Endorsement from Michelle LeBretton
There are three open seats on the School Committee this year and I humbly ask you to use one of your three votes for my husband, Matt LeBretton.
Before I go any further, I’d like to start by thanking currentSchool Committee members. It’s been a hard couple of years. All of us have been impacted to different degrees. To serve the town while ensuring their families were kept whole, wasn’t an easy task – thank you.
Earlier this year Matt and I received a few texts and calls from friends asking if one of us would consider running for School Committee. My immediate reaction was to run in the opposite direction - I didn’t love the idea of putting ourselves out there. I figured someone else would do it. Matt didn’t flinch. He wasn’t going to back down and threw himself into the hard work of campaigning.
We have three kids, I work full time, Matt owns his own strategic consulting firm, we both volunteer in and out of town. This town is full of busy people – we aren’t special but why add more? It came down to the question of risk vs. reward. After several conversations, we agreed the risk was worth it.
If you have been to one of the many forums throughout the campaign, you might have heard Matt’s back story – or part of it. Matt’s mom had him when she was 17. His father struggled with substance use, was abusive and mostly out of the picture. By the time Matt was our oldest daughter’s age - just 14, he had already moved dozens of times across five states. He slept in cars and short stay motels. With each hardship there were always two things in his life, serving as a true compass for him – his mother and his teachers.
It was with that background that Matt became only the 2nd person in his family to attend college where he studied to be a teacher. Eventually, he put himself through law school and here we are today living a much different life than Matt ever thought he could. That has shaped his perspective on so many things.
One thing that is striking as you get to know Matt is his affinity toward children. Growing up in the environment he did, he’s committed to being a positive influence on kids. That’s the secret as to why he is running – to ensure they receive the tools they need to achieve now and in the future.
Yes, Matt is running to bring transparency and openness to the budgeting process. Yes, Matt is running to help improve quality of life for students, staff and families and yes, Matt is running to tackle issues related to special education and equality. The real reason Matt is running is to make a difference in the lives of the kids in our community the way so many strangers provided acts of kindness to better his life.
I encourage you to read Matt’s columns in the Hingham Anchor regarding some of his thoughts and interactions in Hingham. They are a range of topics but what you will see is someone who is willing to poke a little fun at himself, whose love for his friends, family and this town is evident in his writing and someone who is honest, direct and willing to try new things.
Please consider supporting my husband, Matt LeBretton on Saturday May 14th for Hingham School Committee.
Meet Matt LeBretton
Matt and his wife, Michelle, moved to Hingham in 2009, realizing a dream that began years earlier when they began searching for their first home. Hingham, its great schools, neighborhoods, neighbors and natural resources was and remains an incredible community -- one we are fortunate to call home.
Matt’s mother, Melody, instilled in him the importance of education at a young age. Melody, as a 19-year-old single mother, was the first person in her large family (she was one of 10 children) to attend college; Matt was second. With his mother working seven days a week in multiple jobs, Matt, an only child, saw school as a warm, inviting, safe place.
The influence of teachers in Matt’s life led him to pursue a degree at Salem State College in History with a minor in Education – his goal to be a high school History teacher. Through twists and turns in his career Matt instead worked extensively in and around government. Eventually Matt, while working full time, graduated with honors from Suffolk University Law School. Today, Matt owns and operates his own consulting firm in Boston, Charles Street Strategies, where he helps an array of clients navigate complex questions and gain consensus from key decision makers.
The drive to teach still burns for Matt and he has channeled that energy into coaching and coordinating with various sports programs in Hingham. As someone who grew up on the razor’s edge of poverty, Matt believes deeply in giving back.
Matt and Michelle live on Volunteer Road with their three children Samantha (Hingham High School), Abigail (Hingham Middle School) and Jake (South Elementary School) and Matt’s bestie, Stella the Wonderdog.
Matt LeBretton’s campaign priorities are:
Increasing Diversity Of Opinion
“When people tackle hard problems from the same perspective, they will likely see unanimity, but to really make a difference, we need fresh ideas, creative solutions and new viewpoints.”
Appropriately Funding Our Schools
“We need to set clear priorities for our schools, follow up on the progress of those priorities and communicate transparently.”
Enhancing Quality Of Life For Students & Families
“It’s time to re-examine previous decisions on issues such as bus schedules, school start times and early release days so our children and their families can have the best quality education and experience possible.”
Matt LeBretton’s History of Community Service
Salem State University, Board of Trustees
Massachusetts State Athletic Commission, Chair
The Base, (Roxbury, MA) Board of Directors
Boston Children’s Museum, President’s Advisory Board
The Company Theater (Norwell, MA), Board of Directors
The New England Council, Board of Directors
The Children’s Trust Fund, Board of Directors
Concussion Legacy Foundation, Board of Advisors
Positive Coaching Alliance of New England, Board of Directors US Footwear Manufacturing Association, Board of Directors Member South Shore Chamber of Commerce
South School PTO, Event Volunteer Hingham Youth Soccer, Coach
Hingham Little LAX-ers, Coach
Hingham In-Town GALS Basketball Coach Hingham In-Town Barker Basketball, Coach Hingham Travel GALS Basketball Coach Hingham Flag Football, Coach Hingham Youth Football (tackle), Coach
Hingham GALS Basketball, Program Grade Coordinator Hingham Barker Basketball, Program Grade Coordinator Hingham Flag Football, Program Grade Coordinator Hingham Anchor, Community Columnist
Liberty Pole Block Party Planning Committee, Volunteer
Questions? Please email mattlebrettonforhingham@gmail.com.
To learn more about Matt LeBretton, please visit www.lebrettonforhingham.com.
Follow us on Facebook & Instagram @lebrettonforhingham
