LONGMEADOW – There are three open school committee seats coming up for grabs at Longmeadow’s June 16 election, and the three seats are for three-year terms.

Three candidates have thrown their hats in the ring for the school committee: Gianna Allentuck, Nicole Choiniere and Kevin Shea. While the race is not contested, Reminder Publishing reached out to the three candidates to discuss their backgrounds, their decisions to run for the committee, and what they feel the most important issues are in Longmeadow in regard to the school district.

Reminder Publishing (RP): Please provide a brief history of your background and experience and how it relates to a position on the school committee.

Gianna Allentuck: As a parent, educator, and community volunteer, I believe in education as the foundation for life and have dedicated my personal and professional service to children and education. In all my roles, I am positive, collaborative, and dedicated to the advocacy of education and the service of others; and have carried this dedication to my service on the Longmeadow School Committee. As a sitting school committee member, I am the Williams Middle School and Special Education Alliance of Longmeadow (SEAL) representatives, and a member of the Curriculum Subcommittee.

For 13 years, I have lived in Longmeadow with my husband Lee and two school-age children Sontino and Cecelia. I am a parent and former soccer/basketball coach in Longmeadow; a leader and Adjustment Counselor for a Springfield public school; an active education advocate and community volunteer; and president of a local non-profit providing programs and activities for underprivileged youth. I also am a member of the Hampden County Honorary Deputy Sheriff program, a model of service to others.

As the daughter of two outstanding veteran educators – Jack (1938 - 2013) and Natalie Pedace – I attribute my successful relationships and collaborations in all my roles to the inspirations and blessings of wisdom and guidance bestowed upon me by my own family and friends; my principal and colleagues; and my community partners, leaders, and mentors in Springfield and Longmeadow.

Nicole Choiniere: I am a high school history teacher in West Springfield and the mother of three. My oldest daughter just graduated from LHS, my son is starting his freshman year at LHS in the fall, and my youngest daughter is a rising eighth grader at Williams Middle School. My husband Wayne is a high school English teacher.

The quality of the public schools was one of the biggest draws of the town for us. We moved to Longmeadow with our children because we loved the family-centered culture and sense of community here. Since we arrived seven years ago, I have been working with our schools in a variety of ways. When my children were younger, I was a volunteer with the PTO in the Center School library, and I later became the parent volunteer coordinator for the school library. For the past two years, I have served on the board of directors for the Longmeadow Educational Excellence Foundation, working with the committee to raise funds and review grants for projects that provided enriching educational opportunities for our students. I have been involved with schools as a parent, volunteer, and teacher. These experiences will help inform my work on the school committee.

Kevin Shea: My service on the school committee started last year when I was first appointed and then elected for a one year position. I feel fortunate to have been able to serve the town in this capacity.

I am presently a professor of Chemistry at Smith College where I have been a faculty member since 2000. I am passionate about teaching and was awarded Smith’s Faculty Teaching Award. I have pursued research with more than 60 undergraduate co-workers and have published in several scientific journals. I have also conducted scholarship on teaching and learning resulting in publications in the Journal of Chemical Education. My service commitments at Smith have spanned a variety of faculty committees at both the department and college levels.

I have sought out leadership roles across the college including chairing my department, the Center for Teaching and Learning, and my present role as faculty director of the Science Center. I believe in leading as a partner which involves listening carefully to everyone I work with: faculty, staff, and students. I lead by example and work toward consensus. When consensus isn’t possible and hard decisions must be made, I focus on relevant data and aim to be student-centered in my thinking.

My service to the town has centered on my involvement in the Longmeadow Softball Association as a coach, a board member, and currently as president. Coaching my daughter from 2nd through 8th grades was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.

RP: Why did you decide to run – or run again – for the school committee?

Allentuck: I am motivated by serving our students, schools, and community with positive and purposeful leadership; and am grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with and learn from insightful and impassioned students, families, educators, administrators, and citizens - along with knowledgeable and dedicated committee colleagues - in considering and resolving issues, and in recognizing and celebrating successes.

