Skip to main content

School Committee Candidate Statement: Jean Bertschmann

By contributor,
jeanbertschmann_0.png

Dear Fellow Hopkinton Residents:
I am happy to announce that I will be running for re-election to serve for a third term on the School Committee in the May town election. It has been a privilege to serve on the School Committee for the last six years, and I hope to continue that service for the next three. I will continue to support the work of the ESBC in identifying a solution to the educational and operational constraints of Center School; implement our recently adopted Strategic Plan; improve communications and collaboration between the schools and the community; and partner with our outstanding Superintendent and leadership team to carefully plan for and manage the anticipated growth in the town.

My husband and I made Hopkinton our home more than twenty-three years ago, and it has been an ideal place to raise our four daughters, all of whom attend or have graduated from the Hopkinton Public Schools. We feel blessed to live in such a wonderful town and believe strongly in serving the community through volunteer work. In addition to being elected to the School Committee, I have been appointed to leadership roles in many other town organizations and committees, including my current role as Chair of Hopkinton’s 300th Anniversary Celebration Committee.

I was first elected to the School Committee in 2009. Since then, I have worked diligently with my School Committee colleagues, school administrators, and school staff to provide an excellent education to students at all levels, at a reasonable and responsible cost to the town. I have worked collaboratively with other town leaders to support school budgets that align with the initiatives prioritized in our Strategic Plan while shrinking the school portion of the town budget from 57% to 53.6%. Our per/pupil expenditures are significantly lower than our peer districts. We have pursued creative new initiatives which have generated thousands of dollars in revenue for the schools, reduced energy costs, identified other efficiencies throughout the district, and enriched the diversity of our student population. Hopkinton continues to earn and enjoy its reputation as an innovative district at the leading edge of education. State and national rankings of our school district continue to rise. I am proud of the value that the administration, staff, and School Committee continue to provide to the town in terms of public education, and I am honored by the tremendous support the town gives to the schools. It truly is a collaborative effort.

The next several years promise additional growth for the town. My decades of direct involvement in the schools and across the community have provided me with a deep understanding of the strengths and challenges of the district. In addition, I have worked continuously to build strong, collaborative relationships with school and town staff, boards, and committees. Hopkinton is again on the precipice of growth, and it is critical that town leaders build on our experience to continue to successfully manage this growth and continuously improve the educational experience for all of our students. I bring that knowledge and experience to the School Committee.

I welcome the opportunity to continue to serve the town as a member of the School Committee and I respectfully ask for your support in the May 18th election. Polls are open at the Middle School from 7 am to 8 pm.

Sincerely,
Jean Bertschmann
Hopkinton School Committee
jeanber65@hotmail.com
508.435.5195 Facebook: Jean Bertschmann for School Committee, www.facebook.com/jeanforsc

Photo courtesy of Kathleen Culler, Culler Photo, LLC,