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vote@carolinaforwsc.com
617/584-6486
I\’m Carolina Lara, a candidate running for the 2023 Waltham School Committee. My life\’s journey began in Colombia, but my family\’s move to Florida during my childhood, laid the foundation for my multicultural and bilingual upbringing. Later, I found my love for New England while attending Boston College. My academic journey led me to a BS in Economics and an MBA from Texas A&M University (College Station, TX). My professional experience includes working in finance, operations consultancy, and HR recruitment process outsourcing for Fortune 500 companies after completing my MBA. Currently, I proudly serve as a Realtor at our local Coldwell Banker branch, where I find the ideal balance between work, volunteering, and motherhood. My husband Mike, an army veteran and senior software engineer, and I have proudly called Waltham our home since 2006. We\’re the parents of Catherine, a Waltham high school sophomore, and Christopher, a McDevitt 7th grader. I currently serve as the chair of the development committee on the board of the WPY- Waltham Partnership for Youth, as well as a board member of B/ELPAC -Bilingual/English Learner Parent Advisory Council and Family Liaison board member for WYS-Waltham Youth Soccer. Additionally, I\’m the VP of the McDevitt PTO after years of dedicated volunteering at various PTOs, scouts\’ organizations, and sport coaching. In recent years, I\’ve collaborated in school search committees for superintendent, high school principal and an assistant principal within the Waltham Public Schools. I firmly believe that education is the key to better opportunities and democratic sustainable prosperity. Thanks to my children, I\’ve had the privilege of connecting with educators and families in our town through various activities like town sports, performing arts, and city camps. Waltham\’s vibrant community fuels my commitment to enhancing the educational experience and outcomes for our future leaders.
What truly captures my admiration and love for Waltham are:
1. The rich diversity and altruistic nature of its residents, exemplified by organizations like Friends of Waltham Family School, the WPY, Mutual Aid, Healthy Waltham, PAL\’s, Buy Nothing FB and the countless volunteer individuals who coach, mentor, or bake for a PTO. We truly care about our community!
2. The boundless potential I see in the bright, young faces as they step into the role of stewards for a new era in our industrious city. From a burger or honey stand at the children\’s business fair, a rock and roll performance on the common to earning scholarships to attend elite colleges!
What would you change if you could?
I am dedicated to fostering positive change in our town, with my primary focus centered on enhancing the quality of education while promoting equity. To achieve this goal, I am wholeheartedly committed to investing in teacher development (including PBL, CTVE, SEL) and ensuring ample resources are available, all while prioritizing the safety at our schools. This approach will guarantee that every child has access to a high-quality education within a secure school environment. One immediate change I intend to bring about, should I be elected, is the capacity to effectively represent, advocate for, and communicate with our diverse Spanish-speaking community. I firmly believe in building bridges to overcome gaps in understanding, fostering a culture of belonging and trust across all members of our community.
What is one burning issue you plan to address if elected?
Instead of singling out one prominent issue, it\’s clear that we confront a myriad of pressing challenges, including the critical task of selecting and retaining key positions, such as superintendent leadership, which is vital for district stability and the successful execution of our long-term plans. The School Committee itself needs to demonstrate leadership that is inclusive and collaborative in decision making. Considering the recent DESE MCAS news, a notable challenge arises regarding the perception of our school district within the state of Massachusetts as under performing with notable discrepancies in scores across school communities. Addressing this issue is imperative, and we must also devise strategies to attract and retain high-quality educators who will play a crucial role in achieving our goals of enhancing student engagement, learning and ultimately higher graduation rates. During a recent school committee meeting, it was revealed that there are currently 272 Over-age, Under-credited students in our high school. This statistic underscores the need for swift and effective action. Moreover, the commencement of each school committee meeting with reports of continuos educator resignations is indeed a sign of grave concern. If elected, my strategy centers on fostering robust collaboration among school administrators, educators, families, and our community partners. While we acknowledge the array of challenges ahead, our collective aspiration remains: to ensure that every student is provided an equitable opportunity to thrive. A significant milestone on the horizon is the inauguration of an exceptional new high school facility. Realizing this vision demands dedicated, accountable administrative leadership prepared to execute our comprehensive district-wide school plan. My steadfast commitment is to champion EQUITY across all our schools. Together, we can forge a brighter future for our community. I hope I can count on one of your three votes on November election for school committee. If you would like to learn more about me or get in touch, please visit my web page: