http://www.larock4melrose.com en ira@imsiegel.com Copyright 2009 2009-10-28T12:47:49+00:00 http://www.larock4melrose.com/news-events/item/school-committee-candidate-profile-jean-daniel-j.d.-larock/ http://www.larock4melrose.com/news-events/item/school-committee-candidate-profile-jean-daniel-j.d.-larock/#When:12:47:49Z Melrose Free Press Name: Jean-Daniel “J.D.” LaRock             Length of residence in Melrose: 1 year, 3 months     Occupation: Policy director at the Massachusetts Executive Office of Education Educational background: Public school graduate; bachelor’s degree from Harvard University (1993); law degree from Georgetown University (1997); master’s degree in education policy and management from the Harvard Graduate School of Education (2004); currently pursuing a doctorate in education policy and leadership at Harvard. If a parent, the ages of your children, and the school(s) they attend: My wife and I have not yet been blessed with children, but we have two 8-year-old nieces who attend the Winthrop Elementary School. Describe the skills, education, and/or experiences that you feel uniquely qualify you for a position on the Melrose School Committee: I’m proud to have devoted my entire career to strengthening public education,and I come from a family of public school teachers. As a School Committee member, I hope to use my extensive professional and personal background in education to deepen our district’s focus on improving student achievement and the quality of teaching in our schools. Before becoming a state education official, I worked as senior education advisor to [the late] Sen. Edward Kennedy. In that position, I helped write new laws that provided $20 billion in new college aid to families, strengthened career and technical education programs in high schools, and created new opportunities for students with disabilities to complete high school and attend college. I’ve also worked as a spokesman for the New York City Public Schools; special assistant to the dean of the Harvard Graduate School of Education; senior education fellow at the U.S. Conference of Mayors; and as a local television news reporter, where I covered education. I have a strong understanding of education at the local, state, and national levels, and I believe my background will enable me to make immediate contributions as a member of the School Committee. As the nephew of a person with Down syndrome, and the husband of a sign language interpreter, I also have strong personal connections to students with special needs. As a teenager, I worked in a community respite program for children with disabilities that was founded by my family. In college, I was campus chair of Best Buddies, a program that promotes friendships between college students and students with intellectual disabilities, and in graduate school I co-edited “Special Education for a New Century,” a book about the latest practices in special education. I care deeply about students with special needs and will work hard to ensure that the priorities of families with special needs students are addressed by the School Committee.      Describe the three greatest challenges currently facing the Melrose Public Schools, and explain how you would address each as a member of the School Committee: Improving student achievement: Although our schools are highly rated by the state Department of Education, three schools did not meet federal achievement targets under the No Child Left Behind Act, and reading and math performance in some grades is below state averages. As a School Committee member, I’ll work to address these needs by supporting reading and math coaches for teachers. I also support increased training to help teachers analyze student data more effectively, so our teachers can identify and help struggling students. At our high school, we should do more to provide students with a full slate of Advanced Placement courses, and work to ensure that students not only participate, but do well. As a School Committee member, I’ll support immediate efforts to establish AP Biology, Chemistry, and European History courses. “Meeting the Needs of All Learners” Plan: Many parents remain worried about the district’s new initiative to implement differentiated instruction through “flexible grouping” and “cluster grouping” of students. The School Committee must ensure that teachers are receiving the materials and training they need to implement this strategy effectively, and should provide frequent opportunities for parents to receive updates. As a School Committee member, I’ll support regular opportunities for families to provide feedback on this initiative, and believe the superintendent should be held accountable for proper implementation. Protecting our schools from budget cuts: As the recession continues, we need to work very hard this year to protect our schools from budget cuts while also protecting citizens from tax increases. I believe our School Committee can be more entrepreneurial in finding new funds from external sources. As a School Committee member, I’ll work aggressively to help our district apply for federal and state programs that can provide new funding streams. We also should do more to work with foundations in our state and region, many of which support education initiatives. Our district’s leaders deserve credit for establishing