I am focused on fostering positivity, connectivity and productivity; supporting collaboration, communication and evidence-based decision-making; and engaging with residents regarding how the work of the Committee supports our town – and especially our children. I feel Longmeadow residents deserve a school committee that considers and responds to the voice of the people and interest of the community by deliberating and making fact-based decisions. As an active school leader, respected team member, and experienced school counselor, I strive for this balance daily in dealing with complex issues and situations - often involving differing perspectives and a need for compromise in effecting resolution. I am particularly proud of my contributions in facilitating, questioning, offering purposeful feedback, establishing balance, and raising awareness for important issues to - and celebrating the achievements of - our students, educators, and schools.

I want to continue serving because I feel I am – in collaboration with the other committee members and involved stakeholders, especially parents – contributing to positive and purposeful discussion and decision-making in support of our students, schools, and town. And I feel honored and rewarded by - and appreciative of - the opportunity to serve the children and families of Longmeadow.

Choiniere: Public service is important to me, and public schools depend on it. I’ve found it inspiring to see how local parents and families contribute both time and resources to supplement the efforts of our educators and ensure a quality education for our children. I know firsthand how hard our administrators, teachers, and school staff work to keep academic and emotional growth at the heart of our children’s educational experience. Together, these members of the school community make education vivid and meaningful by organizing art exhibits, world music days, theatre performances and workshops, robotics activities, virtual reality experiences, and other interactive educational opportunities. This sense of collaboration, innovation, and encouragement is what makes Longmeadow’s schools one of our greatest resources. Becoming a school committee member is a way for me to contribute to the work that our community does.

Shea: I have enjoyed the past year on the committee. I am continually impressed by our teachers and administrators. Their dedication to the education of the children of Longmeadow is inspiring. I have come to a much better understanding of how the entire district works and what is needed to fulfill our mission of providing high quality education for all. I look forward to using my enhanced understanding to be an even more effective committee member over the next three years. Working closely with our administrative team, from the superintendent and his leadership team to principals in individual schools, I am convinced that we have an exceptional team to lead Longmeadow through what might be a challenging three years. I look forward to being a part of this team as a member of the school committee.

RP: How do you feel the school district has handled the abrupt switch from learning in the classroom for learning online?

Allentuck: In the face of frequently changing and significant federal, state, and Department of Education guidelines, regulations, and expectations, I feel that the district response to online learning has been thoughtful and strategic and successful in its phasing model. I am especially grateful for the district recognition of the social emotional stressors such as anxiety, depression, and trauma that may accompany the abrupt switch for some children. With a focus on academics and an understanding of social emotional well being, I believe the district has achieved a well-balanced response to online learning.

I also recognize that there are many differing and valuable visions and expectations from students, parents, and families regarding the level of intensity and frequency of online learning - especially live lessons - necessary to maintaining a rigorous academic program. These expectations need to be heard, noted, and integrated into the online learning discussion and planning moving forward; but also balanced with the numerous variables and factors involved with making online learning equal and accessible for all Longmeadow students.

Choiniere: From my perspective as a parent, it seems clear that our administrators and teachers have worked hard to make the transition to remote learning successful for students and families. Communication from the superintendent and building principals has been consistent and clear. Even as they waited on directives from the state, they were proactive rather than reactive. I have seen teachers patiently work with my children when they needed time to acclimate to new routines and expectations. Teachers have also put a lot of effort into meaningful lessons, positive teacher-student interactions, and helpful feedback on student work. Meanwhile, fellow parents have devoted considerable time and resources to help their children keep learning throughout these months. I am proud to be part of a community that has worked together with such clear purpose through an uncertain transition.

Shea: Switching to remote instruction in the middle of the year with minimal preparation time is very challenging. I know how difficult this is because it is what I had to do with my classes at Smith for the second half of the semester. I think that our district has done well working within the guidelines set by the state Department of Education. I know that our administrators have worked tirelessly to empower their teachers to provide the best remote education possible. I also know how hard many of our teachers have been working to stay connected with their students and provide quality instruction on new topics.

