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Sudbury is known for many things: Beautiful landscapes, historical markers, Babe Ruth, and our beloved Sudbury Public Schools. In my 13 years here in Sudbury, I’ve had the honor of knowing Allison and her family through Haynes Elementary School and knew after a couple of interactions what a levelheaded and kind person Allison is.
Dedicated. Allison is a dedicated member of our Sudbury community. She has invested her time, knowledge, and energy and is a twice-elected member of the Haynes Elementary School Improvement Council.
According to the Haynes website,
“The School Council has three main purposes and responsibilities:
1. Assist and advise the principal in identifying educational needs of students attending the school.
2. Assist the principal in reviewing the annual school budget.
3. Assist the principal in formulating the School Improvement Plan.”
Allison also has an internal understanding of the struggles of SED. As a working parent, she joined the Sudbury Extended Day board in 2020 during the peak of Covid. In 2022, her commitment did not go unnoticed, and she was elected as the SED Chairperson. Allison is the right fit to collaborate and help families solve the after-school crisis. As a dedicated parent to SPS, I know she will steer that energy and help navigate our school budget with our current needs and potential shifts we may see from the current federal administration.
Experienced. Leadership within the community isn’t just about good intentions; it’s about experience. Allison has 7 years of experience as a parent in Sudbury Public Schools and her roles as a parent volunteer during festivals, PTO events, school council, SED, and the community as a whole. Throughout the year, you will find Allison at nearly every practice and game for her daughters’ basketball and softball. She is the mom with the loudest encouraging voice on the sidelines to every single player, calling them by name and cheering them on. Her work on Capitol Hill cannot go unnoticed; with her experience, she can help Sudbury navigate what could be challenging times.
Balanced. Allison is professional, thoughtful, and inclusive. She is someone who will ask questions. She wants to know everything because she cares about people, students, and our community, and she wants to help solve problems. She is authentic and independent. Simply, she is a dedicated parent that wants to see our SPS exceed the needs of everyone, including SPS parents, teachers, and staff.
Supportive. Every child should feel safe at our schools. As parents, I think we all know the pain when our children struggle from time to time, but some children struggle a little more from one day to the next and deserve to know and feel like they are part of their peer community. Allison agrees that our policies need to match our actions, and that includes expanding prohibitive discrimination policies that protect our LGBTQ students. [LWV Sudbury: SPS School Committee Candidates Forum 18:50]
I watched the LWV Sudbury SPS candidate’s forum, and it was very clear to me that Allison’s opponent does not have a child in the halls of the SPS schools. Her professional background is remarkable, and she has great ideals, but experience for me wins this election cycle in these uncertain times.
I hope you will join me by voting YES for Allison Vander Els. She has all the qualities that make her the best fit on the Sudbury School Committee. She is experienced, capable, and deeply committed to ensuring that our Sudbury schools provide the exemplary education we all dreamed of and hoped for when moving to Sudbury.