Michael E. McAllister to run for Bedford School Committee

Bedford resident Michael E. McAllister announced on Monday that he intends to campaign for the School Committee of the Bedford Public Schools.  A seat on the Committee is open following Chairman Anne Bickford’s recent announcement that after 12 years of dedicated service to the School Committee she would not seek re-election.  “I respectfully ask for your vote on Saturday, March 9, 2013 because I believe that I represent several important perspectives that will help address the challenges that our school community face,” McAllister noted.

McAllister is a 1995 graduate of the Bedford Public Schools.  From there he attended Northeastern University and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1999.  He attended graduate school at Harvard University, where he earned a Master of Education degree in teaching and curriculum in 2000.  Reflecting on his experience as a student in the Bedford Public Schools, McAllister stated that “I feel a responsibility to repay the system that gave me the solid academic start that all of our students deserve.”

McAllister is an educator with 10 years of classroom experience, serving as a classroom teacher in middle schools in the Newton and Belmont Public Schools for seven years and as a high school teacher in Belmont for three more.  In addition, he served as a K-12 Curriculum Director for the Belmont Public Schools for three years, “which provided me with an opportunity to see the curriculum, instruction, and assessment of an entire school system.”

McAllister currently works as a public school Principal at the Daniel Butler Elementary School in Belmont, MA.  “I bring the perspective of a school leader, charged with ensuring that all students learn at high levels in these times of increasing mandates, yet decreasing resources.  I am in my fourth year as a Principal, so I can identify with the challenge that Bedford’s new school leaders face in gaining a community’s trust in the early years of a new position.”  Like the Bedford Public Schools, Belmont has undergone significant leadership changes in the past four years, yet has maintained its reputation as a high performing district.

McAllister has two children currently in the Bedford Public Schools, a son in Grade 1 and a daughter in Grade 3.  “I also bring the perspective of a parent wanting, as we all do, a top tier educational experience for the children of Bedford.”  McAllister and his wife, Meg (Boschetto) McAllister both grew up in Bedford.  “My wife and I reaped the benefits that this community provided: dedicated teachers, challenging curriculums, and countless extracurricular opportunities.  As we began our own family we returned to Bedford to re-engage in that support network that had served us so well as children.”

“2013 is an important time for the Bedford Public Schools,” McAllister stated.  “Despite all of these changes, one thing remains the same: the desire to sustain a level of high achievement and opportunity for all of Bedford’s students.  During this time the School Committee has the responsibility for providing the support our school leaders require, with the oversight that the residents of Bedford deserve.  I believe I bring the experience and expertise to fulfill both of those responsibilities.”

Bedford residents will vote for the open School Committee seat on Saturday, March 9, 2013.

Editor’s Note: Click here to read McAllister’s announcement letter