Letter to the Editor

Thank You!

To the Editor:

Many of you have contacted me about the election for Chelsea District 8 City Council which occurred Tuesday, November 2nd.  First of all, I want to commend the people who voted.  COVID has impacted Chelsea probably more than any other community in Massachusetts.  This pandemic has also caused serious financial difficulties for our neighbors and friends. 

The most pressing concern for many Chelsea families continues to be food insecurity at a time when many are still not back to work.  The people who live with economic anxiety need to be acknowledged.  We should not forget the numbers of people who wait in line every day at our food banks.  This reality should be of paramount significance in the governance of Chelsea.

Although we lead in the unofficial count in the City Councilor for District 8 race, the process will not be complete until the ballots are certified or until any possible recount may be finished.  Irrespective of any outcome, let us not forget that the citizens who voted, despite the difficulties that they face, are the real heroes of this election no matter who wins.  I am proud of my service to this community and even prouder to call Chelsea my home.

Lastly, I want to take the time to thank each and every member of Team CTB for your hard work, dedication, and time spent sharing the message of my campaign with your friends and family.  Thank you!

Calvin T. Brown

District 8

City Councilor

A Great Honor

To the Editor:

Thank you for trusting me once again to represent you on School Committee! Serving you and our students these past two years has been a great honor, one only overshadowed by the joy of becoming a dad last July. I look forward to the great work we will accomplish in the next two years, both to continue our COVID-19 recovery efforts and to make our district better than it was prior to the pandemic.

After much advocacy for the funding our children deserve and were promised, we finally received the first major increase in state school funding this year. In addition, we received over $32.5 million in one-time funds from the federal government. While most of these funds have gone to supporting additional needs brought on by the pandemic, we have also planned out increases in staff that will be beneficial for students long term. More teachers and social workers will mean a better learning environment for our students and better supports for those who are struggling with mental health and socioemotional issues. As we continue to see funding increases over the next few years, I expect further investments in these areas.

I look forward to continue engaging with you to improve our schools, but also to think more broadly about what our students need. This pandemic has demonstrated that housing justice, racial justice, and climate justice are all interconnected, and those all impact our students. In order for our students to take advantage of the great learning environment that Chelsea Public Schools is creating, we have to continue fighting for them and their families to have a just and equitable society. However you are fighting for that better future, I encourage you to keep going, and to reach out if there is anything I can do to support it. And as always, please don’t hesitate to reach out at [email protected] if you have any questions or things you would like to see in our schools. Thank you!

Vecinos de Chelsea,

Muchas gracias por confiar en mi como su representante al Comité Escolar! Servirle estos dos años ha sido un gran honor, insuperable excepto por la alegría de convertirme en padre en julio del año pasado. Estoy preparado para el gran trabajo que lograremos el próximo término, continuando nuestra recuperación de la pandemia y luchando por escuelas mejores que antes de la pandemia.

Este año por fin recibimos el primer aumento en fondos estatales para nuestras escuelas, luego de varios años luchando por fondos necesarios y que habían sido prometidos. También recibimos sobre $32.5 millones de fondos federales. La mayoría de este dinero ha ido a apoyar necesidades creadas por la pandemia, pero también hemos podido añadir plazas de maestros y trabajadores sociales, que van a ayudarnos a crear un mejor sistema de aprendizaje y a apoyar a nuestros estudiantes con su salud mental y necesidades socioemocionales. Espero que según veamos más aumentos de fondos que continuaremos invirtiendo en estas areas.

Juntos vamos a seguir mejorando nuestras escuelas, pero quiero que también pensemos más ampliamente sobre que necesitan nuestros estudiantes. La pandemia ha demostrado que la justicia de vivienda, justicia racial, y justicia ambiental están interconectadas, y todas afectan a nuestros estudiantes. Para que ellos puedan aprovechar la enseñanza que proveemos, tenemos que también luchar por una sociedad justa y equitativa para ellos y sus familias. De cualquier manera que usted esté luchando por ese futuro mejor, por favor siga haciéndolo, y déjeme saber como puedo apoyar sus esfuerzos. Y como siempre, por favor déjeme saber a [email protected] cualquier pregunta o sugerencia que tenga sobre nuestras escuelas. Muchas gracias!

Roberto Jiménez Rivera

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