Last year’s teacher strike in Marblehead was painful for everyone—students, educators, families, and district leaders alike. It wasn’t just a contract dispute. It was a reflection of broken trust, strained communication, and a disconnect between those tasked with running our schools and those at the heart of teaching and learning.
The path forward is to shift the question from “What went wrong?” to “How do we heal?”
Our educators are our district’s most valuable asset. Strong, authentic relationships between our school committee members, district administrators, and educators are an essential component of the future success of the Marblehead Public Schools. Rebuilding those relationships requires more than good intentions; it calls for structure, consistency, and a shared commitment to doing better.
I believe there are deliberate, meaningful steps the school committee can take to help improve our district culture and move our schools forward.
The first of these is to launch a Repair and Rebuild Initiative:
For the 2025–26 school year, the school committee and superintendent should jointly commit to measurable goals around collaboration and communication with educators, and improving staff morale.
Goals should be tracked and reported just as we would with academic progress or budget management—because culture matters just as much.
I will advocate for clear, measurable objectives and a plan to achieve them.
The path forward is to do the work – together – of strengthening the relationships between those running our schools and our educators. Rebuilding trust isn’t optional. It’s the foundation of the strong, stable schools we all want for our students, educators, and community.
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