Sharon Cronin, who was running for one of two open seats on the School Committee, released the following statement today:
For personal reasons, I am withdrawing my candidacy for School Committee. It is not an easy decision. I want to thank everyone who has offered their time, attention and energy to support me. It has been an honor and a privilege sharing thoughts and concerns with both friends and people I’ve newly met. Knowing there are two other qualified and committed candidates to fill the positions allows me the latitude to make this decision. I wish them well.
My reasons for accepting the nomination in the first place, however, have not changed. I still intend to be part of the ongoing conversation regarding how we provide a strong education to our children in a rapidly changing world amidst economic uncertainty. I encourage everyone to get involved and stay involved, to be creative and open to new ideas. Traditional education needs an infusion of modernity to survive. It’s okay to challenge old assumptions, to learn what 21st century skills truly are and to become educated about what our children will need to compete and find success in the future. Part of this process will be choosing a strong, dynamic leader in a new, permanent superintendent, one who shares our collective vision—a vision that comes from our entire, informed community. To offer such an education takes time and money, but educating children truly is an investment in our future. As a result, I urge everyone to consider how we, as a community, spend money, weighing carefully the cost of what we may be giving up when we commit funds to one project over another. I urge you to keep our children’s education a priority.
The remaining two candidates, Robert Sullebarger and incumbent School Committee member Patricia Wenger, are now unopposed.