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About CNS

About Citizens for Needham Schools

Citizens for Needham Schools was formed in 2002 to provide accurate, timely, and relevant information to help families and residents understand school-related issues and make informed choices.

We believe that communication and collaboration between educators and community members are essential to providing high-quality, innovative education to Needham students. CNS facilitates this by making school-related news and information available to the Needham community and by meeting regularly with school committee members to provide input from a broad range of students, families, and community members.

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Join the CNS Board

Each spring, CNS seeks board members with an interest in issues related to education and the Needham school system. The board engages in robust conversation and welcomes diverse viewpoints.

The board meets periodically, and each board member is expected to report on 2-3 School Committee meetings per year.

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Apply to be a Board Member

School Committee Meeting Posts

Click below to read our synopsis of School Committee Meetings & more!

School Committee Posts

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Most of the CNS Board for 2026-2027

Board of Directors

  • Joanie Daly, Co-Chair  
  • Abigail Hays, Co-Chair
  • Elizabeth Bresnahan, Vice Chair
  • Stefanie Forman, Vice Chair
  • Nick Giudice
  • Keith LaFace
  • Alexis St. James
  • Kara Williams

School Liaisons

Broadmeadow – Elizabeth Bresnahan

Eliot – Kara Williams

Mitchell – Nick Giudice, Alexis St. James

Newman – Stefanie Forman

Sunita Williams –

High Rock/Pollard – Abigail Hays, Keith LaFace, Alexis St. James, Kara Williams

High School – Joanie Daly, Abigail Hays, Keith LaFace

Some CNS members at the 2023 Needham Education Foundation Trivia Contest

CNS Statements

  • CNS Supports a 6-8 Pollard Project
    Citizens for Needham Schools (CNS) has followed the Needham Public Schools’ (NPS) School Master Plan and Pollard project discussions closely for many years. We strongly agree with the assessment of the School Committee, School Administration, and Pollard and High Rock faculty and staff that the best way forward is to create a Grade 6-8 Pollard Middle… Read More »CNS Supports a 6-8 Pollard Project
  • CNS Celebrates 20 years!
    Citizens for Needham Schools is proud to acknowledge our 20th anniversary this year! As part of our celebrations, CNS Board Member Frederica Lalonde recently had a chance to sit down with the five original CNS board members to discuss the history of CNS. Their story, and our history, can be found in her account below.… Read More »CNS Celebrates 20 years!
  • CNS Supports the Historic Renovation of Emery Grover
    Citizens for Needham Schools is dedicated to providing accurate, timely, and relevant information to help families and residents understand school-related issues and make informed choices. To fulfill our mission, we attend every school committee meeting, and have listened and watched over the years as district leadership has examined possible solutions to address the needs of… Read More »CNS Supports the Historic Renovation of Emery Grover
  • CNS Statement on Racism and Equity
    In recent weeks, we have witnessed violence towards Black people in parts of the country and heard painful experiences shared by people of color in our own community. Citizens for Needham Schools (CNS) stands in solidarity with Black people and people of color across the country, and particularly within the Needham Public Schools community, including… Read More »CNS Statement on Racism and Equity