Meet School Committee Candidate: James Stors

Name: James Stors

Seat: School Committee Ward 2

Education: BS in Applied Science and Engineering Technology

Jim Stors is running for re-election to the Ward 2 School Committee seat. As a member of the School Committee Stors has served as the executive secretary, a member of the finance, facilities and procurement sub-committee and chairman of the policy sub-committee.

"I am especially proud of how the committee was able to get through two of the most difficult budgets in the history of the Attleboro Public Schools, with less reductions and loses to programs than could have been expected" Stors said in a written statement.

Stors has been a resident of Attleboro for 15 years, and is a research and development engineer. His two children, James, 11, and Amanda, 13, are both at. Stors has been president of the  PTO for the past five years, and is now involved with Coelho's PTO.

Offerings

Stors said his current experience on the school committee and his involvement in the schools gives him an understanding of the day-to-day issues and an insight that has been very helpful as a school committee representative.

Stors explained how as the Chairman of the Policy Sub-Committee he has reached out to other school committee representatives throughout Massachusetts and the Massachusetts Association of School Committees in order to get a true understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the committee and the administration. He added that accountability in our schools is very important.

“With nine individuals we are not always going to able to agree, especially on topics that affect the youth of our city," Stors wrote." There is nothing more important than the kids and I will always put them first.”

The Issues

Stors explained how communication at all levels is going to be one of the most important issues for this next term. 

"Too often the information that has been provided has been inaccurate or incomplete," Stors said. "This can't happen going forward."

One way to foster communication between parents and the committee would be through the Attleboro Public Schools website, according to Stors. The candidate said he'd like to see surveys from the committee to the parents and staff as a way to garner honest feedback.

"Parents were denied the right to have important discussions with their child on a very serious topic".

Stors is ready to take on the budget, which has been a challenge the past two years especially when the committee addressed recommendations to close schools and eliminate special programs.

"This appears to be a permanent issue that needs to be dealt with in a permanent way. We can't keep going back to the same well".