total time: 27.18 minutes
total words: 2416
[Danielle Balocca]: Hey Medford Bites listeners. Today we're trying something a little bit new. I'm here with my co-host for today, Chelly.
[Chelli Keshavan]: Hi everybody, this is Chelly.
[Danielle Balocca]: And today we did an interview with Mia Mastone from the school committee. We both really enjoyed talking with her and I hope you do too. All right, thank you both for being here today. We're trying something a little bit different where I have a co host here with me today. So I'll remind you all that my name is Danielle, I use she and her pronouns. And today my co host
[Chelli Keshavan]: Hi, everybody. My name's Chali Keshavan. I'm thrilled to be here. Danielle is a game changer. I'm happy to be participating in this work. I'm the human rights chair. I'm the VP at West Medford Community Center, and I serve on the board at Medford Health Matters. So we're a couple hats in the city of Medford, and I'm about to add mom in the Medford Public Schools. So I'm thrilled to be here with Mia for this particular conversation.
[Danielle Balocca]: And our guests, if you could introduce yourself. So with your name, pronouns, a bit about yourself.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: Thank you for having me. My name is Mima Stone. She and her pronouns. This is the beginning of my fourth term on the school committee. I was elected in 2015. Time flies. And currently I have four children in Medford Public Schools. I have a junior at Medford High, an eighth and a seventh grader at the Andrews, and a fourth grader at the Roberts Elementary. So thank you for having me.
[Danielle Balocca]: Thanks for being here. So our first question for everybody is your favorite place to eat in Medford and what you like to eat there.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: So because all the kids have different favorite places, we try to make the rounds. Rowan loves Collette's Bakery. She loves the bread there. I would say Nevin and Declan are partial to Colleen's and their ice cream. Teagan and Cullen are big Tenoch people. And then Quinn, who's now in school in Vermont, but when she's home, I'm trying to think of what Quinn's go-to probably is. I think she'd probably say she would want, oh I know, a sandwich at the Magnificent Muffin. She loves their breakfast sandwiches.
[Danielle Balocca]: Thank you. What about you?
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: Oh that's a good point. So when Tim and I can sneak out, it's usually to Salvatore's because it's close to home and it's good food and it's quick and we know we're not far from the house.
[Danielle Balocca]: Thank you. Yeah, you wouldn't be alone in answering that question based on your kids needs. I feel like that's our lives too. Which place do we go to today? Yes. Yeah. Great. All right. So to start out, if you could talk a little bit about how you decided initially to run for school committee.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: Sure. People probably who follow Method Politics are probably tired of this story, but I will share it again. In 2015, in the summer, a young man announced he was running John Emerald, and he had a press release in the paper, and I read it. He had great ideas. He was an Arlington High School teacher, He was probably, I would think, maybe mid 20s, but the ideas escape me now, but I thought, well, this young man has great ideas for the students. So my dad was over and I was saying, Dad, I'm going to hold a sign for this young man. know when he has a sign hold out in the square what have you and my dad said why don't you hold your own damn sign so I said oh okay so he said Mia you're always at the schools you're always you know trying to make things work at the Roberts at the time I only had kids at the Roberts this is um Well, maybe Quinn was at the Andrews. But anyways, um, so the kids were around and they said, yeah, mom, you should do it. You should do it. So that's what prompted to me to run as well as at the same time. The kindergarten powers were only half day and whoever was in kindergarten at the time had a pretty. um, large class with only a half-time para. So I had attended a school committee meeting right before I probably had the conversation with my dad saying, could we have full-time paras? And the school committee at the time was very receptive. Um, it didn't happen immediately. Then I ran and when I was sworn in, it was still a topic. And then it was probably six months into my first term that full-time aides were approved in the budget. So that was the real, I really just, that's what I ran on. The first election was full-time kindergarten in Paris.
[Chelli Keshavan]: Thanks. So as I mentioned, I am stepping back into Medford, but this time with my mom hat on. For those of us who are new, how do I learn about the school committee? Where are the spaces in Medford where I can get that information? Yeah, how do I become in the know?
