Excellence in Education
As a former School Committee member, Monica always put students first. As Mayor, Monica will push our students to new heights.
“As our next mayor, I will strive for excellence in education in the Melrose Public Schools. I will focus on maximizing student achievement in academics. I will prioritize spending which directly impacts students in the classroom, and will support educational opportunities which help every student reach their maximum potential.”
​
- Monica Medeiros Solano, Candidate for Mayor of Melrose
Monica’s plan:
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
Monica will prioritize student achievement and strive to provide educational opportunities which help every student reach their maximum potential.
Monica will support programs which foster creativity and problem solving skills to create pathways to opportunity for our students.
Monica will prioritize spending which directly impacts students in the classroom.
​
​
LEADERSHIP TO MEET STUDENT NEEDS &
SUPPORT STAFF RETENTION
​
Hire the Right Superintendent
Our new Mayor and School Committee will be tasked with hiring a new Superintendent of Schools to lead our school district. Monica is the only candidate for mayor who has served on a School Committee and hired a successful superintendent.
Monica believes budget management must be a priority and strength of the new Superintendent. Monica knows how important it is to find the right person for the job who puts students first and respects our budgetary limitations.
Monica recognizes that the Superintendent is responsible for hiring our school staff and that the Superintendent sets the tone for the district. To promote staff retention, Monica will seek a new Superintendent who works collaboratively, values transparency and is welcoming to different viewpoints and new ideas.
Review our Special Education Programs
Special Education is a leading driver of costs. Monica will review our programs to evaluate their effectiveness, our district’s responsiveness to students and parents, and will work to find ways to meet student needs in-district.
Create a Mayor’s Advisory Committee on Education
Monica will create a new committee of community members – financial, educational, human resources professionals and others – who can use their professional expertise to assist her with these goals, and help her make better, more well-rounded decisions along the way.
​
STRONG FISCAL MANAGEMENT AND OVERSIGHT
​
Build a 5-year Strategic Financial Plan
For long-term financial stability, Monica will begin work immediately on building a 5-year Strategic Financial Plan for the City of Melrose. This would review projected costs versus projected revenues and identify any gaps. Monica would then work collaboratively to fix them.
Conduct a Detailed Spending Analysis
As the next mayor, I am ready to conduct a deep dive into all of our expenditures to understand what we have already purchased and why. I will conduct a detailed analysis, line by line, of what we budgeted and what we actually spent. This is necessary so that our city officials and the public can clearly understand where the override money and increases in spending were actually applied.
Active Financial Management
Monica will provide active financial management of our city budget by building accountability measures into our day to day practices. Monica will continually review our spending and conduct regular budget check-ins with our department leaders to proactively identify problem areas get back on track before things get out of hand.
Transparency
Monica will create a budget that is clear, detailed, easy to find, and understandable.
​
Ongoing Facility Upkeep
Monica will integrate her strategic financial plan with our long-term capital improvement plans to better identify our needs and build a plan to reach our goals for our school system, for public safety, and for maintenance of our infrastructure. Monica will ensure regular building maintenance is planned and budgeted for.
​
STUDENT LIFE AND CULTURE
Transition to Non-GMO and Organic
To improve student physical and mental health, Monica will push to expand upon the Wellness Policy Administrative Guidelines in schools to include requirements that our schools serve food that is Non-GMO and organic whenever possible. Since this is likely to be more costly, Monica suggests starting by requiring a percentage of our offerings meet these standards over time until we reach 100%.
Protect Recess and Promote Outdoor Activity
Monica supports protecting recess time and promoting outdoor access when possible to help students manage stress and refocus to improve their learning when they return to the classroom.
Welcome Parental Involvement
Monica will promote a culture of openness that welcomes parental involvement in the schools and in their children’s education. Monica is grateful for the many community volunteers who support our educational system through the hard work of The Bridge and the PTOs.
Read More...
Read more about Monica's goals and objectives in our local media.