The upcoming school committee election has urged members of the community to step up and pursue the opportunity to make a change. Paul Kravitz is one such motivated candidate who hopes to bring positive change to the Westford Community by acknowledging the current issues.

For the past nine years, Kravitz has lived in Westford along with his wife Jennifer Kravitz, the Westford Academy science coordinator. His primary reason for choosing to reside in this town was for its high-quality school district. In the past few years as a parent in the town, Kravitz has stayed involved in the community by coaching his daughter’s soccer team. 

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Provided by Paul Kravitz

School Committee Paul Kravitz posing in front of a soccer field along with his ten-year-old daughter Elise Kravitz.

“Through this experience [of coaching my daughter], I have had a glimpse into what it takes to shape and guide young minds in our community, and I have learned the importance of remaining connected to parents,” Kravitz said. 

Kravitz’s motivation for running was primarily based on the goal of improving education for Westford students. To ensure the wellness of the Westford school district, he believes transparency within the school committee is much needed. Kraviz also believes the increasing separation between the school committee and the community needs to be resolved.

“I have been frustrated with the lack of transparency and the growing divide between the school committee and our community […] We want to make sure that the children in our community will have an opportunity for the best education that can be provided,” Kravitz said. 

If elected, Kravtiz hopes to prioritize transparency, educational equity, funding for schools, extracurricular opportunities, a suitable and respectful strategy for the superintendent’s exit, and a considerate search to acquire a qualified superintendent.

“I hold [a] strong conviction that failure of any of these important initiatives will lead to an eventual decline in the quality of education that we have all worked so hard to build together for our children,” Kravitz said. 

By acknowledging these problems, Kravitz has based his platform on transparency, trust, and community. With the school district being one of Westford’s defining aspects, Kravitz will preserve what everyone has worked so hard to build but also foster change by addressing the issues. 

“We find ourselves in a pivotal time to preserve what we have built and continue to strive for success by providing transparency to the process and decisions, by fostering trust that has begun to erode, and by working as a community,” Kravitz said. 

Kravtiz acknowledges there have been indirect concerns from the community due to the fact his wife, Jennifer Kravitz, is the science coordinator, but he uses this as a strength because of the distinctive perspective he gets.

“I feel [my wife being the science coordinator] makes me a more compelling candidate […] I have experience seeing the daily efforts that normally go into educating children in our schools, as well as the challenges that our teachers and administrators have. Watching [my wife] perform her duties as an educator and curriculum coordinator has given me an insight into what types of things be successfully implemented,” Kravtiz said.

Adding on to his strengths, Kravitz believes his quality of analytical thinking will be beneficial when dealing with the district’s issues. After getting a degree from Tufts University, Kravitz worked at a medical research lab for the first 17 years of his career, which provided him with the necessary skills for approaching problems logically without letting his opinions get in the way.

“My background will help me serve well as a member of the School Committee.  Most importantly, I have learned the value of combining data with opinion and feedback from those impacted to make thoughtful decisions.”

All of these experiences have given rise to Kravitz’s pride for the Westford community. His dedication to improving the community and the school district will guide his time on the school committee if elected. 

“I am proud to be part of a community committed to the pursuit of the best education […] Given the opportunity, I will draw on my personal and professional experiences, and my connections to many parents, educators and town leaders, to serve our children and our community for today and our future,” Kravitz said.