New School Committee Members Appointed in Whitman

Stephanie Blackman and Chris Marks selected to fill vacancies after competitive process

WHITMAN, MA - October 1 - The Whitman-Hanson Regional School District School Committee welcomed two new members Tuesday night, as Stephanie Blackman and Chris Marks were appointed at a to fill vacancies on the board.

The appointments came during a joint meeting of the Whitman members of the School Committee and Whitman Select Board, where nine candidates presented their qualifications and vision for the district.

Blackman and Marks were selected from a pool of candidates that included Christopher DiOrio, Nicholas Femia, Anna Hourihan, Annemarie Odle, Ginger Sullivan, Ryan Tressel, and Danielle Winn.

Each candidate was given 10 minutes to make their case for appointment, highlighting their backgrounds, experiences, and what they hoped to bring to the committee.

Blackman, a parent, educator, and involved community member, emphasized her diverse background and commitment to education.

"I take great pride in letting people know where I live. My friends often joke that I try to move everyone to Whitman because I think it is one of the best towns with so much to offer," Blackman said.

She highlighted her experience as a substitute teacher, special education tutor, English teacher, and professor at Massasoit Community College. Blackman also noted her volunteer work with school improvement committees, PTO, and youth soccer.

Marks, a 16-year resident of Whitman, spoke about his deep roots in the community and his desire to give back.

"After 16 years of benefiting from all the wonderful things this town and these schools have to offer, I find myself called to give back however I can," Marks said.

He highlighted his experience managing day-to-day operations for a local business and his involvement with the Whitman Cub Scout Pack 22.

The selection process involved multiple rounds of voting by the joint meeting. In the first vote, Blackman bested Marks in the second round of voting. The second appointment resulted in Marks and DiOrio advancing to a second round, with Marks ultimately winning in a final vote.

Committee members expressed the difficulty of their decision, given the strong qualifications of all candidates.

The newly appointed members will serve until the next town election in May, at which point they will have the option to run for any of four seats that will be up for varying terms.

Throughout the evening, candidates emphasized various priorities for the district, including mental health support, special education services, and maintaining a strong budget.

Ryan Tressel, one of the candidates, spoke passionately about the importance of public education and its role in building community.

"Public education is our greatest pathway to opportunity in America. It's a necessity. We need to do more things to allow our community to invest in and strengthen these public schools," Tressel said.

"Education is necessarily progressive. Our schools cannot remain stagnant if we truly want our students to be able to compete out there in this country and around the world in a global marketplace." said candidate Christopher DiOrio

Danielle Winn, another candidate, highlighted her extensive experience in public education, including roles as a teacher, team facilitator, and administrator.

"I feel like my experience as a public school educator and administrator with almost 30 years experience from pre-k to 12, my experiences as a student in the district, and perhaps most importantly my experience as a parent in the district as well," Winn said when asked what she could bring to the committee.

The joint committee encouraged all candidates to stay involved with the district, attend meetings, and consider running in future elections.

"We appreciate an audience when we have school committee meetings. We appreciate input. We always like input and stay with it and don't get discouraged," a School Committee Chair Beth Stafford said at the conclusion of the meeting.

The next Whitman-Hanson Regional School District School Committee meeting is expected to include the newly appointed members, Blackman and Marks. Assistant Town Clerk Michael Ganshirt was available to swear in the new memebers at the conclusion of the meeting.