Capital Strategic Solutions is proud to welcome Ed Gotgart to our team. Ed’s expertise in education across a myriad of school systems and positions makes him especially adept at managing operations for both the long and short term. Ed’s experience across the commonwealth has given him the ability to analyze complex systems and build data driven solutions. As an expert administrator in education, Ed can handle the hefty responsibility associated with managing school districts, combining his experience working in the classroom with his ability to work with municipalities. Ed’s innate curiosity has fueled the growth of his expertise in multiple areas, as he has earned degrees in several fields from Government and Urban Studies to Educational Leadership and Administration. We at CSS are ecstatic to bring his expertise to our clients and welcome him to the team.
While Ed has worked in a myriad of capacities across the commonwealth, a substantial part of his career was spent in Framingham as the Chief Operating Officer / Acting Superintendent. Within this role Ed was responsible for everything associated with the schools, from the building and grounds to the technology and food services. In working for a public entity, Ed was able to mobilize his expertise in working within municipal governments. In many communities the school system is often the largest line item on the budget and affects not only a large portion of current residents, but is oftentimes the deciding factor for potential residents. His understanding of the gravity of this accountability guides Ed through important decisions for managing a school’s operations and financial resources. As a Chief Operating Officer for Framingham Public Schools, Ed worked with the town and it’s many committees on allocation and management of school resources and budget. This experience within and in conjunction with municipal government has given Ed a unique perspective, not only for schools, but for municipal entities in general. This role for the then Town of Framingham is a true case study of Ed’s expertise, as he also succeeded in managing long term infrastructure projects
I am delighted to join the talented team of professionals at Capital Strategic Solutions and to offer my many years of experience as an educator to the team. Schools are an integral part of any community and have a significant impact not only the municipal budget, but also on the very quality of life within a community. I look forward to providing that important educational perspective to the work we do for our clients.
The largest project from Ed’s time in Framingham was the building of a new middle school. As Chief Operations Officer, Ed kept a watchful eye on school resources, assessing that the middle school was unable to successfully meet the needs of the students and staff. Ed used his foresight and planning skills to bring people into the project by showing them the need. Early on Ed gave a tour of the school and its condition, inviting town leadership, department heads, and invested community members to take a hands on look at the building and it’s condition. This small step early in the process proved a massive success as community members were able to see for themselves the need for this project. Ed understands that it is one thing to tell your community of infrastructure needs, but it is far more effective to show the need as this builds trust and enhances transparency of the project. This tour not only broke through the silos that oftentimes restrict progress, but it also gave an in depth assessment, so as to educate members of the community. This empowered community members to recognize a productive solution from an unfit solution. This marked the beginning of consistent and honest community outreach that sought to engage the community by empowering them with information. From concept to completion this project took over 10 years, but the effort to involve community stakeholders at every step of the process ensured that this was a collaborative project. In the end, the multitude of voices included ensured that the result wasn’t just a school that met academic needs, but a community resource that could improve connection.
Ed’s curiosity has allowed him to amass a great wealth of knowledge, which reinforces his field of study. His background in Urban Studies and Demography more specifically ensures the use of accurate data to guide decisions. Ed’s experience in collecting and analyzing demographic data has served many communities in better understanding their needs. No school district is static, and the changes in population trends, can shape the response to the question ‘what do the schools need’. Demography can fuel data driven solutions and gives much needed parameters to long term planning. Across his career, as the Assistant Executive Director of the New England School Development Council and within similar roles, Ed conducted over 20 demographic studies for communities to understand increasing or decreasing enrollment, to see if it constituted a long- or short-term pattern. This experience collecting and analyzing demographic changes fuels his ability to craft data driven solutions that reflect the community as it is.
Ed will be an excellent addition to our team at CSS and we are incredibly excited to have him join us. A talented, highly skilled and qualified Educator and Leader, Ed brings with him decades of experience managing public school resources and finances. Having collaborated and worked with Ed for many years, I am thrilled to have an opportunity to join forces with him again and excited that he will be able to share his valuable experience, wisdom and expertise with our clients.
Ed’s natural curiosity has driven him to continue his education at many points in his career. Ed has his bachelor’s in government from Harvard, where he also obtained his Master of Education in Administration, Planning and Social Policy. Ed also has a Master of Educational Leadership from Boston University and a Master of Arts in Urban Studies from Yale University’s Graduate School of Architecture. This expanse of academic knowledge, coupled with his hands on experience in the field has allowed Ed to look at a project with many different lenses, giving him incredibly nuanced insight into a project’s factors and limitations.
Time and time again Ed has exemplified dedication to excellence. His ability to create a collaborative space in the beginning of a project and maintain it through completion ensures an inclusive work environment where the end result has the vested interests of the entire community. Ed is able to view schools and their operations as a community resource, rather than a separate entity operating in its own silo. This skill in collaboration has been able to convert project skeptics into advocates by empowering them with transparent information. Ed’s foresight in planning also uses data as the first step towards building a solution and makes that data an instrumental part of the project narrative. His ability to craft thoughtful plans that are both driven by data and community input leads to projects that experience a multifaceted success and build a sustaining trust with the community. Ed’s set of skills is truly unique and has the potential to provide much needed assistance to communities in need. It is with great excitement we welcome Ed to the team.