a wonderful new Early Childhood Center, appointing strong new elementary school principals, and shielding our schools from major cutbacks. As a School Committee member, I hope to build on this foundation by focusing on the above-mentioned challenges. Read more about LaRock at the candidate’s Web site at larock4melrose.com. Press Releases 2009-10-28T12:47:49+00:00 http://www.larock4melrose.com/news-events/item/melrose-school-committee-candidates-lock-horns-in-second-debate/ http://www.larock4melrose.com/news-events/item/melrose-school-committee-candidates-lock-horns-in-second-debate/#When:12:40:18Z boston.com, By Travis Andersen, Town Correspondent Two challengers for seats on the School Committee and one incumbent sparred on questions of budget items and meeting priorities - among other issues - at a debate on Monday sponsored by the citizens group Melrose Cares and the North Shore Tab, a local news blog. Committee chair Christine Casatelli participated in the forum at Melrose Middle School, along with challengers Carrie Kourkoumelis and Jean-Daniel LaRock. Asked by former City Solicitor John Cinella what items the candidates would preserve in the face of likely budget cuts next spring, Kourkoumelis and LaRock took aim at what they called an unnecessary expenditure - a roughly $15,000 consulting fee to an outside firm advising the committee on a new strategic plan for the school district. “The best ideas won’t come from any consultant,” LaRock said, adding that the committee should rely mainly on input from teachers and families in crafting the plan. Kourkoumelis added that the consultant’s responsibilities should go to Superintendent Joseph Casey, who’s slated to earn $143,932 in fiscal year 2010. “In dire financial times, this is certainly a task that the superintendent should be able to encompass,” she said. Casatelli defended the consulting fee during her rebuttal, calling it a “wise expenditure,” since the firm will cull valuable data from several sources. “We need a strategic plan that is data driven,” she said. Asked by Globe reporter and debate moderator Sean Murphy what the candidates would change in terms of committee protocol, Kourkoumelis called for strict adherence to public records law. “It seems that we’ve often slipped into a mode where the public is often viewed as adversarial,” she said. LaRock lamented what he called the committee’s reluctance to discuss issues surrounding instruction and student achievement, instead delegating those areas to Casey. “The School Committee shouldn’t be a dispassionate overseer,” he said. Casatelli took exception, insisting that she cared deeply about the schools along with the other incumbents. “I don’t think that means that I have to take off my shoe and hammer on the desk at the meetings,” she said, adding that the committee has to spend time writing the budget, relying the educators and Casey to provide feedback on the most effective teaching strategies. As for public records law, Casatelli said the committee upholds it, pointing repeatedly during the evening to the panel’s efforts at putting meeting minutes online and recruiting parents to serve on focus groups to offer feedback during the early stages of the strategic plan. “You’ve spoken, we’ve heard, and we’re making changes,” she said in response to a similar question on public engagement. Voters will select three members to the School Committee on Nov. 3. Incumbents Don Lehman and Joe Spinale, as well as challenger Scott Conway, round out the field. They declined to participate in Monday’s forum, citing what they called the sponsors’ divisiveness. Monday’s debate - as well as an earlier forum sponsored by the local chapter of the League of Women Voters - will air repeatedly on MMTV, the city’s local access channel. Press Releases 2009-10-27T12:40:18+00:00 http://www.larock4melrose.com/news-events/item/melrose-school-committees-role-philosophy-discussed-at-debate/ http://www.larock4melrose.com/news-events/item/melrose-school-committees-role-philosophy-discussed-at-debate/#When:12:35:02Z Melrose Free Press, By Daniel DeMaina Melrose A debate Monday night between three Melrose School Committee candidates evolved into a discussion about what role the School Committee should play in guiding the school district and how its policies should shape interaction with both school administration and with the public. The debate was held at the Melrose Veterans Memorial Middle School auditorium, and was hosted by organizers of two local online Web sites — Melrose Cares, hosted by Melrose resident Patricia Wright, and North Shore Tab, a site written and hosted by Revere resident Richard Ireton, who also hosts an online bulletin board at melrosemessages.com. School Committee incumbent Christine Casatelli and challengers Carrie Kourkoumelis and Jean-Daniel “J.D.” LaRock — the only candidates of the six running for seats on the committee who agreed to participate in the debate — each staked out distinct positions on what the School Committee should undertake, while hammering home themes they’ve repeated throughout their respective campaigns. Questions were posed to all three candidates and each candidate had 2 minutes to answer. After each candidate gave his or her answer, all three candidates then each had 2 minutes for a rebuttal on that same question. Questions asked by debate