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: Right. I was in your same exact spot. I don't think I could have named one school committee member before I went to that first meeting. I think that is an excellent question, because there is not a thorough explanation of the school committee on our city's website about our roles and responsibilities, about our policies, which we're working on now. We just did pass an 18-page Policy so that, you know, if you were to be a new member of the school committee, you would have this policy book to know how the school committee meetings run. And I think going to the school committee meetings is probably the most helpful because you see, oh, the agenda is posted the Friday before the meeting. So the agenda is the most helpful because then you know what the topics are that will be addressed. But then attending in person to hear from the community members that speak, to hear from the other school committee members who share their questions or ideas. you're right it's almost you have to get right into the groundwork and go to the meetings to find out what the topics are and how um because there's not even a place after the meetings to find out until the minutes are released of what the votes were on the different resolutions or motions sure and i think i guess i'm also wondering like how do i learn
[Chelli Keshavan]: like as a parent, what services are available through the committee, like for what reasons would I reach out? That kind of like, you know, do I go to the principal for this concern? Do I go to school? Do I go to superintendent? Like what really maybe the structure looks like?
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: And I think that's an excellent question. That's not clearly defined. I think school committee members ourselves sometimes have differing opinions of what is appropriate for us to respond to a parent, you know, we have, I'm just saying, in recent times that I can remember, we've received emails about the after school program. the length of recess, the food service options. Some of them we can address or say where it's been discussed at past meetings. Some we do have to recommend they get in touch with the person who is that's under their jurisdiction. But for me, I think Any parent with any question is welcome to email us and I try to find the right person to connect them with because I do know more of the administration and the staff and the directors because it is overwhelming to try to figure out which person would a person need a parent need to reach out to to get an answer. So I'm happy to connect.
[Chelli Keshavan]: Are there spaces or evenings where, and I realized that lockdown has colored everything but in the past where there are times where a school committee convened so that folks had sort of access where they're like public events that maybe were not school committee meetings or more social.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: So the office hours would be the best place to share your concerns or questions or thoughts. We can't have three or more school committee members have an open forum because then it's broken, breaking open meeting law because there'd be no official posting our agenda. So you could meet with three school committee members, which has happened in the past, if there's a specific concern, you know, before COVID, we had met with students, high school students who worked for the after school program about wages, so that I'm just trying to think of specific meetings that were not school committee recognized, but were three members.
[Danielle Balocca]: Thank you. Yeah, it sounds like you've been on the school committee, what, like six or seven years at this point?
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: Yeah, right. So this will be my seventh year.
[Danielle Balocca]: Yeah. And what do you feel like at this point, school committee's doing well? What are kind of areas for improvement?
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: Well, let's think. Well, I think we have a very active or engaged school committee. We have, let me do the math, one, two, Three, four, six of us have students currently in Metro Public Schools. So I think having that point of view or being in the buildings, we have the ability to talk to parents, you know, off the cuff, just to hear what's happening. So I do think that's probably the biggest advantage of the what's the most helpful is that the school committee members, we're all someone had said to me years ago, when I first ran, well, you have skin in the game, right? You want the schools to be great for every student, including your own kids. So I think that's what we do well, is that we're all very engaged. I think, I'm trying to think now with all of us, we don't have, no, I was gonna say, we don't have a parent with children in every elementary school. We have parents who have children at the Brooks, the Roberts, and then we have kids at the McGlynn and the Andrews in the high school. So if anyone listening there, and if you live in the Mississippi neighborhood or the McGlynn Elementary neighborhood, please consider running, because I do think it's important to have representation from all the schools. As we all know, we're not a ward-based system, so we're all citywide. So it'd be great to have people from every school be able to participate in the school committee and encourage the administration on what needs to be done or what needs to be improved.
[Danielle Balocca]: You brought up something that stuck out to me just now about the ward based system and that's sort of a crossover for something we talked about with city councillors is the charter review and I hadn't thought about how that would change or benefit like representation of the school committee as well.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: Right, right. To have every school have parents on the school committee. Because not every school is the same, right? Different schools have different needs and they all need to be addressed.
