SCHOOL COMmITTEE


Term: 2 Years

Dave McNeill

Candidate Website/Social Media Address

https://www.facebook.com/DaveMcNeillforSC

Candidate Biography

I grew up in Franklin and graduated Franklin High as part of the class of 2009. I then went on to study at Framingham State University and later got my Masters in Political Science at the University of Mannheim in Germany. I now work at the State House and have been there for a few years doing research and policy work. I addition to that, I serve in our community as a board member of the Franklin Education Foundation and as the vice-chair of our town’s Community Preservation Committee.

What accomplishments are you most proud of during your most recent tenure? Or, if you are a new candidate, what achievements make you most qualified for the position?

At my job, I regularly listen to a variety of stakeholders to get diverse perspectives on any number of issues. I also conduct research to create evidence-based policy decisions that are geared towards producing effective solutions. I want to bring my perspective as a Franklin graduate as well as my policy research experience to shape informed policies that create the best possible school system for Franklin students. I know how valuable Franklin High was in shaping who I am today, and I want to pay that forward to the next generation.

What is your plan to make Franklin more appealing to teachers?

I plan to support maintaining competitive teacher salaries in our budget process. Franklin is able to provide excellent education to our students because of the teaching talent we attract. In addition to this, my time on the Franklin Education Foundation has shown me some of the wonderful innovations that our Franklin teachers want to bring to their classrooms to enhance the educational experience of their students. I want to support programs that allow teachers to create innovation in their classrooms and enrich the learning experience. That is why I firmly believe in efficient budgeting practices to ensure that enough funds are available for priorities such as these.

What is your plan to increase community involvement in School Community bi-weekly meetings, District impacting changes, and other events?

I believe that communication and raising awareness is key to increasing participation. Since the start of the pandemic, many new online communication tools were established to give parents the most up-to-date information regarding their children’s schooling. I believe we can learn from the successes of these communication systems and adapt them to create new best practices. Being able to raise awareness among Franklin residents of the important decisions that are being made in the school system creates a better-informed conversation for all of us.

Davis Thayer was the oldest Franklin school, but there are others that are close to being above the recommended age of a school building. What is your plan to address the aging schools in Franklin?

I believe that we need to give careful consideration to the recommendations of the master facilities plan, which laid out a number of possibilities for better consolidating our schools. It will be important for us to learn from the recent closing of David Thayer and take that knowledge to inform future decisions. I want to look at the evidence, and make the most informed decision about when and whether another school should be closed. Actions like these are crucial in order to create an efficient budget and ensure that school funds are being used to serve Franklin students as effectively as possible.

What is your perspective on redistricting to better support school capacity?

Redistricting is going to be a critical component of the coming conversation about additional school consolidations. I want to make sure that our school districts make sense for each family’s location in town as well as maximize the resources we have in delivering quality education for Franklin students. I look forward to the redistricting study that is going to be conducted and seeing the improvements we can make for Franklin families and students.

What is your position on continuing to increase diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in Franklin Public Schools?

I am in complete and total support of efforts to make Franklin Public Schools more equitable, diverse, and inclusive for all students. I look forward to seeing the results of the equity audit that is being conducted and supporting its findings through action. Our diversity is what makes us so uniquely American and is our greatest strength. We carry out our duty as citizens to form a more perfect Union when we create a community that is equitable and inclusive for everyone.