Looking toward the future, if we need to implement more remote instruction in the coming academic year, we need to do a better job. We need to provide more synchronous instruction using Zoom, we need to standardize digital tools, and we need to do more to help parents supervise the work of their children. All of this will be possible with more time for professional development for our teachers and continued communication with parents and students.

RP: Aside from the pandemic – what do you feel are the most important issues facing the school district at this time?

Allentuck: Budget and specifically Tax Ceiling Considerations: Though financial/budgetary issues have been ongoing and paramount, now more than ever - with the significant impact of the pandemic on our local, state, and national economies - these issues are critical to the continued success and improvements to our District.

Empathy and Diversity with Social Emotional Learning (SEL): I am proud that the District recognizes SEL learning as integral to success and has made SEL one of the District’s priorities, but I believe in enhanced emphasis on the awareness and application of empathy, especially as relates to finding success in being culturally aware and respectful of diversity.

Middle Schools: Though we currently are not in any physical buildings, once we return, the condition of the two Middle School buildings, and the need for significant repairs and upgrades; and reconstruction or new construction remains high. As well as the need to hear from residents and the community regarding what they feel is best for our children, schools, and town regarding the middle schools.  

Project-Based Learning: The need for more experiential and hands-on learning. Since mid-March, my high school son and several of his peers have been running the Western Massachusetts 3D-Printing Collaborative with the mission of printing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for local frontline heroes. They are applying and developing the Vision of the Graduate competencies; and we need more rigorous, fun, exciting, and engaging learning experiences like these to accommodate the diverse personalities, learning styles, goals, dreams, and skills of all our children.

Choiniere:: It is important to nurture the good work that has been initiated in our schools in a number of areas. For example, we need to continue creating cross-curricular opportunities, providing multiple teaching methods for diverse learning needs, and supporting the social and emotional growth of our students. To realize our vision of the graduate, it’s essential that we keep encouraging collaboration and independence through student-centered learning and focus on the development of critical thinking through skills-based work. This year, we will also be facing a budget situation due to the pandemic, and we will need to work together as a community to figure out the best ways to fund schools and support the needs of our students.

Shea: I feel the three most important issues currently facing Longmeadow are helping prepare all of our students for success upon graduation from LHS, attracting and retaining talented teachers and administrators, and plans for the future of Glenbrook and Williams Middle Schools.

RP: How do you plan to work to address the aforementioned issues over the course of your term?

Allentuck: Budget and specifically Tax Ceiling Considerations: I will review and consider documents relevant to budgets/financials; and will engage in productive conversation and questioning in order to be as informed as possible on these issues.

Empathy: I will use the District goals and SEL objectives to guide my efforts to support the continued planning and implementation of SEL practices, specifically around empathy. I will collaborate with District Administrators and Educators regarding data and evidence for progress or gaps; and will ask questions and have positive productive dialogue regarding how best to support the strengths and resolve the gaps. Data and evidence will include input from students, parents, and families.

Middle Schools: In considering the challenges of our middle schools, I have toured the schools and engaged in evidence-based conversations with District leaders regarding possible scenarios for repair or new construction. I will continue in these dialogues, and will support the encouragement of the people to share individual and collective voices regarding their vision for the middle schools.

Hands-On Learning: The District is making great progress in developing deeper learning and project-based curriculum and opportunities. I will draw from my own community service projects and experiences in offering insight and supporting the District’s progress in offering students an interesting and personally engaging way to learn - from which they will thrive.

Choiniere: Collaboration is important for any successful solution to the issues we face. As I grow into my role as a school committee member, I plan to listen to the needs of our educators and families, learn from them, and then work alongside my fellow committee members and the superintendent.

