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SCHOOL COMMITTEE CANDIDATE PROFILE: Jean-Daniel “J.D.” LaRock
October 28, 2009Melrose 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.