Dear Members of the Watertown Community,
We enthusiastically endorse Sheila Krishnan for Watertown School Committee. Having lived in Watertown for over a decade with two elementary-aged children in WPS, Sheila is a dedicated and involved community member. We stand behind Sheila for her commitment to student belonging and safety, educational access, and post-secondary pathways. As a dedicated public health-trained higher education professional and active Watertown citizen, we are confident that she will add an important voice to the Watertown School Committee to advance student learning, well-being, and success in our public schools.
As parents of caregivers of elementary, middle, and high school students in Watertown Public Schools, we stand behind the district’s mission to create “an equitable, challenging, and innovative learning environment where everyone belongs and every student is empowered to shape the world around them.” We hope that each of our students builds lasting friendships and community with others, grows academically and socially, and goes on to actively contribute in meaningful ways to our world. If elected to the school committee, we unequivocally trust that Sheila would advocate for our children, listen to our and others’ needs and perspectives, collaborate with others and make decisions that advance the district’s mission.
Sheila is dedicated to fostering belonging and a sense of safety among students in the Watertown community. This is exemplified in her years of involvement in the Lowell School Diversity and Belonging Council and service on the search committee for our district’s first Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in 2021. She would also add a valuable perspective to the school committee as a trained public health professional. Sheila recognizes that belonging is associated with student well-being and success, and her commitment and experiences will enrich the Watertown School Committee by ensuring that it centers student safety and belonging in its decisions. Nearly half of the students in our district identify with minoritized racial and ethnic identities, and we appreciate the representation Sheila brings by sharing these identities with these students. Education researchers have time and time again shown that representation matters. As a daughter of immigrants and an Indian American woman committed to educational access, Sheila will provide an important voice and lens on the Watertown School Committee.
While our district has made progress toward making public education more accessible for students in our community, including those with marginalized identities, barriers remain that limit their full potential. Sheila’s commitment to access is particularly relevant during these uncertain times and is evident in her current involvement with the Watertown Rapid Response Network and past involvement with the Watertown Community for Black Lives School Equity and Police Reform Groups. Through her professional and community experiences, she is well-versed in using data to make informed decisions related to resources and access. Sheila’s involvement in both our schools and community organizations gives us great confidence that she will be able to foster strong school-community partnerships. Her motivations and collaborative spirit will allow her to build strong school-community partnerships in order to maximize resources available to students and families to ensure student success.
Finally, Sheila is committed to providing support to students as they consider their post-secondary pathways. As a higher education professional who serves as Director of Career and Professional Development at the Harvard Chan School of Public Health, Sheila would provide a much-needed perspective on the Watertown School Committee regarding higher education and career pathways. She can help ensure that our students are not only successful during their time in our schools, but that they contribute to the public good throughout their lives.
As an experienced higher education professional and dedicated citizen in our city, Sheila Krishnan would be a strong addition to the Watertown School Committee. To learn more about her campaign, you can visit https://www.sheilakrishnan4wps.com/. Please join us in voting for Sheila Krishnan on November 4th!
In solidarity,
Adam McCready
Jackie McCready
Shruti Peri
Kim and James Kubilus
Amalia DerHohannesian and Dwight Norris
Angela Robinson
Liz Marino
André Brown
Kim Smith
Adriana Gallegos
Erin Ward
Kara Lopez Salvi and Shantu Salvi
Tulsi Vadodaria, Lowell Mom of 3
Daniel E. Pritchard
Elizabeth Peck
Jill Caporiccio
Heather & Chase Miller-Giovannani
Deborah Eccleston
Henrique Sabino
Jessica Gilchrist
Mark Muzi
Jackie Burke
Lisa Capoccia
Megan Satterthwaite-Freiman
Heather McManus