Former high school principal to run for School Committee

Date: 3/7/2011

March 7, 2011

By Chris Maza

Reminder Assistant Editor

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

EAST LONGMEADOW — Richard Freccero isn't a man who likes talking about himself very much.

After spending more than two decades as principal of East Longmeadow High School, Freccero got used to making sure his staff got all the credit for the school's many accomplishments.

So when talking with Reminder Publications about his candidacy for School Committee, Freccero stressed that when talking about his experience, he's not just tooting his own horn. He wants the district to be able to utilize his skills to make the school district better.

Freccero, a Boston native who attended college in Western Massachusetts at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, has been an East Longmeadow resident for the past 24 years since being hired as the high school's principal. He retired from his post after the end of the 2009-10 school year.

This April, Freccero will face off against fellow challenger William Bednarzyk and two incumbents — Vice-Chair Gregory Thompson and committee member Angela Thorpe.

"I consider myself unique. I'm a townsperson, I'm a father who had two sons graduate from East Longmeadow schools, so I know what it is to be a parent," Freccero said. "I've been an administrator, so I know what it is to not only develop policy and procedure, but actually put them to work."

He added that being retired also makes him a good candidate because not only can he devote the majority of his energy to the School Committee, he now has the first-hand experience of living on a tight, fixed-income during a time of economic unrest and inflation.

Freccero said he always has been proud of his work at the high school, especially in the learning environment he was able to foster there.

"I'm most proud of the strong rapport, the effective school climate and the way people felt about themselves," Freccero said. "I felt that was one of my greatest accomplishments in that there was a very effective relationship between students and staff. It included, compassion, empathy [and] direction."

It wasn't long until Freccero felt the need to be involved in the school system again.

"There are two reasons," Freccero said when asked why he decided to run for school committee. "I had such a passion when I was a principal [for] helping students that I felt as if I was missing something in my retirement. My second [reason] was I feel I have all this expertise and all this knowledge and I might as well put it to good use."

He added that his "on-the-job training" and experience working with town entities, such as the Appropriations Committee and the Capital Planning Committee, will help him dive right into the needs of the schools without having to figure out how the processes and procedures work.

In the same way he felt students and staff at the high school had a strong relationship, Freccero believes the School Committee, in addition to creating policy and procedure and building balanced budgets, should foster a strong relationship with boards and committees, as well as residents throughout the town.

"The School Committee's role is to work with all constituents to build a vision, so people know what they're committed to," Freccero said.

A major focus Freccero has for the East Longmeadow schools is ensuring students are prepared with the skills needed to be successful in the 21st century. While that includes making sure the district has the best technology possible, the idea goes well beyond that.

"We have to prepare our students for technology, but I think there's a step before that," Freccero explained. "We have to prepare them to think as a 21st century person. That means critical thinking skills, collaboration and creativity. In other words, it's not just knowing how to use technology, but how to use it properly."

Freccero will host a campaign kick-off party on March 10 at the Knights of Columbus at 26 Baldwin St., from 5 to 8 p.m. For more information, visit the event's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=202551736428926.