NORTHAMPTON – With Northampton’s municipal election less than a month away, candidates for the Trustees of Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School answered questions about the race and what their goals are.

In the race incumbents Michael Cahillane, John Cotton and Thomas FitzGerald are squaring off with three newcomers in Richard Aquadro, Thomas Pease, and Julie Spencer-Robinson.

Reminder Publishing: What made you want to run for the Trustees at Smith Vocational?

Aquadro: I have been actively involved with the Carpentry Shop Advisory Board for over 20 years and am its shop representative to the General Advisory Committee.  I would like to get more involved with the school’s mission toward  excellence in the vocational/agricultural/educational programs.      

Cahillane: I have served as a trustee for 12 years. I attended SVAHS in the Collision Repair Department and stayed involved since 1964. I have seen the improvements and success in the school.

FitzGerald: I initially ran for the position of trustee after a former superintendent, with the approval of several incumbent trustees, decided to close the school farm: clearly, there was an ulterior motive involved, given that Smith is an “agricultural” school. Fortunately, grassroots opposition, where I played a major role as a lifelong neighbor, derailed this outrageous scheme: I then realized that a principled, dedicated and rational voice was needed to insulate and guard the school, its students and its irreplaceable land from petty politics, personal agendas or simply bad ideas.

Pease: I am a 1965 graduate from the auto body department there. After 40 years of business in Florence, I founded 1812 Paint and Body, and my boys have taken over the mechanical and body shop and I work for them, so I have a little bit of free time. I also just finished eight years as a commander at the VFW in Florence, which involved a lot of community service so I think I am up to the challenge of helping out the community plus my 40 years of experience in the trade, so it was time for me to step up and see how I can help the school out. I have a number of ideas and some incentive programs that I can bring to the table, so I am looking forward to helping out the school.

Spencer-Robinson: Two of my children have attended Smith Vocational, and it changed the trajectories of their lives. I also represented the Smith Vocational educators when I was the Northampton teacher's union president. In both roles I had many opportunities to be on campus, and I was so impressed by the dedication and effectiveness of the vocational and academic teachers, as well as the vision and commitment of the current administrators. Smith Vocational has always been a high-quality alternative for students who do not want a traditional academic high school, and I saw how important it was to many of my middle school students when I taught in Northampton. I am running so that I can actively support the excellent educational work being done, and to participate in creating the vision for what our local vocational school should look like in the next decade. 
    
RP: Are there any particular interests or issues you would like to tackle if you are elected and what are you hoping to accomplish?

Aquadro: If elected, I “plan” to accomplish the following:
• That all programs are staffed with the appropriate number of certified instructors to insure that all students receive the vocational and educational training to succeed in today’s business environment.
• Continue and expand co-op work opportunities with local businesses by active outreach.  Being currently involved with the GAC this will require helping students get driver’s licenses and a vehicle. This issue was discussed at the last GAC meeting on Sept. 22.  
• Continue updating existing facilities with modern equipment and state of the art technology.  
• Investigate the potential/need for adding an Information Technology program.  Other vocational schools within the commonwealth have an IT program.  
• Working with the school and city administration to petition/lobby the state school building authority for appropriate/additional funding for renovations and a “new” building. As a contractor, Aquadro & Cerruti Inc, in the 80s, performed renovations and additions at Putnam Vocational High School in Springfield. Some years ago, that facility was replaced by a brand-new state-of-the-art facility with all the latest equipment and technology. During that entire time period, no major renovations or new building has occurred at SVAHS.  For clarification, equipment and technology has been updated at SVAHS.
• As a commercial general contractor/construction management company for 90 years, me personally for over 30 years, through the years the company had the pleasure with working with many tradespeople that graduated from the SVAHS program.  I have experienced first hand the “value” of a SVAHS education.

Cahillane: As the chairperson I work with the administration to bring my leadership skills as a former business owner. I help oversee an $11 million budget and to review the equipment purchases to give each department the most modern training for each student to be able to go out on our co-op program and the knowledge to preform correctly.

