For longtime Lynnfield resident Jenny Sheehan, running to serve on the School Committee for a one-year term was not something she expected when she began advocating for smaller kindergarten class sizes almost a year ago.
“As I started getting more involved in the operational process of the School Committee, it became apparent that there were many gaps in communication, transparency, and procedural operations of the Board,” Sheehan told The Item. “This has come up over the past year around policy review, budget presentations, channels of communication, and more. I am a “doer” and the kind of person who likes to get involved to be part of a solution, so I’m excited at the opportunity to join the School Committee and help us pave a better way forward.”
Sheehan has been an active part of the group of parents who have expressed their anger and disappointment with the School Committee in the last few months. Hence, she is aware of the criticism and pressure the board can face occasionally.
“I understand the position of a School Committee Member is a public office and mostly a thankless job for volunteers,” Sheehan said. “I also understand that no matter which decision you make, not everyone is going to agree with you all the time, and sometimes there are no right answers. However, transparency, communication, and accountability go a long way. I would focus my efforts on reaching outcomes that are data-driven and informed through collaboration with the key stakeholders.”
Sheehan owns a btone FITNESS franchise located in Middleton and is a parent to three students enrolled in the Lynnfield Public Schools. She is a member of the Summer Street School’s PTO board and co-president of the Bethlehem Pre-School PTO. If she gets elected as a member of the School Committee, Sheehan plans on focusing on special education, budget transparency, and better collaboration with teachers and parents.
“Special education is still a mess and vastly understaffed,” she said. “We have real constraints to work through around hiring, but the most vulnerable children’s needs are going unmet, and we must do better. The budget has been lacking transparency, and it’s now becoming clear that money has been shifted away from the original plans that the town approves. There’s no better example of this than when a Kindergarten class was dropped at Summer Street despite being in the budget approved by the town, which in turn caused class sizes to breach district policy.”
As the School Committee faces challenges ahead, Sheehan felt it was important to step up.
“I want the Lynnfield community to know that I’m fully invested in this district,” Sheehan said. “I am not a politician, nor do I have any political ambitions, but I care a lot about our teachers and our students. I have three young students of my own, just starting in this district, so I’m here for the long haul. I have formed strong relationships with teachers and administrators, and they see me as a person they can trust. I believe this is paramount to changing the current climate of the district.”
