Involvement in the Needham Community
Kim Marie and her husband, Cliff Hayden, have lived in Needham for seventeen years. They chose Needham in large part because of the reputation of the school system and the character of the community with its strong sense of civic pride. She has been very involved in a variety of community activities.
She became an active volunteer at the Hillside Elementary School when her oldest daughter entered Kindergarten in 2002 and served as the secretary for the Hillside Parent Teachers Council (PTC) ever since. She developed the curriculum for the Program on Disabilities – Hearing Loss Unit and has presented it to every second grade classroom for the past eight years.
Kim Marie has been a Town Meeting Member for Precinct B since 2003, a member of Citizens for Needham Schools, and a school liaison for the Special Education Parent Advisory Council. She was a co-chair on the High Rock Operations Override and an active volunteer with the Newman Renovation Override.
In the Town of Needham, Kim Marie has performed in three productions of the Needham Community Theatre. She has been the American Sign Language interpreter for several Martin Luther King, Jr. Day observances and is registered as an interpreter volunteer to the Needham Health Department’s Medical Reserve Corps. She has enjoyed attending fundraising events for the Needham Historical Society, Needham Free Public Library, and the renovation of Needham Town Hall. Kim Marie is very proud of her daughters’ accomplishments, cheering for them on Needham’s playing fields and attending all their musical concerts. With her family, she worships at Redeemer Community Church in Needham.
Educational Background
Kim Marie received an exceptional public school education from the Hamilton-Wenham Regional School District, and benefited from their Youth Challenge Program which steered her into a lifelong career in the Deafness field. She went on to higher education, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education from Northeastern University in 1980, a Master of Social Work from Boston College in 1986, and a Master of Educational Administration and Supervision from the National Leadership Training Program at California State University at Northridge in 1987.
Additional Training
In the fall of 2006, Kim Marie participated in the Citizen’s Legislative Seminar offered by the Massachusetts State Legislature. She also attended The Labor Guild for several years and her coursework included Labor Relations, Contract Negotiations, and Labor Laws.
Professional Experience
Kim Marie has extensive experience in human services and educational programs working with individuals with hearing loss. She is currently employed as an Associate at Hearing Care Center in Sharon, MA. For five years, she was employed as a School Counselor for the EDCO Collaborative Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program at the F.A. Day Middle School in Newton. Previously, she worked for thirteen years at the Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing as a Case Manager. In that position, Kim Marie served as an advisor to numerous public and private agencies, including the Department of Education’s Massachusetts Transition Initiative Advisory Committee. She was also the Chief Union Steward, Chapter Vice President, and Joint Executive Board Member of Local 509, SEIU. Kim Marie received the Pride in Performance Award from former Governor Weld in 1989.
Personal Information
Kim Marie has been married to Cliff Hayden, a Software Engineer at IBM, for 18 ½ years, and they have two daughters enrolled in Needham Public Schools, Parlee and Jenny. She is fluent in American Sign Language.