 Hello, I'm Elizabeth Eksten. I'm running for reelection to the Arlington School Committee. I'm a mother of two Stratton students, a public school teacher, and the current chair of the school committee. I've served on the committee since June 2020. Over the past three years, we have accomplished a lot and I'm excited about what lies ahead for Arlington schools. We reopen the schools during the pandemic. We have a fantastic superintendent and we are closing in on the full opening of a beautiful new high school. We've laid the groundwork for the new five years with new vision and mission statements and a five-year strategic plan which we built together with input from the community. I am so proud to have been a part of that work over the last three years. I'm running for reelection because the work isn't done. Realizing our strategic plan will require both experience on the school committee and the practical knowledge that comes from a classroom teacher. The four strategic initiatives will require thoughtful planning, careful analysis, and fiscal decisions. My first goal is communication. Over 100 community stakeholders participated in our visioning process. We have set up our school committee chats. We are going to keep inviting parents and community members in to keep talking to us about their experiences with the schools and what needs they see. Our new superintendent has been a strong partner for involving the community in decision making. We need to use communication to make our community more welcoming, especially for families whose first language is not English. We need to improve outreach and communication to families just joining the schools, either in kindergarten or when moving into town. My next priority is fostering better transitions when children move from one school to the next. As great as our schools are, when a child moves from elementary to middle school or middle school to high school, we have gaps that can be addressed. I am supporting the creation of positions that support student transitions and building policy that ensures that every incoming high schooler receives a consistent message about programs and opportunities in high school. My third goal is infrastructure. All of us have watched the new high school emerge on Mass Ave. We need to continue maintaining and upgrading all of our school buildings. Our next school needs to be the Audison. We know that the state of a building does affect the climate and culture of a school. It impacts student learning. It is time to address these needs to make Audison a better physical learning environment for our students and a better teaching environment for our staff. My fourth goal is to maintain Arlington's responsible stewardship of the school budget. Arlington offers an exemplary academic and social experience for its students and families. We do this while spending less per pupil than surrounding towns. We have important budget conversations on the horizon and we have to prioritize equitable pay for our teachers. I will use my experience both on the school committee and as a teacher to ensure we can continue to recruit and retain a high quality staff while keeping our tradition of responsible budgeting. All of this work requires a calm, steady hand, a thoughtful consensus builder and a good listener. That is who I am. My experience serves me well. Being chair has given me a clear understanding of the strengths and challenges of our schools. I've listened to stakeholders and my fellow committee members' perspectives in order to make the best decisions for our students and their teachers and I have collaborated effectively with the administration. I am proud to be a member of the Arlington School Committee and I want to continue to serve our community in this capacity. My name is Elizabeth Exton and I respectfully ask for one of your votes on Saturday, April 1st. Thank you.