Bednarzyk throws hat in for School Committee

Date: 3/1/2011

Feb. 28, 2011

By Chris Maza

Reminder Assistant Editor

Editor's note: This is the first in a series of four stories profiling the candidates for the East Longmeadow School Committee.

EAST LONGMEADOW — Whenever involved in discussions about issues, especially involving schools, Bill Bednarzyk's friends would tell him he should get involved and run for School Committee.

He would always laugh and shrug off the idea, until now.

Bednarzyk, an East Longmeadow High School graduate, who returned to town in 2003, is throwing his hat into the ring against two incumbents — Vice-Chair Greg Thompson and committee member Angela Thorpe — and fellow challenger Rich Frecerro for one of two seats on the School Committee.

"I feel like now's the time. I think we need a change," Bednarzyk said. "The two incumbents have done a good job, but I think it's time to get involved."

Bednarzyk, an Air Force veteran who works as a server engineer for Baystate Health, has two children in the school district and, at age 40, has never been involved in politics.

"If I'm elected, there is going to be a learning curve," Bednarzyk admitted. "But I will learn and learn quickly and do the best I can for the town."

Bednarzyk pointed to transportation fees as a major issue he would like to see addressed, should he become a member of the committee.

"For younger families, especially, this becomes a large economic burden," Bednarzyk said, adding that the lack of sidewalks makes it very dangerous for children to walk to school, leaving families within a two-mile radius of the schools few options.

Bednarzyk would also like to see the school district utilize new technology and media to deliver information to the public.

"I think communication to parents can be better by using more than one outlet," he said. "We need to get more into the 2010s and incorporate other avenues. There are so many avenues to communicate information to get parents more involved."

"People shouldn't have to rely on rumor. The quicker you get information to people, the better and more educated people will be," he added.