Mike Balulescu on behalf of the Acton-Boxborough Education Association (ABEA) asked us the following questions. My Answers to the questions are below. You can read all the candidates' answers at this link.

Q1. Why are you running for School Committee? Are there any particular issues that inspired you to run?

I’m running for School Committee this year, primarily, as a way to give back and offer my support to the teachers and students. I have 2 kids in the H.S., one in JR High, and one in elementary at Douglas where my wife, Holly, also works as a Teacher’s Assistant. I also joined the PTO board at Douglas over the last year as Treasurer. I’m invested in the schools and understand many of the challenges at the different levels of education. I am unencumbered by direct ties to any special cause or interest group, and while the support and assistance these group provide is invaluable, we have the personnel, opportunity, responsibility, and resources to offer every student in our district with a world-class experience and I want ensure the opportunity to succeed is presented to every student across every demographic and income level.

I moved to Acton with my wife, Holly, in 2001, choosing Acton as a location to establish our family in no small part because of the remarkable school system. Since then, I’ve been blessed with a son and three daughters who are now thriving in the school system. While at times they have struggled they have had profound educators pick them up, and guide them to academic, athletic and social success.

In recent years we have seen how the pandemic and political and global challenges have challenged the schools as well as the broader Acton community. I have witnessed how the school system has stepped up to be much more than an academic resource. It continues to be an educational means of support, through such programs as the early intervention programs offered at the Carol Huebner school, the broad and invaluable special education programs, and through extra learning resources provided to multi-language learners. But also through the increasing amount of basic fundamental needs for food, clothing, and other needs that we see the district stepping in to provide.

Our youth in Acton have an unquenchable thirst for educational and growth experiences. I've seen this first hand while interacting with kids in our community in many ways: as a scout leader, a sports coach, a youth leader in faith-based groups, and through multiple before and after school programs at Douglas. Regardless of the outcome of the election, I will look for opportunities to help find ways to engage with and support youth.

Q2: Do you support an operating override in Acton to fund the district's "A" budget? Why or why not?

I have four kids actively attending schools in Acton, my wife is a Teacher’s Assistant at Douglas. It would not only be foolish of me not to support the “A” budget, but punitive to my children’s education and future opportunities.

We have world-class educators in this district. They absolutely and unequivocally should expect the support to do their job without hesitation. However, we have members of our community on town boards who have pointed out that our budget situation is untenable. This emotional do-or-die situation where the magnitude and impact of the override failing will be so severe was avoidable. We have had to reduce level services for general education three years in a row, while also reducing teacher FTE counts. Teachers should be able to teach without bearing this stress and not knowing if they will have a job next year. Instead, they are carrying the torch and are being used as the primary bargaining chip and motivation for this override. 

Also, I enjoy my home in Acton, and it’s value that approximates the median home value for Acton. I think higher of the Acton community than that we are simply using our homes as investment vehicles to build wealth tied to the performance of the school system. I understand the reality of this situation but feel there are innumerable concrete and intrinsic reasons to support the schools without the emotional tie to my personal finances.

Q3: What is your vision for the school's district's budget beyond next year? How do we balance the need to support students and educators with the financial realities of Proposition 2 1/2?

I was here in the early 2000’s to see the cycle of overrides and remember the angst and stress around these overrides and the impact to the broader community. We have a passionate and engaged community that overwhelmingly supports the school district. I know that ongoing cuts to the school services while also increasing budgets is not healthy or even tenable. 

So, we have to find some way to break this cycle. The district has identified some “structural” areas of cost cutting. These need exploration and community involvement if not outright support. We also need to be creative and open to exploring other options that can prioritize the district’s goals and support those students where educational opportunity is not adversely affected.

We need to be investing in our schools and the primary school resource, our teachers. We have to have the foresight to look ahead at the teacher’s contract that will be coming for renewal the year after next as well, and honor the compromise they have made in the last contract cycle.

We equally need to be investing in our most vulnerable populations. Acton has the resources and skills to celebrate the diversity of our student body and empower our multi-language learners and our students with unique education challenges. We should be embracing this opportunity as one presented to us to have a profound impact on children that will have a different future having relocated to our little suburban town in New England with so much history.

It is going to take conviction and objectivity to take on these challenges fairly and productively. Creativity and open-mindedness will be required to find new solutions. And we will need a healthy respect and communication with the broader community to garner support with members of the community who are not directly tied to the school system.

I’m hoping for the opportunity to be a part of the School Committee for the next three years and ask for your vote on April 30th.