moderator Sean Murphy, a Boston Globe reporter, were submitted by the public, according to the organizers. In addition, a two-member panel, which included John Cinella, a Melrose attorney and former member of the Board of Alderman, and Jeffrey Trubisz, the former Melrose High School English Department chairman, asked questions formulated by Trubisz. Three candidates declined to participate in debate Three of the six School Committee candidates seeking seats in next month’s biennial city election on Tuesday, Nov. 3, declined to participate in the debate hosted Monday night by Melrose resident Patricia Wright, creator of the Melrose Cares Web site, and Revere resident Richard Ireton, who hosts the North Shore Tab Web site and also hosts melrosemessages.com, an online bulletin board. In explaining their reasons for not participating in the debate, incumbent Joseph Spinale and challenger Scott Conway both cited what they said is “divisive” and “offensive” content on the North Shore Tab and melrosemessages.com sites, which they further described as bordering on “cyber-bullying,” including the mostly anonymous postings on the melrosemessages.com site. Incumbent Don Lehman declined participation in the event after questioning the neutrality of the debate, citing Wright’s School Committee candidacy in 2007 (she did not win a seat) and, this year, Wright’s criticism of one of the current candidates to the media. A question asked by Murphy about the biggest change needed in the way the School Committee conducts business led to a back-and forth between the candidates that centered on whether or not the committee delves deeply enough into certain topics. LaRock brought up to his theme of increasing “the level of depth and urgency” of committee discussions dealing specifically with student achievement, adding that the committee needs to imbue a sense of transparency and accountability. He said that in watching school committee meetings over the past few months, he has sometimes been struck by the extent to which the committee delegates details of student instruction to the superintendent. “I believe that comes from a desire not to micromanage, which is a very good thing,” he said. “At the same time, the School Committee shouldn’t be a dispassionate overseer. Let the public hear our conversations and even disagreements.” Casatelli responded that that the committee delegates instructional policy to the superintendent and other school officials as a matter of letting the experts determine what’s best for students. “Anyone who knows me knows I’m passionate; it doesn’t mean I have to take off my shoe and hammer it on the desk,” she said, adding that the recent debate over the committee’s public participation policy — which Casatelli voted against — brought respectful, but passionate debate among the committee members. “We’re not in the business of micromanaging the superintendent,” she continued. “There are education professionals out there. We give them their missions and they do their jobs. None of us have master’s [degrees] in education or work in a classroom, so we let them do what they do best.” LaRock responded that he was not suggesting that “we replay Khruschev at the U.N.” — referencing the historic moment when the Soviet Union leader banged his shoe on the desk at a United Nations meeting in 1960 — and instead said that he wanted the School Committee to engage in deeper discussion on issues, such as the middle school not meeting Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) under the federal No Child Left Behind Act for special education students and the Lincoln School not meeting AYP for special education and free lunch/low income students. “If we don’t act quickly, the federal law quickly develops into harsh sanctions that could lead to changes in the schools that none of us would want,” he said. “This is what happens if we don’t address these problems … when I talk about adding a level of depth and urgency about student instruction in a deeper way, it’s not micromanaging or doing the superintendent’s job and the educator’s job.” Engaging the public During her campaign, Kourkoumelis has often invoked the issue of how the committee works with the public. On Monday night, she noted her difficulties in obtaining executive meeting minutes and finding out what is on the committee’s bi-monthly meeting agenda. She said that while she did not know if the difficulty she’s faced in obtaining this information is intentionally caused by committee, “it seems that we’ve slipped into a mode where the public is often viewed as adversarial,” and said she would want to make sure the committee does not run afoul of public records and open meeting law. “I think that the strategic plan is fine … but I don’t think we need to wait five years,” she said, referencing the five-year strategic plan for the school district, for which the superintendent and School Committee are currently seeking volunteers from the public to serve in focus groups. “I think we can start today — immediately — having a better relationship with the public and doing the business in the public eye.” After the other candidates responded to the question, Kourkoumelis, in her rebuttal, said she has attended almost every School Committee meeting for the past seven years and constantly has to request that the meeting agenda