Questions and Answers

People have asked me thoughtful questions about the Lenox schools. What makes them strong? Why do they matter to the town? How should we think about the future?

I’ve tried to answer some of those questions here.

Why are the schools so important to the people of Lenox?
Can you share a moment when education changed your life?
What experience do you bring to the School Committee?
What have you seen in Lenox schools that stands out to you?
What are your priorities for the schools?
How should Lenox prepare students for a changing world?
What about students who are not college-bound?
What is your philosophy when it comes to education?
What is your view on regionalization and the future of small school districts?

Why are the schools so important to the people of Lenox?

Strong schools are one of the reasons people choose to move here, live here, and stay here. They improve the lives of children and contribute directly to the quality of life and property values in the town.

Over the more than 40 years I’ve lived in Lenox, I can’t recall a school budget ever being voted down. That says something important about how strongly the community supports its schools.

Taken together, that tells you that the schools are central to the life of the town.

Can you share a moment when education changed your life?

I can point to a very specific moment.

When I was a student, a teacher called me into his office. I assumed I was in trouble. Instead, he told me that I had the ability to go to MIT.

That conversation probably lasted fifteen minutes, but it changed the direction of my life.

It wasn’t just what he said—it was that he saw something in me that I hadn’t fully seen in myself yet.

That experience has stayed with me. It’s a reminder of how important teachers are and how much impact a school can have on a student’s future. Fifteen minutes can change a life.

What have you seen in Lenox schools that stands out to you?

What stands out to me is how much individual attention students receive.

In a smaller district like Lenox, students are not just part of a system—they are known. Teachers know who they are, what they are good at, and where they need support.

You see that in the classroom, but also in activities, athletics, and the arts. Students are encouraged to participate, to try things, and to grow.

That kind of environment makes a real difference. That kind of one-on-one attention is something that’s hard to replicate, and it’s one of the real strengths of a small district like Lenox.

What experience do you bring to the School Committee?

I currently serve on the Lenox School Committee, and that experience has given me a clear understanding of both the opportunities and the challenges facing our schools.

My professional background is in education, engineering, and academic leadership. I’ve spent much of my career teaching students, advising them, leading programs, and working with institutions on quality, standards, and long-term success.

Here in Lenox, I’ve also served on the Conservation Commission and the Finance Committee. Those roles have helped me understand how decisions about schools fit into the broader needs and responsibilities of the town.

What are your priorities for the schools?

My focus is on maintaining high standards, supporting teachers, and making sure that every student has the opportunity to succeed.

That starts with leadership and resources. The School Committee needs to create policies that help schools do their best work, and we need to provide educators with what they need to support every student—not just some.

At the same time, we have to be thoughtful about how we use our resources. Financial pressures are real, and it’s important that we make careful, long-term decisions about where we invest.

What about students who are not college-bound?

Not every student follows the same path, and our schools need to reflect that.

For students who are not planning to go to college, it’s especially important that they develop practical intelligence—the ability to understand how things work, solve real problems, and adapt as industries and technologies change.

Those fields are evolving just as quickly as others, and students need to be prepared to stay ahead.

What is your philosophy when it comes to education?

I believe that good education doesn’t happen by accident.

It takes thoughtful planning, strong teaching, community support, and a clear sense of purpose.

Our responsibility is to make sure those pieces stay in place and continue to work together.

How should Lenox prepare students for a changing world?

The world students are entering is changing quickly, and that includes not just traditional academic fields, but also the trades and the creative professions.

Many people think about how technology is reshaping business, but it is also reshaping the trades and the arts. It’s transforming them in ways that are impossible to predict. So, students need to learn not just specific skills, but also how to keep learning as their fields evolve. They need to know what to learn and how to learn it.

I sometimes describe this as helping students develop practical intelligence—the ability to understand how things work, solve real problems, and adapt over time.

At one point in my career, I was working on a ship far from shore, where if something broke, there was no easy way to replace it. We were a thousand miles away from the nearest Home Depot.

You had to solve the problems with what you had. That kind of problem-solving mindset is still important today—just in different forms.

In a community like Lenox, where the cultural and creative economy is so important, the ability to learn, adapt, and apply knowledge really matters.

What is your view on regionalization and the future of small school districts?

Small school districts like Lenox are an “endangered species.” However, being a smaller district allows us to stay close to our students and our community, and to make decisions that reflect what works best here.

We should share services where it makes sense. Transportation is a good example. We should always be open to collaboration when it improves efficiency or quality.

But, I am not in favor of regionalization for Lenox the way it is set up in Massachusetts. It is important for Lenox to maintain control over its schools. It is important to the future of the town. The fact that the community has consistently supported school budgets over time reflects how important that local connection is.