Newburyport needs our schools to be a regional and statewide leader in educational achievement in order to support our students to succeed and thrive in an increasingly complex and interdependent global workforce. Forging a strong, innovative and forward thinking school district is imperative in competing with other regional employment centers for attracting value added businesses with highly-skil
led workers, who will bring their families and professions here. This is happening more and more. With a recently constructed model elementary school and a fully renovated upper elementary and middle school, we are at the best place that we have been for some time to provide what our students need and deserve. It does not stop with having new buildings and new and improved athletic fields and facilities. Public schools are challenged and sometimes doubted. Improving and rebuilding confidence where needed in our schools demands a School Committee that works collaboratively with school administration, is aligned in purpose, sets a positive tone and works with an expectation of accomplishment. Today, our schools are at a critical juncture. We must remain vigilant in the risk management of our educational assets. Our professional faculty and staff are being asked to do more in a pandemic influenced environment that can demand immediate change and continued flexibility. How we plan for and manage cost areas such as unfunded mandates, special education, transportation, the cost of athletics, sustaining technology and even the school lunch program are vital in our efforts to increase academic achievement for all students. All of these programs and services result in increasing costs that we do not have a revenue structure to sustain, rarely, beyond level services. Level services defines the concept to base costs on maintaining a level of educational services for the next fiscal year, based on the cost of the same level of these educational services being offered in the current fiscal year. Today, we are about to begin a strategic plan process to help guide our efforts for the next 3-5 years. It will involve the participation and voice of many stakeholders. A properly resourced strategic plan is vital to sustaining the quality of education in our district for the future. How we do that, together, is the challenge. As an alumnus of our school district, and officer of the Newburyport High School Alumni Association, I believe and have been told, that I bring valuable historical, institutional and relational knowledge to our School Committee. I am proud to tell you that I have had all four of my children graduate from Newburyport High School. I am proud of my children and know that they are my true ambassadors. Now retired, previously I worked for nearly 30 years with children and families, some of them homeless, and for more than 10 years I have been active with youth issues in this city. I have endeavored to provide what others have termed a “clear and non-confrontational advocacy.” I am student centered and student focused. I look to underscore efforts to remind our School Committee how vital it is to never forget that we are making decisions that affect the children and students of Newburyport. I kindly ask for your support, entrusted by your vote that would allow me to continue to serve our community on the School Committee. Respectfully,
Steven P. Cole
LSW Mass. # 314305
Principal, Cole Concepts
ELECTED OFFICE / MUNICIPAL EXPERIENCE
Re-Elected, School Committee
City of Newburyport, Nov. 2017
Re-Elected, School Committee City of Newburyport, Nov. 2013
Unanimously elected Chairman, Newburyport Charter Commission, Dec. 2009
Elected to the Newburyport Charter Commission, Nov. 2009
Re-Elected, School Committee, City of Newburyport Nov. 2009
Unanimously elected Vice Chair, School Committee, City of Newburyport, 2006 & 2007
Elected, School Committee, City of Newburyport Nov. 2005
Elected, School Committee (via a joint vote of the City Council and School Committee to replace the late Ms. Victoria Pearson per the City Charter) March 31, 2004
VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE
Strategic Plan Action Team Leader (Group III) October, 2015 - 2016
Treasurer & Secretary Newburyport High School Alumni Association 2015 - present
Mobile Emcee, Newburyport’s First Winter Carnival January 29, 2005
Speaker & Breakout Session Leader, “Dealing with Difficult People”, National Conference of The Scleroderma Foundation – Logan Airport September 11, 2004
CO-Chairman & Organizer, Newburyport’s First Skateboard Tournament, during Yankee Homecoming, August 2004
Member, Advisory Board, The Salvation Army, Newburyport, MA 1998 – 2005
Chairman, Advisory Board, The Salvation Army, Newburyport, MA 2002 – 2004
Vice Chair 2000 – 2002; Christmas Committee & Kettle Campaign Chairman 2002 - 2003; CO-Chairman, Annual Volunteer Recognition Dinner 2003 – 2004; Chairman, Annual Volunteer Recognition Dinner 2002
Member, Newburyport Kiwanis Club 1997 - 2007
President Kiwanis Club of Newburyport, MA 2002 – 2007 (longest serving president in the club’s history)
Secretary, Kiwanis Club of Newburyport, MA 1999 – 2002; Division Recognition as Distinguished Secretary 2001 – 2002
Participated as a volunteer or organizer in numerous civic and charitable events. LEADERSHIP / AFFILIATIONS:
Appointed to Superintendent Search Committee 2005
Chair, Superintendent Search Committee 2006
Superintendent Finalist Candidate Site Visit Leader 2006, 2010 & 2013 (six site visits)
School Committee Vice Chair 2006 – 2007
Selected to the 2010 All-State School Committee by the Massachusetts Assoc. of School Committees
Member of Negotiations Subcommittee (five different contracts negotiated) beginning in 2004
Chair of Finance Subcommittee 2008 – 2009; 2011 – present
Joint-Education Committee (members of School Committee and City Council) Chair 2006-2007, Member 2010 – 2012
Member, Board of Directors, Greater Lawrence Educational Collaborative, now C.R.E.S.T 2012 – 2016
Member, Board of Directors, Newburyport Adult & Community Education 2004 – present
Member of School Committee Policy Subcommittee 2004; 2016 - 2018
Member School Committee Communications Subcommittee 2004, Chair 2005
Member of the Newburyport High School Mission Statement Work Team for the 2013 New England Schools and Colleges (NEASC) Accreditation
