This month, Andover News is publishing profiles of the candidates running for select board and school committee in the 2024 Andover Town Election on March 26 to help voters make decisions. You can also view all Andover News election coverage.
Responses are from a questionnaire sent to all candidates in February and, in some cases, have been edited for length and clarity. Today’s profile is from Shauna Murray, who is one of five candidates running for two open seats on the school committee.
All Andover News coverage of the town election on March 26 will be available free to non-subscribers as a service to Andover voters. Please consider supporting local news by subscribing to Andover News.
The Basics
Family: Husband: Rory / Daughters: Ellie (5th grade) and Gracie (kindergarten)
Education: B.A. Communications / M.Ed Secondary Education Curriculum and Instruction / M.A. English Literature
Occupation: High School English Teacher
Campaign Website: https://www.voteshaunamurray.com/
Previous Candidate Profiles
- Ellen Keller, select board
- Ellen Townson, select board
- George Thorlin, select board
Qualifications for Office
What prompted you to run for elect office?
I made the decision to run for Andover School Committee in order to bring an educator’s voice to the table. My knowledge and experience as a teacher for two decades will provide both insight and balance to the sitting Committee. Over the past few years, we have seen a breakdown of the relationships between and among the SC, the administrators, the teachers/staff, the parent/caretakers, and the town. I believe that much of this comes from the simple fact that, while well-meaning, the current SC does not understand what it means to be IN public education. I do; I have served in a multitude of leadership capacities while in my career at Nashua High School South. From the classroom to the school building office to the district administrative offices, I have been there. I hope this involvement allows me to bring a better understanding to the SC, and therefore positively impact policy and personnel decisions in the future.
On the Issues
What are the most important issues facing Andover Public Schools that the school committee will need to address in the next three-year term?
As I noted previously, relationships. We need to reestablish healthy working relationships among all constituencies. In particular, the relationship between the SC and the teachers/staff is, as the 2021 DESE report highlights, “adversarial.” It will be challenging to address any issues, initiatives, or potential hurdles if this is not prioritized. My initial role is to provide a voice for the educators and the parents (particularly of E/M students, as I believe the current SC is heavier with M/H parents). I know what it is like to function within a school system on a daily basis. I know how policies set by those not on the front lines are sometimes received by those who are. I know how teacher and staff input is sometimes overshadowed by dotted data points on a graph that don’t often translate to lived experiences within the classroom. I therefore hope to serve as a bridge for the benefit of our entire school community.
Another matter of concern is obviously the budget. It is difficult to untangle the budget issue with what I discussed above; Andover residents are aware the the contract negotiations further stressed relationships and resulted in the conversations around the current budget shortfall. I have been steadfast in my support for retaining educators. I recognize that our enrollment has declined 12% over the past few years, but it should also be noted that the needs of students have increased in that time. The SC has made it a point to focus on SEL programming and equity throughout the district (which I support). However, social emotional learning and equity is best addressed with smaller class sizes. So how do we justify increasing class sizes with those two goals in mind? We need look for other solutions first, rather than targeting front-facing positions that interact with students on a daily basis. This is where I plan to use my experience to ask the right questions, not only for the budget, but in all SC matters. How are we measuring the success of the budgeted programs and positions instituted by the SC? What is working? What is not working? What data are we using? What does the data show? What are we seeing in the classrooms? How are the teachers responding? Are the students benefitting? Is this program or position worth the money?
And of course, another pressing issue is the future Andover High School, both in terms of the structure and the leadership. The AHS building project band-aid might work in the short term, but it does not solve the long-standing issues that need to be addressed. We need to think deeply about what we want as a community, and an autopsy of sorts needs to be performed on the work that was done up to the vote last November that failed to see the project move forward. In terms of the AHS principal search, we also need to think deeply about what we want. Andover has seen quite a few departures at the building administration level, not just at AHS. While there could be multiple reasons behind this, what might we do better to retain highly qualified and respected leaders? We are spending money to outsource this search to an educational recruiting firm; I hope this money is spent wisely, and we don’t find ourselves in a similar position in the near future.
What other issues do you feel are important in this election and/or your specific race?
I would also like to focus on ensuring that the E/M and M/H shifts (from elementary school to middle school and middle school to high school) are leading to successful student transitions. I initially began my teaching career in the Freshman Academy at Nashua High School South, and we worked hard to bridge the gap between 8th and 9th grade. Furthermore, I am currently working on the redevelopment of our Freshman Writing Program, and it requires continued evaluation of the skills that the students have learned in middle school and the skills necessary to thrive in high school. I enjoy the pedagogical discussions surrounding vertical alignment between grade levels. In addition to their academic skills, we also need to be looking at students’ executive functioning skills; we cannot ignore the fact that students are still catching up from their pandemic-related educational experiences.
What differentiates you from your opponent(s)?
My background in education differentiates me from the members of the current SC. As for the other candidates new to this race, I do believe that we all want to ensure that students in Andover receive a high quality education. As someone who is IN public education, that gives me a level of understanding that some candidates might not possess. I also believe that my focus on creating healthy working relationships is a key difference; we cannot move forward if we do not work together.
What else should voters know about you and your campaign?
I am very fortunate to be surrounded by educators who have guided me in understanding various aspects of public education. My mother, who inspired me to become a teacher, taught kindergarten and first grade for thirty years. Additionally, my mother-in-law also taught 1st grade, my brother-in-law and sister-in-law teacher high school math, and another sister-in-law is a counselor.
Throughout my twenty year career at Nashua High School South, I have served in a multitude of leadership capacities, from advising student-teachers and mentoring new hires, to developing and redesigning curriculum and piloting new programs. In these positions, I have gained insight into the administrative and pedagogical decisions that are made on many levels within the school district. I have also worked collaboratively with multiple stakeholders to build meaningful partnerships and achieve shared goals.
My greatest strength, however, is that I followed my calling and became a teacher. Teaching is incredibly rewarding, but it is also presents many challenges. The responsibility of not only educating, but caring for, someone else’s child is heavy. On a daily basis, I need to be able to work with and interact with different personalities, learning abilities, and social skills. I need to discover what motivates each student in order that they walk away from my class with the knowledge and preparation to take on the future. Teaching is understanding people and getting things done. That’s what I do every day.
Key Dates For The 2024 Town Election
The town election is scheduled for March 26. The last day to register to vote in the 2023 Andover election is March 16, 2023. You can register to vote online or by visiting the Town Clerk’s office.
March 16: Deadline to register to vote in the March 28 election.
March 26: Election Day. Polls open 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. (completed mail-in ballots must be received by 8 p.m. on election day).
More election information from the Town of Andover.