Candidate for School Committee: Dyana Boutwell

Biography

DyanaBoutwell
My name is Dyana Boutwell. I am originally from Woburn. I moved to North Reading with my family in the fall of the 2016 seeking a great school system and the nostalgic “neighborhood” feel. North Reading has not let us down. I am currently a Senior Director at UnitedHealth Group, a Fortune 6 company. I am accountable for driving innovative programs designed to help patients with chronic conditions receive better care at a lower cost. Prior, I was a Principal with a Boston-based management consulting firm. I obtained my BS in chemistry from Newberry College in South Carolina. I also hold an MBA from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. I’ve always believed in the betterment of communities through education and service. During my time as an undergrad, I tutored chemistry and physics students to introduce STEM learning into the district. I was soon offered a full-time position as their chemistry and physics teacher. This was my first taste of education and one of my most rewarding experiences to date. Today, I am presented to you as a solid leader with strong communication and collaboration skills. I also have a passion for educational theory, methodologies, and curriculum.

Candidate Statement

I am running for School Committee as I feel confident I can add value; I care about the opinions of our community and about each and every child that enters our school doors. I want to support our town government and step up when there is a clear need. As a candidate, I come to you well-versed in various educational methodologies and in special education. I’ve read the foundational work of Rudolf Steiner, the founder of Waldorf Education. I thoroughly understood Maria Montessori’s philosophy before enrolling my daughter in a Montessori pre-school. I’ve researched STEM curriculum at local schools having a child that thrived in these areas. I’ve mined content on gifted schools, trying to understand the lack of funding for these programs, and the private school options that parents have available to them. I’ve taken classes in Applied Behavior Analysis (behavior modification principles used heavily in public schools and private settings), read Michelle Garcia Winner’s works on Social Thinking (social skills, pragmatics curriculum), and I’ve worked with both private and public school Occupational Therapists, Speech-Language Pathologists, School Counselors, Developmental Specialists, Paraprofessionals, and Special Education teachers both focused on inclusive and intensive classrooms.

I also have over 15 years of business operations and financial management experience. I have been accountable for budgets ranging up to $100MM in scale, and as a consultant, I’ve been hired by many organizations to optimize budgeting practices. The school district budget will be something I can easily interpret and I will be able to provide impactful feedback.

If elected, I want to focus on advocating at the state level towards changes to the foundation budget formula, supporting the FBRC recommendations. I also want to help support the Special Education teams to continue to optimize offerings and expanding programs to cover the needs in our district. I will be focused on a balanced, strategic and sustainable budget. I also feel strongly about the safety of our children while at school and hope to weigh in on future considerations. Today, I’m asking for your support. Please go to the polls and write-in my name and help me show that these positions are important to our town and our families. I assure you, I will not let you down, I will not push any personal agenda, and I will always ensure your voices are heard.