SWAMPSCOTT — School Committee Vice-Chair Amy O’Connor has announced her write-in campaign for re-election, and newcomer Miguel Contreras also tossed his hat into the ring.
Amy O’Connor
For O’Connor, she noted that her roots in town run deep, having been in Swampscott for more than 20 years. She’s been involved in school leadership since her kids first joined the district, where she helped serve on the PTA before being elected to the School Committee in 2013.
“I love being on the School Committee, and I’ve always been very committed to it,” O’Connor said.
O’Connor initially missed the filing date to be officially recognized on the ballot for re-election, but instead has opted to do a “write-in” campaign to spread the word about her candidacy and goals for her next term.
She stressed that one of the most important topics at present is the town’s budget. “I think that what’s been most important in my decade on the School Committee has been the intensity of budgeting, how that’s changed over the years, and how we work with people in town to accomplish what we need to,” O’Connor said.
O’Connor explained that this year has been a real “eye-opener” for her. “It was a good reminder to me that we’re all coming to this with different experiences, different lengths of involvement, and it’s important to help bring everybody along moving forward,” she said.
“One of the things that I bring to the table is my deep experience with the budget,” she said. “And looking at what the schools need, and how the schools can operate, knowing that the budget has to also support many different things in town.”
O’Connor reiterated she’s aware of the complexities that come with balancing different elements of the town’s budget. She cited infrastructure problems in the town, notably the sewers and certain buildings. “I think they’ve kicked the can down the road for many years,” she said.
O’Connor noted that it’s an expensive time for a generation of taxpayers in town. “I think because we have town leadership, like the Select Board, who’s keenly aware of our problems in town,” she said. “I think they’re very aware of all the different pressures.”
“We’ve been in a really tough position financially over the last five years, since COVID-19,” she said. “The schools have lost a lot of resources. We’re very grateful that the town contributes as much as they do to our budget, however, education really is about people, and people are expensive.”
O’Connor continued, “When it’s time to cut the budget, it’s not about crayons or paper; it’s about people, and we have to fight to make sure we keep all of our educators with us because they all have a very vital role in our schools.”
Miguel Contreras
On the other side, newcomer Miguel Contreras has volunteered to throw his hat into the ring for a spot among the other committee members.
Contreras currently serves as the PTO President of Swampscott Middle School. He’s been involved with the school for roughly four years since his son first started attending school in town. He also works in the tech industry in the customer service department, which he said has helped cultivate his ability to work well with others.
“My husband, son and I have lived here for about five years now,” he said regarding his connection to the town.
He reiterated how a driving force that compelled him to run was seeing the state of the town’s budget, and how it’s begun to affect the schools.
“I think what got me to run was seeing the needs of the schools over the years,” Contreras said. “Looking at the elementary school and how long that took, also seeing how the town struggles with keeping the budget balanced for the schools.”
Contreras said he’s focused on giving back to the schools with the hopes of alleviating some of the concerns held by students, parents, and faculty. “I know they’re worried about things like, ‘Will my teacher be back next year?’ or, ‘Are we going to have enough supplies for students?’,” he said.
He commented on the complexities of maintaining transparency with the community while dealing with the numerous elements that come with the position. “
He commented on dealing with the complexities of balancing transparency with working through sensitive matters, and how he would plan to navigate those challenges. “Working in the health industry, there’s a lot of information that can’t be shared, so I always follow the principle of sharing just enough that’s required, but also not trying to be in an antagonizing position,” Contreras said.
“I definitely think that I’ll be able to walk that line,” Contreras continued.
He reflected on how the School Committee could improve communication with the wider community. “The School Committee could probably have more public communication; I could see them working with the town to try and include a blurb in the monthly newsletter or even having something online where information is shared.”
