenge our students without stifling their creativity; we need to give them room to grow and to question and to develop outside interests  rather becoming rote test-takers who constantly feel overwhelmed and stressed to the hilt. Academics are important, but so is balance and I hope that with the help of the community we can make a difference in this area.   

I look forward to serving Westfield, its schools, and its stakeholders for another three years. That’s why I will be running for re-election this November.

Mitch Slater