HAYES FOR SCHOOL COMMITTEE: Listening Tour -- Week #1 (of 16)

My name is Robert Hayes and I'm running for re-election to the Wilmington School Committee.  I intend on using this Wilmington Patch blog over the 4 months to provide readers with a weekly campaign update, focused particularly on how I'm striving to listen to their questions, comments, concerns, suggestions and ideas!

Always Listening:

This week and every week, voters can contact me via phone (978-604-8933) or email (hayesforschoolcommittee@live.com), plus through my campaign's Website, Facebook and Twitter.  I will respond to all inquiries within 24 hours, typically much sooner.  (If you already have a 'non-campaign' way to contact me, that will still work, too!)

Weekly Online Listening Survey:

This week, I am conducting a 20-question online survey focused on key elements of the campaign. The survey, which is basically all yes/no/maybe-type questions, should only take a few minutes to complete.  It can be found HERE.  I'd like to know what Wilmington voters want and expect out of me as a candidate while getting feedback on some initial campaign tactics I'm contemplating.  Future surveys will focus exclusively on substantive issues facing students, parents, faculty/staff, and taxpayers in town.

Weekly In-Person Listening Hours:

This week, I'll be holding my 'listening hours' session at Panera Bread (228 Main Street, inside Wilmington Plaza) from 1pm to 3pm on Saturday, January 12.  Feel free to drop-in and share with me any questions, comments or concerns you have with our school system.  (I will be wearing a bright red New England Patriots sweatshirt, hopefully without any soup stains or sandwich crumbs.) 

As a reminder, I will be there in my capacity as a candidate -- not a member of any committee -- and will be speaking 100% for myself.  Additionally, I will not discuss anything remotely related to the lawsuit holding up the high school building project.  Finally, I will bring a copies of the district's Chain of Communication to point you in the right direction for answers to questions outside the purview of a school committee candidate.  All that said, I really look forward to hearing what's on your mind!

Weekly Door-To-Door Visits:

This week, I will be conducting door-to-door visits in Precinct 1 on Sunday, January 13, from 11am to 3pm, collecting nomination paper signatures and passing out my contact information. 

This Week in Community and School Events:
 
This week, I'll be attending several community and school events.  My "listening ears" will be on, but I will not be campaigning at these events as they are not meant for campaigning.  I plan on attending the Wildwood PAC Meeting (Monday, January 7, 6pm); Wilmington Democratic Town Committee Meeting (Monday, January 7, 7pm); Friends of the Wilmington Memorial Library Meeting (Tuesday, January 8, 7pm; will be late); North-side PAC Meeting (Wednesday, January 9, 9am); Wilmington High School Band Concert (Thursday, January 10, 7pm; will be late); and the WHS Boys Varsity Basketball Game (Friday, January 11, 7pm).  Got an event you think it would be beneficial for me to attend and listen in on?  Let me know!

Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, the School Committee (Wednesday, January 9, 7pm) and the Special Education PAC (Thursday, January 10, 6:30pm), one of the subcommittees I serve on, are also meeting this week.

This blog post was originally published HERE.