Educational Excerpts from

State of the City Address

Mayor David B. Cohen

October 16, 2000

Board President Lipsitt, School Committee Chairman Verne Vance, ladies and gentlemen of the Board of Aldermen, members of the School Committee, family, friends, and members of the public, thank you. This is my first State of the City Address in the new millennium. And as such, I hope it will reflect the respect for the accomplishments of the past, the realism about the challenges of the present, and the sense of hope and forward vision about the possibilities for the future, that the changing of the millennium has meant to us all. For as we reflect upon our past successes and our many accomplishments, we know that preparing for the future requires thoughtful consideration, hard work and constant vigilance to be true to our principles and values:

· To make Newton truly one community

· To provide all our children with the best possible public education

· To appreciate human diversity in all its forms To provide the elderly with services that enhance their quality of life

· To protect the health and safety of every citizen To protect the environment

· To strengthen our neighborhoods and support the high quality of life they provide

· To continue to assure a well run City of Newton

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As we look at the faces of the new millennium, perhaps no larger challenge looms before us than to provide our children and succeeding generations with the same quality education that many of us received in this community. I am grateful for my Newton education and the education it has given my children. I want to ensure that future generations have the same gift of a Newton education. That is why, since I took office, I have overseen a plan to address the twin challenges our school buildings face. First is the demand for more space brought about by increased enrollment, the need for a more complex academic program brought about by a dramatically changing world economy, and the need for greater inclusion, brought about by the recognition that all of our children deserve the same access to public education. Second is the need to renovate our physical plant, brought about by the inevitable ravages of time and far more protective health and safety codes. And we have made progress. Through a carefully administered capital program, we have the Bowen Elementary School renovation project came in on time and under budget. The Williams school renovation is proceeding on schedule and on budget. The Memorial-Spaulding renovation will take place next year.

But the greatest school building challenge that lies before us, indeed the greatest challenge and most important undertaking any of us is likely to face in our tenure of service in municipal government is the renovation of our two high schools. We all know there is a referendum on the high school renovations on November 7th. My fellow citizens, I ask only this. Give us the chance to make these renovations and I promise you two high schools that give our children the kind of education they deserve, two high schools that give our adults the kind of community facility they can be a part of, two high schools that give future generations the kind of lasting legacy we all can be proud of. And I promise we will do it within the allocated budget. We need these renovations:

· To make sure our high schools comply with current air quality, fire safety and handicapped accessibility standards.

· To make sure our high school students have access to modern

· technology and science labs.

· To make sure all our high school students attend schools with comparable facilities and enjoy a comparable educational experience.

And we can do this without affecting taxes because we will fund it out of our existing capital budget plus the school building aid that is due us under state law. My friends we can make these schools better. Give us the opportunity. Give kids and staff good schools and the result is educational environments that inspire learning and support quality teaching. I would like to take a moment to recognize Public Building Commissioner Nick Parnell who has overseen these renovations with professionalism and a true understanding of the mission of our public schools.