Westfield School Committee member Cindy Sullivan. (WNG file photo)
WESTFIELD – Current two-term School Committee member, Cindy Sullivan is looking to get re-elected for her third consecutive term.
During her first eight years on the committee, Sullivan has been involved with several areas that the school committee has worked on improving. Rather early into her first term, Sullivan assisted in creating a bullying policy for the Westfield Public School system. Since the state of Massachusetts mandated that every district review their policy or develop one, a policy was formed.
Professionally, Sullivan used to work with foster kids, working with IEP’s, and other duties that were in that capacity. Sullivan found it important to have a bullying policy in place.
“Working with kids my whole life, I understood the importance of that,” said Sullivan.
Also during her initial two terms, Sullivan was a member of the District Literacy team. While on this team a literacy plan was created throughout the district so teachers could be trained to understand the information and data, and then implement it to the classroom.
Nearing completion of her second term on the school committee, Sullivan still feels a purpose to continue for at least another term, especially with kids of her own still in the Westfield Public School system.
“There are things that are not done yet,” said Sullivan. “I’m not ready to go.”
Some of those things not finished are issues that Sullivan wants to focus on right away. As the school committee recently finished a three to five year technology plan, Sullivan wants to see the committee complete a “bring your own device” policy. This policy would allow students to use their own device in the classroom for certain exercises. Sullivan acknowledged that figuring out a way for the district to have devices for students has been a problem. If a student doesn’t have their own device, the district would need to provide one.
When budget cuts occur, Sullivan would like to see items like technology devices for students avoid the cuts.
“Whenever cuts need to be made, it just needs to be cuts made away from children,” said Sullivan.
Sullivan also discussed her priority to see a new school built. As smaller schools like Franklin Ave. and Abner Gibbs are older and need an upgrade, Sullivan would like to see a new school built that would bring students from both of those schools into the new school. Sullivan doesn’t want to keep seeing money being poured into a school like Abner Gibbs that is over 100 years old.
There are still several issues that she wants to get at the forefront if elected for a third term and Sullivan believes that the community knows what she is capable of as a member of the school committee.
“People know where I stand on issues,” said Sullivan. “You have to do what is right for the students of Westfield, not what is important to you.”
