Our schools are what makes Newton such a unique community. I have been a tireless advocate of our school system for a long time–a system that furnished both me and my children with a world-class education. Schools are the foundation of our great City and represent the lion's (and tiger's!) share of our annual budget. Our school communities are what hold us together and makes Newton strong. Part of what keeps our schools outstanding is the arts education and rigorous curriculum. A strong academics program includes not only the fundamental academic subjects but also art, music, athletics, and electives. We need to work together to keep our music lessons and orchestras and that we strive to fund our schools to keep them competitive and our children educated. We also must address the social and emotional needs of our students that have arisen in our schools during the pandemic.

I am endorsing Lisa Gordon for Ward 6 City Council. Lisa is smart, hard-working, does her homework and is an independent thinker. I worked with Lisa when Newton’s elementary school strings program was going to be eliminated as part of budget cuts for NPS, and she worked collaboratively to prevent that from happening. 
— Patrick Song, Mason-Rice Parent

As a member of an advocacy group of parents, students and alumni to save music programming from budget cuts at Newton South, I saw Lisa approach our discussions in an organized, data-driven, and consensus-building manner. Instinctively, she brought stakeholders together in a fostering enfironment, giving voice to everyone’s concerns, and creating the foundation of understanding necessary for a successful decision-making process. She did not take enough credit for her contributions to the group’s success at the time, but I have complete faith Lisa will continue to be an inclusive and collaborative leader as our next Ward 6 Councilor. 
— Diane Gomez, Ward 6 resident and NPS parent