FitzGerald: As trustee I hope to maintain vigilance over the school’s welfare, as I have over my 16 years of service, and work tirelessly to keep the school updated, relevant, and welcoming to all.  Keeping the school independent is vitally important: a persistent “urban legend” holds that Smith is a drain on the City of Northampton when, in fact, the opposite is true: Tuition paying students from some 58 towns, comprise 80 percent of our enrollment and contribute the lion’s share of our budget. Some buildings, over 40 years old, need to be replaced, and I've already begun developing plans to secure the necessary sponsorships and funding, a process requiring experience, dedication, and continuity: This will be a top priority.

I am especially interested in strengthening and enhancing our successful educational model, placing increased emphasis on newer green technologies; expanding outreach and learning opportunities to the community at-large, and protecting and maximizing use of our forest, open space, and farmland.  I would like to see the adoption of additional areas of study, such as environmental science, equine and companion animal programs, increased adult education offerings, and more summer and weekend programs geared toward middle schoolers. Perhaps we could even establish a vacation day-camp for grade schoolers, a group always intrigued with our farm animals and the wild creatures that share our land.

Pease: I want to look at the budget and I would like to hear what all the departments want and need for the departments to make it better so maybe we can go out and secure some more funding for the school first and foremost. Then I want to hear from the faculty and what their problems are with student retention or getting the best of the best out there to come to Smith School.

Spencer-Robinson: I’ll advocate for the trustees’ meetings to be video recorded and broadcast so that residents of Northampton and the sending communities, as well as school employees, can easily learn about the issues that are being discussed and acted upon by the trustees. I will welcome opportunities to partner with area school districts on strategic plans to recruit and hire staff members of color. As school enrollment declines in our region, I want to work collaboratively with the dozens of sending districts to ensure that Smith Vocational remains a viable option for their students who choose it. And on a grand scale, I will continuously seek out the resources necessary to provide a high-quality vocational education to every student enrolled.

I hope to elevate the visibility of the school, support efforts to increase access to its valuable vocational offerings, increase the transparency of trustees’ work, and diversify the educator workforce.

RP: Why should residents vote for you?

Aquadro: Residents should vote for Richard Aquadro because the boards I have been on/am on, I contribute by being a worker amongst workers and get things done. I am not a passive board member. I will be involved and actively contribute to maintaining and evolving the excellence/reputation of SVAHS.

Cahillane: Experience. I am proud to serve in this role. My father always said a person who rolls up their sleeves will never lose their shirt. I plan on being around to help guide and assist the end user the student to succeed.

FitzGerald: I am running for re-election to continue working solely for the betterment of Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School and the success of our students. My efforts on behalf of the school are truly a labor of love, attested by 16 years of careful stewardship, prudent oversight and imaginative problem-solving. I respectfully ask everyone who cares about the school, it is students and its future to help me to continue this task by validating my service with their vote.

Pease: I’m a lifelong resident except for my early years, I was from Amherst. I went to Florence grammar school; I went to Holly Junior High School and then on to Smith School. I headed up a lot of functions there, I was on the drill team, I was my class president for three years, and I devoted a lot of extra time after school. I was drafted and served a year in Vietnam so as a veteran I bring that to the table, I have seen the good and the bad. As a resident I have seen the community grow and as a graduate from Smith School I felt it is time now after these many years of experience to go ahead and give them a hand.

Spencer-Robinson: Northampton residents should vote for me because, as a parent, I have current experience with the education being provided to our children at Smith Vocational. I serve on the Culinary Arts Advisory Council, I am active in the school’s PTO, and I was recently appointed to the statewide Vocational Technical Education Advisory Council. I also have a complete understanding of how schools work from my years of practice as a teacher and educational leader. Finally, I am currently studying educational policy at UMass Amherst, which means that I am already fluent in the complex regulations mandated by state and federal education law. I think these qualities would make me a valuable asset to the Board of Trustees.

Incumbent John Cotton submitted his response as a letter to the editor.