Where I'm From
Northampton has been our home for over fifty years.
I witnessed the ‘old’ city of soda fountains, haberdasheries. neighborhood schools and a pre-mall downtown morph through many changes. We have raised our own six sons here; four educated in city schools (two at Amherst), HCAC daycare and Look Park and Rec camps. We take great pleasure in our local grandchildren growing and learning through Northampton Public Schools and enjoying sports, music, friends and a lot of Bueno Y Sano burritos.
What I Learned
I’ve stuffed a lot into my thus far lifetime experience-some of that has been:
- Teaching for years as a project-based middle and high school history teacher (and yes, I loved teaching eighth grade!) with some of that working primarily with students with trauma induced special needs.
- A proud early Smith College Ada Comstock Scholar alum in American Studies and Political Economy and an MEd in history and education from UMass.
- Waitstaff, nurse, short order cook, single parent of four small children and a not very successful horse racing jump jockey.
- 7th son is a dear hairy pony named Lad, who lives on a farm in Whately and carries me literally over hill and dale and sometimes rivers. My children know that all they will inherit when the time comes is an ancient horse.
- Twenty years as an educational consultant and whole school change coach, I worked with the Coalition for Essential Schools and middle school Turning Points in districts across the nation, and with my colleague in our company OzmaHouse.
- Nationally certified Critical Friends Group Facilitator and Trainer.
- Historian.
- I have always been a writer -including a stint authoring Gazette features on downtown Northampton for Marietta Pritchard in the 80’s.
- A curious teenager, I once lent my energy towards levitating the Pentagon.
- Raised and educated in the Society of Friends (Quakers) and value the ethic of speaking truth to power.
- Part of organizing two UAW District 65 union shops and been both a building rep and a district vice president with the MTA.
- A regular and thoughtful voice at council and committee public comment sessions.
- Deeply involved in shepherding school funding proposals to become bills, by working with similarly impacted districts and legislators across the Commonwealth.
- A strong belief in an active citizenry.
As that committed and curious lifelong learner, it’s been a truly lively educational experience. I am a firm believer in following through.
