Mantoni to run for open School Committee seat at election

April 5, 2018 | Payton North
payton@thereminder.com

Resident Susan Mantoni is running for School Committee at this year’s Town Election.
Reminder Publications submitted photo.

EAST LONGMEADOW –  Longtime East Longmeadow resident Susan Mantoni is vying for the open seat on the School Committee at this year’s town election in the hopes that residents will see her efforts working with the schools over the years as an asset to the community.

Mantoni grew up in East Longmeadow, graduated from East Longmeadow High School (ELHS) in 1994, and is now, along with her husband, raising three children and putting them through the East Longmeadow Public Schools.  One of her children is in second grade at Meadow Brook Elementary School, one in sixth grade at Birchland Park Middle School and the other in eighth grade at Birchland.

She shared, “My husband and I value the education that our children have had the privilege of receiving from East Longmeadow Schools so far.”

Following her graduation of ELHS she attended Western New England College, now known as Western New England University.  Mantoni obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Spanish.

“My occupational career has entailed field work as a private investigator, however once I got married and decided to have children I felt an adjustment needed to be made so I transitioned into the insurance industry as a Senior Claims Examiner for individual disability income policyholders,” Mantoni explained.

Once Mantoni had her third child, she decided to put her career on hold so that she could be around her children more while simultaneously volunteering her time to the community. She has participated in both Meadow Brook, Mountain View’s and Birchland Park’s Parent Teacher Organizations (PTO) in various capacities over the last nine years, with numerous terms as President.  Additionally, she’s been a member of the School Council at Mountain View and Birchland Park over the last three years.

“While serving on these committees I took the lead in the revitalization of the Meadow Brook School sign and created a safer courtyard where teachers are now able to have outdoor classrooms and enjoy their lunch during lunchtime, stocked Meadow Brook School with emergency go-to buckets for crisis situations, initiated the change to Meadow Brook School’s car line system, worked with the Meadow Brook School’s Reading Coach to establish the literacy closet, was instrumental in developing Mountain Views playground project along with Kelly Robinson,” she explained.  “I continue to put in countless hours volunteering at our schools for various needs. For example, the VEX Robotic’s Program at Mountain View School, field day, book fairs, staff appreciation luncheons.”

In addition, Mantoni has attended each School Committee from the start of the New Year, except for one.

Though very active in the community and at home, Mantoni still has time to work part-time at Gomes, DaCruz and Tracy PC as a tax preparer and bookkeeper. Moreover, she’s studying for her Enrolled Agents license and is hoping to receive it by the end of the year.

While it m­ay appear Mantoni has her hands full with volunteering, she’s decided to run for School Committee as she gets a great deal of enjoyment out of working with the people in the community.

“I feel that I am a suitable candidate as I am a life-long resident of East Longmeadow who went to East Longmeadow Schools, an actively involved parent, and taxpayer in this community,” she continued. “As a taxpayer, I make every effort to know where and how money is being spent in this town.  As a school committee member, it will be my duty to find that balance between providing a solid education for our students while being fiscally responsible.”

Mantoni shared that she is aware of what her responsibilities will be as a School Committee member, and isn’t afraid to share that she has concerns about how certain situations in town have been handled.

“I have no problem contacting Mr. Smith to discuss. I believe my life experiences with being an investigator as well as history with negotiations would be a valuable asset in achieving these responsibilities,” Mantoni explained.

As far as School Committee related concerns that she’d like to address, Mantoni mentioned the need for a new high school, the Chromebook one-to-one program, communication with families from the district as well as the unfortunate realities of drug use within the schools.

Of the high school, she noted that she hopes the town receives the approval from the Massachusetts School Building Authority and then, “educates the town on this topic so they can make a decision that is in the best interest of the students and community of East Longmeadow.”

Previously reported by Reminder Publications, the School Committee was given a presentation by IT Director Ryan Quimby, East Longmeadow High School Principal Gina Flanagan, Birchland Park Middle School Principal Timothy Allen and Mountain View Elementary School Principal Elaine Santaniello about the integration of technology into the classroom. This includes the one-to-one program, which consists of school-issued Chromebook laptops given to each student for the school year from grades three to 12.  To read more on this topic, go here.. Mantoni expressed that this is something that needs to be examined further.

“Discussions need to continue to take place regarding need versus convenience and whether it is necessary to implement this project at an elementary level.  This is a very large operational expenditure so discussions also need to take place on whether this is something that should be done in phases versus lump sum,” Mantoni stated.

Concerning communication, Mantoni explained that though there are five separate schools in the district, she’d like to see more communication district-wide as opposed to individual school communication.

“It is important for our schools to be on the same page when it comes to highly sensitive situations such as safety. We are one community and though we have five schools within it, there are certain situations, which warrant continuity,” Mantoni said. “It would be nice to occasionally hear about what the other schools are doing in the community such as the recent outreach project at Mountain View School, which invited the East Longmeadow Police Department to have breakfast with them, Birchland Park Middle School had a school-wide dance to celebrate Alex Blais and raise funds for the Blais Family, et cetera.”

Finally, an additional concern for Mantoni that she hoped to work on with the School Committee is in regard to substance abuse within the school system.

“I am aware and have heard from people there is a concern about drug, alcohol, tobacco use within the schools, which it is unfortunate and I’d like to think it wouldn’t happen, but it does,” she said. “We need to continue to support the work of our school safety committee and I look forward to exploring what more we can do.”

If you would like to meet and chat with Mantoni about her plans should she be elected to the East Longmeadow School Committee, she will be hosting a meet and greet on April 11 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Center Square Grille at 84 Center Square. Hors d’oeuvres will be served; there will be a coffee station as well as a cash bar.  Mantoni noted she hopes to see new faces as well as her supporters.

On May 1 the town of East Longmeadow will have their preliminary election.  The two individuals with the most votes out of the preliminaries will then move on to the annual general election on June 5.

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