I am running for the School Committee of Holyoke, MA for many reasons:

• I am an educator by degree and by experience. Having a Ph.D. in Hispanic Linguistics and Literature with a double major in Latin American, Caribbean, and Portuguese studies, and a second Ph.D. in Gender and Diversity, majoring in Auto-ethnography, along with two Master's degrees in Latin American Studies and Women's and Gender Studies, plus a BA in English Language Translation and Interpretation makes me a very well rounded candidate. With experience teaching at high school and college levels both public and private, in national and international contexts, I have experience working with diverse communities, designing curricula, and interdisciplinary collaborating.

• I am deeply committed to my city, its students, and its teachers.
• As a Green-Rainbow candidate, my campaigns in 2021 and 2022 both for Mayor of Holyoke and for State Auditor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts have taught me great respect for the role of government in our children’s education. 
• I am running because I want to make sure that we talk about and take action on the social determinants of our children's under-performing in school, including housing disasters, polluted water, lack of quality of life, working and struggling families, and depression associated with returning to school after two years of Zooming and lock-down.
• Some questions for which I will seek answers:
  • Are we connecting more with the youth and letting their voices be heard inside the political and academic circles?
  • Is there an academic support system providing tutorials to our children?
  • Are the students understanding the curriculum? Is the History of our countries being studied from 1492 to the present?
  • Why can't we eliminate the Standardized Tests here in Massachusetts, here in Holyoke, when it has been more than proven that it does not prepare our students for the future, it is an elitist proposition and does not stimulate critical reading or thinking?
  • Why can't we teach our children real-life, culturally oriented, sustainable traits, that stimulate more hands-on projects, more internships, and partnerships with businesses and the five colleges?
• Let's bring more stimulating conversations inside the school department. A conversation that should be bilingual,  not monolingual: In English and Spanish so that all the families are included when it comes to our children's education.

These are just some of the reasons why I want to be a member of the Holyoke School Committee. To be able to get on the ballot, I need to collect 180 signatures from my ward, Ward 4. I would appreciate gathering all those signatures from my neighbors. This would be a great opportunity to engage even more with them, hear their suggestions and represent them on the Holyoke School Committee. 

Please, support my campaign:  Gloria Caballero Roca, Ph.D., for School Committee Ward 4

Because a good education matters!