Candidate Statement
I believe that public education is the single greatest investment a government can make in the future of its community. The children in our school today are our next leaders and entrepreneurs. Our next scientists and healthcare workers. Our next police officers, firefighters, and EMTs. Our next farmers, makers, artists, and musicians who keep our farm coast culture thriving. When we invest in their education, we invest in the future of the town we all love.
My hope for every Little Compton student is the same hope I have for my own daughter, and soon, my daughters. I hope that their education sets them on a path toward happiness and achieving their dreams. I hope that it instills in them a love of learning, and a confidence to pursue their calling without doubt or fear.
Realizing this hope takes several initiatives. It takes hiring and keeping great teachers and staff, and giving them the resources they need to succeed. It takes hands-on learning, like the IB program, that goes beyond textbooks, screens, and test scores. It takes safe, well-maintained facilities that are conducive to learning. And it takes transparency and partnership with our whole community.
We have a lot to be proud of. Our five-star rating from the Department of Education and our place among the state's top schools reflect the hard work of past and present committees, our faculty and staff, and our students and parents. If elected, I hope to carry that momentum forward, and build toward the hope and vision that I have outlined above.
If this resonates with you, then I ask for your vote in this upcoming election, and I look forward to working with you to give our children the best possible educational experience.
Thank you, and God bless.
Nick
On the Issues
On responsible budgeting
I believe that public education is an investment in our town's future. I will push for giving our school, staff, and students the resources they need to be successful and maintain our ranking as Rhode Island's best K-8 school. This can be done intelligently, with minimal impact on the taxpayer, as long as we are thoughtful about our investments and don't spend frivolously.
On the IB program
I believe in the IB program and support Superintendent Kraeger's plan to expand the program to the lower grades. This program is a differentiator for our school and gives our students educational opportunities that are experiential in nature and go beyond "teaching to the test."
On out-of-town tuition
There has been some confusion on this topic regarding the actual costs to Little Compton taxpayers. It is important to understand that the average cost per student enrolled is very different from the incremental cost per student enrolled. The average cost factors in many fixed costs, like the operational costs of running the building facilities (which stay the same regardless of whether we have 200 students or 350); this number has historically been around $26k. The incremental cost factors in the additional money needed to educate a single student (things like additional textbooks, learning materials, etc.); this number is around $4k. To use an analogy... if I asked you how much it costs to bake a cake, you wouldn't also include the cost of your mortgage, or how much you paid for your oven. When we look at the incremental cost, we see that by bringing in a student at a tuition of $6k-$7k, we generate a net surplus of $2k-$3k that goes back into the budget. That means $2k-$3k less that we need to ask for from town taxpayers. From this perspective, I support the out-of-town tuition program, as it helps continue the funding of our school while lessening the burden on taxpayers.
On technology use and AI
My professional background is in technology. As a software engineer, I build AI-integrated systems. I distinguish between using technology to create something and using it to consume content. Creating tools, programs, or designs can help students develop useful skills and add value to their lives or the lives of others.
I oppose screen time in school for activities that don't require it. For reading in particular, a study of 59 middle-school students by researchers at Teachers College, Columbia University found brain-response evidence that students processed the meaning of printed text more deeply than text read on a screen. This is one reason I support using printed materials for reading rather than replacing them with screens.
For our upper grade levels, I support teaching students to use technology in a creative capacity. My position on AI is the same: I support learning to use it as a creative tool. Our older children should have the opportunity to learn how to use these tools and build skills that will help them thrive in tomorrow's economy.