Candidate Profile: Rebecca Stronck, N. Andover School Committee

NORTH ANDOVER, MA — North Andover will have two contested races in the March 30 town election: School Committee and Board of Selectmen. North Andover Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles over the coming weeks.

Rebecca Stronck is running for re-election the School Committee. There are five people running for two available seats. Stronck faces the incumbent Andrew McDevitt and fellow challengers Pamela Pietrowski, David Brown and Joe Hicks.

Stronck works as an accountant and is running for her first elected office.

Are you running for office in North Andover? Contact Christopher Huffaker at chris.huffaker@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate profile and submitting campaign announcements to North Andover Patch.

Previously on Patch: North Andover Town Election Update: 10 Candidates On Ballot

Rebecca Stronck

Age (as of Election Day)

45

Position Sought

School Committee

Family

John, husband; Emily, 10, daughter; Gabriel, 8, son

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Isenberg School of Management, Bachelor of Science, Major: Accounting (1997)

Boston University, Questrom School of Business, MBA, Concentration: Finance (2006)

Occupation

Accountant - nearly 25 years

Why are you seeking elective office?

I am seeking office of School Committee to become more involved in my hometown. As a lifelong resident, I know our public schools can re-establish academic and social/emotional excellence, and I want to be a part of that. The positive experience I had coming through the public school system in North Andover has afforded me success in both my academic and professional journeys.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

I feel, aside from issues surrounding the pandemic and getting a plan in place to get children back into school safely, the other pressing issue is related to communication. I feel as if the School Committee has not been effectively communicating and being completely transparent with the community. I believe that I'll be able to bridge the gap and keep the community better informed with regular question and answer events, as needed. I will also keep my email box open and I'll respond with clear, factual information.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

A critical difference is the fact that I have extensive education and experience in accounting and finance and I have a deep understanding of budgeting. My lifelong career, that included auditing and accounting, has taught me to seek out efficiencies, and irregularities in financial statements at a very detailed level. I hope to utilize these financial and analytical skills to benefit both students and educators.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

My campaign platform is that of children first. Our children are our legacy and deserve the absolute best public education possible.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

The best professional advice I have ever received is that we were born with two ears and one mouth for a reason. We should be doing twice as much listening as we do talking. It is critical for me to be an active listener to be successful in every aspect of my life, not only as a mother and wife, but also as an accountant.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

As a life-long resident of North Andover, and by having a 3rd and 5th grader in public schools, I have a long term vested interest in this town's ability to provide academic excellence. I love North Andover, and I am proud to raise our children here.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.