JoAnn Santiago Announces Her School Committee Candidacy

Special to The Bedford Citizen from JoAnn Santiago

JoAnn Santiago, Courtesy image (c) 2016 all rights reserved
JoAnn Santiago, Courtesy image (c) 2016 all rights reserved

It is with great pleasure that I announce my intention to run for the opening seat on the Bedford School Committee, and respectfully request your vote.  As a member of the School Committee I will bring the perspective of a parent of middle and high school students, twenty years’ experience as a strategic planner helping not-for-profit organizations make data-driven decisions, and a desire to help our town continue to foster its excellent public school system.

Editor’s Note: Ms. Santiago’s nomination papers were certified by Town Clerk Doreen Tremblay on January 21, and so her name will appear on the March 12 ballot for Bedford’s Annual Town Election.

My husband Omar and I have lived in Bedford for ten years, and are very grateful for the environment in which it has allowed us to raise our two daughters, who are growing into thoughtful and independent young women.  Many aspects of the town from the attentive planning, the robust recreation programming, and the engaging summer programs contribute to this, but the schools are at the heart.

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During the last several months I have worked on the Bedford Public Schools Space Needs Task Force, digging deep into population projections and other state and local data to determine that the recent increase in enrollment at the Davis and Lane Schools is a long term trend requiring the town to explore options to expand school capacity.  I look forward to continuing my work with this task force as it begins to explore options to respond while being mindful of taxpayer funds.

My husband and I have also volunteered in support of our children’s activities, including in the art room and World Language Program at Davis School, coaching Destination Imagination teams, providing backstage support for the cast and crew of the John Glen Middle School spring musicals, and cheering on the BHS girls’ volleyball team.

As a professional, I bring the ability to thoughtfully analyze data to solve problems.  I have experience applying for and working with state and federal programs, and developing financial budgets for new business ventures.  For many years I also have worked with the community boards of not for profit organizations (which perform in a capacity similar in many ways to that of a school committee), helping them to consider how they will respond to longer term trends influencing the operations of their organization.   My educational background includes an MBA for Boston University and a BA in Economics from Simmons College.

In summary, I bring experience and skills which will be valuable to the Bedford School Committee as it works to ensure our schools have the strong leadership and resources necessary to educate our students.  I look forward to the opportunity of serving the residents of Bedford and keeping our public school system strong.

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