Sisters and brothers,
This week’s election for HEA Treasurer will be conducted online via OpaVote.
As with many other initiatives, the current Covid-19 crisis prevented us from completing the membership audit as planned in time for the vote. To be as efficient as possible while also ensuring that every HEA Member has access to the vote, the link to the online election will be sent to the Haverhill Public Schools email address of all members at 12:01 am on Thursday, April 16th. All votes will be anonymous.
- A copy of this email was sent to all active members’ school email account in addition to our usual mailing list.
- If you did not receive this email in your school account, contact Treasurer Jill Bouchard (heatreasurer@gmail.com) to confirm your membership status as soon as possible.
- If you did not receive this in your personal account, contact Secretary Deb Russell (haved@verizon.net).
The voting will be open on April 16th from 12:00 pm to 7:00 pm.
Sarah Emilio and Cyndi O’Shaughnessy, both incumbents, ran unopposed and have been declared re-elected to 1st Vice President and Clerical Representative, respectively. Jill Bouchard has chosen not to run for re-election as HEA treasurer. On behalf of the entire HEA, the Executive Committee thanks her for her service.
There are two candidates for the position of Treasurer: Lauren Sanguedolce and Katelyn Watts. Each candidate’s statement appears below.
Lauren Sanguedolce
Hello! I’m Lauren Sanguedolce, and I would like to be the next treasurer of our union. Not only do I have 27 years of teaching experience, with 24 of those in Haverhill, but I also have several years of collective bargaining unit involvement. Over the years, I have:
- Attended School Committee meetings to support education
- Held signs during contract negotiations
- Made signs and posters for others to hold during contract negotiations
- Marched for Education with the MTA in Boston
- Marched for Respect in Haverhill
- Mentored new building representatives
- Participated in the Student Opportunity Act Forum
- Served as a building representative at Silver Hill and J.G. Whittier
- Served on the Faculty Senate at JGW
- Spoken at School Committee meetings to support increased funding
- Worn “Red for Ed.” on Wednesdays
- Worn union pins to show solidarity
I have participated on the:
- Assessment Committee
- Bylaws Committee (Chair)
- Differentials Negotiations Team
- Grievance Committee
- Scheduling Committee
- Scholarship Committee
Currently I teach grade 5 math at J.G. Whittier Middle School, and I am a Math Lead Teacher. My math skills are continuously honed through professional development opportunities. I have helped to write winning grants, I participated on the DESE Math Support Specialists Committee, and I created math units for the DESE Race to the Top initiative. I was also the bookkeeper of my husband’s flooring business, so I know how to balance the books, file taxes, write checks, make deposits, and maintain accurate financial records. What better person to handle finances than someone who is really good with numbers!
In my free time, I enjoy photography, cooking, international travel, and hiking with my husband and our two boxers. We have four successful daughters, two in college and two who are grown and living on their own. Both of my parents served on their union’s executive boards (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and Methuen Education Association), and I am ready to do the same. I am strong, I am a fighter, and I believe that my years of union experience have prepared me for this important role.
Please cast your vote for me, Lauren Sanguedolce, to be our next HEA treasurer.
Katelyn Watts
My name is Katelyn Watts, and I have been nominated to be the next treasurer of the HEA. I have worked at Consentino Middle School for the past nine years, and have been a member of the union through that time. During the past two years, I have been working on taking a more active part in the union by attending rallies and meetings during bargaining, and this year I joined the union on the Scheduling Committee and the Membership Committee. I also conducted this year’s budget audit of the union and helped to create a plan with the Membership Committee to conduct a membership audit amongst the buildings.
I believe I would be a good fit for the position of treasurer, not only because I am a math teacher, but I also have a background in accounting. I obtained my Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting at Bryant University and interned at a nursing home helping with bookkeeping, checking balance sheets, and data entry. I also have a Master’s Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from Fitchburg State University. After college, I decided to start my career in teaching because I wanted to make a difference. I have taught in Haverhill for most of this career, which I have found to be an extremely rewarding experience.
I would like to be your treasurer because I think that I have some great ideas to help us to build up our money in reserves. I also feel that I am fully qualified to keep detailed books and will have complete transparency on where your dues money is going. I’d like to help to bring the HEA into its new chapter and help us to become a stronger and more united union.
Thank you for your time and consideration,
Katelyn Watts