Shea: Helping prepare all of our students for success upon graduation from LHS: I will bring my perspective as a college educator to all of my interactions on the school committee. I will stress the importance of preparing our students to succeed in a diverse global economy. I will promote student learning through inquiry and collaboration while addressing challenging problems. I will encourage parents to partner with the district to foster the growth of their children.

Attracting and retaining talented teachers and administrators: I will work consistently to support all of our professional educators. I want to help maintain Longmeadow’s reputation for outstanding public education so that we continue to attract families with young children as well as talented teachers and administrators. I plan to accomplish this by working collaboratively with our administrative team to set ambitious goals and then provide the support needed to meet these objectives.

Plans for the future of Glenbrook and Williams Middle Schools: I look forward to joining the ongoing process looking at the future of our middle school buildings. I hope that our application to obtain planning funds from the state is accepted and we can begin a community-wide conversation about the future of middle school education in Longmeadow.

RP: What are your thoughts on how the School Committee is currently running? Is there anything you would work to change if you could?

Allentuck: We have a positive, productive, energetic, smart, and collaborative School Committee. With members savvy in areas such as education, business, law, communication, and operations, we are purposeful and actionable in ensuring the support and resources our administrators and educators need to do their jobs well and to keep our students learning and safe.

Each member of the Committee brings a unique perspective, knowledge base, and skill set in contributing to effective decision-making and problem solving. I think people who have been engaged with SC meetings, discussions, and actions can sense that there is camaraderie that allows for dialogue with feedback and challenge, but done with respectful questions and evidence to support thoughts. I feel members of the Community trust us because they appreciate that we have volunteered to serve and help our students, schools, and town. And I think people have faith that each of us has something a little different or unique to offer to the collective Committee; and that each of our talents lends itself to a wonderfully balanced School Committee.

A friend recently suggested that the School Committee create an automatic reply to incoming emails, so that the sender knows the message has been received. I agree with my friend that people taking the time and energy to communicate with the School Committee should feel acknowledged, and I will work to improve two-way communication on my individual part as a Committee member.

Choiniere: I’m grateful for the people who have already been serving on the School Committee. From what I’ve observed, they work respectfully and methodically to hear each other out, present different opinions, and deliberate thoughtfully to consensus.

Shea: The School Committee is currently running very well. All seven of us work well together. We are comfortable sharing our ideas, listening to other opinions, and collectively making decisions in the best interest of the district. I am confident that we will be able to continue in this collegial atmosphere as we move into a new academic year.

RP: Why should the residents of Longmeadow vote for you?

Allentuck: In my first year of service, I have proven myself to be a dedicated and thoughtful School Committee member, who has offered valuable insight as a parent and educator to the discussions at hand. I am confident if you asked my Committee Colleagues about my Committee participation and community members with whom I have communicated regarding their celebrations and/or concerns, they would tell you that I am compassionate and considerate of the issues and different perspectives; comfortable sharing my thoughts and questions to initiate deeper thinking and dialogue; and encouraging of positive action, communication, and collaboration on behalf of our students and schools.

Also, I am honored that my friends, neighbors, and local educational, civic, and community leaders describe me as a loving parent; humble, positive, encouraging, reflective; serious thought to questions and matters before her; courageous advocate for children; keen listener; willingness to function as a member of a team; definition of engaged citizen and educator; dedicated professional [with an] amazing ability to drive results; informed and experienced voice to the discussions and decision-making process; and at the heart of it all is Gianna’s dedication to doing what is right for Longmeadow.

With my family and friends’ faith in me, my School Committee service, and my professional and personal experience in mind, I am confident that I have the skills necessary to further School Committee efforts in helping Longmeadow Public Schools build upon our foundation of excellence.

Choiniere: I value honesty, work that has purpose, attention to details, and the patience needed to find common ground with those with different views. Voters can be sure that I’ll apply these core values in my school committee work.