[Chelli Keshavan]: Thank you for that. I'm wondering if you see space for collaboration with other school districts, fully acknowledging that other districts are probably managing with a budget that may or may not look similar to ours. I'm wondering if there's space for sharing in the name of learning and connecting over where there's space for improvement or other pieces that Medford's getting right right now that could be of support to other districts.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: Right now, so our and I don't have the exact numbers, so I don't want to misspeak. But we do have Everett students who are in our vocational program. So I'm not sure if that's where if you're thinking along those lines that we are partnering that our vocational school is growing. Our vocational school is is really room by leaps and bounds. One concern that I have received emails about is that there is unfortunately no plumbing shop. And Mr. Fallon, who is a terrific director of the vocational school, he has spoken about how plumbers in this market are doing really well. And it's hard to give up if you own your own plumbing business to give up to teach. But that is something that they're constantly trying to look for candidates to start a plumbing shop. So that's, yeah, I can't think of other partnerships we've done with other surrounding towns. That's the only one that I can think of offhand. But I'm sure if it's a proposal that you're familiar with in another part of the state or another country, we're always up to looking into how to bring good programs here.
[Unidentified]: Okay.
[Chelli Keshavan]: Um, I am somewhat known for like really big broad questions in Medford so I'm going to throw one of them at you. And the other night I appreciated our commentary around systemic policy, and I'm a person who thinks of the classroom as sort of a microcosm of how policy. is effectual, I guess. And I know we're also in a moment in Medford where we're talking about how displacement and gentrification have affected our population, how sort of immigrant populations, ESL speakers, just you know, Medford is evolving. So can you speak to how you see sort of policy change or sort of existing policy manifest in the classroom and what it means for learning and outcomes? Sure.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: So that's a great question because that is one of the few things that school committee actually has jurisdiction over. So We hire and supervise the superintendent with a yearly evaluation and that contract negotiation. We balance the, I shouldn't say balance the budget. We go through the budget hearing process and then vote on the budget we put forward that then would go to the city council. And then we set school policy, which I think for a long time, the school committee and me included. I'm talking about myself in my early years. We didn't take advantage of how policy is so beneficial in how making policy is beneficial for the students. So that's something that is new to I think almost the culture of school committee. And I feel like it's moving along, you know, with the policy with the free lunch last year and it's going to be continued. And Paul had done a policy about dental care and that was implemented. So I think when, with the policy is where you really get all the rubber hits the road, I would say, right? People can talk about, oh, we're going to try this in the classroom, but unless it's in a policy, no one has to follow it. So that's why it's, it is really important when, and I'm learning, I'm still learning, you know, seven years in, when you write a resolution or a motion to have exactly what you want to see come forward. You know, Sharon just wrote a great resolution about social emotional supports and really to see where we are and where we need to go and how it's being addressed. So I think it's really pinpointing the wording of all this, but policy is definitely the way to move things forward.
[Danielle Balocca]: I think we, I mean, we're not saying this, but we had a conversation before this. I think it was your office hours. And I think we talked a little bit about how like sort of the wealth of resources in Medford and surrounding communities that could have that sort of impact. We're saying like, I remember as like a white student, I didn't have to think about like, am I being represented in the curriculum? Am I being represented in these policies? Have people considered my needs, right? And Medford is, you know, we have a lot of non-white students. And so, and thinking about like, royal house, different resources within our city that could have an impact on how those children see themselves in the curriculum, see themselves in the policy. So it sounds like you're saying that's something that the school committee can have some impact on.
[Unidentified]: Right, for sure.
[Danielle Balocca]: Thank you. We're going to transition a little bit to like, we had talked about, or we've been hearing some rumblings about teacher contracts and the teacher contract negotiation. I know this can feel like a maybe like a sensitive topic or like one that's we sometimes have to be careful how we talk about it. But I'm wondering, like, what you can share about the contract process or how things are going for the teachers?
