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My name is Ellen Lederer-DeFrancesco and as a teacher, I’ve seen firsthand how school committee decisions shape what happens in classrooms every day.
Budgets, district priorities, staffing decisions, and student support programs may be debated and written into policy, but their real impact is felt every day by students and teachers inside our schools. That reality is one of the reasons I decided to run for the Sudbury School Committee.
For most of my career, I’ve worked in public education alongside students, families, teachers, and administrators. Those experiences have shown me how district-level decisions affect teaching and learning in ways that are sometimes easy to overlook from outside the classroom. Bringing a classroom perspective into those conversations helps connect policy decisions with the day-to-day realities of teaching and learning.
In many professions, this idea feels obvious. We expect doctors to help guide hospitals. We expect engineers to help shape infrastructure decisions. When it comes to education, it makes just as much sense that someone who has spent years working in classrooms can help inform those conversations.
At a time when education is increasingly complex, having someone with real classroom experience involved in those decisions isn’t just helpful. It’s valuable for the entire community. I believe Sudbury benefits when that perspective is part of the conversation.
Educators see firsthand how policies translate into practice, how students experience learning environments, and how schools can support both students and the professionals working with them every day.
Experienced educators also understand how important collaboration is between school committees, district leadership, and the professionals working in schools. In my previous district, I had the opportunity to work closely with our superintendent in a strong and respectful partnership focused on supporting students and teachers. That experience reinforced for me how important it is for school committees and district leadership to work together with mutual respect and clearly defined roles.
Sudbury’s schools are strong because the community cares deeply about them. Over the past several weeks I’ve had the chance to meet many residents and have thoughtful conversations about our schools and what people value most about them. I’m grateful for those conversations and the perspectives people have shared.
As an educator, a parent, and a member of this community, I believe in listening first, asking thoughtful questions, and keeping students at the center of every decision. I approach each issue on its own merits, not through any one lens or group. That means taking in different perspectives, weighing them carefully, and making decisions based on what’s right for our schools.
When decisions about our schools are being made, having someone with real classroom experience involved in those conversations isn’t just helpful. It’s valuable for the entire community. I hope to bring that perspective to the Sudbury School Committee and would be honored to earn your support on March 30.
Dr. Ellen Lederer-DeFrancesco is an educator in Framingham Public Schools and a Sudbury resident running for Sudbury School Committee. She holds a doctorate in educational administration.