Marcy Rothenberg says safety and Orchard Hills impact are top priorities in Ward 1 School Committee race

Marcy Rothenberg, a candidate for Ward 1 of the Leominster School Committee, told a candidate forum she would prioritize student safety and the local effects of the Orchard Hills development if elected.

Rothenberg said those are the top concerns she heard while canvassing in Ward 1 and described schools in the ward as already at capacity, with staff stretched thin. “I’ve got over 35 years of experience,” Rothenberg said, citing a long career in education and saying she would use that background to “be a louder voice for Ward 1.”

Rothenberg told moderator Michael Della Monica that capacity and traffic during school hours form two parts of the safety problem she would press the committee to address. She said schools in Ward 1 lack space — “there are no more desks. Chairs are held together with duct tape,” she said — and that added residential and construction traffic tied to Orchard Hills could disrupt bus schedules, carpooling and after-school program participation.

She said the school committee should present and defend a fuller budget to the city council rather than relying on a reduced “basic” figure that reaches the council. “We put together a budget as a school committee. That budget needs to be presented to the city council. I don’t see any members of the school committee ever standing there defending their budget,” Rothenberg said, adding she would do so if elected. She said the school committee’s annual budget process this year included a May meeting that she recalled taking place on May 5.

Rothenberg described additional safety concerns beyond vehicle traffic: cyberbullying, social-media harms and limited outdoor/recess time in older school buildings. She said the district has “no general policy” on phones and tech use and that parents must share responsibility with schools to manage student device use.

On curriculum, Rothenberg said voters tell her they want “reading, writing and arithmetic” as a baseline while also exposing students to technical skills such as computer science and age-appropriate AI preparation. She voiced opposition to removing library books and said students should have access to the full sweep of history, not selective parts.

Rothenberg said she supports expanded before- and after-school programming and offered her experience as president of the board of Ginny’s Helping Hand as evidence of community engagement. “My pledge is simple. I’ll prioritize our kids’ education,” she said, asking voters to elect her on Nov. 4.

The forum was hosted by Michael Della Monica. Candidate Jen Auker, whom Rothenberg named as her opponent, did not participate in the debate.

Discussion only: the forum was a candidate statement and interview; no formal action or vote took place.