Randolph resident named chair of Blue Hills … – Randolph Herald – Wicked Local Randolph

By Judy Bass

Marybeth Nearen has a long, distinguished record of serving her community and advocating on behalf of students. Now, this lifelong resident of Randolph can add yet another impressive, service-oriented credential to her resume being District School Committee Chair at Blue Hills Regional Technical School in Canton.

The position has been held by only one other woman (Alena Wisgirda of Norwood decades ago) since the school opened in 1966. (Another woman, Christine Seibert of Braintree, was on the District School Committee during the 2002-2003 school year.)

I really have never thought of the position being different with a female as chair, said Mrs. Nearen.

Im more about achieving policy outcomes and transparency than wanting publicity or credit, she added. The only change I see [because I am female] is that I will be more visible as the chair and advocate for my constituents the students and for the tools they need to succeed, but I will go about it differently, advocating for them as if they were my children.

Mrs. Nearen does see herself as a role model for other women, especially her daughters and their friends. Change is hard and it is that first step in finding your voice. I was very hesitant to believe in myself, however, I found my voice through experience. I always try to encourage women I meet to become involved in any way that fits their schedules and to start with small steps if they are hesitant.

Her lengthy slate of tasks will include facilitating meetings, having agendas for DSC meetings created, seeing to it that subcommittee members are appointed, representing the DSC at events, making sure all DSC members are informed before they vote on issues, and ensuring that DSC members are up-to-date on key matters like school policy, the Open Meeting Law and professional development opportunities. Mrs. Nearen said her most important priority is being certain that everyone on the DSC understands their fiscal responsibility to the entire district.

She brings considerable experience to her new role, including being the Randolph School Committees Chair of Policy, Vice Chair and Chair, all between 2006 and 2012. Mrs. Nearen was first elected to the Blue Hills Regional District School Committee in 2012, and served on the School Committees of both Randolph and Blue Hills Regional for one year until December 31, 2013. She was formerly Secretary and then Vice Chair of the Blue Hills Regional DSC. Her DSC colleagues elected her to be chair on July 11, 2017.

As Vice Chair and Chair of the Randolph School Committee, she noted, I was able to advocate for an underperforming school district to the Massachusetts Commissioner of Education and create plans for turnaround success. I have a passion for law and policy, which some think of as a good read to fall asleep to, but those areas fill me with possibilities and ideas to connect policy and laws around education.

Mrs. Nearens community service positions include being Patriots Trail Girl Scouts Event Coordinator (she was Volunteer of the Year in 2002), Randolph Parent Teacher Organization Representative and Council Member, Randolph Town Meeting Member from 2002 to 2010 and local Cultural Council Representative, as well as corporator of Beth Israel Deaconess-Milton Hospital.

A professional mixologist with her own business, Mrs. Nearen is also a member of the support staff at Randolph Podiatry and is a licensed Realtor for Century 21 Kierman in Randolph.

Mrs. Nearens and her husband Pauls three daughters graduated from Blue Hills and subsequently continued their education.

Melissa graduated in 2007, then graduated from the Wentworth Institute of Technology and is a project manager for a company; Kathleen graduated in 2010, studied phlebotomy at the Health Training Center in Stoughton and is currently doing cosmetology, specializing in makeup and skin care; and Christine graduated in 2014, is finishing her last year at Newbury College and works for a record company in Boston.

We are very lucky at Blue Hills to have such a climate of success, said Mrs. Nearen, citing the fact that over the years, Blue Hills grads have furthered their education at a host of outstanding colleges and universities. Blue Hills is special because of the people who walk the corridors, teach and learn there.

Some residents of Blue Hills nine district towns Avon, Braintree, Canton, Dedham, Holbrook, Milton, Norwood, Randolph and Westwood - may not be aware of everything that is happening at the school, the opportunities it offers to students and the mission it seeks to fulfill. To remedy that, Mrs. Nearen said that she hopes to increase outreach to the public.

We are working on several avenues of communication now, she said, one being having our meetings televised in all our district towns and having our School Committee members attend every Town Meeting, Council Meeting and Finance Committee meeting where Blue Hills is invited to make a presentation. In doing so, we would show support and talk with constituents. Also, we are working on seeing that our meetings have more attendance by our parents, guardians and significant representatives.

One major upcoming project that Mrs. Nearen foresees communications as crucial for is a planned multi-million dollar renovation of the school. The Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) is expected to contribute approximately 52 per cent of the renovation costs. The project will entail replacement of windows and building entries, plus systems replacements such as heat, HVAC, electrical and others.

Communication is key to getting rid of the status quo and being able to have all DSC members articulate why this project is needed, Mrs. Nearen said. We need to support our administration team while attending our nine district Town Meetings or Council Meetings on this MSBA project. By educating our member towns on why this project is needed, I believe we will have a successful outcome.

Mrs. Nearen expressed her dedication to serving all of Blue Hills member towns and students. I know I am our district towns voice and I will do whats right in my heart for them. Being the second woman as chair of the Blue Hills DSC will not change that.

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Randolph resident named chair of Blue Hills ... - Randolph Herald - Wicked Local Randolph