BRODT’S NOTES

the newsletter of Mali’s campaign

June 17, 2025

Content:

• NEVER AGAIN

• SCHOOL COMMITTEE PLANS NEED PRIORITIZATION AND FUNDING

• ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL

• HAVE YOU SEEN OUR SIGNS?

• PAST ISSUES

• UPCOMING EVENTS

Never Again

Horrific attacks in Washington, DC and Colorado, as well as the recent vandalism in Brookline, are violent reminders of the concerning rise in antisemitism. Many families in Newton, including mine, have been feeling saddened, afraid, and angry for the past year.  Putting those hard feelings into words and having those conversations among adults hasn’t been easy. But if we don’t model it, how can we expect it from kids?

I believe our schools need to educate our kids to be discerning world citizens who understand historical context and nuance, can distinguish misinformation and propaganda from reality, and who represent our values and carry their own when they graduate.

As a Newton resident, I am proud that the NTA rejected the misguided statements from the MTA on the conflict in Israel, and that our teachers put aside their own opinions and worries to prioritize those of our students.

I believe that any form of hate should not be tolerated in our schools and that systemic policies, directives, and curriculum are the best way to foster positive school culture.

I also believe that the politicization of these issues makes problems worse. To weaponize prejudice for politics is to demean it. 

We need calm, level-headed discourse to address these, and other issues; leaders who can listen, reflect, and approach these complex issues with the gravity they deserve.

I was extremely proud to witness my older daughters graduate from the inaugural Jewish Story Lab class at the JCC.  They chose to complete it in lieu of their bat mitzvah. In this course, they explored Jewish history and values to help articulate their own Jewish identity and roots.  All three of my girls are very proud of their heritage and culture, and they have a deep love and appreciation for their ancestral connection to Israel.  What is even more gratifying to me is that they respect others’ cultural connections and history equally.

School Committee plans need prioritization and funding

Reports on the math curricula, the strategic plan, and the joint labor-management working groups (on mental health, elementary, high school oversight, and unit C) were presented to the School Committee on May 19, June 2, and June 16, respectively.

These reports stress an important attempt to be both participative (eliciting opinions from stakeholders in the community) and collaborative (staff and management working together on behalf of the needs of our students). The first two were stewarded by external consultants, while the labor-management working groups are organic to NPS.

First, on the strategic plan, the committee approved changes to the mission statement, core values, and a suite of strategic objectives and initiatives organized around four goals:

• Learning and well-being: Create learning environments where every student feels seen, valued, and capable of success.
• Community engagement: Communicate effectively, foster connections, and build partnerships to promote community pride in NPS
• Financial resources and facilities: Implement sustainable financial and facility plans to support student learning and innovation
• Human resources: Recruit and retain a diverse, high-skilled staff. Create a culture of continuous learning and well-being. 

Work remains to be done as those strategic wishes need to turn into measurable, time-bound objectives: a roadmap with milestones and resources to achieve them. The initiatives need to be prioritized, be tied to funding, and owned by NPS. 

I would argue that this is when the experience of educators and administrators is most needed. Management consultants usually lack the subject matter expertise to ascertain what interventions and programs are the best path forward for a particular district.

Second, on the joint labor-management working groups, the committee approved status updates on meetings held to find ways to address pressing issues such as district-wide mental-health support, Unit C coverage, and elementary day scheduling.

For me, these reports highlight the commitment of our staff to improve the learning conditions of our students and the importance of moving past adversarial relationships towards collaborative solutions. But they also stress the glaring contradiction between the need to restore services to move towards a thriving system and the climate of austerity, “efficiencies”, and cost cuts that we’ve been for the past years. Again, the perspective of experienced educators in the School Committee is key to sustained advocacy for meaningful changes that improve the classroom experience.

Finally, on the math curriculum “self-study”, the report by the consultants highlights the need to implement common curricula and assessments so that the experience is consistent across schools. 

The report is organized around 6 “findings”, but the diagnosis does not translate into a coherent action plan to implement fixes to identified shortcomings. Notably, for example, the report did not offer direct recommendations on the pressing issue of multi-level classrooms. The opinion in the report seems to be that multi-level classrooms could work, if implemented correctly. 

Moreover, the real revision of the curricula (units of study, standards, and best practices) will extend to next year with pilots starting as soon as Nov 2025, budget and professional development needs identified by April 2026, and -finally- guides reviewed and rolled out by June 2026.  

On the campaign trail

I continue to hold many conversations with residents centered around these main ideas:

• Newton Schools continue to be excellent, yet there is plentiful work to be done.
• Newtonians want a public school system that allows all students to thrive, that addresses all students’ needs, and that meets multiple measures of excellence.
• My valuable experience in education and my knowledge of school systems and programming allow me to deeply understand the issues and to help formulate viable solutions.
• Schools are important to all residents in our city. They are integral to our reputation, are a reflection of our values, are an investment in our future, and are the foundation of our community. We all care.

I am grateful to everyone who wants to share their perspective. I would love the opportunity to listen to more viewpoints. Please reach out to have a gathering with your friends and neighbors: mali4newton.org@gmail.com

Highlands Village Day 

It was the largest Highlands Village Day so far and a very exciting time greeting neighbors. I’m especially thankful to my family who came out to support our efforts reaching voters.

Have you seen our signs?

A lot of people have told me they have seen our signs around the city. If you want to host a free sign or have me over for coffee/beverages to meet your neighbors, please sign up: https://www.mali4newton.org/yard-sign

Past issues

Did you miss our newsletter? 

• Second Edition: Budget compromise

• First Edition: Equity and excellence

Upcoming events

• Th. Jun 19: Juneteenth celebration

An afternoon of community spirit and unity to mark the special day: 160 years since the final enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation.

• Sat. Jun 21: A conversation on the health of NPS

A meet and greet to talk about leadership and public service with special guest, Judith Kurland.

RSVP here: https://www.mali4newton.org/events/xq63f

COMMITTEE TO ELECT MALI BRODT
P.O. BOX 610062
NEWTON HIGHLANDS, MA 02461