Author: Jain Rayea

  • School Committee candidate and educator Mali Brodt hopes to help reshape NPS

    Mali Brodt moved to Newton for the school system. Now she wants to reform it.

    A mother of three and a longtime educator, Brodt, 46, says her run for the Ward 6 seat on the Newton School Committee is deeply personal.

    She and her husband moved to Newton 10 years ago, when their twins, Manon and Persephone, were in preschool and she was pregnant with their youngest daughter, Reyna.

    “We moved here for the schools, like many people do,” Brodt said. “They’re now in seventh and third grade, so it’s been a full decade.”

    Brodt will face Jonathan Greene, a Newton parent and finance executive, in the race for the Ward 6 seat, which is now held by Paul F. Levy, a businessman, author and professor who is not seeking reelection.

    A native of Brookline, Brodt has worked in education for nearly 20 years, first as a middle school teacher in Boston Public Schools and later as a school adjustment counselor in private schools. She currently works in Westwood but said her experience across different school systems gives her a valuable lens on the challenges educators face. 

    “I think becoming a mother changed everything,” Brodt said. “It changed my perspective as a teacher. It made me much more empathetic to parents and families. Before you have kids, it’s easy to think, ‘My kid would never do that.’ But parenting is complicated.” 

    Brodt’s passion for equity emerged early. Her mother worked in public health and was active in the American Civil Rights Movement. Her father, who grew up under apartheid in South Africa, was involved in the anti-apartheid movement.

    “I was brought up in a way that if you can see that you can help in some way, you should,” Brodt said.

    Though Brodt has spent years observing Newton’s schools as a parent and educator, it was the 2024 teacher strike that pushed her to run. 

    In January 2024, Newton educators launched an 11-day strike, the longest in Massachusetts in over two decades. Teachers demanded better pay, improved student mental health support and limitations on the number of students one staff member can be responsible for. Organized by the Newton Teachers Association, the strike drew attention to issues in the classroom and tension between teachers and city officials. 

    “When you move to a place with strong schools, I think there’s a strong assumption that things work well and everybody’s on the same page. The strike really showed us that it isn’t true,” Brodt said. “It was shocking to me to see the antagonism and rhetoric around it, and that’s what pushed me to pay more attention to the politics.” 

    She criticized the situation for characterizing teachers as the problem, worsening the relationship among teachers, parents and the city council. 

    “I mean, being a teacher, knowing teachers and respecting teachers—teachers don’t want to strike, they want to teach,” Brodt said. “It must have come to a point where something was truly off.” 

    During the strike, Brodt said, the messages coming from the school committee and the teachers did not align. She condemned the current school committee for its lack of transparency and cohesiveness when informing parents and community members about the strike. 

    If elected, Brodt said, she would prioritize rebuilding trust among the school committee, teachers and the public. “The school committee and the teachers’ union are on the same side,” Brodt said. “We all want what is best for our schools.”  

    Brodt is also critical of how Newton funds its schools. “We have been chronically underfunding our schools for years,” Brodt said. “You can’t just keep throwing one-time funds at the budget every year and expect it to be fixed—we need to actually fix the problem.” 

    She brought up the example of curriculum development, an ongoing need that’s often treated as a one-off line item. Every year, Newton does curriculum reviews, buys new curricula and does professional development to prepare teachers for new material. However, the budget does not account for these costs on an annual basis. 

    Brodt is candid about the mental health crisis in schools today, especially after COVID-19. “Ever since I started teaching, I’ve seen a steady increase in social-emotional deficits and mental health needs,” Brodt said. “But COVID accelerated everything.” 

    Students, she said, are dealing with more anxiety and attention challenges than ever before. “Teachers don’t necessarily have all the tools that they need to help support the kids in front of them,” Brodt said. “The world is different now.” She described how social media and the pandemic have had a direct impact on children’s ability to learn and behave.

    Brodt said she believes that if the world is changing, so should the curriculum. “We need to have schools meet the needs of kids today, and not just be nostalgic for the way things used to be.” 

    Despite her criticism, Brodt is quick to clarify that she is not running out of personal disappointment.

    “My kids have had a tremendous experience. We’ve loved their teachers, we’ve loved their school,” Brodt said. “It’s not that I’ve been disappointed in Newton schools. I’m frustrated that a city with the resources is not treating schools with the respect and importance they deserve.”

