The election is open from Monday April 8 to Friday April 12 at noon. Please vote for up three School Council parent/guardian representatives. 

The Newton North School Council works with and advises the Principal on budget, school improvement plans, and other issues of general interest. Parent/guardian members are expected to attend a monthly one-and-a half-hour meeting. The term of office is three years. For a full description of School Council purpose and guidelines click here.

There are currently three openings for School Council (2 candidates will serve as full council members and 1 will serve as an alternate). There are 6 candidates for you to vote for. 

All of the candidates submitted brief statements describing their interest and experience (below).  Please read the candidate statements and then click on the “Click to Vote” button AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE. Please vote for no more than three candidates. 

The two candidates receiving the most votes will serve as full members of the School Council while the candidate with the next highest total will be appointed an alternate member. To ensure a valid vote, you will be asked for your name, email address, name of student, and grade level when you vote. This information will NOT be made available to any of the candidates and will be deleted after the tallies have been completed. 

Candidates: (Listed alphabetically)

Heena Bhatt

As a parent of two children who have benefitted from the education provided by Horace Mann Elementary and Day Middle School, I’ve witnessed firsthand the dedication of NPS staff and parent volunteers. Now, I’m eager to give back to the NPS community by joining the NNHS school council. With a background in engineering & management, I deeply value the transformative power of education. I am committed to understanding the objectives of our school community, ensuring they align with our school’s goals, supporting our students, and fostering inclusivity for all. I am confident that my skills and diverse perspective will allow me to make meaningful contributions to future school projects.

Jennifer Naimark

As a parent of a ninth grader currently enrolled at Newton North, who also attended Franklin and Day schools, I am deeply committed to fostering the ongoing success and development of our school community.

With a PhD in Education specializing in Teaching Literature and Composition, along with over a decade of experience in educational leadership, curriculum development, and faculty support, I am well-equipped to contribute meaningfully to the School Council.

My experience includes pioneering initiatives such as integrated faculty teaching and learning centers and formalized curriculum enhancements, which uniquely positions me to provide valuable input for supporting our teachers and students. 

I am committed to leveraging my background, skills, and passion for education to assist the principal in developing projects that enhance learner experience and cognitive development as outlined in the School Improvement Plan.

Albert Olszewski

I’m Albert Olszewski, father of 8th grade twins, Morgan and Dean, who attended Day and Burr. My wife Tamika and I moved to Newton when our twins were 3. Serving on the North School Council allows me to assist the school community that has provided my children such great opportunities. As a materials science engineer, analytical, creative thinking and collaboration are necessary skills. As a board member of Newton Girls Basketball and I’m Amazing, my expertise helps to nurture and develop potential in Newton youth. My volunteer work for FORJ reflects commitment to ensuring our schools are inclusive and welcoming for all.

Steve Parker

My name is Steve Parker and I’m interested in filling one of the open school council member positions. My daughter, Aleena Parker, is a freshman at Newton North and previously attended Bigelow Middle School.

I’m interested in this position as I‘ve become more aware and concerned with some of the developments related to the school system and dynamics over the past few years such as Covid, school priorities, politics and the changing nature of the world our kids live in (social media etc). At the same time I’m optimistic that we can focus positively and optimistically on moving forward on continually improving all of our kids high school experience.

My ‘qualifications’ come from developing and managing diverse teams of people to drive business during 30+ years of working at Nike Inc. Most of my career was spent overseas where developing relationships and critical communication internally and externally was vital to success.

Jonathan Schmidt

I would like to become more involved in the school community after seeing our five children have positive experiences in the Newton schools including Lincoln Eliot, Bigelow and North.  My volunteer experience includes coaching girls and boys soccer in Watertown, Bedford and Newton.  I speak and read Mandarin Chinese and have taught 3rd grade Chinese at the Tzu Chi Academy on Sundays.  In my work as a software engineer at Lexia Learning I need to communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical colleagues.  I will bring curiosity, involvement and a collaborative spirit to the Council.

Esther Snyder AKA Clarke 

My children went to Cabot Elementary School and Day Middle School. I’d like to serve on the School Council as I think it would bring opportunities for me to contribute to the school environment that would benefit the kids, teachers and other staff in the school community. I served on my condominium’s Board of Trustees for several years, currently serve on the Board of Directors for a conservation nonprofit (since 2011) and work for a nonprofit whose mission is to bring transparency to healthcare costs. If elected, I would seek to bring transparency and efficiency to the School Council’s activities.