be posted online in advance of the meeting. This led Casatelli to quickly add, “I send it to you!” with a chuckle. “You do, but that shouldn’t be necessary,” Kourkoumelis responded, noting that a few years ago she asked the district for information on how much the district was spending on legal fees and consultants. “It took a year of going through a public records request that went all the way to the Secretary of State’s office,” she said. “It should have been available had I walked into the superintendent’s office just to look. I don’t think that any of us want an adversarial relationship, but there are things that we need to be able to see readily. Mr. LaRock pointed out that having that information readily available is essential to function well. I have struggled — and I know many have struggled — to get basic information. This should not be the case.” Casatelli pointed out some ways she said the committee is improving when it comes to interacting with the public. She said that when she first joined the School Committee, subcommittee meetings were held in the superintendent’s conference room. Those meetings were then changed to the Aldermanic Chambers at City Hall so that the meetings could be televised. She also said that in the past, the committee held meetings at various Melrose schools, something she said could be revisited as long as those meetings could be televised. The School Committee is also launching a regular e-newsletter, Casatelli said, touching upon the need to use technology more effectively, an issue Casatelli has previously invoked during her campaign. She said that the e-newsletter would inform members of the public about the business conducted at the most recent School Committee meeting — items that were discussed, summaries of those discussions and any votes that were taken. “It’s about time we used technology a little bit better and making what we do in the committee reach a little farther,” she said. In response to Kourkoumelis’ stated problems with obtaining documents, Casatelli, who is currently the committee’s chairwoman, was adamant that the School Committee has followed public records and open meeting laws in the past, noting that officials from the Massachusetts Association of School Committees have come to Melrose on several occasions to speak with committee members about the state’s open meeting law. “I, as chair, make sure that no law is ever violated,” she said. Policy as more than public participation Panel member John Cinella asked the candidates if there are policy issues that have been ignored or marginalized and, if so, to name those policies and explain their significance. Kourkoumelis brought up potential problems with the way principal search committees are formed and conducted, and cited problems last year when members of the public put an item on the agenda for discussion regarding problems in the high school’s physics department. That led to parents and students showing up at a School Committee meeting en masse to address their concerns as a “measure of last resort” because they had no other method of redress, she said (“Physics friction,” Free Press, May 15, 2008). “Large groups of families struggled to place items on the agenda, even though we had followed every step of the district policies,” Kourkoumelis said. “It just seemed really counterproductive. They [the policies] served our district well — and nobody seemed to be following them. A large group of families ended up seriously disenfranchised.” Casatelli acknowledged that the committee “should have listened a little harder” when it came to the physics department situation last year and pointed to the current situation regarding a canceled bus route near the Ripley School as an example of progress (“Canceled Ripley School bus route has parents scrambling for solutions,” Free Press, Oct. 22, 2009). She said that at the School Committee meeting scheduled for the night after the debate, the committee had the issue on its agenda and had invited two parents — who were representing the entire group of parents affected by the cancelled bus route — to discuss the situation with the committee and try to find a solution. “You’ve spoken, we’ve heard, and we’re making changes,” she said. LaRock said that questions about public participation continue to pop up when committee policy is discussed and, as the policy director for the state’s Executive Office of Education, he views policy in a different way. He again focused on student achievement, bringing up Melrose students’ 55 percent pass rate on Advanced Placement exams and SAT scores that hover near the state average. “Policy is something much deeper than just a policy on public publication, or just rules,” he said. “Policy, at its best for education, is intimately tied into instruction and all the details of how to implement higher goals for our students. I think that policy in the way that has been spoken about [public participation] is actually less important than what I think of as policy: the plan for establishing goals, creating architecture to see them through, and the specific steps to realize those goals.” Kourkoumelis added that in terms of policy, she has not heard discussions at School Committee meetings about current problems such as Advanced Placement classes at the high school with more than 30 students, which she