By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — Newly appointed School Committee members Jim Dillon and Tim Doyle made their case why they should serve as interim members during a joint Select Board-School Committee meeting on Jan. 23.
There were seven candidates interviewed by the two boards and Assistant Town Administrator Bob Curtin read a letter from Apple Hill Lane resident Mark Vitagliano about his interim candidacy into the public record since he was unable to attend the meeting.
“These positions will be held until the Town Election occurs,” said Select Board Chair Joe Connell.
During the interviews, the seven candidates were each asked four questions. The candidates waited outside of the Al Merritt Media and Cultural Center during each interview, and were told not to use their cellphones while they waited to be brought into the room.
The first question asked was what qualifications and skills would they bring to the School Committee.
Dillon recalled that he served on the School Committee for 15 years.
“I worked with a lot of School Committee members, Finance Committee members, selectmen and town administrators,” said Dillon. “We worked over those years to create, develop and submit school budgets. I worked with faculty and staff to try and ensure that all of the kids in Lynnfield had the best possible educational experience.”
Dillon taught science at Masconomet Regional Middle School from the fall of 1998 through the spring of 2019. He ended his educational career by serving as Masconomet Regional Middle School’s interim principal for the 2019-2020 academic year.
“I have lived in Lynnfield since 1967,” said Dillon. “I have a lot of experience with the town, working with the town and I love the town. As a teacher and as a School Committee member, there is a lot of responsibility to make sure every student has the best possible learning experience that they can while operating within a budget.”
Doyle noted that he served on the School Committee for 18 years, taking place from 2000-2012 and 2015-2021. He served as the school board’s vice chair from 2005-2012, and from 2015-2016. He was the School Committee’s chair from 2016-2018.
“I recently departed three years ago,” said Doyle. “I am not to sure there is any other individual in the community who can match my experience on the School Committee. I think I left in good standing and I left the School Department in good shape. I can hit the ground running to address some of your immediate needs and hopefully set up the next committee for success when I depart.”
The second question asked the candidates to name two strengths and two weaknesses for Lynnfield Public Schools.
Dillon said the school system’s educators are the district’s biggest strength, which he said has enabled students to have strong MCAS scores. He praised the teachers for their “dedication and professionalism.”
“You are not going to get that kind of academic achievement results without having high-quality, high-performing teachers,” said Dillon. “In this town, the selectmen, the Finance Committee, the town administrators and the School Committee have always worked together collaboratively, for the most part, to bring budgets forward that are fair to the community and, at the same time, advances the schools.”
Dillon said a weakness for the district is ensuring students’ academic needs are being met.
“If 70 percent of the students Met or Exceeded Expectations on the MCAS, then 30 percent didn’t,” said Dillon.
Doyle said teachers, administrators and support staff are the “strength of this district.”
“I would often say that any success this district has really started in the classroom and in the buildings with your professionals,” said Doyle. “To me, that is your biggest strength. An additional strength for the district is the commitment from this community. In my 18 years of service, this community stepped up every time we needed anything — whether it was a new teacher, renovations to buildings, new buildings or extensions to buildings. This community always stands behind the schools. I think you would be hard pressed to find other communities that are willing to step up to the plate each and every time to support the schools.”
While Doyle said the district’s staff is Lynnfield Public Schools’ biggest strength, he acknowledged that the ongoing educator morale crisis is a major issue facing all four schools.
“I understand right now, based on Dec. 12 and listening to their comments, that is a little bit fractured,” said Doyle. “But that certainly can be repaired. It’s going to take a lot of hard work, but it can be done. And you certainly have the infrastructure to do it.”
Doyle also said there are issues at each school that need to be addressed.
“For example, if you talk to students and graduates at the high school, they will tell you that the course offerings are a little bit limited,” said Doyle. “Sometimes that is a byproduct of your finances or is sometimes a byproduct of a lack of creativity. That is an area that can be improved going forward.”
The third question asked the candidates about their viewpoints on budget priorities.
Dillon said it’s important for all five School Committee members to work closely with the superintendent, principals and town officials throughout the budget process.
“I think every parent ideally wants their child to be educated in our schools,” said Dillon. “There are times where we cannot meet those needs, and they have to go somewhere else. Those are all things you have to look at and try to balance. I think the School Department has a responsibility to try and deliver a great education, but at the same time, work within its budget. And when costs come in, you have to figure out a way to handle those costs responsibly.”
Doyle stressed that the School Department has to balance its needs with the needs of the town.
“We are all in the same pool, and there is a limited pool to pull from in terms of money,” said Doyle. “That is just reality. But my role on the committee would be to advocate to get the most that I can for the School Department. That is always what it was, but I do understand there are gives and takes. Sometimes you have to give a little on the school side so that an extra police officer or firefighter can be hired, or something else can be achieved in town. But my role on the School Committee would be to advocate for everything that the schools need.”
The last question asked the candidates how will they handle making decisions that are not popular.
Dillon said it’s important for School Committee members to make decisions that are in students’ best interest.
“Sometimes people are going to disagree about those decisions,” said Dillon. “I think one of the most important things for a School Committee is communication. If you are going to make any major changes to the school system, I think ongoing communication with the parents is really important. You have to explain what you are doing, why you are doing it, have presentations and bring in principals. By the time a decision is made, everyone in the community should have gone through a process so they understand why the decision is being made.”
Doyle said “two components” have always guided him when making tough decisions.
“One is what is best for the 2,200 students in the town,” said Doyle. “Two is can I look in the mirror and say, ‘you made a decision appropriately.’ And if I can’t do that, then the decision is flawed. It is certainly not about what happens in my household, it is really what happens in all households across the town. When you are elected, parents are entrusting their children to you to make the right decisions. That is a huge responsibility. If I were to ask all of you what is the most important thing in your life, you would say your children. When people elect you to School Committee, they trust you to make the right decision to educate their children, keep them safe and prepare them to move on. In my 18 years of service, I never made a decision that was going to compromise the majority of the children. And if you can’t do that, you shouldn’t be on the board.”