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: I can't share much, but what I can share is that there is a negotiating team the you the teachers union has their executive board and then the administration has their represent representatives. There are no school committee members on the negotiating team when no one is in the meetings that take place. We do hear periodically through executive session an update of how the union negotiations are going. They are not public right now, so I cannot share what is happening or how they're going. I do know that we've received some emails from parents saying we want to make sure you support a fair contract for the teachers and it seems someone else had recommended an email and I wish I had Googled the term before I started speaking with you. Some cities and towns do an open negotiation. I'm not sure if that has more success or more beneficial or people feel better about it than the negotiations that are happening now. It'd be interesting I should probably try to find a school district who does it and see what the pros and cons are for whether they are private negotiations or public negotiations. I don't know enough about it to have an opinion yet, but it is something that someone had emailed asking if that was something that was ever talked about in MedFed. So that's something I wanted to find out more about it.
[Danielle Balocca]: Yeah. So what the situation right now though, is that the contract expired in Medford and that it's been not been like agreed upon in negotiations yet. So for about a year, right. And so who comes to the table for those negotiations? Like who's involved in that process right now?
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: There are administrators, forgive me that I don't know exactly which administrators go. I don't know if they all go to the, every meeting or if, um, know, they take turns for, I don't even know how often they meet with the Medford Teachers Association's executive board. So I imagine we'll be hearing an update, I would think in the next few weeks. We have a meeting, our next regular scheduled meeting is Monday. Oh, and I didn't even look to see if there is an executive session scheduled yet. I did not look because they, it would be posted today if there was an executive session on Monday. But if not, I would think soon we'll have an update of what where they are, where they're, where they're meeting or not meeting or there's a big divide. I should say between the two sides. But it's, I don't know, it doesn't, it seems like there should be a better way to make it work for teachers and administration to I just don't know what it is.
[Danielle Balocca]: Yeah, sure. But it sounds like it's like the union that represents the teachers.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: Yeah, they have an executive board. And then I don't know how many of the administrators are part of the administration negotiating team.
[Danielle Balocca]: Okay. And then the school committee decides like the budget or not? Or what's the school committee's role in that?
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: So once I think they reach those two parties reach an agreement, then they come to us and we do approve the contract. So once they meet, and they have it in on paper, then we approve that contract. And then that contract would be put into the budget for the budget of this year.
[Danielle Balocca]: And how often does this process happen? Like how many years?
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: That's a good question. I know I've done it before. So it's At least one time in the last six years. Yeah.
[Danielle Balocca]: Thank you. Yeah, so I look forward to the hearing more at this. Right.
[Chelli Keshavan]: So in the name of sort of. growth and learning, I have been wondering about what continuing ed opportunities might look like for teachers in Medford and if school committee has wrapped their heads around what could be.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: Right, so that might be a good place right for a policy there. I mean teachers can, I don't know what the stipend is now but they can have a course approved and be reimbursed for a course. There are the professional development days that we were given a presentation, I'd say a few months back of what the teachers, what the topics were the teachers covered. But I do think that's always a concern that there could be more reimbursement for teachers for classes, but that would be a budget constraint for the cost of teachers and classes.
[Danielle Balocca]: Is there a requirement for continuing ed for teachers? Is there a requirement for like, I know for my like professional license, I have to keep up like a certain number of like continuing it. Oh, yeah. Yes. Is it the same for teachers?
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: Yes, they do. I don't know what it is a year the PDPs that they're they need to have to keep going. Yes.
[Danielle Balocca]: Be interesting to think about how that informs that like bigger picture of like what's happening in the classroom like what are the priorities for continuing and like we want to teach us to focus on like equity and those sorts of issues and how do we sort of how does that kind of come out of those requirements.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: Yes, right.
[Danielle Balocca]: So on that sort of spectrum of equity questions, we're curious if you have any thoughts or beliefs about what you want as a goal for students. So when students are moving through the Medford Public Schools, when they finish, what do you want that end goal to be for them?
