Trish Orlovsky - In support of Thielman

I am pleased to support Jeff Thielman’s candidacy for state representative. I’ve known Jeff since his election to the school committee five years ago. Jeff has played a leadership role in addressing the district’s serious issues involving special education. It was during his term as chair of the school committee that Arlington received the troubling 6-year program review of special education, conducted by the department of education. This report revealed that the district was not following many of the Commonwealth’s special education laws and had inadequate services in the district to serve its most vulnerable students. Jeff led the committee in a way that gave the new superintendent the support required to bring the district in near full compliance with state law. His leadership resulted in improved services for children with special needs and improved systems and resources for school staff.

The 2006 budget vote was critical in focusing the district’s priorities to improve the quality, substance and provision of special education instruction and services, and bring proven methods of instruction for teaching math and reading to all levels. In the spring of 2006, under Jeff’s skillful guidance, the committee voted to pass a difficult budget that reduced administrative positions, while placing more vital resources in the special education department and adding reading and math support specialists to benefit all classrooms.

Jeff’s leadership skills, as demonstrated by his performance on the school committee in difficult financial times, will make him an outstanding legislator. He is a gifted listener, a coalition-builder and a compassionate person who does not shirk from making difficult decisions.

While the school committee would lose a valuable advocate for students, Jeff's voice would be heard in the larger arena of state policy making and budgets. Arlington’ citizens and schools would be well served if Jeff Thielman were elected to represent our interests.