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Date: 5/2/2022
BELCHERTOWN – Ahead of the annual town election in Belchertown on May 16, Reminder Publishing reached out to candidates in the race for School Committee to discuss their goals and motivations.
In the race, Finance Committee member Jonathon Ritter and local business owner Natalie Santana are running for the seat set to be vacated by Diane Brown.
Reminder Publishing (RP): What made you want to run for School Committee?
Jonathon Ritter: I have decided to run for School Committee for a variety of reasons. First, we have seen first-hand the challenges of the special education process (IEPs). I strongly feel that this process needs more attention and transparency. There is a need to establish a better collaboration between parents and the school district.
Secondly, in my military career I was tasked to create large scale exercises and strategic plans. I enjoyed that aspect of my career and feel that I could bring this expertise to current and future planning for the Belchertown School District. In addition to strategic planning, I was responsible for planning and executing fiscal year budgets for my unit. I’m also well versed in the auditing and trending aspect of finances. All relevant to apply towards the School Committee.
Additionally, I have served time on the Belchertown Finance Committee. I understand financial constraints the school system is dealing with.
Finally, since I am retired, I have the time and energy to dedicate to the School Committee initiatives and subcommittees. I am fully aware of the time commitments this committee entails. I have the flexibility to be available when the committee and the people of Belchertown may need me.
Natalie Santana: My main factor in deciding to run for School Committee was my daughter. She is a current preschooler in the Belchertown Public Schools, and I want to ensure all students, including her, are provided the necessary education they need to continue to grow and learn once they exit the Belchertown School District.
RP: What experience do you bring to the table and how will that translate to the School Committee?
Ritter: I bring a variety of experience from my military career. The leadership skills I developed while in the military will help to build and foster a cohesive environment with the School Committee members and the community. Effective communication and active listening are strong quality I have from the military that I will bring to the committee. As a master sergeant in the U.S. Air Force, I was frequently tasked with creating and implementing multi-million-dollar budgets. This experience will assist in not only building the annual school department budget but to also create a long-term capital improvement strategy.
Also, during my time in the military as a flight medic, I have cared for many different people (throughout the world) while showing them compassion and empathy. I will bring this same compassion and empathy to all School Committee meetings for students, staff and the community as a whole.
In addition to my military career, I have served on many non-profit boards and municipal committees, many times in leadership roles. In these roles, I was able to gain experience working with multiple stakeholders with varying ideas and opinions and was able to deliver results on a regular basis.
Santana: Currently I am head chair of the town of Belchertown Family Center Committee and co-secretary of the Cold Spring/Swift River PTO. I have previously been a part of Belchertown’s Anti-Bullying Task Force, where we created and implemented the anti-bullying policy for the district. I believe that my having a background of working within the school district already will allow myself to grow and be able to help in providing the best possible ideas and outcomes for the students.
RP: What are some of your biggest goals if you are elected?
Ritter: The biggest goal I have is to ensure we have a sound budget and resources for teachers so that they can create a positive learning environment where students feel motivated to learn without boundaries in a safe, inclusive classroom. We need to invest in our students, teachers and staff. Modernizing our facilities and focusing on smaller class sizes will create and foster a healthier and more successful learning environment. Part of a child’s well-rounded education, and to assist with social and emotional well-being, is ensuring our children have access to art, music and physical education (sports).
Furthermore, I would consider more time at the end of meetings to answer and hear questions and concerns from our Belchertown residents. Opportunities for increased open communication and transparency will create a better sense of trust and will have a greater positive impact on our children and community.
Another goal is to make sure our special education has some oversight by the School Committee at meetings. Currently there is no School Committee liaison for special education. I would work to change this and make sure their concerns are heard regularly at School Committee meetings (as this is a big portion of the school budget).
Santana: One of my biggest goals if elected to School Committee is to establish programs and procedures to best produce educational achievement by students. Another goal of mine is to ensure mental health wellness for students and allow students to have the proper resources they may need.
RP: How do you hope to continue the work toward a potentially new school after the approval of the MSBA feasibility study for Jabish Brook Middle School and Swift River Elementary School?
Ritter: I am an active member of the Jabish Brook Middle School Building Committee and have helped move this project to the next stage of the process. The design and function of a new building must be practical and efficient while ensuring we are effective stewards of taxpayer funds. I value modernizing our facilities and leveraging technology within the classroom and school system. We need to invest time looking at the technology available that would free up teachers or staff to create opportunities for more face-to-face education.
This is not my first time serving on a building committee. I also served on the building committee at Westover while I was in the United States Air Force, we were responsible for evaluating/planning for multimillion dollar construction and renovation projects.
Another area to address is our ability to go green with the new construction. We need to research grants that will allow our schools and buses to be more environmentally friendly. Partnering with our facilities management to identify areas of opportunity such as solar power, changing to LED light bulbs, energy efficient HVAC systems and buses that run off natural gas or electric power to reduce our carbon footprint, etc.
Santana: With the potential of a new school in the works, I hope that will bring a new light to students and staff. An updated school will allow students to learn in the best ways possible.
RP: Do you see any challenges coming forward with the budget, specifically as ESSER funds are set to run out in 2024, and how do you hope to address any challenges caused by it?
Ritter: As a member of the Belchertown Finance Committee, I am well aware of the challenges in funding we are having in the school budget. We must be proactive and not reactive to avoid a finance cliff once ESSER funds [Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds] run out. I feel that I would be an asset with my experience with simple and complex budgeting skills. During my time serving in the United States Air Force, I was tasked to manage a multimillion-dollar budget for a unit that frequently exceeded 150 military personnel, so I understand how difficult it is to manage a budget that is so dependent on taxpayer resources. This is where having a multiyear strategy becomes invaluable. If we can focus on being proactive, we will be better suited to find balance in these delicate situations.
Santana: There will be challenges within the budget, and my main priority is to ensure that cuts will not be made in any detrimental way to students. Regardless of what the challenge may be that arises, I know that it will be tackled head on and assessed in the best ways possible. With the ESSER grant ending in 2024 my biggest hope is that we have come leaps and bounds ahead of where we currently are in the [coronavirus] pandemic.