Jeff Thielman has a passion for public service, and he has demonstrated an uncanny ability to build coalitions with diverse groups in Arlington to solve complex problems.

As a member of Arlington’s Town Meeting, Jeff led the effort from 2001-03 to secure $1,000,000 in funds from the capital budget for the renovation of Spy Pond Park.  The project created a beautiful space for neighbors and visitors and protected the shoreline of one of Arlington’s natural treasures.  Jeff served as President of the Friends of Spy Pond Park for two years.

Since 2003, Jeff has been a hard working and thoughtful member of the Arlington School Committee.  He fought to improve services for students in special education programs, worked with parents to develop a uniform food allergy policy, designed a process to review components of the school department budget, helped negotiate two contracts with the local teachers union, successfully fought for more reading and math support for struggling students, lobbied for improvements in the English Language Learner program, and designed a process to oversee the district’s progress on yearly goals. 

Jeff chaired the School Committee from 2005-06, providing calm leadership as the district transitioned from one superintendent to another and forging solutions to several controversial issues.  In 2005, together with Selectwoman Diane Mahon and Finance Committee member Charlie Foskett, Jeff chaired the successful Proposition 2 ½ override campaign that gave the town fiscal stability and prevented the schools from incurring catastrophic cuts. 

Jeff holds several forums each year with parents and community members to get their input on various issues facing the School Committee, and he has responded to dozens of individual requests from parents seeking better services for their children.  Jeff has served on or chaired each of the School Committee’s subcommittees giving him a solid understanding of how Arlington’s schools and local government work. 

He was one of the original board members of the Arlington Schools Foundation, Arlington Schools Foundation (ASF), which provides funding for educational and leadership grants that have a system-wide impact on student learning.

Jeff is a graduate of Boston College and Boston College Law School. He learned the value of public service from his family.  He is the son of a public school teacher and taught for two years himself at a secondary school in Peru, South America.  His grandfather, a lifelong member of the United Auto Workers Union, served in the Connecticut Legislature for twenty years.

Jeff is currently serving as Vice Chair of the Arlington Democratic Town Committee.    

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