LYNNFIELD — The Item, Lynnfield Weekly News, and 01940 magazine hosted a debate among the three Lynnfield School Committee candidates, challenger Kim Baker Donahue, incumbent Kristen Elworthy, and incumbent Jenny Sheehan Wednesday morning.
After a short opening statement, each candidate was asked three questions from moderator Elizabeth Della Piana. Following each question, the first candidate to respond had the opportunity for a one-minute rebuttal.
The first question concerned the proposed 11% rise in the school’s operating budget, a major difference from past proposals ranging from 3.5% to 4%, along with the override.
In her response, Baker Donahue said, “I support the override. I support the 11% increase. It’s a necessary step to preserve the quality of education in Lynnfield.” However, she said that there are critical questions to still be asked concerning the increase and override.
Sheehan, second to respond, said, “There are three drivers we’ve discovered. There’s special education, there’s technology, and there’s teacher contracts,” Sheehan said. “This is the first time we’re with the budget subcommittee and we’re actually advocating not to cut anything at any level.”
Lastly, Elworthy said, “I have been, along with Jenny, on the budget subcommittee, so I can say that this has been a very thorough process that culminated in a clear and concise presentation.”
All three women showed support for the budget increase and the override.
In a rebuttal, Baker Donahue expressed her concern with the late start of the town’s budget conversation compared to other towns who have successfully passed override, which she says start months ahead of time.
Next, the candidates were asked about their stance on the high school having to absorb the brunt of budget cuts in the past few years.
“The challenge before us, and what I believe is the most important thing to advocate for, for the high school and all schools, is to have this override move forward and to maintain, which is not something that has been done in quite a few years,” Elworthy said.
“I agree with what Kristen said. The high school has kind of borne the brunt of a lot of the cuts in recent years,” Sheehan said. “That being said, other places where things have been cut, they’ve had the opportunity to bring them back. And the high school hasn’t really had that same experience.”
“I agree wholeheartedly. The high school has been suffering the brunt of the cuts,” Baker Donahue said. “It’s important for us to really make sure that we are providing those kids with the resources before we push them out and say, ‘Go fly.’”
During her rebuttal, Elworthy said that the sentiment of all three women was “pretty much the same.” However, she also said, “The difference is there’s a lot of criticism around what to add, how to add at the high school, and the fact of the matter is if there’s no financial support to add it you won’t be able to do that. So, I would be interested in hearing Kim’s plan to do so without an increased budget.”
Finally, the candidates were asked about two greatest weaknesses and two greatest strengths with Lynnfield Public Schools currently.
Every woman agreed that the staff, from teachers to administrators, were the greatest strength of the schools. They also agreed that the biggest weakness was finances, a problem being seen across the whole state.
Following the questions posed by Della Piana, each candidate was asked a question by another candidate, starting with Elworthy inquiring Sheehan about her perception of the School Committee before joining last year, and what she’s learned since then.
“I think the biggest thing I’ve come to realize is that when you’re running for school committee, you’re running as an individual, but when you get elected onto the school committee, you then have to operate as a board, which is one of five individuals,” Sheehan said. “For me, running a year ago, I was running on a platform for class size. It was a problem that I had identified that I wanted to change. Upon getting elected, it’s of course not that simple… There’s a process for that… What I’ve learned is going through that process and all the time and work that you put into that.”
Sheehan then asked Baker Donahue about the four goals Geary has outlined for the district, technology, curriculum, budget, and culture, and how these would align with her vision of the district.
“I think they’re great goals. We should always be talking about curriculum, talking about bringing in new curriculum, revising the curriculum we have, and making sure the curriculum is the right fit,” Baker Donahue said. “I think it’s imperative that we stay on top of technology, that we make sure that we are staying up to date with our technology. And the budget, of course, is critical for any school system… Everywhere we go, especially in a school, it is critical to maintain and build a positive culture at every level for every student.”
Finally, Baker Donahue queried Elworthy about the process of selecting the superintendent which she said residents were unhappy with, and how that process has contributed to frustration with the current budget process, wondering how she would go about those processes differently if re-elected.
“Our problems are financial, and Superintendent Geary, that is his background… As far as if I would change anything about the process if I’m reelected, we have a current superintendent, we have the two-year contract, decisions made on what happens to that contract are not decisions made by me,” Elworthy said.
To finish the debate, the candidates were given time for a three-minute concluding statement, starting with Sheehan.
“As we look towards this next year, we’ll be meeting with teachers, administrators, and parents to see what’s working and what’s not,” Sheehan said. “What I’m most excited about, as I look forward, is exploring ways that we can drive the district to new heights of educational excellence.”
“There is always more work to do, particularly at the high school,” Elworthy said. “Contract negotiations and this override will determine the direction of the district for years to come. This is not the time for an untested candidate.”
“I believe that there is more transparency to be had. We’ve heard a lot about processes and discussion that have been happening behind the scenes, but if stakeholders are brought into that process,” Baker Donahue said. “I am absolutely not untested when it comes to being a leader, being on a board, being part of committees… I know how to navigate this stuff.”
The debate, which was filmed live, can be viewed on the Town of Lynnfield’s Vimeo page.
