Melrose Resident Making First Run At School Committee

MELROSE, MA — Resident Sheri Leo is a newcomer running for School Committee in the upcoming Municipal Election on Tuesday, Nov. 4.

Leo named three core principles she will base her duties around if elected, which are to invest in the district’s schools through advocacy and budget decisions, building a culture of trust by hiring and retaining a superintendent of schools for a long period of time, and to support all students through focusing on special education services.

Leo first moved to Melrose in 2011. She earned a Bachelor of Arts from Brown University, a Master of Arts in Teaching from American University, and a Master of Public Policy from the University of Chicago. After a public school teaching career in Washington D.C., Leo served in the Office of Strategy and Planning at Chicago Public Schools. She is now the Vice President of Talent, Learning, and Culture for the national nonprofit known as Leadership for Educational Equity.

“I felt called to run for school committee because I believe my experiences, personal and professional, have prepared me to make a meaningful contribution at a critical time for our public schools,” Leo said. “I believe all students deserve a top-notch education.”

Leo is running for one of the three open positions on the committee, along with incumbent Dorie Whitey and fellow newcomer Melissa Holleran. She has two children who are currently students in the district.