Robert Carpenter for EWSD

I am the current board chair for Essex Westford School District, running for re-election April 8, 2025. Below you will find some basic information about me and my work while on the EWSD board. For any further questions, don't hesitate to reach out. See you at the polls!

2025 Campaign Update & Board Accomplishments

I dropped a ball. That happens when you’re juggling too much - you have to choose what gets prioritized and what gets dropped.

Ironically, I dropped announcing or running a proper campaign for the EWSD school board because I've been focused on the priorities for the board this year - all critical, all time-sensitive, all work-intensive.

So I hope that the record of my service will speak for itself far better than these words. I’ve served as EWSD board chair since 2023 and have been on the board since 2021. That is a time and labor-intensive role in general, and has been particularly so this past year.

Some of the ways that time has been spent include:

Facilitating the superintendent search
- Serving as point person to partner with Alma in running a community-driven search process involving the survey, focus groups, community engagement opportunities, interview panels, and more

Leading the board through the most difficult budget season in EWSD’s history (the second year in a row)
- Writing, sharing, and compiling comprehensive results of the budget survey
- Obtaining reliable sources of quantitative and qualitative polling data regarding tax feasibility and voter priorities
- Partnering EWSD and external partners to review, respond, and adjust to new information on CLA and other factors outside EWSD control
- As a whole board, putting forth a budget that strives to the the best of our capacity to balance the needs of the entire EWSD community
- Now working to clearly communicate factual budget information, context, and impact ahead of the April 8th vote

Advocating on behalf of EWSD and the board in state-wide conversations
- 27 media interviews in the last year
- Regular meetings to collaborate with the EWSD legislative delegation
- Regular messaging and responding to legislative and gubernatorial actions, including advocating and testifying at the Statehouse

Building comprehensive and meaningful opportunities for community engagement
- Scheduling, preparing for, and facilitating virtual and in-person community engagement forums, community discussions, district events, meetings of community groups, meeting with staff, community members, and more
- Speaking at district events as invited by organizers
- Striving to increase public understanding and accessibility of reliable information about the often complicated issues that impact our district

Managing the board: serving as the supportive point of contact to ensure board members are engaged, clearly understand expectations, and are set up to succeed
- Facilitate all board meetings
- Providing regular individual board member check-ins, planning meeting agendas, ensuring compliance with open meeting law

Updating board policies for more efficient board governance
- Updated Board Code of Conduct & board norms
- Supported board in monitoring and revision of policies
- Supported using Portrait of a Graduate as part of EWSD strategic planning

Serving as a board representative through union contract negotiations

Providing established weekly contact and connection with district administration in supporting the ongoing strategic needs of the district

Pursuing my own continuing professional education as board chair
- 2024 School Board Partners Fellow with the 6th national cohort
- Professional Certificate in Empowered Governance Management

Reading every single one of the 2,697 emails I have received this school year and responding to as many of them as feasibly possible

There is so much I’m probably forgetting, and still, many days I am told it isn’t enough. Each day/week/year there are items left undone in my to-do list, things I wish I had gotten to tackle.

I know I’m not alone in that. I serve EWSD in partnership with my incredible board members, our tireless EWSD admin and staff, our community partners, and with all of you community members.

This is what I will continue to do, to the best of my capacity, if re-elected.

I’m running again for EWSD school board this year, in Essex Town. I hope you will consider voting for me and voting to approve our budget.

And more than anything, I hope to see all of us continue to show up, with our attention, with our willingness to question and learn, with our voices and our votes, on behalf of our community, our state, and all the students in it.

Forward together!

ABOUT ME

I am a parent of two kids in the district and am a former high school math teacher. Professionally, I support school boards in Massachusetts after over a decade in nonprofit educational leadership partnering with public schools. I may not be the most fun to chat with at parties, but I live and breathe governance strategy models, budgeting, executive leader evaluation & management, and board facilitation best practices. I’ve spent my career using an intersectional approach to build programming that equips students to access educational opportunities. This has included coordinating tutoring, mentorship, nutrition, mental health, and social supports; as well as directing programs for students with special needs and developmental disabilities, student-run community gardens, and community-based court diversion initiatives.

Five Fun Facts about Me:

I have dyslexia and am a first-generation college graduate
I genuinely enjoy data analysis and play with Microsoft Excel spreadsheets for fun
My last name is Carpenter and my dad is an actual carpenter, he taught me to love a good hands-on project
I love biking and fixing up bikes. You might see me with my bright yellow bike trailer around town and at school drop-off
My outlets are baking sourdough and working in a giant, out of control vegetable garden

IN THE MEDIA

In service to our overall board strategy of community engagement & advocacy, I speak out on behalf of our district and public education at every opportunity. This is a non-comprehensive list of some of the media where you may have seen me providing information on EWSD news or advocating for EWSD and all Vermonters on issues such as school meals, skyrocketing health costs as a driver of the education funding crisis, and more.

EWSD Budget: https://www.ewsd.org/page/ewsd-budget

EWSD Superintendent Search: https://www.ewsd.org/page/superintendent-search

EWSD News: https://www.ewsd.org/news

Essex Reporter: March 12, 2025 https://www.essexreporter.com/news/schools/dr-mark-holodick-named-next-ewsd-superintendent/article_df4f4ff2-ff39-11ef-8cb2-378b64a644fa.html

NBC5: March 12, 2025

https://www.mynbc5.com/article/essex-westford-school-district-names-dr-mark-holodick-as-new-superintendent/64155003

WCAX: March 10, 2025

https://www.wcax.com/2025/03/10/school-consolidation-fears-ahead-essex-westford-school-budget-vote/

Vermont Public: February 28, 2025

https://www.vermontpublic.org/local-news/2025-02-28/school-reform-talks-dominate-montpelier-many-ask-what-about-healthcare

Essex Reporter February 25, 2025

https://www.essexreporter.com/news/schools/essex-westford-school-district-to-repurpose-summit-street-school-board-finalizes-94-7-budget/article_2aad448a-f3ba-11ef-8dde-6369b53c186b.html