JESS PURCELL
FOR CHARIHO

Like many families in Chariho, I hold the conviction that strong schools are the heart of a strong community, and that our children deserve a quality education. In addition to K-12 education, our schools provide employment opportunities and essential benefits for teachers and staff.The whole community prospers when we share strong educational values and work together to address the real challenges that students of Chariho face. We need School Committee members who focus on making our district the best it can be.I am proud to be a Chariho parent and I know that I can make a positive impact as a member of the School Committee. I would be a partner who collaborates with stakeholders to strengthen our school system in service of our students and our community.

As a parent and a partner, my top four goals as a School Committee Member would be to:

A PARENT AND A PARTNER

Families like mine will vividly remember the spring of 2020 when classrooms and daycares suddenly closed due to COVID. We had to shift and adjust our lives to incorporate distance learning and since then, we’ve dealt with a near-constant stream of interruptions to normal life. Our kids’ teachers and childcare providers have shown incredible flexibility and dedication through this time. This experience helped solidify the truth that every parent is a partner in their child’s education.We help our children lay the foundation for their future at home but we also rely on a support network that includes our circle of friends and family, our wider community, and many dedicated childcare and education providers.I am a dedicated attendee of School Committee meetings where the public is always invited to witness valuable conversations and decisions taking place in service of the school ecosystem.I have voiced my perspective in public and in writing which you can find below.

my writing in the Westerly sun

A PRODUCT OF PUBLIC EDUCATION

My mother and I started high school the same year. I was starting as a freshman and she was starting as a custodian. My mother was a valuable and necessary asset to the school, and a friend to many students in addition to her co-workers. She was able to provide for our family as a single mother while earning the benefits of health insurance, sick time and paid time off, and a retirement plan. When my mother was diagnosed with a terminal illness, our burden was eased by her disability insurance and early retirement funds that allowed us to take good care of her while meeting all financial needs.My mother's experience taught me firsthand how public schools provide opportunities for secure and local employment that also provides the benefits that workers need and deserve.As a parent and an employee, she had overlapping roles in the public school ecosystem that existed within our community. Each school is composed of dedicated professionals working together to provide services to students. Families like mine rely on this network of care in order to work and provide for our children.

My most memorable experiences as a public school student were in the creative realms of art and enrichment classes, and in the opportunities when I could help others. I vividly remember reading aloud to other students through peer-to-peer tutoring. Similar to students in the Chariho Tech program, I discovered my career path through my high school's vocational program. It was there that my own blend of practical and creative tendencies found an avenue to a future career in graphic design.

I am grateful for the ways in which public education has shaped my life and continues to shape the lives of my children and many others.