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2021 Campaign Announcement

Paul lives in the Hillside neighborhood with his husband Robert and their two teenagers, Nevaeh, a student at the Andrews Middle School, and Matthew, a student at Medford High School.

 

“These past two years have been unlike any in living memory for our students, families, educators, and community.  The pandemic reinforced my belief that while we must have plans in place to deal with the various challenges we anticipate, we must also remain agile to respond to the unexpected.  My current focus is on the social and emotional needs of our public school community. I will continue my work to increase access to our educational opportunities, and further my longer-term goals, the same goals that ignited my interest in public service.” Ruseau said.

 

Paul knows firsthand that issues of equity, access, hunger, poverty, and racism are inextricably linked to student achievement for all students, and brings his lived experiences to the table, insisting that under-represented voices are heard in decisions that directly impact our students.

Paul is proud of the active anti-racist work being done within Medford Public Schools and will continue to take tangible actions to support students and educators in this long-overdue work.

 

Paul wrote the policy to end out-of-school suspensions, which disproportionately affect our Black and disabled students. The passage of this policy will have a positive impact on all of our students.  Implementation of fair and just systems that help all our students fully participate in the education we offer will require years of work and sustained resources, and Paul will continue working to ensure these efforts do not lose momentum.

 

Paul wrote the free school lunch resolution in the spring of 2021 and was successful in ensuring that no student will be charged for food in the 2021-2022 school year.  In 2022 he will propose a permanent policy to end ‘student lunch debt’ and ensure all Medford Public Schools’ students are well fed and energized, ready to learn and grow.

 

During this pandemic, our teachers, staff, and administration have worked harder than any of them probably thought was humanly possible.  Paul is grateful beyond words for their dedication to our students - none of this past year would have been possible without them.  Paul will listen to educators and advocate for them so they have the resources, training, and time to reach their professional goals and serve our students.

 

Nearly one-third of Medford students, including Paul’s family, pivoted to remote education in 2020-2021.  Paul will not lose sight of this significant group of students and their needs.

 

“I am motivated by seeing our students thriving, learning, and interacting with each other, participating in the incredible programs offered within our schools and I am excited for the beginning of a new school year,”  Ruseau said.

 

“I firmly believe we need a new high school.  A new high school will help us to meet our educational mandate, no longer contribute to the climate crisis, and reflect the pride of Medford.  I will do my part to move this project forward!” Ruseau said.

 

“As our economy continues to recover, the limitations of our before and after school programs are creating new and more urgent challenges, particularly for families returning to the workplace.  There are many obstacles to expanding our capacity to serve all children, but I will continue my efforts to provide every child a seat in these programs.” Ruseau assured.

 

“I hope that Medford voters will give me the opportunity to continue my work on their behalf, and move our schools forward. The pandemic did not slow down my professional development and I continued to take part in the training courses offered by our professional association.  Being a School Committee member requires substantial effort to learn, attend training, and read - you should expect that from all of your elected officials.”  Ruseau said.

 

Paul is the Medford representative to the Shore Educational Collaborative’s Board of Directors and has been the Chair of the Board since 2020.

 

Paul earned his Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Keene State College in 1995, and his Master of Science in Human Factors in Information Design from Bentley University in 2013.
 

Paul can be reached at (781) 343-1630, via email at paul@electpaul.org.

  Paul Ruseau

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