AMHERST – Two parents were elected by a substantial margin to the Amherst School Committee in Tuesday’s election.
Laura Kent, 30, of 50 Aubinwood Road, and Anastasia Ordonez, 40, of 1 Dwight Circle, each more than doubled the votes of Vincent O’Connor, 74, of 175 Summer St. to win the two available seats.
Incumbents Kathleen Traphagen and Richard Hood did not seek re-election.
Kent received 2,172 votes, or 41 percent, while Ordonez had 2,113 (40 percent) and O’Connor trailed with 1,004 (19 percent).
O’Connor also lost a race for School Committee in 2010.
As the vote tallies rolled in, the winners talked with a reporter about issues that are important to them. Kent cited special education, while Ordonez –who only recently moved to Amherst – said she looks forward to reaching out to “pockets” of the community that are often left out of conversations surrounding Amherst schools.
Kent spoke favorably about expanding Wildwood Elementary School but said she’s eager to hear more from the community before moving forward. “Equity is huge for me,” she said of her reasons for favoring the expansion.
Ordonez said whatever the next step is for Amherst schools, “our community needs to take action.”
“At this point, conditions are unhealthy and not conducive to 21st-century learning,” said Ordonez.
Both of the new members referred to the coming months as an opportunity to get the whole community on the same page about what types of configuration of schools and rebuilding work best.
“Hopefully we can come to a decision as a community so we don’t continue to put important decisions on the back burner,” said Ordonez.
Kent said it’s important to provide preschool to as many residents as possible – an opinion she said was driven home through her own kindergartener’s work in math.
“As the academics get harder, that foundation is so important,” said Kent.
Ordonez said she was stirred to run for School Committee by her young sons’ eagerness to learn.
“Knowing they are so excited about school right now, and their futures, makes me inspired to make a better future for them and their peers,” she said.
Amanda Drane can be contacted at adrane@gazettenet.com.