Kevin Fontanella, incumbent school committee member and teacher, outlines priorities in WCAT interview

Kevin Fontanella, a teacher, the Saugus teachers union president and an incumbent member of the Wakefield School Committee, told WCAT host Anthony Guardia that his priorities include later high-school start times, protecting and planning for changes to federal education funding, and careful budgeting as COVID-era grants phase out.

Fontanella said the prospect of changes in Washington — including proposals to reorganize or reduce the U.S. Department of Education — makes local planning important but not catastrophic because the underlying law that funds many programs remains in place. "There's a law in place that has nothing to do with the Department of Education. I think it was passed in '65 ... the Elementary and Secondary Education Act," he said. He added that formulas and requirements could change and that the state could receive block grants or altered funding rules.

Why it matters: Wakefield, like many neighboring districts, faces budget pressure as one-time federal relief (ESSER) ends, health-insurance costs climb and special-education and out-of-district placements rise. Fontanella said Wakefield has avoided the immediate cuts some surrounding towns are making by keeping a conservative, "level funded" school budget and maintaining higher fiscal reserves.

On local budgeting and tax overrides, Fontanella pointed to several nearby districts that have cut staff or sought overrides. He said ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) money was widely used during COVID to hire counselors and additional staff, and "that money is gone." He warned that some districts are now paying for positions funded temporarily in prior years and that inflation and construction cost increases are also straining budgets. Fontanella said he saw Wakefield as relatively fiscally healthy: "we have a very good credit rating" and a high free-cash percentage compared with many districts.

On contract talks and paraprofessionals, Fontanella described a technical difference that affects negotiations: paraprofessionals are paid hourly, so extending the school day or adding minutes raises total pay differently than a salary percentage for teachers. He said he serves on the school district's labor-relations subcommittee and noted the classroom value of paraprofessionals: "magic can definitely happen in the classroom" when a para and a teacher form a strong partnership.

Fontanella said he supports later high-school start times after reviewing research and other districts' experiences, but he added that the change requires planning for childcare and traffic. "We have to be proactive about the communication of it," he said, but "the benefits of going to school later outweigh the negatives of the change."

On capital projects, Fontanella said the new high school is under construction and that older school buildings such as Greenwood will be next for renovation or replacement. He described crowded, older facilities and summer/early-fall heat problems: "When you have a 90, 95 degree day in that building, it's... that's where, like, as a parent, I'm feeling uncomfortable." He said district leaders have discussed whether renovations or a new building would be the appropriate path.

Early education and space: Fontanella acknowledged growing demand for preschool and early-education seats. He repeated an estimate he had heard that the Doyle program's wait list was "like, now 60 families plus," and said Wakefield should plan for modest enrollment increases as the new high school attracts more families over several years.

On multilingual learners and special education, Fontanella said districts need to anticipate demographic changes and put programs in place in advance. He also described a shift in his own thinking: while he once emphasized instruction over formal curricula, successful curriculum changes he has seen in Saugus persuaded him to be more open to investing in curricular programs when there is evidence they improve outcomes.

The interview was part of a WCAT series of candidate conversations hosted by Anthony Guardia. Fontanella closed with a brief campaign appeal: "I think you should vote for me because, as a teacher, as an educator ... you kind of want that perspective, when you're talking about a lot of these, bigger issues." No formal votes or committee actions were taken during the interview.

Background: The remarks came during a recorded interview on WCAT. Host Anthony Guardia said the series covers local candidates and civic issues; the interview included discussion of local budgeting, capital planning, collective bargaining, start times and early-education access.