Auchincloss to have Medfield superintendent as guest for Biden's address
Congressman Jake Auchincloss, D-4th, has announced that Medfield Superintendent Dr. Jeffrey Marsden as his virtual guest to President Joe Biden’s Joint Address to Congress on Wednesday, April 28.
Marsden and Auchincloss will chat together in a Facebook Live at 5:30 p.m. ET Wednesday ahead of Biden’s address to reflect on improvements to COVID-19 testing in schools, and discuss what they hope to hear in Biden’s speech about efforts to return children to classrooms and plans to make up for lost time.
Auchincloss recently visited Medfield High School as part of his American Rescue Plan tour to witness its COVID-19 testing operation. The pooled testing operation at Medfield has been cited as a program that could be used as a national model for getting kids back into the classroom.
The Joint Address, which is Biden’s first speech to a Joint Session of Congress, marks 100 days into the president’s first term. In the past, members of Congress have often invited constituents to join them as guests to such speeches. While COVID-19 safety protocols mean this year’s in-person attendance will be limited, Auchincloss said inviting Marsden as his virtual guest is an important way to honor the people of the Fourth District and share their stories.
“100 days into our work with this administration, the American Rescue Plan is delivering shots in arms, getting kids back to school, and getting Americans back to work,” said Auchincloss. “Americans like Dr. Marsden have been on the front lines of this recovery. While this year’s speech may look different, it is still an important opportunity to lift up voices from our district who are leading the way when it comes tackling the pandemic and beginning to rebuild for the future. The Medfield model is going to be an inspiration to The commonwealth and to the whole country and I am excited to promote the work that Dr Marsden and his colleagues have been doing with our country tomorrow evening.”
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In February, it was announced that Ginkgo Bioworks, the organism company, would collaborate with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Executive Office of Health and Human Services to offer SARS-CoV-2 pooled testing services to approved public K-12 schools (like Medfield) and approved special education schools in Massachusetts.
The goal of Concentric by Ginkgo,Ginkgo Bioworks’s public health and biosecurity effort, is to provide easy, affordable pooled testing to every school in America. Phase one of the Massachusetts initiative has focused on providing state-sponsored weekly pooled testing to students, teachers and staff. This program is available to approved public schools and approved special education schools offering in-person or hybrid learning, as well as remote schools looking to return to in-person learning.
“I am excited to continue the conversation Congressman Auchincloss and I started during his visit to Medfield High, and look forward to sharing with the country how the pool testing system our school district has adopted can be a national model for helping get kids back into the classroom,” said Marsden who plans to watch the speech after his virtual event with the Congressman on Wednesday evening.
Marsden has been superintendent of Medfield since 2013, and previously served as superintendent of Wrentham Public Schools for seven years. Marsden holds a doctorate in education in educational leadership from Boston College, and is a former adjunct professor at Boston College where he taught "Finance and Facility in Education" between 2007 and 2009.
To learn more about Congressman Jake Auchincloss, visit https://auchincloss.house.gov or connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube.
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US Rep. Jake Auchincloss