John Costello for School Committee

04/06/2022

Thank you all for the opportunity to serve these last 3 years. Unfortunately I came up 23 votes short tonight. Congratulations to Ethan Hamilton and David Chee!

04/05/2022

Voting is today until 8 PM at the high school. Be sure to get out and make your voice heard!

03/26/2022

Despite—and perhaps because of—all the unpredictable events of the last few years, I have enjoyed serving the community on its most important board. I believe what people most want from their public servants is someone who listens, even if they may not agree with every position or vote. Education is what shapes the future of our community, nation, and world, and it is essential that teachers, parents, and students have a seat at the table. This is especially important as we transition into the post-pandemic era.

I served my first term on the School Committee during one of the most trying times we have ever faced with COVID-19 (talk about baptism by fire). There will undoubtedly be new challenges ahead that we may not know of now, but the pandemic has taught and reinforced for myself and other members how important collaboration and adaptability are to tackling these challenges. As an alumnus of NAHS and former employee in our schools, serving another term on the Committee would mean continuing to give back to a community that helped shape me from early on.

We need to continue to develop opportunities to ensure our students have the most well-rounded education possible, as well as improve on existing ones. As we take on community improvement projects like the updated sports complex, students should have the opportunity to participate in safe, hands-on ways that might help them explore careers of interest.

We must see through contracts with fair, livable wages so that we can retain and attract teachers and support staff. Staff knowing they are valued means a better quality education for our students. Communication with staff and the public must continue to be improved so that neither feels they are unsupported or shut out.

As federal aid from the pandemic phases out, collaboration with the Town Council and state leaders will be essential to ensuring we can provide level service in the ensuing years.

I humbly ask for your vote to another term on April 5. Thank you.

04/03/2019

It’s official, we won! Congrats to Ethan and Talia on a well-fought campaign. I look forward to serving as your voice on the School Committee.

04/03/2019

We are still waiting on results from Precincts 2, 3 and 9 but taking the results from the remaining precincts into consideration, I will be attending tomorrow’s School Committee meeting as it’s newest member! It also appears incumbent Ethan Hamilton has captured a second term.

04/02/2019

You still have nearly two hours left to vote!

04/02/2019

Tomorrow’s Election Day! Get out and vote!

03/31/2019

My two cents on this year’s most pressing vote-the charter:

First off, I concur with many that it is not a perfect document. I would have preferred staggered terms for the council and an elected mayor. The members of the Charter Commission and members of the public who gave their input during the writing of the charter all had different opinions. All may not be totally happy but the charter as written is a compromise, and compromise is an American ideal enshrined in our Constitution.

The town has made its voice heard several times over the last few years and the consensus is clear-our town government needs reform. What’s more, the vast majority of races go uncontested, especially on RTM. Where is the representation when all most RTM members have to do to win is vote for themselves? A large number of seats go unfilled, even after a small number apply to be appointed to vacant seats. The 9-member council would ensure choice and competition, as well as accountability-all none members would answer to all town residents and not just their neighbors. Town meeting made more sense in the olden days when towns, including ours, rarely has more than a few thousand people. However, we have become to large for it to remain an effective legislative body, as our population has reached nearly 30,000, enough to qualify as a small city.

As a former RTM member, I can attest to the fact that a majority of the time the body acts as a rubber stamp for the finance committee, and while trivial or procedural matters often garner heated discussion, major decisions are often (but not always) met with almost no discussion at all.

As for the addition of the council President to the School Committee in a non-voting capacity, this would be a good mechanism for keeping both the Committee and the Town Council in tune with one another. This would allow for greater collaboration and more effective decision-making, especially when deciding on the budget and making hiring decisions.

I hope you will join me in voting for the charter April 2.

03/25/2019

Catch the debate tonight at 7 on Verizon 23/Comcast 98!

03/16/2019

“The advancement and diffusion of knowledge is the only guardian of true liberty.”

-James Madison, born March 16, 1751

03/16/2019

Remember to vote on April 2!

NORTH ATTLEBORO — Most of the attention for the April 2 town election has been centered on a proposed new charter to change the structure of town government, but there

03/04/2019

If you have a yard sign that was destroyed by the plow let me know and I’ll get you another once there’s been some meltage. If you would like a sign message me your address and I will drop one off!