called an “unworkable model” when compared to the nationwide recommendation for those classes of 10-11 students. “If we had a district vision and philosophy that we could tie back to, it would then make sense,” she said. “We would then not spend time [during School Committee meetings] talking about minutiae.” Casatelli responded that John Buxton, Melrose High School Guidance Department chairman, was attending the School Committee meeting this week to talk about AP scores, but said some of the deeper policy questions LaRock raised are “not the kind of issues we can solve in 2 hours at a School Committee meeting. There’s lots of business to take care of.” With regard to those class sizes, Casatelli cited the fiscal restraints facing the district, though she agreed that 30 students in an AP class is “not acceptable. “But when we face more cuts from the state, we’ll have to look at our choices, and not a lot of them are good choices,” she said. “I welcome the discussion and we can raise the points, but we have to look to our educators and ask them for their solutions to these problems.” Press Releases 2009-10-27T12:35:02+00:00 http://www.larock4melrose.com/news-events/item/melrose-league-of-women-voters-holds-school-committee-candidates-forum/ http://www.larock4melrose.com/news-events/item/melrose-league-of-women-voters-holds-school-committee-candidates-forum/#When:12:42:20Z Melrose Free Press, By Daniel DeMaina Melrose - At the Melrose League of Women Voters (LWV) candidate’s forum held Wednesday night, the six candidates vying for three seats on the Melrose School Committee responded to questions ranging from the committee’s public participation policy to budget challenges to how special education in the district can be improved. The forum was taped at MMTV studios in Melrose. Questions about the committee’s recent changes to the public participation policy were asked by LWV moderator Anna Bastian. The changes, approved by the committee earlier this month, now guarantee that each member of the public who wishes to speak has a minimum of three minutes, and mandates that minors who wish to speak at a School Committee meeting must obtain the consent of their parents or guardians before doing so (“School Committee policy change guarantees minimum speaking time to all,” Free Press, Oct. 22, 2009). A 30-minute limit for public participation — originally in the committee’s by-laws — remains in effect, though the time limit can be extended by the committee in case a large number of people wish to speak. Incumbent candidate Joseph Spinale said that while the committee hasn’t had problems in the past that required instituting any sort of time limits, he voted in favor of the change, adding, “I would possibly [further] change the policies to reflect that there shouldn’t be a time limit … and say as many people as possible can come up and speak,” he said. Jean-Daniel “J.D.” LaRock, one of the three challengers, said the committee does not need rule-bound policy on public participation, pointing to the state Legislature’s procedure of giving discretion to the chairman or chairwoman when it comes to asking people to limit how long they speak. “It’s perplexing to me, with respect, that the School Committee has spent so much time debating an issue that’s so simple,” he said, adding. “This is just the tip of iceberg when it comes to engaging public.” Incumbent Don Lehman, who wrote the new policy and defended it, pointed out that other public participation policies that deal with participation beyond the public comment period are still in place. He also said that one of the policies calls for inviting members of the public with particular expertise in school-related areas to come and speak to the committee. Challenger Scott Conway said that he would like to see the committee hold town hall-style meetings “where the committee and the public can have a conversation.” He also used the state Legislature as an example, echoing LaRock’s sentiments about the chairperson having discretion. “At the meetings [on Beacon Hill], they allow people to both come and speak and provide written testimony,” Conway said. “I’d like to see the committee do that also — allow written testimony.” Incumbent Christine Casatelli, who voted against the policy change along with Mayor Rob Dolan, stated that “I’ve never turned anyone away [from speaking during public participation] and I never will while I’m the chairperson.” She said one of her concerns with the new policy was requiring minors to gain parental or guardian consent before speaking, explaining, “I don’t think that’s ever been a problem with us.” Carrie Kourkoumelis, a challenger, said the new policy is a “big mistake” and should be repealed. She said the public should be drawn back into the process, invoking the give-and-take seen at Melrose Board of Aldermen meetings. “We don’t need to be curtailing [public participation],” Kourkoumelis said. “We need to work very hard to reengage a public that has become disenfranchised. We need to post agendas online, meeting materials online, draw in the public and let the public’s business be done in an open and transparent way. We have lost our way on that.” ‘Improve special education with communication, new programs’ Bastian asked each candidate what he or she would do to improve services provided by the special