  • Jim Murphy wants to bring educators’ voices to School Committee

    After spending nearly four decades in classrooms and school offices, Jim Murphy says it’s time educators had a loud voice in the policies that shape Newton Public Schools.

    Murphy, 64, a retired teacher and administrator, is running for the Ward 8 seat on the Newton School Committee with a clear mission: repair relationships and increase transparency.

    In the past five years, Newton schools have endured the pandemic, a teacher’s strike and a budget crisis, leaving the community divided on the path forward. Tensions remain high between educators and district leadership. As an educator and school administrator for 38 years, Murphy said his perspective is exactly what the school committee has been missing. 

    “There’s this silly idea that an educator on a school board is somehow a conflict of interest,” Murphy said. “It’s important to have the voices of people who have done that work and know what it looks like.” 

    With Amy Davenport no longer on the Newton School Committee, the board has no former educators among its members. Davenport, a former teacher and high school principal, was elected in Ward 7 in 2023 but stepped down in September 2024.

    Murphy has faced criticism that his background in education could make him biased toward teachers. He firmly rejects that claim.

    “The school committee in Newton needs educators,” he said. “My experience as both a teacher and administrator gives me insight into how policy becomes something in the classroom.” 

    From attending parent-teacher meetings to managing budgets and evaluating curriculum as a department director, Murphy said he has learned how to bridge competing interests. 

    Murphy started his career teaching at an alternative school in Dorchester and finished as the grades 6-12 social studies director in Weymouth. He’s introduced debate teams, coached softball, and sat through countless parent-teacher conferences and budget meetings. Through it all, he said, he’s learned to bridge competing interests.

    He earned a bachelor’s degree in social thought and political economy from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a master’s degree in teaching and curriculum from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Murphy is continuing his education as a PhD candidate in the School for Global Inclusion and Social Development at UMass Boston, working on his dissertation in civic education in Massachusetts. 

    Originally from Weymouth, Murphy has roots in the Boston area that go back generations. He’s been a Newton resident for 18 years, living with his wife, a lifelong Newton resident. While the couple doesn’t have children, Murphy says his commitment to education stems from decades of working with students and families.

    After dedicating most of his life to teaching and learning about the education system, Murphy said running for the Newton School Committee felt like an obvious next step.

    “I continue to have a strong belief that people need to be involved in their communities,” Murphy said, “so I spent a long time teaching people that’s what they should be doing. In retirement, I wanted to continue to walk the walk.” 

    Budget breakdown

    While he knew he would eventually run, recent backlash to Newton’s fiscal 2026 budget inspired Murphy to take action. “The budget allocated by the mayor’s office would require layoffs and stalling programs that were beginning to show success,” Murphy said. “And the current school committee wasn’t pushing back.”

    ”There needs to be a true accounting of what it means to be educating kids,” he said. Murphy knows how many important costs get missed in the school budget. For example, he said, every school has a nurse, but money to pay for nurses isn’t included in the official budget.

    “The first thing about budgeting is better transparency,” Murphy said. “What money is available, and where is money needed? We need truer figures instead of pretending certain costs don’t exist and allocating future budgets based on that.” 

    Vision for reform

    In 2023, Newton Public Schools introduced the “Portrait of a Graduate” initiative, emphasizing core values the community wants to see in students. This student is adaptable, with strong critical thinking skills, a learner’s mindset and empathy. 

    And according to Murphy, this student can’t exist under Newton’s current education system. “It does not match up,” he said. 

    “This is not just a Newton issue; education has long needed some changes,” Murphy said. “We are still trying to make a 19th-century education system work in the 21st.” 

    If elected, Murphy said, he would focus on curriculum reform that includes broad input from parents, administrators, committee members and teachers. 

    “Top of the agenda is repairing these relationships,” Murphy said. “We need to get back to the place where everybody’s on the same team.”

  • Newton Theatre Company honors Goldstein family through Monologue and memory

    Keren Kohan, left, and Jesse Kin, right, talk about their memories of the Goldstein family during the Newton Theatre Company Monologue Project. Photo by Georgia Epiphaniou.

    Jesse King and Keren Kohane coped with the loss of their friend Valerie Goldstein and her family the only way they knew how–through performance.

