LETTER: Kathleen Snook, School Committee Candidate, Introduces Herself

To the Editor,

I was very honored last week to accept a nomination as a candidate for school committee. My goal is to ensure the best possible learning experience for each Concord child. I come to this candidacy to serve our town with an open heart and mind. As a School Committee member, I will be a voice for all residents of Concord. I look forward to meeting many of you in the coming weeks and listening to your ideas on how I can best represent you in this position.

I was nominated by Betsy Bilodeau (Powder Mill Road) and seconded by Elise Stone (Old Marlboro Road)). The following text of Betsy’s nomination at Town Caucus is included as a means to introduce myself:

I am thrilled and honored to nominate Kathi Snook for School Committee. I have known Kathi for ten years. She is a close friend. When she told me she was running for school committee, I responded that I could not think of a more highly qualified person to step to the plate for this important position. 

And Kathi is highly qualified, possessing a strong background in education, incredible leadership skills and an amazing ability to listen carefully and analyze thoroughly. 

Kathi is a wife, a mother of five children, a Colonel in the army, and has a Doctoral degree in education, so she may be referred to as Kathi, or Mrs. Snook, or Jessica’s mom, or Colonel Snook, or Dr. Snook.

Kathi and her husband Scott, a classmate from West Point, have five children – four have graduated from Concord-Carlisle. Their youngest is now in the Pathways program at the high school. The three older children graduated from West Point. Kathi’s oldest son is in Special Forces training after serving in Afghanistan. Another son was wounded in Afghanistan and currently attends Harvard Business School. A daughter is serving as an Army Engineer Officer in Germany, and a son is in his junior year at West Point. This family believes in service.

At 17, Kathi joined the first co-ed class at the United States Military Academy at West Point where she became the second highest-ranking cadet in the Corps – the highest-ranking woman. Kathi graduated with a degree in Engineering. As an Army Corps of Engineer Officer, she served in various positions, commanded an Engineer Company and rose to the rank of Colonel. She has a Masters Degree in Applied Mathematics and a Doctoral Degree in Curriculum & Teaching both from Boston University. She taught Mathematics at West Point for over ten years. She directed the Freshman Math Program and the Faculty Development Program for the 65-member Mathematical Sciences Department. She served on the Academy’s Faculty Development and Teaching & Learning Committees. She served on the Middle States Accreditation Committee. Kathi has served on several Mathematical Association of America national committees and was intimately involved in their Curriculum Foundations Project and the writing of the undergraduate Curriculum Guide. She has presented work on teaching & learning, assessment, and curriculum at many national conferences. Most recently she presented sessions on assessment at The Future of High School Mathematics Conference in Washington, DC. 

Kathi and her family lived in Concord for three years in the 1990s when she was a doctoral student at BU. In 2002, upon retirement from the Army, she and her family moved back to Concord. Since returning, she has continued part time work in math and education working on several national curriculum projects at the elementary, middle and high school levels. She worked for several years at Concord Carlisle High School in the Math Resource Center as a Math Tutor. She has volunteered in many capacities in our schools, at Minute Man Arc, and with her church, Holy Family Parish. She served as President of the CCHS Friends of Boy’s Hockey and did the work to obtain 501-c-3 status for that organization. She is an informal leader among parents of children in the high school’s special education Pathways program organizing many extracurricular social activities for these students, communicating with parents about informational programs and opportunities, and serving as a parent liaison to the Pathways Director. Outside of Concord, she was Chairperson of the 30 Year Celebration of Women at West Point Conference and is active in the West Point Parents’ Club of Massachusetts.

Kathi’s passions include education and service. Her motivation for running for school committee is totally focused on making sure that Concord provides the best educational programs and environment for our children. Kathi has rare leadership skills deep in her veins. She works well with people, has proven management skills, and is liked by everyone who knows her. She is dedicated, smart, open, trustworthy, organized, articulate, thoughtful and tireless. She has the perfect combination of background, experience and expertise to serve us well. Concord is extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to vote for Kathi Snook to join the School Committee, and I urge voters to support her candidacy.

Kathi Snook
Old Rd to 9 Acre Corner