THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2021 Page 7 ~ Political Announcement ~ School Committee Vice-Chair Ryan Fisher seeks a second two-year term because “we still have work to do” I didn’t expect to run for School Committee two years ago, so it’s not surprising I didn’t think I’d run for re-election! My first term represents the most difficult, time intensive volunteer effort of my life. During the last campaign, everyone asked me my thoughts on MCAS. No one asked me about masks or hybrid schedules or social distancing. The pandemic tested every single one of us, especially our kids, and especially us when it comes to our kids. We needed someone to blame. You can’t take out your anger on a virus, but you can vent at your School Committee member. For myself and my family, the last two years have been difficult, but in the end, I’m still standing, and we still have work to do. It took a full term to get all the pieces in place. From grade configurations to unsettled contracts, to keeping our staff whole, to putting kids and teachers safely back in classrooms and keeping them there, to hiring a 21st century superintendent in a process devoid of politics, the majority of our committee focused everything on this moment, the fall of 2021. Bring the right principals together in our reconfigured buildings with exceptional teachers, and unite around MYSTIC VALLEY | FROM PAGE 6 the best schools in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. “This comes as surprise, as DESE has reauthorized Mystic Valley’s charter and educational mission without fanfare every five years since the school’s founding in 1998. “We took advantage of the statutory revision period and submitted our changes and criticisms of the integrity of the draft report but have received no assurances that DESE will rescind it. It is unfortunate that it has come to legal action, but with no recognition of the gravity of this matter from DESE and no intervention from the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, this course of action was unavoidable. DESE must drop its agenda-driven attacks on our school by immediately retracting its biased and uninformed site visit report, grant Mystic Valley a waiver from new criteria it is using to assess the school, and begin a new evaluation process with an unbiased review team. “Mystic Valley remains faithful to its charter, its academic program is resoundingly successful, and it is organizationalGerry D’Ambrosio Attorney-at-Law Is Your Estate in Order? Do you have an update Will, Health Care Proxy or Power of Attorney? If Not, Please Call for a Free Consultation. 14 Proctor Avenue, Revere (781) 284-5657 THE CANDIDATE AND HIS FAMILY: School Committee Vice-Chair Ryan Fisher, right, his wife Danielle, left, with their daughter Ella, 5, in front of the Oaklandvale Elementary School. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate) our superintendent’s ultra-bold, achievable goal of moving Saugus to the top of the state in five years. Protect investments and commitments, such as free all day kindergarten, every step of the way. We don’t know the challenges we’ll face next, but we do know we’re making a bold commitment, our hardest challenge yet. There’s no margin for distraction. We have a committee member focused on embarrassing himself and our town, who treats our growing ELL population and their families with tremendous disrespect, and who fashions himself a watchdog but ultimately ly viable. Provided DESE reviewers examine Mystic Valley without any preconceived biases, the school fully satisfies the statutory Charter School requirements, and it is confident that it will be renewed once again in 2023, as wastes everyone’s time, week after week, due to his lack of understanding and failed “gotcha” moments. His frantic flip-flopping to find wedge issues that divide the town to win another term threatens all of our progress, and I won’t stand for it. I’m running again to teach my daughter that you can disagree on the path but still agree on the goal, that being optimistic and fair still gets the job done, and to always stand up to bullies and finish the job, especially when it’s hard. I am asking for your support, and promise to do an extraordinary job for our kids! it has been during every renewal cycle since its inception, including its most recent renewal in 2018.” To read the full complaint, please visit MVRCS.com/ADVOCATE
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