Marblehead school board hopefuls state positions at forum

Only two of the three candidates for School Committee voiced support for the Glover School project at Monday night?s League of Women Voters candidates? night. There are two seats available in the May 9 town election.This year?s revised and down-scaled plan for a new $25.8 million Glover School will come before the voters at Town Meeting next week and is also required to face a debt exclusion override in June if Town Meeting approves it. Last year plans for a $28.8 million new school were overwhelmingly approved by Town Meeting but narrowly defeated in an override vote.Incumbent School Committee member Dick Nohelty and Suffolk University English Professor Thomas Connolly both said they support the proposal.?There?s been a lot of heavy lifting,” Nohelty said, referring to the cost-paring on the project since last year.Connolly said he favored the new school because it was “needed.”Professional business appraiser Barton Hyte, who later told the crowd, “Education is about children. Period,” said “This is not a yes or no question. The only way to complete our Master (School) Plan is through (overrides). The question is can we afford it and that?s up to the will of the people.”Hyte and Connolly both said they want to bring transparency and openness back to the School Committee. Hyte, an auctioneer who works for charitable causes, said he has raised $200,000 for local education and Connolly referred to his experience at the State House working with the House Ways and Means Committee, which compiles the state budget.In response to another question about ethics, Nohelty said he recused himself on budget line-item votes and other matters affecting his wife, Tammy, a teacher.On the role of the School Committee, Hyte named the chapter and section of state law that states the committee?s role, Connolly said the committee is a “check and balance” to the superintendent and Nohelty, who is seeking his second three-year term on the board, listed the responsibilities: “hire and terminate the superintendent, approve the budget and create policy.”On setting priorities for incoming Superintendent of Schools Greg Maass, Connolly reiterated his campaign pledge to operate “jargon-free” meetings and a cooperative administration, Nohelty listed “keeping within the budget” and “improving education” and Hyte said he could help Maass familiarize himself with state law.Candidates were asked about graduation requirements, a reference to committee member Jonathan Lederman?s recent proposal to change graduation requirements, which is now being studied by high school teachers and department heads. Lederman, who did not attend the candidates? night, was not mentioned by name.Hyte said the proposed change “did not follow protocol.”Connolly said he did not understand the proposal. “Eighty-five percent of Marblehead High graduates go to their first- or second-choice colleges,” he said. “Why do we need a change?”Nohelty pointed out that the proposal was put forth as policy but was not accepted as policy. “I think it was a scheduling issue rather than a graduation issue,” he said.