To the editor:
We are writing today to wholeheartedly endorse Kate DePrizio to continue to serve on the Lynnfield School Committee. We recently moved to Lynnfield in 2022 and first met Kate during our daughters’ Lynnfield Youth Soccer game. As we all cheered our daughters’ on wildly, Kate took a moment to introduce us to the other families/parents on the team. She was genuinely warm and welcoming as we talked with her asking questions about Girl Scouts and other things about town. When our daughter Alessandra decided to join Girl Scouts, she really wanted to be with her new soccer friends, but that troop was closed to new members. We spoke with Kate to ask her advice and she graciously reached out to the other troop leaders to facilitate helping our daughter join her friends.
Kate’s advocacy and kindness doesn’t start and end with our family though! She regularly engages and champions all the children in Lynnfield. You will often find her volunteering her time coaching cheering and softball, leading her Girl Scout troop in town events, or just simply hanging out with her family at various celebrations throughout our community. Regardless of the event, time or place, Kate is always willing to take the time to listen, discuss community concerns and have difficult conversations. She tirelessly advocates for open communication and transparency and nowhere is this more evident than in the recent School Committee meetings under Kate’s leadership as chair. In her less than three months as chair, the School Committee has transformed into a highly functioning body quickly tackling and resolving multiple large pressing issues before them. First, Kate spearheaded acquiring new legal counsel and working collaboratively with town to resolve the former superintendent’s contract for a fraction of its remaining value. She then brought stability to our school community by securing the interim superintendent through the end of next year, allowing the proper time to perform a detailed and robust search for a new long-term superintendent. While doing all of this, she navigated the committee through a shortened budget season, prioritizing and protecting the classroom by addressing lingering issues with our DLP classrooms, and decreasing elementary classroom size while maintaining a responsible budget.
In addition to all the above, Kate transformed the School Committee’s approach with regard to transparency, openness, and public participation. She has prioritized community engagement, encouraging the committee to respond to questions whenever possible. She also recently added a section to the meeting to provide updates, discuss and give the community answers to questions and topics asked since the committee last met. You don’t just need to trust our words though, listen to the praise from interim Superintendent Geary with regards to her work ethic and leadership: “I want to thank the whole committee, but especially Kate for all the work she’s done. She has been nonstop in the various things we’re dealing with…I just do want to recognize the leadership that has taken place because it’s been impressive and I’m a recipient of it and I really appreciate it.” Or the equally high praise from her fellow School Committee members during the budget meeting. Jim Dillon: “I’ll echo what you said about Kate’s work ethic.” Or Phil McQueen: “You’re doing a fantastic job.” And Jamie Hayman: “It’s been a lot of work for Kate over the last month and it does not go unnoticed. It does not go unappreciated. It’s one thing to talk the talk when it comes to transparency and responding and it’s another thing to walk the walk. So you are definitely walking the walk and I appreciate it.”
It wasn’t just her fellow committee members that praised her work and efforts though, the principals also thanked Kate and the committee for including them in the budget process. LMS Principal Stephen Ralston said, “I’d like to just kind of start by saying thank you for the opportunity for us to present our needs publicly to the committee and to the community. This is not something I’ve been able to do for the last couple of years.” HHS Principal Melissa Wyland said, “I want to start by thanking all of you for giving us a voice. It’s been really nice to be part of a conversation and to be able to advocate for our amazing students, staff and families. So, thank you.” SSS Principal Karen Cronin said, “I just would like to acknowledge that even though this was a shortened period…this was the highest level of collaboration I’ve experienced since my time here in Lynnfield and it really helped me identify the priorities of our school and also how it integrates with the priorities of the rest of the schools in the district.”
It is clear from both our personal interactions and the voices of all of those who work closely with her that Kate is a huge asset to both our school system and entire community! We ask that on April 9, you please join our family in supporting Kate DePrizio in her bid for re-election to a three-year term on the Lynnfield School Committee. Lynnfield needs more leaders like Kate!
Phil and April Antonelli
