Shrewsbury 2022 Candidate Profile: Jenn Luke, School Committee

SHREWSBURY, MA — Shrewsbury will get at least one new school committee member after the May 3 town election.

Sitting member B. Dale Magee is not running for reelection this year, although incumbent Lynsey Heffernan is. That leaves at least one open spot on the committee for a new member to pick up. Three non-incumbents — Erin Boucher, Jennifer Luke and Sanam Zaer — have signed up to run this year.

In advance of the election, Shrewsbury Patch asked each candidate to answer our questionnaire to help voters get to know them better. Here's how Luke responded:

Jenn Luke

Age: 47
Occupation: Social worker
Experience as an Elected Official: I have been a Town Meeting member for six years and PTO president for six years.

Why are you running for a seat on the Shrewsbury School Committee?

I am running because I feel my volunteer experience in the community and my 25 years in the mental health field will make me the perfect candidate. I have not only been PTO president for six years, but I volunteered in my children's classrooms for years. I have experience with the needs of the community and how to mitigate the significant mental health concerns we are facing. I have a 5th and an 8th grader in the school system, and would love to be part of the school committee to continue ensuring that my children, and the children in the district, have their needs met.

What's the biggest issue facing Shrewsbury Public Schools and what would you do about it?

The biggest issue facing Shrewsbury schools today is mental health. We have seen a significant rise in depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts and attempts. The access to services is challenging. We have a wonderful resource with Shrewsbury Youth and Family Services, right in our community, but the services are not being utilized as much as they should. Many parents are not even aware that there is a partnership between the schools and SYFS, and I want to make sure that is known and that the services are accessed as much as they can be. I would love to brainstorm some additional ways to help kids feel connected and heard and to reduce the stigma that is attached to mental health.

DESE lifted its mask mandate in February, but coronavirus continues to circulate. Would you support bringing back a mask mandate? Why or why not?

I think a mask mandate is a challenging topic. People have such strong feelings one way or another. I personally feel that parents and students should be able to decide what is the right choice for them. There are kids that suffer from sensory processing disorder, and the masks make it very challenging and they could face negative consequences for not wanting to wear them. Young kids have experienced delays in development by being unable to see a person's expressions or their lips when they are talking. For some individuals it gives them a feeling of protection, so I feel that people should be able to make the choice that is best for them.

If you could snap your fingers and fix or change one thing in the school system, what would it be?

I wish that we had unlimited funds to bring back some things that have been cut over the years, such as language in the elementary school, programs at the high school that taught some trades and practical skills and ways to decrease the stress and homework that is placed on our kids. There is a lot of pressure put on kids today, and this is fueling the mental health challenges we are seeing.

Related: Shrewsbury 2022 Election: See Who's On The Ballot