Voters sent two familiar faces to the School Committee, as the district is forced to cut 30-plus positions and several programs with the failure of the tax override. Jenn Schaeffner (a former School Committee member) and former Glover School Principal Brian Ota beat incumbent Sarah Gold and Paul Baker. Schaeffer won 3,052 votes and Ota 2,497. Gold received 2,390 votes and Baker received 2,262.
“I’m very excited,” Ota told the Current moments after initial results were reported. “The School Committee has its work cut out for it. We have to do a deep dive, a poll to the town to find out why the last two override requests failed.”
Ota said the district will need to move forward with its cuts.
“The people who are being laid off have already been informed,” he said.
This is a developing story. Stay with the Current for updates.
Editor Leigh Blander is an experienced TV, radio and print journalist who has written hundreds of stories for local newspapers, including the Marblehead Reporter.