Interview: BOE Candidate Nicole Wallach

Nicole Wallach, a Democratic candidate for the Weston Board of Education, is a former education and civil rights attorney for the U.S. Department of Education. She has children in Weston schools, volunteers, and is active in the PTO.

If elected, Ms. Wallach said she and fellow board members will soon have to tackle the question of what to do about Weston Middle School and other campus facilities.

“It won’t be easy,” she said. “It’s a priority that we as a board will have to work together on. We have to come up with a solution that works for students and also for taxpayers.”

“A lot of work has already been done, going back to 2017,” said Ms. Wallach. “We need to look at all the data and come up with an approach, and we will have to work very closely with the boards of Selectmen and Finance.”

“It’s also very important,” she said, “that we clearly communicate the plan to the town, explain why it’s the best approach, and be transparent about alternatives.”

“There’s a lot of misinformation out there,” said Ms. Wallach. “I’ve heard it when I’ve been out knocking on doors and on phone banks for the campaign. So, we have to talk about it. Even if someone supports the general idea, we talk about it.”

Educational outcomes

As for educational challenges, Ms. Wallach said, “we have to keep up with issues students are facing. Their academic needs. Their social and emotional needs. Our most important job is to support children.”

“That’s what I’ve done in my career,” she said. “People come to me when they have a problem. I represent children. I represent parents.”

Ms. Wallach said students are impacted by new influences every day, and the school district will have to continue to address how students are exposed to AI and how it fits — and doesn’t — in education.

“We have a wonderful opportunity in Weston schools,” said Ms. Wallach. “We have a new superintendent and two new principals who are all talented and energetic. We need to leverage their experience and their passion. We have a great team.”

Ms. Wallach said the most important quality a member of the Board of Education must have is to be a good listener. “We have to listen to students, parents, staff, and townspeople, even if they don’t have kids in school.”

As a board, she said, “we all have to work together, because we all have the same mission.”

Beyond that, said Ms. Wallach, members of an effective Board of Education must be competent, able to produce deliverables, and solutions-oriented.

Also see our interviews with Board of Education candidates Deborah Low and Lisa Luft.

Editor’s Note: Weston Today also invited Jason Lee, the Republican candidate for the Board of Education, to join us for an interview. Mr. Lee did not respond to our invitation.