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: an excellent question that I will try to make concise. I think children, all children, I hope they find school, right, a warm and safe and welcoming place, but also their interests are encouraged in that It's hard because I am a product of parochial school. K-8, I went to St. Francis, then I went to Arlington Catholic, and then I went to Boston College. So it's hard for me to think outside the box. And that's why I appreciate all the other school committee members, because everyone's coming from different schooling experiences. And that one size doesn't fit all. And I think that's, for me, myself, it's hard to get out of that. we need to make sure to have the classroom have different opportunities of learning for students who learn in different ways. And I don't know how you do it, but I know that that's how kids would grow and learn and blossom. And I mean, for my own children, I can only speak for my own children. They all went to the Roberts, they all had, great teachers. I mean, I think every year that their previous teacher was their favorite teacher, and then they go to the next grade, they're like, oh, that's my favorite teacher. And they've all just had exceptional teachers there. And then at the middle school, my older kids, they had a great time at the middle school. For Teagan, not Teagan, sorry, for Nevin and Rowan, it's kind of been hard. So Nevin's the eighth grader, she went out on COVID in sixth grade, was hybrid seventh grade, came back trying to learn like get the lay of the land for eighth grade so I think they've had a they've had a unique relationship with middle school Nevin and Rome because it was during COVID. And then, who am I forgetting? Oh, and even Tegan. So Tegan's a junior at the high school. She went out her freshman year of COVID, sophomore year, you know, and I'm glad she was, the prom is coming May 20th. And I said, oh, are you going to go to the prom? And oh, I don't know. And I said, Tegan, you know, if COVID never happened, you would have went to the prom. That's what, you just would have done it. But I think it's so hard to get back into the high school culture that it's just, it's, that's, I guess that's part of, I want these kids to experience high school events as well, you know, and I want all the kids at the high school to be able to experience all the events, make sure they're all accessible.
[Danielle Balocca]: appreciate that reflection on sort of the like social and emotional experience of school rather than the like, they will make it to the algebra level that we want them to like, they'll be getting in these test scores and things like that.
[Chelli Keshavan]: But yeah, yeah, um, I think we touched on this just tiny bit earlier. To that effect, I'm wondering about our curriculum and how and when maybe the non-white families are able, are our kids seeing themselves in our curriculum and through what mediums? Is it reading? Is it literacy? Is it art? Is it music? Is it language? And then maybe by extension, are the grownups who love these little guys also seeing sort of representation in the materials that come home? Where are the spaces for discussion? If you have thoughts on that.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: Right. Um, I definitely think the curriculum needs to be addressed. A curriculum subcommittee meeting will probably be happening, I would think, in May or June. I forget right now who's the chair, but I know that is coming. And even with the school committee, we're all white. I mean, I would love for families of color to think about school committee, because it is important when students come to, whether they give a presentation or the symphony, some of the kids could be in the symphony, but the orchestra comes and plays, or we have student reps who are on the school committee, but I think it would be, it would be would be better for our city if our school committee reflected our city's population. I have said publicly and people tease me that they think I'm full of baloney but this will be this is my last term. I think eight years is a good amount of time to serve and then let it go on to families with younger children and go up the grades with them. So if any of the people on this Zoom would like to... I bet some of them are thinking about it.
[Danielle Balocca]: Well, I think too you bring up a good point of like incumbency in Medford, right? Like without somebody choosing to step down, I think it's very rare that they're replaced, right? And other barriers to like why non-white people aren't running for those positions or aren't being elected to those positions.
[Chelli Keshavan]: And also maybe the value of seeing mentorship and baton passing as a skillset to grow and cultivate, because it's super valid and also very much needed.
[Unidentified]: Right.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: And I'm happy to help. I do, and Paul teases me all the time, and I own it and I appreciate it. When I first ran, Declan wasn't in preschool yet, but the other five were in Medford public schools. So just walking around at different events, and I could say I have five children and that's in public schools and it's important to me and I know it's important to families in the city. So he teases me that I didn't have to campaign that real hard. I just had to show a picture of all my kids, which is true, but I am happy to help because I've worked on other campaigns now of the logistical part of the, it's tough to ask for money to do mailings and it's tough to ask for money to do prints and ads and what have you. So I am ready and willing and happy to help anyone who's interested. So that would be exciting.
[Chelli Keshavan]: I love it. I mean, I wonder if some folks are saying to themselves, I ideologically would like to run, but what does it cost? What are the hours? What does it mean for the logistics of family life?
