Letter to the Editor of the Dedham Times on March 3, 2023 from former School Committee member Lisa Laprade

To The Editor,

Dedham has an important election coming up with many contested board and committee seats. As a former school committee member myself, having served 6 years overlapping with many current and former school committee members, I would like to ask your readers to strongly consider voting for Leah Flynn Gallant and Stephen Acosta as I will be doing on April 8^th.  

Today’s ever-changing political and social climate requires committee members with new ideas, fresh perspectives, and integrated problem-solving capabilities. My experience on the board taught me firsthand about the hard work, dedication, and patience needed to serve on the school committee and the need to act in a fair, responsible, and equitable way. We need new members who bring all these qualities to the table to serve our community.  

I first encountered Leah while serving as chair of the committee during the Covid pandemic in September of 2020. Leah wrote a very thoughtful letter first recognizing the challenging situation the committee was in while eloquently expressing concerns for the students of Dedham to return to the classroom. She challenged in a respectful and constructive way, again qualities I want in my elected officials. I believe her current role in higher ed human resources, and as the DEI officer at her institution, will give her the experience and insights needed to serve effectively. More importantly, Leah is also a parent of a DPS student.

I also recall first meeting Stephen when he was present at many school committee meetings working for Dedham Cable TV back when he was a student. He certainly saw up close the time commitment and dedication needed to serve on the committee. I especially appreciate that Stephen is a recent graduate of Dedham schools. So often the student voice and experience are missing from the conversation. I believe his recent experiences, along with his current position working on Beacon Hill in the state legislature witnessing policy-making firsthand, will serve our community well.

Overall, I’m impressed by the qualifications both Leah and Stephen would contribute working along with the current skilled and experienced board members. It’s time to have some new folks step in and champion the needs of our students for continued improvement and a more sustainable system for our town.  

Please join me in voting for Leah and Stephen on April 8^th to best support our students, our schools, and our town. Thank you for your time to read this letter.

Sincerely,

Lisa Laprade