    Hundreds of people gathered at the Hyde Bandstand on May 31 to honor Matt, Lyla, Valerie and Violet Goldstein in this year’s Monologue Project. The Goldstein family died from carbon monoxide poisoning at their vacation home in Wakefield, N.H., in December.

    Matt, 52, and Lyla Goldstein, 54, were dedicated to education and community. Matt taught middle school math at the Edith C. Baker School in Brookline. Lyla was a program manager at Microsoft, a Girl Scout troop leader, and a basketball and soccer coach.

    The couple’s daughters were just starting their adult lives. Valerie, 22, was a recent Syracuse University graduate and a Teach for America fifth-grade teacher in North Carolina. Violet, 19, was in her first year at the Rhode Island School of Design.

    Organized by the Newton Theatre Company, the Monologue Project is an annual performance that amplifies the experiences of communities in Newton. Nearly six months after the Goldstein family died, King and Kohane gathered their friends, classmates and former students to perform in the family’s honor. 

    “Matt and Val were part of our Newton Theatre Company family. I mean, I’ve known this family for 15 years,” said Melissa Bernstein, the company’s director. “For us, it’s remembering and celebrating this wonderful family that was our family—the Newton Theater Company family.” 

    Valerie’s journey with the company started in 2010 when she first auditioned for its children’s productions. During middle school and high school, Violet joined her sister in “The Hipster” and several Junie B. Jones Productions. 

    Over the years, she became a vital member of the company, performing in and directing three previous Monologue Projects. 

    When he wasn’t teaching at Brookline’s Baker Middle School, Matt participated in Newton Theater productions. While Lyla and Violet weren’t frequent performers, their constant support left a lasting impact on the community.

    Given the family’s involvement in Newton Theater Company, King and Kohane said it felt like the most meaningful way to honor their memory. “I think it was a day or two after their passing,” said King, co-ordinator of the event, “and me, Karen, and a few others gathered at Melissa’s house to be together, and we thought it would be a good idea.”

    In the past, participants typically responded to an open call by Newton Theater Company and collaborated in small groups to write their monologues. Each piece is shaped through a process of workshopping and feedback.

    But this year was different. Because of how personal the loss was to the community, King and Kohane didn’t ask contributors to submit their monologues for feedback. Instead, they focused on reaching out to anyone who knew the Goldsteins.

    Each member of the Goldstein family was commemorated in their own way. Over 20 people shared stories, poems and songs that brought them back to cherished memories. Each person stepped on stage and spoke for seven to ten minutes. 

    Contributors included Matt Wilson, one of Violet’s teachers; Elaine Goldberg, a close friend of Lyla; a teammate from Matt’s soccer group; and Miranda Mellen, who met Valerie while studying abroad in Florence. 

    One of the most powerful performances came from a group of middle school boys who had been Matt’s students.

    “Matt was such an amazing role model and support system for all of these kids, and they had these wonderful things to say about him,” Kohane said. “By the end, they were emotional and supporting each other, which was nice to see. But it took me a moment to step back and be like, ‘Oh, wait, they’re middle schoolers.’”

    Kohane was the first performer of the evening, opening the event with a monologue. But for her, the best way to honor Valerie was through music. The two bonded in 2020, when Valerie started a virtual karaoke club to bring friends together during quarantine.

    Kohane returned to the stage later in the evening to sing with two members of the karaoke club. “Power of Two” was the finale song of “The Twelfth Night,” which Kohane sang with Valerie. 

    “Valerie and I were theatrical partners, so I wanted to honor that,” Kohane said. But stepping on the stage wasn’t easy. “I was worried I wasn’t gonna be able to deliver the song properly to convey my feelings. But it felt so freeing to sing at the event, and I really felt very connected to everyone.” 

    The event offered space for vulnerability. “This is the first time I’ve ever lost somebody, and I had to rewrite my monologue a couple of times because it was a bit too raw,” said King, who also performed a monologue. While he wasn’t an actor, taking the stage was his way of showing up for Valerie.

    “It’s bittersweet,” King said, reflecting on the performance. “This has been part of both my personal and work life for so long, and now I kind of have to move on…I recall vividly the night after the Monologue Project, as I was falling asleep, I felt this profound sense of peace that I hadn’t felt in a very long time.”

