A Fresh Vision for Our Schools
I’m Emily Serafy-Cox, parent of a 2nd-grader at Bridge Street Elementary and advocate for children and communities for the past 15 years. My fresh vision for Northampton Schools includes innovative curriculum, fair wages for teachers and staff, adequate public funding, and meaningful equity and inclusion. I will listen to and work with our community to make sure all voices are heard and to stand up for our shared values when faced with tough decisions.
Creating the Schools of the Future
Our public schools need to employ innovative curriculum to become destination schools and compete with charter schools. Programs like dual immersion Spanish/English education can even the playing field for English language learners, as well as attract parents looking for highly valuable skills for their children.
Keeping Our Best Teachers and Staff
Northampton teachers and support staff are sounding the alarm over unfair pay. They are paid significantly less than teachers in surrounding communities, and their earning power is actually decreasing as inflation increases faster than their wages. We must fund fair wages to retain excellent teachers and support staff.
Funding Our Future
The Commonwealth is not paying its fair share of school expenses, putting too much of the burden on local towns. I support the Promise Act and Cherish Act in the Massachusetts Legislature and has joined with community advocates to demand an update to our outdated school funding formula.
Meaningful Equity and Inclusion
All students, no matter their backgrounds or abilities, deserve access to the highest quality education. We need to work with parents, students and teachers to create intentional plans for inclusion and equity that truly transform our schools and classrooms.