[Unidentified]: Right.
[Chelli Keshavan]: Yeah. sort of insider information on what that, how that pans out.
[Danielle Balocca]: I remember when I started this podcast, it was partially to interview candidates running in the last municipal election. And I, some folks couldn't actually record the podcast, but would send me emails. And I think it was Paul who said that his kids really wish that he wasn't on the school committee because of the time commitment and like all that. Yeah.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: Yes, yes, yes, it is a big time commitment, but it's important. It's important, but it is a big time commitment. And I do, I really, I feel like eight years is a sweet spot. I think I'm not burnt out. I know it's time. But I do feel like for the last seven years, really, you know, I've responded to emails, and I've tried to lead people in the right direction. And try to have healthy conversations with folks that we might not see eye to eye, but we all have our kids and the kids of Medford front and center.
[Danielle Balocca]: I appreciate your work and I'm sure it's not, you're not going to suddenly disappear even after. Don't disappear on us.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: No, this is a terrible joke and if Tim listens to this, he's going to say seriously, but I do joke that God forbid Tim came to an untimely death, I would run to a convent and be in a monastery. A life of solitude. Maybe, maybe I will disappear. So the next election is 2023. Okay. So November of 2023 is the next election. Get the calendar.
[Danielle Balocca]: So I've been really like excited about, I think as part of doing this podcast, like hearing more about what's going on in our community, being able to be involved. Last night I went to took my son to the STEM. Oh yeah. This is awesome. Yeah. And it's just really cool to see like, um, everyone's involvement in the community. So one exciting event, I think for Medford is our upcoming pride celebration. I wonder if school committee is involved in that or, um, if you guys are going to be like.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: No, I am not involved. The mayor had sent out, it must have been an email with the press release to say they were looking for members for the committee. And then I saw the patch announcement with the committee members, but I have not reached out to the committee members to see if there's a role that the school committee can help. I mean, I'm sure my kids and I will head down just because it will be a fun outdoor activity with food trucks and music I think is what the release the press release said, but that is not. I think it's coming out of the mayor's office, so I don't think there's any role for school committee except to just go and have a good time.
[Danielle Balocca]: Yeah, Podcast is selling t-shirts to help support the GSA and you know I think it's something like to think about is like how is homophobia and racism like how are those things present in the schools right and so and I think Medford's GSA is something that Medford is really proud of and has had like a pretty strong history. I guess I just wonder like the involvement of like the schools, I think, and especially the high school are pretty going to be pretty involved in that celebration. And so how, how does the, how does the school committee think?
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: Right. Yes. I'm sure Dr. Maurice will give us an update or invite us all at a school committee meeting. She's very good at during her remarks, her opening remarks to highlight events in the city. So I imagine it's there.
[Danielle Balocca]: Yeah. Is there any like, worry about like, so you're a resident of Medford, obviously, and like a parent and on the school committee. So is there any like, is there ever like, like a conflict of interest ever arise where like, can I can I donate to the GSA or like anything as a school committee member or is it is there?
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: I haven't had that. I mean, this is how I've dedicated the GSA is the middle school teacher in COVID was doing a fundraiser with flags and bracelets and she delivered them to our house. So she and not just what like anyone who wanted to purchase them during COVID. So that was pretty amazing. No, I haven't. It's funny. Different things have, you know, over the years have come up. I mean, I'm I'm going to say it's about homework or about a club or something. And people have a concern. And I'm escaping what the concern is. But I always say, I most likely wouldn't email as a parent. That's not I'm just, I'm not a emailer, like I think it will, it will work. I don't know if I'm going to make this clear. But if someone brings it to my attention, like if I knew it as a parent, but I'm not the one to bring it out as a parent, but if someone brings it to my attention as a school committee member, then I feel like that's my obligation. So as a parent, I kind of like, my kids are, they've had great teachers, they like their activities, what have you. But then if I know about it, but it's not something that, I don't know how to say it. But as a school committee member, I'm always going to bring it forward. So I don't feel like there's a conflict of interest.