    Kohane put it simply: “I didn’t move on, but I could finally move forward.”

  • Newton Goes Berserk: Scandinavian Cultural Center festival celebrates Nordic heritage

    Stephanie Conroy in traditional iking clothing. Photo by Muayad Al-Barwani

    Clashing shields and roaring Vikings aren’t an everyday sight in Newton. But the Scandinavian Cultural Center transformed into a Nordic village Saturday for the Berserk festival.

    After a five-year hiatus, Kerry Lavin, executive director of the Scandinavian Cultural Center & Library, revived the annual daylong celebration, complete with live combat demonstrations, traditional food, and historical crafts. 

    “People just love Vikings,” Lavin said. “I think it’s a fun tradition. It’s holding onto something that existed 100 years ago, when there were more Scandinavians.”

    The festival drew hundreds of visitors to the Scandinavian Cultural Center in West Newton, where 15 vendors and performers immersed attendees in Nordic traditions. The Berserk festival launched in 2017 but went on pause when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Its return this year marks the first festival since 2019.

    Inside the center’s Nordic Hall, William Short, a Viking scholar and author, gave a talk that explored how Norse beliefs shaped everyday life, from battle rituals to burial practices, while challenging misconceptions about Viking spirituality. 

    Visitors eager for a glimpse into their futures headed across the lawn to Melissa Scott’s Viking tarot and rune reading station. While tarot is often seen as mystical, Scott views her practice as a way to honor an ancient tradition rooted in Norse history.

    “What makes it so special is that you’re handling things that have been used on shields, in doorways and cups,” Scott said, referring to the runes she uses in her practice. “When you’re looking at them, you’re thinking of all the people who carved that sign.” 

    The festival’s main attraction was the Boston Viking Irish, a historical reenactment group specializing in Viking combat and blacksmithing demonstrations.

    “We’re all just a bunch of nerds that really love what we do,” said Emily Farrell, the group’s founder. “It’s a really great life – being able to love history, tell people about it and fight a little.”

    With backgrounds in martial arts, members use blunt weapons and wear traditional armor as they reenact Nordic battle scenes. Before their show, the group members mingled with visitors, offering demos of their gear and posing for photos.

    This year Berserk introduced a stone-lifting challenge led by New England Stone Lifting. The challenge gave visitors a chance to test their strength while learning about ancient Icelandic customs. 

    Jarrett McPhee, co-founder of New England Stone Lifting, is passionate about introducing the tradition of stone lifting to America. Across Scandinavia, stone lifters can find historic rocks to test their strength. However, there was no equivalent in the United States–until New England Stone Lifting.

    Aside from holding events, McPhee has started collecting and placing stones throughout New England, hoping to “build future history” and unite the stone lifting community in the United States.

    “These stones, though not historic today, can be in 40 to 50 years,” he said. 

    Among the vendors was Aili McKeen, owner of Aili’s Aerie, a fur-trapping and leather goods shop in Westport, Connecticut. Her display of fox, coyote and bear pelts offered a look into the practical skills of early Norse communities. 

    “Everybody trapped once upon a time,” McKeen said. “They didn’t just go about raiding and pillaging.”

    The fan favorite of the festival was Gunnar’s Icelandic Hot Dogs. Inspired by the famous hot dogs from Reykjavik, Gunnar’s hot dog stand is known for its unusual selection of toppings like crispy fried onions, sweet brown mustard and apple ketchup.

    Rachel Trahan and her fiancé drove from Revere just to get a taste. 

    “For me the biggest draw was these hot dogs,” Trahan said. “When we saw they had something similar, we wanted to come right away.” 

    Here are some photos from the festival.

    Bruce Conroy poses in traditional Viking attire as he sells pelts at the Scandinavian Cultural Center’s Viking Festival. Photo by Miu Tung Rong 

    A traditional Viking game, Viking Festival, May 31, 2025. Photo by Miu Tung Rong

    Stephanie Conroy in traditional Viking clothing. Photo by Muayad Al-Barwani

    Ed the Wizard poses for a photo at the Scandinavian Cultural Center’s Viking Festival. Photo by Muayad Al-Barwani

    Megan Cronin plays a traditional Viking game at the Scandinavian Cultural Center on May 31. Photo by Miu Tung Rong