Shea: I understand the importance of serving on the School Committee as a representative of all members of the Longmeadow community, and I have a full year of experience serving in this capacity. I am committed to serving with integrity and honesty, doing the work required to be fully informed on the issues, and listening to various constituencies when difficult decisions are at hand. I will also strive to clearly understand the different responsibilities for school committee members versus our school administrators, and I will act to empower our teachers and administrators to continue to help our students achieve at the highest levels.

 RP: Aside from the pandemic – what do you feel are the most important issues facing the school district at this time?

Allentuck: Budget and specifically Tax Ceiling Considerations: Though financial/budgetary issues have been ongoing and paramount, now more than ever - with the significant impact of the pandemic on our local, state, and national economies - these issues are critical to the continued success and improvements to our District.

Empathy and Diversity with Social Emotional Learning (SEL): I am proud that the District recognizes SEL learning as integral to success and has made SEL one of the District’s priorities, but I believe in enhanced emphasis on the awareness and application of empathy, especially as relates to finding success in being culturally aware and respectful of diversity.

Middle Schools: Though we currently are not in any physical buildings, once we return, the condition of the two Middle School buildings, and the need for significant repairs and upgrades; and reconstruction or new construction remains high. As well as the need to hear from residents and the community regarding what they feel is best for our children, schools, and town regarding the middle schools.  

Project-Based Learning: The need for more experiential and hands-on learning. Since mid-March, my high school son and several of his peers have been running the Western Massachusetts 3D-Printing Collaborative with the mission of printing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for local frontline heroes. They are applying and developing the Vision of the Graduate competencies; and we need more rigorous, fun, exciting, and engaging learning experiences like these to accommodate the diverse personalities, learning styles, goals, dreams, and skills of all our children.

Choiniere: It is important to nurture the good work that has been initiated in our schools in a number of areas. For example, we need to continue creating cross-curricular opportunities, providing multiple teaching methods for diverse learning needs, and supporting the social and emotional growth of our students. To realize our vision of the graduate, it’s essential that we keep encouraging collaboration and independence through student-centered learning and focus on the development of critical thinking through skills-based work. This year, we will also be facing a budget situation due to the pandemic, and we will need to work together as a community to figure out the best ways to fund schools and support the needs of our students.

Shea: I feel the three most important issues currently facing Longmeadow are helping prepare all of our students for success upon graduation from LHS, attracting and retaining talented teachers and administrators, and plans for the future of Glenbrook and Williams Middle Schools.

RP: How do you plan to work to address the aforementioned issues over the course of your term?

Allentuck: Budget and specifically Tax Ceiling Considerations: I will review and consider documents relevant to budgets/financials; and will engage in productive conversation and questioning in order to be as informed as possible on these issues.

Empathy: I will use the District goals and SEL objectives to guide my efforts to support the continued planning and implementation of SEL practices, specifically around empathy. I will collaborate with District Administrators and Educators regarding data and evidence for progress or gaps; and will ask questions and have positive productive dialogue regarding how best to support the strengths and resolve the gaps. Data and evidence will include input from students, parents, and families.

Middle Schools: In considering the challenges of our middle schools, I have toured the schools and engaged in evidence-based conversations with District leaders regarding possible scenarios for repair or new construction. I will continue in these dialogues, and will support the encouragement of the people to share individual and collective voices regarding their vision for the middle schools.

 Hands-On Learning: The District is making great progress in developing deeper learning and project-based curriculum and opportunities. I will draw from my own community service projects and experiences in offering insight and supporting the District’s progress in offering students an interesting and personally engaging way to learn - from which they will thrive.

Choiniere: Collaboration is important for any successful solution to the issues we face. As I grow into my role as a school committee member, I plan to listen to the needs of our educators and families, learn from them, and then work alongside my fellow committee members and the superintendent.

Shea: Helping prepare all of our students for success upon graduation from LHS: I will bring my perspective as a college educator to all of my interactions on the school committee. I will stress the importance of preparing our students to succeed in a diverse global economy. I will promote student learning through inquiry and collaboration while addressing challenging problems. I will encourage parents to partner with the district to foster the growth of their children.

