Stepping Down, But Not Out

I have big news today. After 26 years, I am going back to school. For this reason, along with some others, I have decided not to seek re-election this fall.

I will be supporting a slate of new candidates who are running on the theme of continuing "Progress for Cambridge."

Forgive the length, but here is the press release I sent to the local press today in full below. More on this later after I make the announcement at the School Committee meeting tonight -- the last one before school ends for the year.


For Release: Tuesday, June 5, 2007

Walser Will Not Seek a Fifth Term; Will Support Slate of New Candidates

After serving four terms on the Cambridge School Committee, Nancy Walser has decided not to run for a fifth term this November and to back a slate of new candidates instead.

“I have been intensely involved in Cambridge schools for ten years and I feel that a lot has been accomplished,” said Walser, who first ran for School Committee in 1999 after publishing two parent guides to the Cambridge schools in 1997 and 1998.

“My mantra has been quality teaching and excellence in all our schools as the foundation for everything,” she said. “Many of the tools needed to accomplish this are now in place--regular, more thorough teacher evaluations and the emphasis on quality leadership, for example. These weren’t a priority before I joined the School Committee and I believe that I had a lot to do with putting them at the top of the agenda.”

“Now I think we need new energy and a new commitment to support the current school leadership and to foster a more collaborative culture in order to continue the progress that’s been made,” Walser said. “That’s why I am elated that others are stepping forward to become candidates. This is a great group of folks from all over the city who will bring a real can-do, positive energy to the board,” she added.

For her part, Walser said her reasons for deciding not to run again are mainly personal. “After my term ends in December, I hope to be going back to school to pursue a master’s degree in education policy while I continue my work as assistant editor of the Harvard Education Letter. I also plan to spend more evenings at home with my kids who are unbelievably only three and five years away from college. And after years of supporting my campaigns, my husband is starting a new business, which is like a campaign in itself. It seems like the right time to shift gears.”

Walser said she is excited to support the new slate of candidates running under the theme of “Progress for Cambridge.” The candidates are: Stefan Malner, a West Cambridge resident who works as an analyst for the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection; Nancy Tauber, a Graham & Parks parent and experienced public school teacher who lives in Cambridgeport; and Gail Lemily Wiggins, a North Cambridge parent who works as a counselor for The Educational Resource Institute (TERI) in Boston.

“I am running to put the spotlight on students,” said Malner, a 2003 graduate and political science major from Ithaca College, who has also spent four years working on several recent political and issue-based campaigns.

“From my experience, education policy ignores input from the students. As a School Committee member, I would work with my colleagues to make sure that we thoroughly explore how every new initiative affects students,” he said.

“I’m a teacher, I’m a mom and I care about the public schools and this community,” said Tauber, another new candidate. Tauber taught middle school social studies for 12 years in the Newton Public Schools and currently serves as co-chair of the school council at Graham & Parks where her two children attend school.

“I think the School Committee plays a huge role in setting a tone for how others view our schools. There are some great things going on in our public schools, but you wouldn’t necessarily know it. Principals and teachers need to get more credit and their accomplishments need to be celebrated,” said Tauber.

“I’ve been a parent in the school system for 14 years and I have seen a lot of changes, many of them not constructive,” said Lemily Wiggins, who is also launching her first School Committee campaign. “I’m excited about the positive changes being made, especially at the high school, and I’d like to be a part of making more happen.”

In addition to her job connecting low-income, minority and immigrant students and adults with secondary educational opportunities, Lemily Wiggins has logged many years volunteering in the Cambridge public schools, including the Career and College Resource Center at CRLS. She has a master’s degree in education from Harvard University.

The Progress for Cambridge slate is being supported by a grass-roots group of longtime parents and public school supporters who are looking to city leaders to work collaboratively with school district personnel in order to continue the many improvements that are already underway.

“Having a School Committee operating in a high state of emotion, lurching from idea to idea or from leader to leader is not the way to make stable, consistent progress in school districts,” said Avi Green, a group member. “We need some new people who will set a new, constructive tone.”

“There’s been too much in-fighting, too much arguing with the superintendent. This doesn’t help the schools or the students,” said Mary Tittmann, another PFC member. “We need people on the School Committee who will collaborate with our school leaders and focus on what really matters: quality leadership and excellent teaching.”

“We are seeing great improvements in our schools,” said Mary Ann Hart, another PFC member, “The high school is making great strides in its academic instruction, with a great and growing variety of programs that kids can take advantage of. Our kindergarten enrollment also increased to the point where new classrooms had to be opened. Our School Committee needs to continue to support these positive changes by extending the Superintendent’s contract and supporting him in his work for all the students--not fighting for their own narrow agendas,” Hart said.

To meet the new candidates, Walser is inviting the public to a gathering at her home at 335 Huron Ave. on Saturday, June 16 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call 617-876-4582 or go to www.nancywalser.org.

For more information on the candidates, contact:

Stefan Malner: stefanmalner@gmail.com
Nancy Tauber: nancytauber@comcast.net; 617-576-7977
Gail Lemily Wiggins: lemilywiggins@gis.net; 617-547-3873