We’re faced with complicated challenges in the upcoming years — selecting a school superintendent, making tough choices about allocating restricted school and town budgets, and upholding the promise to rebuild all seven of our elementary schools (and looking ahead to address the facilities at the high school), to name a few.

The school rebuild process, alone, is mired in complexities, and even though there finally seems to be some progress for the Thompson School, it is something that will require a thorough understanding of the process, history and needs and desires of students, teachers, staff, parents, and town and state officials.

We need to make sure that the School Committee keeps the rebuild effort in focus, and works to make sure that all students have the facilities and technology to be educated to their fullest potential. We need a School Committee that has the ability to select the most qualified superintendent and shepherd that person through a rebuild process. I’m writing to support Jeff Thielman.

Jeff Thielman takes the time to understand the issues. He is a frequent visitor to Thompson. He has attended its PTO meetings, events, and more recently, meetings to get the Thompson on the path to being rebuilt/renovated. Cindy Starks, too, has taken the time to come to these meetings, and is poised to be an excellent addition to the School Committee.

We need Jeff’s proven experience. I firmly believe he has the know-how to help get us through these next few years. He has proven that he can make tough decisions while looking at all sides of an issue. He cares about all of the schools in the system, and works for the best interest of the children within them.