LYNN — The three incumbents on the Lynn School Committee went 1-2-3 in the balloting in Tuesday night’s election, with Donna Coppola topping the ticket with 6,247 votes.
Second to Coppola was former school teacher Lorraine Gately, with 5,514 and Brian Castellanos (5,469).
Lennin “Lenny” Pena was fourth, with 4,185 votes, Eric Dugan fifth (4,064) and Tiffany Magnolia (3,673) sixth.
Others running were Sandra Lopez, Daniel Richard, and PoSan Ung.
The three new members will replace John Ford, who retired; and Michael Satterwhite and Jared Nicholson, both of whom ran for mayor (with Nicholson winning).
The new committee will have some serious issues to tackle. Both Dugan and Pena said overcrowding in the schools was the top issue to tackle.
“We really have to take a look at overcrowding,” said Dugan, who is a Danvers elementary school teacher and a coach in the system, and who has children in the Lynn Public Schools. “I think the overcrowding really gets in the way of education.”
“Absolutely overcrowding in the buildings is the biggest issue,” said Pena, a graduate of Lynn Public Schools. “We have to reach out to other cities in our area to see how they’ve managed to build multiple schools the way they have. And with a mayor who has been on the committee, I hope we can find a collaborative way to do this.”
Magnolia went in a different direction.
“I think it’s understanding the money we have now and how to be strategic in using it,” she said. “Public schools have been underfunded for so long that without responsible stewardship of this money it can be made to feel like it’s a drop in the bucket”
Coppola said she was humbled to be the top vote-getter.
“I work hard, and I think my votes reflect on what I do,” she said. “I totally appreciate the vote that (the voters) have given me every time. I’m also excited for the three new members and for fresh ideas. It’s a great time. It’s going to be good for the whole system.”