education department, which is called Pupil Personnel Services in Melrose. Casatelli said improving communication is the “number one job” in the special education department and [poor communication or lack thereof] is the most oft-heard complaint she hears from parents. She added that the committee’s five-year strategic plan sets a minimum two-day response time for administrators to respond to parents. She continued, adding that the city’s school system needs to “create our own programs to bring our kids back to our schools. We’re starting to do that with the autism program. When we bring our kids back, they get to go to school with their friends … we can also bring in kids from other districts, bring their kids to our programs” she said. Kourkoumelis responded to the question by suggesting that Melrose look to similarly sized cities with successful special education programs for ideas, adding that she, like Casatelli, has heard from parents about problems with communication from the special education department. “There’s tremendous dissatisfaction because parents do not get responses or the responses they get seem to minimize their concerns,” she said. “We need to see what’s working elsewhere in similar demographics.” Conway said as the older brother of two Melrose High School graduates with special education needs, he believes Melrose needs to bring more [special education] students back to the district — instead of going to out-of-district programs — where they can be with friends and family they know. To do so, he said, would mean “we need to help get more aides in the schools, whether parent volunteers or otherwise, to work more one-on-one with the students. I’ve seen first hand that one-on-one instruction helps students … such as the Best Buddies program, where students work with other students with special needs. They help their education and help them in the future.” Lehman echoed Casatelli’s responses, noting that other districts have needs also and that through developing programs together, Melrose can help address its own needs as well. “We need to cooperate with them [other districts] and try to bring a centerline program,” he said. LaRock said that the parents of special needs students must be responded to immediately and believes that the early intervention strategy seen at the Melrose Early Childhood Center is an example of a good initiative. “More team teaching and inclusion models can be helpful and, incidentally, I think that’ll also help with the differentiated instruction [‘all learners’] plan,” he said. “I agree that we need to do more to reduce students going out of district. Melrose spends $2 million to $3 million each year on out-of-district placements. By building capacity in district, we can also help address our budget problems.” Spinale said that the key is to spend money on special education program, including hiring aides and paraprofessionals, and not cutting them. “Along the same lines is keeping students involved in the classroom,” he said. “Let them know that other people are there to help them.” Budget: save arts, keep cuts away from classrooms Asked to name one budget line item they would never eliminate from the Melrose Public Schools budget, Kourkoumelis answered that each year since she’s moved to Melrose, music and art have been on the chopping block. She called for restoring the Fine Arts chairman/chairwoman position and keeping the budget focused on students and teachers. “There are resources available for funding,” she said. “We could also have an alumni foundation at the high school. We need to limit administrative stipends that are awarded in executive session that the public doesn’t know about,” she added, drawing a confused, then disappointed look from Casatelli, who shook her head sideways. Since the LWV event was a forum — not a debate — Casatelli was not able to respond to Kourkoumelis’ assertion. For her answer, Casatelli said the committee this year put together a budget without cuts to teachers and programs, and did not raise fees, adding that it’s “easy” to raise fees in order to balance the budget, but that the committee avoided doing so. “We can’t cut arts and we should never cut teachers,” she said, adding that sports should also be spared from further cuts. LaRock said that Melrose principals have told him that professional development and training for teachers should be spared, along with classroom supplies and materials, which were cut last year by almost 5 percent. He also said the committee can be “more entrepreneurial,” saying that the district “only pulled in” $35,000 in private grants last year and that there are dozens of foundations with grant money across the state. “Focus cuts on adults, the administration, and keep the cuts away from the classrooms and the kids,” he said. ‘How would you improve students achievement?’ Asked about steps they’ve taken as School Committee members — or would take if elected — to improve student achievement, Lehman pointed to the new ‘meeting the needs of all learners’ plan that is being rolled out this year, saying he worked “behind the scenes” with the administration to bring the plan to fruition. “When you have larger classrooms with 22, 24 kids at the elementary level, we’re addressing that whole range of learners,” he said. “Working with administration, we came up with a group solution through ability groupings that really provide for that.” Conway said the key is to focus on individual students, challenging those who are excelling, providing additional support to those who are struggling, and not forgetting all the students in between. Spinale, half-jokingly, said “I thought it was a trick question” and said simply being on the School Committee helps improve student achievement, by choosing the right plan and making sure the plan is followed. “That’s part of what we do at all the School Committee meetings,” he said. “Specifically, I can give you many different answers to what we’ve done, starting with the strategic five-year plan and the meeting needs of all learners plan.” Press Releases 2009-10-23T12:42:20+00:00 http://www.larock4melrose.com/news-events/item/larock-commits-to-melrose-cares-debate/ http://www.larock4melrose.com/news-events/item/larock-commits-to-melrose-cares-debate/#When:17:12:33Z Boston.com - By Travis Andersen, Town Correspondent School Committee hopeful Jean-Daniel LaRock has agreed to participate in a candidate forum sponsored by a citizen’s group and a controversial local news blog. The debate, sponsored by the group Melrose Cares and the North Shore Tab, is scheduled for Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. at Melrose Middle School. It is open to the public. Committee chair Christine Casatelli, up for reelection, has confirmed her participation in the debate, as well as candidate Carrie Kourkoumelis. Incumbents Don Lehman and Joe Spinale and candidate Scott Conway declined to participate, citing the heated rhetoric on the Tab and Melrose Messages, where Melrose Cares founder Patricia Wright often posts. But LaRock looks forward to appearing live in front of voters. “I see some value in a forum where the public can see us up close and in person,” he said. “That ultimately was a deciding factor for me.” The local chapter of the League of Women Voters will film debates for local candidates in contested wards on Oct. 21. They will air repeatedly on MMTV, the city’s cable access channel. Voters go to the polls on Nov. 3. Press Releases 2009-10-05T17:12:33+00:00 http://www.larock4melrose.com/news-events/item/open-houses-for-family-and-citizens/ http://www.larock4melrose.com/news-events/item/open-houses-for-family-and-citizens/#When:23:09:06Z As the highly competitive race for the Melrose School Committee enters its final month, candidate Jean-Daniel “J.D.” LaRock has announced that he will hold three free “Family and Citizen Open Houses” for Melrose residents on Tuesday, October 6th, Tuesday, October 13th, and Thursday, October 22nd.  The open houses, which all will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Beebe Estate at 235 West Foster Street, will give participants an opportunity to share their views about issues related to the Melrose Public Schools, as well as engage in a detailed discussion with Mr. LaRock about his platform “to make our great schools even better.”  The sessions are open to the public, and donations will not be solicited. LaRock, who formerly served as a senior education advisor to the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy, and who holds degrees in law and education policy from Georgetown and Harvard, says he organized the open houses to demonstrate his commitment to ensuring that the voices of Melrose families and citizens are heard by the School Committee.  “As representatives of all of Melrose, it’s vital that School Committee members make consistent efforts to reach out to all our neighborhoods,” LaRock said.  “If I’m fortunate to be elected on November 3rd, families and citizens can expect me to continue holding open houses like these, because I firmly believe that public outreach is a crucial part of being an effective School Committee member.” LaRock said that although members of the public are encouraged to attend any of the Open Houses, each will be targeted toward a specific segment of the Melrose Public Schools community.  For example, the October 6th forum will focus on elementary school and early childhood issues, while the October 13th forum will focus on middle school and high school issues.  LaRock said he is especially interested in hearing parents’ views about the “cluster grouping” and “flexible grouping” plans being implemented at the elementary and middle schools.  He also hopes to share his ideas about steps the high school can take to improve Advanced Placement programming and financial aid counseling for college. The October 22nd forum will focus on students with special needs – an area of LaRock’s background and experience that he hopes to discuss more with voters as the School Committee campaign continues.  “As the nephew of a person with Down Syndrome, the son and brother of special education teachers, and the husband of a sign language interpreter, I’m fortunate to have been brought up with a strong understanding about the education of students with disabilities.”  As a teenager, LaRock worked in a neighborhood respite program for young people with disabilities that was established by his family.  While an undergraduate at Harvard, he served as campus chair of Best Buddies, a program that promotes friendships between college students and people with intellectual disabilities.  