Attracting and retaining talented teachers and administrators: I will work consistently to support all of our professional educators. I want to help maintain Longmeadow’s reputation for outstanding public education so that we continue to attract families with young children as well as talented teachers and administrators. I plan to accomplish this by working collaboratively with our administrative team to set ambitious goals and then provide the support needed to meet these objectives.

Plans for the future of Glenbrook and Williams Middle Schools: I look forward to joining the ongoing process looking at the future of our middle school buildings. I hope that our application to obtain planning funds from the state is accepted and we can begin a community-wide conversation about the future of middle school education in Longmeadow.

RP: What are your thoughts on how the School Committee is currently running? Is there anything you would work to change if you could?

Allentuck: We have a positive, productive, energetic, smart, and collaborative School Committee. With members savvy in areas such as education, business, law, communication, and operations, we are purposeful and actionable in ensuring the support and resources our administrators and educators need to do their jobs well and to keep our students learning and safe.

Each member of the Committee brings a unique perspective, knowledge base, and skill set in contributing to effective decision-making and problem solving. I think people who have been engaged with SC meetings, discussions, and actions can sense that there is camaraderie that allows for dialogue with feedback and challenge, but done with respectful questions and evidence to support thoughts. I feel members of the Community trust us because they appreciate that we have volunteered to serve and help our students, schools, and town. And I think people have faith that each of us has something a little different or unique to offer to the collective Committee; and that each of our talents lends itself to a wonderfully balanced School Committee.

A friend recently suggested that the School Committee create an automatic reply to incoming emails, so that the sender knows the message has been received. I agree with my friend that people taking the time and energy to communicate with the School Committee should feel acknowledged, and I will work to improve two-way communication on my individual part as a Committee member.

Choiniere: I’m grateful for the people who have already been serving on the School Committee. From what I’ve observed, they work respectfully and methodically to hear each other out, present different opinions, and deliberate thoughtfully to consensus.

Shea: The School Committee is currently running very well. All seven of us work well together. We are comfortable sharing our ideas, listening to other opinions, and collectively making decisions in the best interest of the district. I am confident that we will be able to continue in this collegial atmosphere as we move into a new academic year.

RP: Why should the residents of Longmeadow vote for you?

Allentuck: In my first year of service, I have proven myself to be a dedicated and thoughtful School Committee member, who has offered valuable insight as a parent and educator to the discussions at hand. I am confident if you asked my Committee Colleagues about my Committee participation and community members with whom I have communicated regarding their celebrations and/or concerns, they would tell you that I am compassionate and considerate of the issues and different perspectives; comfortable sharing my thoughts and questions to initiate deeper thinking and dialogue; and encouraging of positive action, communication, and collaboration on behalf of our students and schools.

Also, I am honored that my friends, neighbors, and local educational, civic, and community leaders describe me as a loving parent; humble, positive, encouraging, reflective; serious thought to questions and matters before her; courageous advocate for children; keen listener; willingness to function as a member of a team; definition of engaged citizen and educator; dedicated professional [with an] amazing ability to drive results; informed and experienced voice to the discussions and decision-making process; and at the heart of it all is Gianna’s dedication to doing what is right for Longmeadow.

With my family and friends’ faith in me, my School Committee service, and my professional and personal experience in mind, I am confident that I have the skills necessary to further School Committee efforts in helping Longmeadow Public Schools build upon our foundation of excellence.

Choiniere: I value honesty, work that has purpose, attention to details, and the patience needed to find common ground with those with different views. Voters can be sure that I’ll apply these core values in my school committee work.

Shea: I understand the importance of serving on the School Committee as a representative of all members of the Longmeadow community, and I have a full year of experience serving in this capacity. I am committed to serving with integrity and honesty, doing the work required to be fully informed on the issues, and listening to various constituencies when difficult decisions are at hand. I will also strive to clearly understand the different responsibilities for school committee members versus our school administrators, and I will act to empower our teachers and administrators to continue to help our students achieve at the highest levels.