About Julie Rowe

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My name is Julie Rowe, and I ask for your vote to re-elect me to a second term on the Sharon School Committee. 

I have lived in Sharon since 2012 and as of next fall, I will have one daughter each at East Elementary, Sharon Middle, and Sharon High. I began my service on the School Committee during the most difficult time of COVID, and have been working tirelessly to move us forward ever since. 

Over the past term I have developed a strong record. I supported the elementary Spanish program and free full-day Kindergarten. Most recently, I led the effort to maintain honors classes in middle and high schools. For all three years of my term, I attended the biweekly high school Standing Building Committee meetings as the School Committee representative. 

In addition, I :

• Was a member of the Negotiations Subcommittee for three years (chairing it one year) and worked on multiple contracts and Memoranda of Understanding with the union representation of the teachers and instructional assistants.
• Participated in the superintendent search and high school principal search committees as an School Committee member
• Served as the School Committee liaison to the town Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee

Goals for 2023-2026...

School Committee members are limited to budget, policy, negotiations, and giving performance reviews for our superintendent. I intend to adhere to those boundaries. To that end, I am looking forward to chairing the Calendar Subcommittee, in which we will explore ways to reflect our diverse community through our school year calendar. 

The School Committee legally has a limited capacity to impact curriculum, but within these boundaries, I would like to have more information about the administration's efforts to improve elementary reading education.  

As budget chair this year, I saw firsthand the effort to put together a $52MM budget, and hope to continue working for a solid budget that benefits students and teachers. There are many creative ideas out there and it would be great to see some of them implemented!

And my time as the School Committee liaison to the town DEI committee has clearly shown me that there is a great deal of interest from students, parents and the community in learning more about racial bias incidents and bullying. Aware of the need to stay within legal limits, I think updates on efforts to ameliorate the situation would be appropriate.

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 continue to be an asset to the town.I listen, am thoughtful, thorough and dedicated to continuously improving excellence in our schools.

Other Community Involvement

• Currently a volunteer for East Elementary PTO, Sharon Middle School PTO, and Sharon High School PTSO.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.