Richardson to bring teaching experience to School Committee

Date: 3/5/2012

March 5, 2012

By Chris Maza

chrism@thereminder.com

EAST LONGMEADOW — As a teacher, Bobby Richardson knows firsthand what can happen when a school district is mismanaged.

That's why he wants to join the School Committee in continuing to provide quality education for the children of East Longmeadow.

Richardson, who has two children in East Longmeadow Public Schools, told Reminder Publications that while he considers the district one of the strongest in the area, work must be done in order to stay that way.

"I am new to the district. My family and I have only been here three years, but there's a reason we moved here and it was for the schools," he said. "I want to help continue that culture of excellence because if we aren't careful, we could encounter many of the pitfalls that other districts have faced recently."

Richardson asserted that maintaining a strong budget and resisting the urge to cut programs is essential to educational success.

"I've been a teacher for nine years and as a teacher, I've seen what goes on and I've been a victim of budget cuts," Richardson said, declining to name the Western Massachusetts school district he spoke of. "We have to make sure we are more efficient in how we spend money. I have experienced firsthand what happens when school districts make poor choices. In my district, we lost 40 teachers and class sizes went from 13 or 14 students to 23 or 24 students.

"East Longmeadow hired a great superintendent and he's been terrific. We have to continue to give him the tools necessary to continue that excellence," he added.

Richardson also cited coming up with a plan to update some of the district's school buildings as a priority.

"These schools are not going to magically fix themselves and eventually we're going to have to build a new high school. That building is 50 years old," he said. "I looked into it and the School Committee has not even issued a Statement of Interest with the [Massachusetts School Building Authority] yet. If I were on the School Committee, I would urge the committee to do so to at least put us in a position to do something. We don't want to be left behind."

Along with building improvements, continued advancement in technology in the classroom is paramount for Richardson.

"Technology is not the future anymore. It's now. It's everything," he said. "I see textbooks going away and use of iPads and other tablets getting more use. That technology leads to total engagement in the classroom."

School transportation costs are another issue facing the district that need to be resolved, Richardson said.

"Owning buses is a losing proposition," he said. "If we went to hiring a private company, we could save money and those savings can help lower the costs to parents."

The need for a full-time grant-writer is essential, Richardson added, claiming the district is missing out on possibly hundreds of thousands of dollars.

"Chicopee has a full-time grant writer and they receive hundreds of thousands of dollars to pad their bottom line," he said. "There is so much money out there that is not being used and the amount of money the town could receive in grants would more than pay for the salary."

Richardson said he's excited to be a part of such a hotly contested race against incumbent Joseph Cabrera and fellow challengers Angela Thorpe, Susan DeGrave, and Deidre Mailloux.

"[A contested race] is an outstanding thing for the community because it unveils the passion that people have for the children of this town," he said.

Richardson has a Facebook page that can be viewed at www.facebook.com/pages/Elect-Bobby-Richardson-for-East-Longmeadow-School-Committee/165833310190783.