Shawn McAteer Joins AACPS Citizen Advisory Committee

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Shawn McAteer will represent Pasadena the next two years on the executive panel of the 30-member Citizen Advisory Committee. The panel has two members from each high school cluster — one representing elementary schools and one representing secondary schools — and several at-large members who work together to advise the Board of Education on issues affecting the Anne Arundel County Public Schools system.
We asked McAteer about his background and goals as the new elementary representative for the Chesapeake cluster.

Q: Why were you an ideal candidate for the CAC?

A: I volunteered for a position on the Citizen Advisory Committee because I wanted to become more involved in my community, and education has always been a passion of mine. I have enjoyed chaperoning school functions and being involved with youth sports in our area. The quality of education our children receive in Anne Arundel County is the reason my wife and I chose to settle in Pasadena. We have felt welcomed since our arrival, and there is not a more important investment than our children’s future. Not growing up in Maryland, I believe I can bring a fresh perspective to the team. Everyone on the team has different life experiences and I hope to share some of mine and learn from others.

Q: Do you have kids in the Chesapeake cluster? If so, how many?

A: My wife and I have three children in the Chesapeake cluster.
• Aidan - 12, seventh grade at Chesapeake Middle
• Rylee - 10, fifth grade at Pasadena Elementary
• Finnegan - 7, second grade at Pasadena Elementary

Q: What goals do you have as a CAC member? Or what educational issues are you eager to explore?

A: My goal as a CAC member is to ensure we are doing all that is possible to prepare our children for success in the future. We are still in the midst of a technological explosion; the iPhone is only 12 years old. Many reports state that upward of 85% of jobs in the future have not yet been created; it remains to be seen how accurate that number is, but regardless, we need to make sure we are investing in our students today, providing them with the necessary skills to change the world.
I am very interested to continue to hear more from the Kirwan Commission and its recommendations for funding Maryland education as well as delving deeper into learning more about the benefits of team teaching.

If readers have any elementary concerns they want brought before the Anne Arundel County Board of Education, they can feel free to contact me at chesapeake1cac@gmail.com.

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