School Committee candidates talk about the district’s most pressing issues

Oct. 29, 2019 | Sarah Heinonen
sarah@thereminder.com

WEST SPRINGFIELD – Election Day is nearly here for West Springfield. Reminder Publishing asked the school committee candidates, “What are the most pressing issues facing the school district and how do you plan to address them?” Their answers are below in no particular order.

Nancy M. Farrell

The school population in West Springfield is increasing. This causes a need for additional space and teachers. As School Committee members, we need to develop a long term plan to address this important issue. The per pupil expenditure in West Springfield is the lowest of the 7 collaborative school districts. The School Committee needs to work with state legislatures, the mayor and Town Council to increase funding for our schools.

As a committee, we will continue to address the social-emotional, behavioral, academic and language needs of all students.

I have found great joy when our community has come together to achieve a common goal – whether it was building the beautiful new high school or embarking on the Colburn school project. There has been no greater pride than being part of these important efforts to improve the quality of our public schools.

Over the past 16 years on school committee, I’ve seen the successes that we can have when we work together for the betterment of the students. That is what I hope to do as I seek re-election. I will work with my fellow School Committee members to advocate for additional funding for our growing school population. Over the next two years, I will work every day to ensure the highest academic achievements are possible for all of our children.

William P. Garvey

I am completing my first term on the West Springfield School Committee. I have been a member since January 2018.

Two of the most important issues facing WSPS are funding and space.

West Springfield has the lowest per pupil spending in the area. Faculty and staff do amazing work with our students, but we need to increase financial support if we are to continue to improve our student outcomes and meet the needs of all of our students. I am hopeful that the Student Opportunity Act will pass, which will increase the chapter 70 funds the district receives. This alone will not get us to where we need to be. We have to increase our local contribution for education as well.

The new Coburn School which was recently approved and sorely needed should be on line for 2022. While this is great news for the district and specifically for the Coburn School community, we have overcrowding issues at other schools. We have four modular classrooms being added to Tatham. This will alleviate overcrowding there but we will begin to run up against issues of inadequate core facilities if we continue to solve our overcrowding with modular classrooms.

My long term vision for the district would be to see us move towards an accountability system driven by local accountability measures rather than those of the state. I would also like to see more art and music opportunities especially at the elementary level. More generally, I would like to see us develop more effective ways to meet the needs of all of our students. Whether that be wrap around services at our schools, increased counseling services, gifted and talented programs, or expanded extra-curriculars. I believe the way to get there is to establish more opportunities for dialog and engagement within the community.

Colleen Marcus

I have been a member of the WS School Committee for two years, however, prior to that I was an educator for 35 years, with 27 of those years being in West Springfield.

The West Springfield School district is the only district in the area where the student population continues to grow and the per pupil expenditure does not keep pace. All of us on the school committee are committed to ensuring there is sufficient space in all of ours schools to accommodate our growing needs.

We are in the process of having a population growth study completed and will create a long-term plan to provide high quality educational settings for all of our students. As a school committee member and former West Springfield educator, I am extremely proud of the quality of education provided in the West Springfield Schools, however, as the district with the lowest per pupil expenditure in the area, I know we can and must do better for our students and teachers. This involves the school committee working hand in hand with the mayor and the Town Council, as well as our state legislatures, to increase school funding.

Finally, as a committee we will continue to work to expand inclusion across the district, both for students with disabilities as well as English Learners, address the social, emotional and academic needs of all of our students, create strong educational partnerships with our parents and families, and most importantly, provide the best education for each and every student in the West Springfield Schools.

I am extremely proud to be a member of the West Springfield School Committee. As a committee, we are all passionate about our students, teachers, families and schools. It is my belief that we are a very strong team and together we will ensure that, with increased funding and quality facilities, the West Springfield Schools will be the best schools in Western Massachusetts!

Jennifer Marcus

We’re in a position where we have six seats and six candidates. We decided to donate, instead of spending on a campaign, we donated to West Springfield Partnership for Education.

I will be one of a few school committee members who children who will be coming up in the school system. My husband’s family is from West Springfield and we bought a house here about five years ago.

I want the best for all of our students. I’m interested in seeing what they need and what I can do.

 School committee candidates Kathleen A. Alevras, and Patricia A. Garbacik did not respond with their comments by press time.

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