EAST LONGMEADOW — At their joint meeting on Sept. 10, the Town Council and School Committee selected William Strother to fill a recently vacated position on the School Committee.
Strother, Tara Spence and Beckett Vigneux interviewed for the open position, telling the two governing bodies about their backgrounds, interest in the position, details on how they would approach the position and suggestions on how to improve the East Longmeadow School Department.
Following the three interviews, the two boards briefly discussed their views on each candidate before voting to accept Strother’s application. He was selected with unanimous support from both the Town Council and School Committee.
The available School Committee position originally opened after former member Kathleen Leydon resigned, School Committee Chair Greg Thompson previously told Reminder Publishing. At the time, Leydon was serving the second year of a three year term after first being elected to the committee on June 6, 2023. Her resignation was due to “personal and professional reasons,” Thompson said. The resignation was effective immediately.
A new resident to East Longmeadow, Strother stated at the Sept. 10 meeting that he and his family moved to the town a little over a year ago. He currently works as the supervisor of vocational programs at Roger L. Putnam Vocational Technical Academy in Springfield after having served as in the Information Technology Department for 10 years. In addition to his work, Strother is also a deacon at Springfield’s Third Baptist Church.
While Strother has four children and seven grandchildren, he currently does not have any family in the East Longmeadow school system, he said.
“I consider myself a worker,” Strother said. He described himself as “one who enjoys working and whether it be today or another day, I am certainly willing to work.” He stated that he applied for the open School Committee position at the encouragement of a few friends.
When asked about what he saw as the biggest needs of the School Department, Strother emphasized the need to “fully separate the people from the problem” in times of conflict as well as ensure that students and staff have all the needed resources.
Likewise, he stated that good communication comes through “having the ability to sit down with somebody and have a conversation,” noting that it was important to “look beyond the weeds” and fully communicate.
A similarly new resident to East Longmeadow, Spence introduced herself to the two committees by highlighting her previous work with School Committee members and Superintendent Gordon Smith, noting that she was interested in educational policy. Spence currently works as an educator in the district and has two children in the East Longmeadow School Department. In her interview, she noted her “outsider perspective” and the need for greater family involvement beyond sports in the Department.
Alternatively, Vigneux explained that he is a lifelong resident and recent graduate of East Longmeadow High School. While in school, he served on the school council and is currently working towards a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice at Westfield State University. In his responses, Vigneux talked about his “newer perspective” as a young person and noted that cell phones were a “big issue in the classroom.”
Following the interviews, Town Council and School Committee members highlighted Strother’s educational experience, hardworking personality and new resident perspective as factors that influenced their decision on the selected candidate.
With his selection to the committee, Strother will serve as a member until the June 3, 2025, town election. To remain on the committee at that time, Strother would need to be formally elected by residents to serve the remaining year of Leydon’s original term, Thompson explained. Strother would then have to run and win again in the 2026 town election in order to be elected for a full three year term.
Under this model, it is possible that a different resident could be elected at the June 2025 or 2026 town elections to fill the position, Thompson noted.
Strother formally began his role as a School Committee member at the committee’s Sept. 11 meeting.
