The Issues
Real challenges facing Falmouth schools — and how we tackle them together.
Transparency & Communication
Falmouth parents have been vocal about a growing disconnect between the School Committee and the community. Parents have expressed concerns about school safety and transparency — some even showing up with signs to demand better communication from school administrators. Committee meetings often feature lengthy presentations with limited opportunity for parents to ask questions or receive follow-up answers.
Brandon’s approach:
Brandon has stated that improving communication between parents and school administration is his top priority. He believes committee members need to ask more follow-up questions after presentations and create real opportunities for parents to participate during meetings — not just as spectators, but as valued voices in the decisions that affect their children.
School Restructuring: Navigating the Future Together
Falmouth Public Schools has launched its “Navigating the Future Together” plan — a significant restructuring of the district’s buildings and grade configurations. The plan proposes consolidating three elementary schools (East Falmouth, Mullen-Hall, and North Falmouth), converting Teaticket Elementary into an early learning center, and closing Morse Pond School once Lawrence School renovations are complete. Lawrence School, built in 1953, has not had a major renovation in over 70 years — a Statement of Interest was filed with the Massachusetts School Building Authority in April 2025.
The timeline is long — renovations are estimated 7 to 8 years out (2032-2033). The School Committee has voted unanimously to take Morse Pond offline when Lawrence is ready, which would save the district approximately $1.39 million annually in building maintenance. But that future savings doesn’t answer the immediate question families are asking: what happens to the students in the middle?
Brandon’s approach:
Brandon believes the decision to close Morse Pond contingent on the Lawrence renovation is premature without concrete plans for 5th and 6th grade placement. Closing a school on paper is easy — making sure every affected student has a clear path forward is the hard part, and that work needs to happen first. Attendance boundary debates are already dividing communities like East Falmouth, and families deserve definitive answers before buildings go offline.
Early Childhood Education
Falmouth’s preschool program is in high demand but critically short on capacity. The district can currently serve just three classrooms — 48 students total — through a random lottery system. Many families don’t get a spot. For the 2026-2027 school year, the Integrated Preschool will offer tuition-free programming, which is a positive step — but the bottleneck is space, not cost.
The “Navigating the Future Together” plan proposes converting Teaticket Elementary School into an early learning center, with a transition timeline of 1 to 4 years. This is an important discussion — but where the center goes matters enormously for families who need practical access to before- and after-school care.
Brandon’s approach:
Brandon supports creating a dedicated early childhood learning center and believes the discussion about its location should be expanded. He has specifically proposed exploring the possibility of placing the preschool at Falmouth High School — which would create internship opportunities for students in early childhood career and technical education pathways, while also providing easier access to before- and after-school care at the planned YMCA facility. This kind of creative, multi-benefit thinking is exactly what the committee needs more of.
Declining Enrollment
Falmouth Public Schools enrollment has dropped more than 13% over the past five years — from 3,351 students to 2,904. This trend affects staffing, budgets, building utilization, and program sustainability. It also raises a fundamental question: are families choosing to leave the district, and if so, why?
The challenge ahead:
Declining enrollment is a challenge facing many Cape Cod communities, driven by housing costs, demographics, and competition from charter and private schools. But a school committee that communicates poorly, makes opaque decisions, and doesn’t prioritize family engagement isn’t going to reverse that trend. Brandon will tackle this challenge head on — by making Falmouth Public Schools a district that parents are proud to choose.
Mentorship & Student Programs
Programs like VIPS (Volunteers in Public Schools) provide critical mentorship connections between community members and students. Financial literacy programs help prepare students for the real world. These are the kinds of programs that build stronger graduates and stronger communities.
Brandon’s approach:
Brandon has specifically called out VIPS mentorship and financial literacy programs as models worth expanding. He believes every Falmouth student deserves access to mentorship and real-world skills training — not just the students lucky enough to be at the right school or in the right program. Common sense says we should invest in what works and make it available to everyone.