Medford Election Profile: Cheryl Rodriguez For School Committee

MEDFORD, MA — Medford's municipal election Nov. 5 will send six people to the School Committee out of a pool of 10 candidates. Cheryl Rodriguez is one of five candidates currently not on the School Committee.

Rodriguez lives in Medford with her husband, Alex. They have two children, a 2014 graduate of Medford High School and a student at McGlynn Middle School.

Rodriguez was previously a computer programmer and is now a stay-at-home mom and active PTO member and community volunteer. She has a bachelor's degree in English from Salem State University.

Are you running for office in Medford? Contact Alex Newman at alex.newman@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements to Medford Patch.

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

Equity in our schools is the most pressing issue on the school side. We currently allocate resources by building and not be number of students in need. This results in unequal resources for our students and teachers. Just one example is our middle schools, one school has been identified as having double the high needs students of the other...but both schools have the same number of reading specialists...one. This makes no sense and needs to be addressed IMMEDIATELY.

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

I am the only candidate who has gone through the entire Medford Community Preservation (CPA) grant process in any race. I wrote and advocated for the Roberts Playground resurfacing grant for nearly a year attending dozens of meetings. I also pushed for the other playgrounds to have grants applied for and offered to write them myself.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)?

I would like to bring the voice to the school committee that calls for more equity in our schools. All of our children deserve to be treated fairly and we should do our best to ensure similar class sizes across the district and similar ratios for reading specialists and others. We need to move beyond the idea of having things be equal by building and look within the buildings at the actual children and teachers inside of them.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform:

In addition to equity, I am aware of many capital and other needs within the schools. We need to start thinking outside the box for funding. We need to apply for more grants and help our PTOs to do so as well. We rely on our PTOs bringing in tens of thousands of dollars a year for basic needs and if that is to continue, then we need to offer them more support. From buses to in school enrichment to Chromebooks and more, PTOs are supplementing our schools in a major way.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I have been awarded two CPA grants - one for the Roberts Playground surfacing that was greater than $100k. I have received tens of thousands of dollars in other grants as well.

I have created the Medford Citywide Yard Sale and Medford School Supply drive.

I was a founding member of the Medford Elementary Citywide PTO and am working to try and create more connection between the middle school PTOs. Middle school is a tough area to fundraise but those kids need us.

I ran the Harlem Wizards game last year that was a great community and fundraising event. I advocated for that project to include the middle school this year and the middle school will be hosting a game on Thursday March 12th.

I am a strong advocate for our schools and community and actively work to make the city better. I am also not afraid to speak out when I need to. I hope to be even more effective with a seat on the school committee.

The best advice ever shared with me was ...

At the end of the day, you have to look at yourself in the mirror. Don't do anything you would be ashamed of, but also don't be afraid to speak out when you need to even if people may attack you for it. Thanks Mom and Dad for always supporting me and raising me to be a strong woman. I am proud to say I am trying to raise my daughters to be the same.

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

I am a tireless advocate. Medford is my home and I want to ensure that I help make it a better place. I am not only a leader in creating and running events, but I am also an excellent supporter and am able to step back and let others shine in the sun.