Waltham Candidate Profile: Margaret Donnelly, School Committee

WALTHAM, MA — Waltham will have several contested races in this fall's election, including for mayor, school committee, at-large city councilors and ward councilors. Waltham Patch asked candidates in the contested races to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Margaret Donnelly was first elected to the Waltham school committee in 1994.

She got her bachelors in psychology at Regis College and then went on to get her masters in education from University of Massachusetts in Boston. For 34 years she was a history teacher in Marlboro until she retired in 2002, according to her LinkedIn profile.

She's been a member of the Park and Recreation Board, a volunteer at the Council of Aging, a member of the advisory board of EDCO, an education cooperative that includes Waltham, a member of the Education and Beyond Foundation, a poll worker for elections, program director for Waltham AARP, President of Waltham College Club, and a member of advisory board of Vocational School, she told Progressive Waltham.

Donnelly took a moment to answer some of Patch's questions. They have not been edited.

Previously: Waltham Elections 2019: Here's Who Is Running

• When is candidate night? How to watch the debates.

Are you running for office in Waltham? Contact Jenna Fisher at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements to Waltham Patch.

The single most pressing issue facing our (city, schools, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The single most pressing issue facing are the roadblocks preventing progress in the building of the new High School. The School Committee will work with the teams of people such as SMMA Architects, the Mass School Building Authority, the Building Committee, and our Attorneys to bring this project online and progressing as soon as we can. Each and every document and plan can be found on the walthampublicschools.org website. On the first page click on School Committee.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

The difference between the other candidates and myself is the length of time I have served on the School Committee. I have gained a tremendous amount of experience. I have also served on Regional Committees and local Boards. My teaching experience has included both elementary schools and Middle Schools.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)? If you're an incumbent, what is still on your to-do list? Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform:

As an incumbent, I, along with the other members have a very long To Do list.

Besides building the High School, we need to fully implement the Educational Plan that has been created by our staff and since being highly praised, has become a model for other cities and the idea of. We also need to increase our use of Project Based Learning. It is a great learning model. We need to increase the amount of Project Based Learning that is so beneficial today for both school and work. We need to bring more equity for both the students and the staff.

We must respond to our students thoughts and ideas about what they see and feel. We must find an improved transportation system and company which we are working on now. We also negotiate contracts for all our unions.

What accomplishments would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

My past accomplishments have included serving on the Building Committee that brought us 6 elementary and 2 Middle Schools, establishing and refining programs that deliver the best outcomes for our students, serving on multiple Boards and Committees,
attending professional development for staff and also given by staff. We vote approval for all items in the budget so we need to have integral knowledge of them, the content, the delivery and the outcomes.

The best advice ever shared with me was ...

The best advise ever shared with me is " Be Prepared" my old Girl Scout motto. And that means reading all the information available about the school system, listening to others, asking questions of many including parents, staff, and students. With this we should make fully informed honest decisions with the best interests of the students of the Waltham Public Schools.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

Education is my life's commitment having taught school and serving 4 terms on the School Committee. My lifelong love of learning and education is the driving force for my motivation to continue. When I make a positive difference in the academic, social and/or emotional life of a student, then I feel fulfilled.

Your public social media info (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook)

Margaret Donnelly’s Campaign Linkedin

My favorite aspect of this city is...

What's your take on all of the development projects across the city?

As far as all the new development in the city, it is happening too fast at this time. While it will bring new revenue, it also has a side effect of too much traffic, adding many additional students to the schools. These issues need to be considered when and if permits are issued.

More on Waltham Elections:

• Waltham Mayor Jeannette McCarthy Announces She Will Run
• Possible Challenge To McCarthy's Run For Waltham Mayor
• Councilor Diane LeBlanc Hints At Run For Mayor
• Waltham Councilor Diane LeBlanc Announces She Will Run
• Waltham Election Calendar: What To Know About Election Season
• Column: Why I'm Running For City Waltham City Councilor At Large
• Don Desrochers Announces Campaign for City Council Seat

Waltham Candidate Profiles

• Heather May - Ward 2
• Sean Durkee - Ward 6
• Robert Logan - Ward 9
• Jonathan Paz - Ward 9
• Colleen Bradley-MacArthur - At Large City Council
• Steve Lydon - At Large
• Marisa Diamond - School Committee
• John Graceffa - School Committee
• Jeannette McCarthy- Mayor
• Diane LeBlanc- Mayor
• Tom Stanley, At Large City Councilor

Are you running for office in Waltham? Contact Jenna Fisher at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements to Waltham Patch.