    Boston University Newsroom reporter, Rayea Jain interviews Aili McKeen; fox, coyote and bear pelts are on display. Photo by Anny Zheng Wu

    Grace and Riley Holcomby are having lots of fun at the Viking festival. Photo by Miu Tung Rong

    Stephanie Carozza shows off her art and craft skills at the viking festival. Photo by Miu Tung Rong

  • Play it Forward: Newton’s Artful Pianos make music for all

    Ninn Davis photographs Tom Page while he plays a painted piano, titled “Koi Notes,” painted by Raquel Fornassaro, located in Newton Centre. Photo by Miu Tung Rong

    A symphony of sound and color takes over the streets of Newton as the Artful Pianos installation returns for the summer.

    Seven hand-painted pianos are scattered throughout the town, transforming parks and other public spaces into art galleries and stages for spontaneous performances.

    “When you walk through the villages of Newton and you see these pianos out, there are all kinds of people playing them,” said Lisa Rucinski, program manager of the Newton Cultural Development Center, which organizes Artful Pianos. Coming from a musical family, Rucinski said she understands that music can bring people together, and she takes pride in maintaining this Newton tradition. 

    The seven pianos, each painted by a different artist and given a name, are all across town through Labor Day:

    • “Embrace Everything,” by Ashley Jin, is along the Upper Falls Greenway.
    • “The Harvest,” by Columba Kenner, sits outside the Auburndale Library.
    • “In Full Bloom,” by Jenn Dua, is in Farlow Park.
    • “Somebody Come & Play,” by DaNice Marshall, is in Austin Street Plaza. 
    • “Find Zen Within,” by Gary “Zen” Chen, sits outside City Hall.
    • “Koi Notes,” by Raquel Fornasaro, livens up Newton Centre Green.
    • “Forget-Me-Not,” by Michael Talbot in Officer English Park, Newton Highlands. 

    Now in its eighth year, the Artful Pianos 2025 installation invites residents to sit down, play and take part in interactive art.

    Luca Dalzell and Ethan Lan play a painted piano, titled “Koi Notes” by Raquel Fornasaro, located in Newton Centre, while a passerby stops to listen. Photo by Miu Tung Rong

    But these pianos aren’t just for music lovers or aspiring performers.

    “People who give their pianos away for this project love to see their old pianos put to use,” Rucinski said. “Meeting the artists, seeing the focus, painstaking detail, and how much they love and get attached to their pianos–it’s just a win-win.” 

    Raquel Fornasaro, a longtime Newton resident and artist, painted the only grand piano in this year’s collection–the rest are uprights. Her piano, titled “Koi Notes,” is adorned with lily pads and koi fish, paying tribute to Crystal Lake, a picturesque 33-acre natural pond in the heart of Newton.

    Fornasaro said her vision was to bring “calmness to the busyness” of Newton Centre with her serene depiction of the lake near her house. Crystal Lake, she said, is “the place where my kids usually go whenever it gets warm. For me, it [has] extra memories of having young kids there.”

    The process of creating the piano installation begins months in advance with help from a team of movers, artists and volunteers.

    It begins with donors looking to part with their old pianos. Greg Livingston, who tunes all of the pianos, evaluates the instruments before they are selected to be in the exhibit.  

    In Farlow Park, Michael Lonzana plays a painted piano titled “In Full Bloom,” painted by Jenn Duan. Photo by Anny Zheng Wu

    Once enough pianos are identified, Griffin Piano Moving transports them to the Newton Bath House at Crystal Lake, a makeshift art studio where the painters work.

    Piano Pals, a group of local volunteers, care for the pianos all summer. They monitor the weather and rush in with tarps whenever rain threatens. Every morning, volunteers like Garrett Van Siclen head to their designated locations to unveil the pianos and return every evening to protect them from the morning dew.

    “If they aren’t getting wrapped and they aren’t being protected from the moisture of the rain, they’re quickly not going to be able to be played anymore,” Van Siclen said. 

    Van Siclen said he enjoys hearing melodies drift through Newton’s neighborhoods–whether it’s a child playing his first notes, an artist bringing her vision to life, or people pausing from their commutes home to listen.

    Van Siclen has witnessed the magic this installation has brought to Newton over the past three summers.

    “Last year,” he said, “there was a couple, and they would come up here every night and play the piano.”