Incumbents face off against 4 challengers in Worcester School Committee election

As 10 candidates vie for a spot on the Worcester School Committee in Tuesday's election, the six incumbents running for re-election, ianna Biancheria, John Foley, John Monfredo, Brian O'Connell, Tracy O'Connell Novick and Hilda Ramirez, will be facing off against four challengers, Donna M. Colorio, Cotey Collins, Nicola D'Andrea and Molly McCullough.

WORCESTER – As 10 candidates vie for a spot on the Worcester School Committee in Tuesday’s election, the six incumbents running for re-election will be facing off against four challengers.

All of the current School Committee members are seeking re-election, including: Dianna Biancheria, John Foley, John Monfredo, Brian O’Connell, Tracy O’Connell Novick and Hilda Ramirez.

Challengers include former School Committee member Donna M. Colorio, recent high school graduate Cotey Collins, Nicola D’Andrea and Molly McCullough.

The campaigns thus far have included calls for more focus on safety and communication by the school administration.

The discussion of school safety ramped up last spring when weapons were found in and near several district high schools.

Collins even called for the firing of current superintendent Melinda Boone after emails showed she tried to keep the arrest of two school employees on child porn charges from the press.

D’Andrea also started a petition calling for more comprehensive safety plans for the schools, including seeking public input.

The Educational Association of Worcester, the teachers’ union, endorsed five candidates in this election, including challengers Colorio and McCullough. Biancheria, Monfredo and O’Connell also won endorsements from the teachers.

“They also respect Worcester teachers as professionals, and recognize their commitment to students in the face of unfunded mandates and ever-growing education reform demands,” said union president Len Zalauskas at the time of the endorsements.

These candidates support the EAW’s call for safe schools, engaged communities, and a moratorium on high stakes standardized testing, according to a press release issued on the endorsements.

Source: MassLive Worcester http://masslive.com/news/worcester