As a graduate student at Harvard, LaRock co-edited the 2004 book Special Education for a New Century, which discusses advances in educational theory and practice regarding students with disabilities.  Later, as Senator Kennedy’s education advisor, LaRock created a new program in the federal Higher Education Act that helps community colleges establish transition programs for students with intellectual disabilities who have aged out of the K-12 school system.  He also authored key changes to federal financial aid laws so that for the first time ever, students with intellectual disabilities can receive Pell Grants to attend higher education programs.  “Working with Senator Kennedy and his sister, Mrs. Eunice Shriver, on these provisions was one of the great honors of my life,” said LaRock.  “If elected, I hope to bring the same level of commitment to helping students with disabilities – and all students – to the School Committee.” To register for the October 6th, October 13th, or October 22nd open houses, please send an email to larock4melrose@hotmail.com indicating your name, and the number of people who will be attending. Press Releases 2009-09-28T23:09:06+00:00 http://www.larock4melrose.com/news-events/item/2009-victorian-fair-photos/ http://www.larock4melrose.com/news-events/item/2009-victorian-fair-photos/#When:00:17:32Z J.D. with niece Abby Cunningham Talking with voters J.D.‘s wife Christina painting faces J.D.‘s niece Lily Cunningham Press Releases 2009-09-14T00:17:32+00:00 http://www.larock4melrose.com/news-events/item/boston-globe-melrose-school-committee-candidate-would-spread-the-word/ http://www.larock4melrose.com/news-events/item/boston-globe-melrose-school-committee-candidate-would-spread-the-word/#When:00:17:41Z Boston Globe: By Travis Andersen, Town Correspondent A School Committee candidate believes many graduating seniors are missing out on college loans, a trend he’d like to reverse as a member of the panel. He’d also encourage more sophomores to take the PSAT, so their final scores would improve on college entrance exams. “A lot of families are struggling with the issue of how to pay for college,” said candidate Jean-Daniel LaRock, who works at the state Executive Office of Education. LaRock helped craft federal loan programs for two years in Washington as a higher education adviser to the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy. Now that payment plans are more flexible on many loans - and loan forgiveness programs are in place for workers in the public and nonprofit sectors - LaRock wants to make sure graduating seniors understand their options. He said that as a School Committee member, he’d spread the word on conferences hosted by the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority, which connects students to loan programs. He’d also raise awareness of College Goal Sunday - a nonprofit that hosts loan conferences in Massachusetts and other states - adding that contrary to popular belief, students in Melrose need help paying for college. “There’s a perception that many families in our community are not eligible for need-based college aid,” he said. “But Melrose is not an extremely wealthy community. A lot of families in Melrose fall into a different category of middle class incomes.” Of course, students must gain acceptance to college in the first place. LaRock believes that if more students took the PSAT as sophomores - most take the precursor to the SAT as juniors - their final scores on the college entrance exam would increase. Plus students who take the PSAT as sophomores are eligible for National Merit Scholarships. On perhaps the most polarizing issue in educational circles - charter school expansion - LaRock sounded a cautious note in a recent interview. “I take a moderate view on charter schools,” he said. “I’ve seen in my career some exemplary charter schools and some very poor charter schools.” LaRock said he’s not sure where the Mystic Valley Regional Charter School - which serves Melrose and surrounding communities - fits on that spectrum, but he did note that students’ scores on state achievement tests at the school generally haven’t declined from the early to middle grades, like they have at the other public schools. “I’d be interested in learning what is going on at Mystic Valley with respect to the middle grades,” he said. Press Releases 2009-09-11T00:17:41+00:00 http://www.larock4melrose.com/news-events/item/what-the-mcas-scores-means-for-melrose/ http://www.larock4melrose.com/news-events/item/what-the-mcas-scores-means-for-melrose/#When:23:49:07Z Like many Melrosians, I’m concerned by the news that two of our schools did not meet student achievement targets in reading and math this year under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, according to preliminary state results. Superintendent Joe Casey is right to point out that these results in no way mean that these schools are failing. Press Releases 2009-09-04T23:49:07+00:00 http://www.larock4melrose.com/news-events/item/larock-running-for-school-committee/ http://www.larock4melrose.com/news-events/item/larock-running-for-school-committee/#When:23:22:22Z MELROSE — Jean-Daniel “J.D.” LaRock, who helped write several major education laws as a senior education advisor to U.S. Senator Edward M. Kennedy, has declared his candidacy for the Melrose School Committee. Press Releases 2009-08-28T23:22:22+00:00