About Julie Rowe

With a quarantine abruptly ending our school year, and with great uncertainty ahead, it is the right time to choose a School Committee member with a proven record of leadership of and commitment to Sharon Public Schools and to our children. 


I want to run for School Committee to:


  • Communicate and represent the interests of parents and students as we create new methods of teaching, whether online, in-person, or a hybrid,
  • Ensure teachers and staff receive maximum support for the new efforts we will soon be employing,
  • Maintain Sharon's outstanding reputation for excellence in education, and
  • Apply my analytical and communications skills to benefit the school system during this unpredictable time.


I have lived in Sharon since 2012 and currently have three daughters at East Elementary, where I am finishing my term as PTO president. At the beginning of last summer, I organized and chaired the Committee for a New Sharon High School, a municipal ballot question group that advocated for a new school in our town.  We were delighted that the high school passed with 64% landslide.


The town also voted to allow the Select Board to sign 20-30 year leases with a solar company to generate lease revenue. The Select Board appointed me to serve on the Solar Design Review Committee to improve the solar canopy installation project at East.  My goal was to keep as much capacity as necessary while at the same time considering the design of the 20-30 year installation, listening to the concerns of abutters, and setting up a process for future installations.


As a direct result of the hard work of the SDRC, the contracts with the solar developer were changed for the benefit of Sharon; indeed, we were instrumental in demanding an expert in municipal solar installations review the contracts. And we have put forward a roadmap for design mitigation for future projects in Sharon, including the upcoming installation at the Sharon Middle School.


I was also asked to join the school administration's Culture and Climate Committee, which was formed in response to the sexual harassment situation at SHS at the end of the 2018-2019 school year. I take great interest in working on the harassment and bullying policies, and balancing the interests and rights of everyone.


Finally, I have coached recreational soccer since 2014 and girls' lacrosse since 2015. I have served on the board of Sharon Lacrosse seeking ways to increase girls' participation in this terrific sport.


With my business-focused background, work ethic, team-orientation and a strong record of commitment to our children and our schools, I believe I would be an asset to the town as we navigate these changes. I listen, am thoughtful, thorough and dedicated to continuously improving excellence in our schools.


Other Community Involvement

· Served on the Superintendent's Parent/Community Advisory Committee (SPCAC). 

· Parent representative to the East principal search committee in 2018.

· Chair of East’s carnival fundraiser, the Spring Groove, for two years.

· As East Elementary’s Safe Routes to School coordinator, worked with the Department of Public Works to improve safety for walkers and bikers by clearing away foliage at the intersection of Hampton and Deerfield Roads, and getting a “Your Speed” sign installed at a key bend in the road.

· Appointed to the Sharon Cultural Council in 2013 and stayed on for two terms, including two years as chair. 

· Former member and always a friend of the Sharon Moms Club


Work Experience


My background in marketing, communications and consulting would be an asset to the School Committee.


Prior to leaving the workforce after having my first child, I worked in various marketing and marketing consulting capacities, with clients that included major companies such as American Express and The Hartford. Most of my work involved breaking down problems, framing questions, finding answers, and then formulating a point of view and recommendations for the client.


For more than 10 years, I was also a volunteer and Board Member of a group known as Community Consulting Teams, which brings together teams of MBAs to provide Boston-area non-profits with pro-bono assistance in addressing business problems. In both capacities, I analyzed data, developed strategic direction, and provided marketing plans for our clients and ourselves. 


Education


Darden Graduate School of Business Administration (Charlottesville, VA), University of Virginia

Master of Business Administration 


University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA)

Cum Laude Bachelor of Arts in Economics, History 


 Fun Fact

I have completed six half-marathons since 2016.

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