Dear Edgemont Neighbors,
Back in April, the Edgemont Community Council (ECC) urged the Edgemont Board of Education to take a fresh look at district communications and community engagement. At that meeting, ECC President Dylan Pyne highlighted the community’s strong desire for more proactive, consistent communication, and a more inclusive approach to engagement.
We are pleased to report that the Board has acted on this feedback by expanding its standing Communications Committee and broadening the committee’s scope. This school year, the committee will be co-chaired by Superintendent Dr. Hamilton and Trustee Elyse Paidas, with Trustees Heather Stern and Ami Song and student board members Maya Barmecha and Juliet Sayer also serving.
Additionally, over the summer, the Board invited residents to apply, and six community members representing a cross-section of Edgemont were selected to serve as full committee members:
- – Barbara Gronquist
- – Dr. Yaliu He
- – Dylan Pyne
- – Emily Waldman
- – Andrea White
- – Laura Wilker
The committee held its first meeting on September 11th, where members reviewed goals, established norms, and outlined plans for ongoing updates to the community. To balance broad input with steady progress, the committee has been organized into three working groups:
- – Digital Communications (Chair: Trustee Elyse Paidas): Focused on the district website, app, social media, and email systems.
- – Content & Channel (Chair: Trustee Heather Stern): Ensuring communications are streamlined, timely, and reflective of the entire community.
- – Family & Community Engagement (Chair: Trustee Ami Song): Strengthening outreach across all segments of the community, especially around key initiatives like the budget and bond.
The ECC is encouraged by this progress and grateful to all who volunteered to serve. This step reflects exactly what our community called for earlier this year: clearer, more effective, and more inclusive communications that serve the entirety of Edgemont.
We will continue to keep residents updated as the committee advances its work. Community members are also encouraged to share feedback directly with the BOE at BOE@edgemont.org.
Sincerely,
Dylan Pyne
President, Edgemont Community Council