[Danielle Balocca]: Right. You're not filtering things as a parent through what you bring to school committee?
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: Yes. Yes. So that I'll always, no matter what someone asks me as a school committee member, I'm not going to feel like it's a conflict because it's two separate things. I'm not doing it as a parent. I'm doing it as someone who reached out to me as a school committee member. I don't know if that makes sense.
[Unidentified]: Yeah, absolutely.
[Danielle Balocca]: So I sort of skipped, I think I kind of steamrolled Shelly a little bit.
[Chelli Keshavan]: Not at all. I actually think this really nicely dovetails into combining a couple of the questions. So the next sort of comment asks about sort of racism and homophobia and maybe what are the mechanisms by which folks can bring concerns to the school committee and then what maybe the actions look like. But I think your commentary, Mia, around like how you absolutely feel an obligation to share when you're wearing your school committee hat for me dovetails nicely into the very first comment around how do I learn more about whose school committee is and what do they do and then what are the where do I learn about the mechanism for how to communicate and then how does that inform what the response looks like so for me that kind of combines concerns, kind of events, like sort of episodes maybe of, you know, what something racial or homophobic could look like, but also just wanting to learn more about the system, I guess. So, so many reasons why I guess folks would want to make contact, learn more about you, begin to build trust and feel comfortable. Yeah, sorry.
[Danielle Balocca]: And I think that importance of representation, right? Like, if I'm a non-white person reporting racism, you know, I think it would be harder to do that to an all-white school board.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: For sure. Yes. So consider running.
[Danielle Balocca]: So, if only we had. So I think we've reached the end of our questions for you. Is there anything that we haven't talked about that you wanted to make sure to mention.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: No, I think we covered a lot. I was thinking, oh man, am I going to be able to, I don't like to talk too long. And I'm thinking, well, I have enough to say, but apparently I had plenty to say. So thank you for that. No, I think for the people listening, please know that everyone on the school committee are all very receptive and dedicated to making the schools. I think the schools have been great for my children. But just like I can do things better as a mom, I'm sure we can do things better as a school committee in a school district. And it's just things that never even have crossed my mind that people recommend or write about or suggest. I'm like, oh, that's a great idea. So I think the more we hear from folks all over the city, the better we can make the school.
[Danielle Balocca]: And the best way for us to communicate that is what?
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: email us or show up to the school committee meetings. That's, I mean, we get very few participants on a regular basis. Sometimes we get a large group of participants, but for most meetings, it's very few participants. Office hours, I think mostly everyone has office hours. I know Sharon, Paul, Jenny, Melanie, the mayor, Kathy, myself. Yep. So just watch for office hours. Um, cause that's a nice, like, it's more comfortable and it's not that you're presenting in front of a formal body in city hall. Uh, it's more, um, laid back. So, yeah.
[Danielle Balocca]: And your regular meetings are on Mondays? Monday. Yes. At what time? Six.
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: It used to be 630. Now they're six.
[Danielle Balocca]: Okay. And those can still be accessed both in person and on Zoom?
[Mea Quinn Mustone]: Is that correct? Yes. Yep. With Zoom. Yes. And then the subcommittee meetings, those are more sporadic. It's almost when an issue comes up from the regular school committee meeting and then is recommended to go to a subcommittee. So, we have eight subcommittees now. So, that's another place to speak. Well, thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, co-host. You did a great job for the first co-hosting episode. Thank you. All right. Thank you. Bye everybody.
[Danielle Balocca]: Thank you so much to Mia and Shelly. At tonight's school committee meeting, there will be a discussion of the current teacher's contract negotiation. You can participate in that meeting in person or over Zoom. If you've been thinking about supporting the GSA by purchasing a Pride t-shirt, don't wait as sales end on May 4th. I'm planning to wear mine to the Pride flag raising at City Hall, and I hope you all can too. There's a link in today's show notes to be able to purchase those. Thank you so much for listening to today's episode. And as always, if you have feedback about this episode or ideas for future episodes, you can email medfordpod at gmail.com. You can also subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Thanks so much for listening. Guys, what's the name of the podcast? Never Bites. Never Bites. Good job.
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