What is LSRT?

2010-2011 LSRT Representatives

Cinzia Roveta

I have been an actively involved parent at Murch Elementary School for close to a decade.  I have served the school in a variety of functions during this period and I am now interested in seeking a position on the LSRT in order to try to further improve an already excellent school.
My association with Murch Elementary school began when I enrolled my son Justin Larkin into kindergarten in 2001.  Presently my daughter Rachele is graduating from the fourth grade.  I have served as a room parent every year at Murch.  This provided me with an opportunity to become acquainted with many of the teachers and parents at Murch.  This also gave me an insight as to the daily struggles that the teachers and administrators face in the current system.  I have supported and been involved in many volunteer activities for the Home School Association.  These have included among other things, serving as the webmaster of the Murch website and volunteering at the Murch Auction in several different capacities.  This close and continuous association with the school has provided me the experience necessary to work with all parties involved in making Murch a better school.  
Four years ago I saw an unmet need with regards to the curriculum at Murch, the lack of a cohesive program for languages.  From nothing, I have created a language program that provides language instruction for children of all levels and ages that effectively teaches three foreign languages.  Now this program is viewed as an asset to Murch.
I am a native of Torino, Italy.  As an adult I moved to France where I lived for fifteen years, finished my undergraduate studies in Economics and served as a director of a language school in Paris.  I then moved to the Washington DC area in 1995 where I met my husband Tom Larkin.

John See

I’ve been involved in public education for most of my adult life. I’ve taught math at a rural school in Indiana and freshman writing while I was a graduate student in Michigan. After moving to Washington in the 1990s, I worked as a speechwriter for U.S. Secretary of Education Richard Riley. For the past eight years, I’ve worked as a communications strategist, PR guy and writer for the American Federation of Teachers.
Of course, that’s just my job history. What really makes me care about education is the fact that I have three children. Becket will be in 2nd grade next year, Nicholas will be in pre-K, and Emerson can be found occasionally toddling around the Murch playground.
Murch has a terrific faculty and great support from parents. I’m looking forward to the opportunity to use my experiences and skills--my appreciation of good teaching and my knowledge of education policy—to help make Murch even better.

Jim Whitney

My name is Jim Whitney.  I’m excited to be a candidate for the Murch Local School Restructuring Team (LSRT).
My wife, Anne Mosle, and I have two kids at Murch -- Elliot (Finberg) and Jasper (Stephens).   We have lived in DC for most of the past twenty years.  After a two-year adventure in Ann Arbor, MI, we returned to DC -- and Murch -- in the fall of 2009.  
I’m a big fan of Murch, though not an uncritical one.   I’d like to learn more about what’s working really well and what could work better – and be part of a team that helps suggest improvements and plan for coming years.  I would also enjoy the opportunity to interact with teachers beyond the teacher-parent-student/kid relationship.
My work experience has been varied, and while none of it relates directly to education, I think my time at the Latin American Youth Center a few years back would be helpful as it exposed me to a number of different schools in DC and Prince George’s County and also provided some perspective on how the DC City Council deals with a whole range of education and youth-related issues.  I’ve spent more than a decade in politics and understand the importance of coalitions and ensuring that all voices can be heard.  I also stayed at home for a couple of years with our kids.
Murch is a community school – in the best sense of those words.   It draws from the community and also gives back to the community.  That’s one of the qualities that makes it such a special place.    
It would be rewarding to work with other parents, teachers, administrators and community members to help keep Murch moving forward.

Nancy Zuckerbrod

It would be an honor to serve on the Murch LSRT, and I think I could bring much to the role. As a former education reporter, I spent several years gaining an understanding of the issues facing our public schools. Though my stories were written for a national audience, they touched on concerns held by many in the Murch community. These include the need to differentiate instruction, close achievement gaps, and raise educational standards.
I am deeply interested in seeing Murch make strides. My daughter is currently a first grader here, and my son will be attending kindergarten in the fall. We also have a baby who will hopefully be Murch bound in a few years, so I am rooting for short- and long-term improvements.
Our family returned to Washington last summer after spending a year abroad. We were welcomed back with open arms, and I am so grateful to be part of such a terrific community. We also noted wonderful improvements -- the new playground, an enthusiastic and accomplished principal and a dynamic art program, to name a few of the changes. I look forward to being part of Murch’s move in the right direction.

LSRT Plays A Critical Role

The LSRT helps to prepare a detailed school plan each spring as part of the DCPS budgeting process. This School Plan seeks to identify current needs at Murch, as well as set long-term goals for achievement, teacher satisfaction and excellence, discipline and school environment. It also proposes solutions to these needs within the constraints of the DCPS budget.

The LSRT presents the draft plan to parents for feedback and questions at one of the public forums held during the year, and then must sign the plan and budget before it is submitted to the Superintendent.

Second, the team is responsible for advising the principal on matters related to school operations, procedures and policies throughout the year. All meetings, scheduled as needed (approximately monthly), are open to the public for observation. Suggestions for topics on the agenda may be made by contacting LSRT members.