Submitted by Stephanie Gertz
March 13, 2020
My name is Stephanie Gertz, and I am so proud to be a candidate for Hingham School Committee.
My family lives near Plymouth River School where my daughter is in 5th grade and my son in 3rd. My husband, Steven Weiss, is the Cantor at Congregation Sha’aray Shalom.
I first became interested in education when I was a graduate student at the University of Virginia. I eventually switched from my doctoral program in Psychology to a doctoral program in Education at the University which I completed in 1999. I focused my dissertation on assessment - what we learn from test scores AND what we don’t. Most importantly I found that non-test variables such as income can statistically overwhelm other variables and make it much harder to draw any sort of conclusion about what is actually being learned.
I have worked in education for almost 30 years now. Long before I became a mom, I believed strongly in the promise of children's public school education. I applied to be on the Boston School Committee in 2003, half a decade before my first child was born. Out of many extremely qualified candidates, I made it to the finalist round and was personally interviewed by Mayor Menino. Ultimately, while not a formal member of the Committee, I was able to contribute by working on one of the neighborhood schools commissions as well as on one of the superintendent searches in Boston.
When my husband and I married, we started our family in Hanover where I served for 3 years on the Hanover School Committee and then on the Hanover Superintendent search committee. These experiences were rich, meaningful, educational, and prepared me well, I believe, for serving Hingham on the School Committee.
I’m a member of the Hingham Cultural Council and the Hingham Unity Council, and active in many community organizations and efforts.
I currently work at Cohasset Middle High School where I coordinate our transition room, which is where students transition back to school, typically after extended absences due to illness and/or hospitalization. I’m particularly proud of my efforts to bring in therapy dogs to visit with the students and staff. It’s one of the easiest ways to immediately reduce stress and put smiles on people’s faces!
I come to this with the knowledge of three districts. I was a parent and an employee of the Hanover schools, I am currently an employee at Cohasset schools and a parent of children in the Hingham schools.These three superintendents may discuss snow day closures but it is clear that these three districts are choosing to communicate with the parents very differently regarding the coronavirus. My experience with other districts helps me to be more informed when it comes to making the best possible policies for our schools.
I believe strongly in public education. We moved to Hingham for the schools. I knew it would be good for my children. I am excited about the schools and even more excited about the potential for improvement.
I want to see the schools continue to be a reason for families with young children to move here. I also want all groups in the town work together to make all the groups stronger, not see them pit against each other.
I humbly ask for your support – and your vote – for Hingham School Committee in the upcoming Town election on Saturday, May 2, 2020.