H. Kate Bean- Candidate for the 2 Year School Committee Seat

This information was submitted to the LongmeadowBuzz blog by H. Kate Bean who is a candidate for the 2 year seat on the Longmeadow School Committee.

H Kate Bean
School Committee Candidate

I would like to introduce myself as a candidate for the Longmeadow School Committee. I have been a resident of Longmeadow for over 40 years and collectively my husband and I have had 4 children benefit from the Longmeadow schools.

I am currently a consultant pharmacist and work with a group of nursing homes. I came to pharmacy later in life as an attestant to my commitment of life long learning. I received a degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology and went on to receive a bachelors degree in economics from the University of Massachusetts.

My careers have spanned working as a financial consultant and ultimately managing offices in Connecticut and Massachusetts for a small brokerage company, to a training program at Mass Mutual working as a system analyst.

I then decided to become an entrepreneur and opened a clothing boutique in town, Perion which I ran successfully for 8 years.

My pathway to pharmacy began in my late 40’s and I received a Doctorate of Pharmacy from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy.

I have always had a commitment to civic duty. My volunteer work has been varied and took many paths. Highlights include Co-chairing the Young Patrons at the Springfield Museums, President of the Board at Heritage Academy for 2 years and a member of the Longmeadow Zoning board. 

Why are you running for School Committee?

I want to continue my dedication to the town that has provided so much to our family. We have a strong history and commitment to Longmeadow and plan to stay in town for the duration. I want to participate in keeping our schools the pride of Massachusetts. We have enjoyed seeing our particular neighborhood change over and we have many friends and neighbors with young children. I want to be a part of making those families realize what we were able to benefit from.  

There are significant challenges for educators and young people these days. I hope to guide our schools in inclusivity, fairness, respect and excellence.

I believe a well rounded education fosters a well rounded individual Exposure to the arts, athletics and music are not extras, they are critical.

What are your qualifications including relevant experience?

The School Committee budget is the largest of the town budgets. My experience in financial services and running a small business provide a background to able to review budgets and make positive decisions.

Critical thinking, challenging the status quo and attention to detail are skills I have honed that will be imperative to spend our tax dollars wisely.

What are the key challenges facing Longmeadow as a community?

I believe Longmeadow, as well as every other community, is going to face increasingly tighter fiscal constraints. Creativity and attention to detail are going to be imperative to be able to continue to offer the superior education Longmeadow is known for.

How would you propose to resolve these issues?

I am a team player and look forward to offering my experience and expertise to the other quality members of the Longmeadow school committee. I think it takes a village to raise a child, I am a member of that village and look forward to being a part of making sure the future of our schools is a priority.

Thank you.
H. Kate Bean

I would appreciate your support.

Please mark your calendars to come out and vote on Tuesday, June 3rd at the Longmeadow Community House.