By ALEX MALM

Come next year Warwick will have three new members of the School Committee.

This week the Beacon confirmed that all three committee incumbent members up for re-election won’t be running. As of press time, the Beacon could confirm candidates for only two of the three seats.

The three district seats which are up for reelection in November are represented by Kyle Adams in District 1, School Committee Chair Judy Cobden in District 2 and Nathan Cornell in District 3.

Cobden on Tuesday night said that when she first ran she was only planning on being on the committee for one term.

Cornell said Wednesday morning he feels that his full-time efforts should be put into the School Committee and said that due to his other commitments he felt that he wouldn’t be able to do so.

“I think my constituents deserve it,” said Cornell.

Adams on Tuesday said he had no further comment at this time.

With the candidates declaration period set for June 27 two candidates have publicly announced their campaigns so far.

District 1

In District 1 Tara Levasseur said that she is planning on making a run for the seat.

“I just think there should be a place for parents to be able to express their concerns directly to the School Committee members,” said Levasseur. “There should be a place for School Committee members to get back to us.”

Levasseur, whose daughter is in second grade at Holliman, said she wants to be a “voice for the voiceless.”

“I want parents to be able to go somewhere and voice their concerns,” said Levasseur.

Levasseur explained she feels she hasn’t gotten a welcoming response from the School Committee. She said that if elected one of her goals will be to bridge the gap between the school department and parents.

Levasseur, a Cranston West graduate, moved to Warwick after she met her husband. Aside from her daughter her stepson attended school in Warwick from K-12 and graduated from Toll Gate in 2021.

Levasseur  said the main reason she decided to run is because she is concerned for her children and wants to get involved to help.

Additionally Levasseur said she also thinks it's important for the School Committee to work together and not be divided.

“A good school committee is a team,” said Levasseur.

Levasseur said that one of the concerns that she sees is that there isn’t enough financial transparency between the school and the city and thinks it would be beneficial if there was a better partnership formed.

Levasseur said that she is also concerned about the proficiency scores and said that she thinks its important to look at new ways to improve test scores.

“I think that new ideas may push this along,” said Levasseur.

As far as the debate on building two new high schools, Levasseur said that she thinks that Warwick needs new schools but doesn’t believe that enough financial information has been provided in order for voters to make an informed decision.

“As a taxpayer we want to see more transparency,” said Levasseur.

District 3

In District 3 1996 Toll Gate graduate Michelle Kirby Chapman said she is running for the seat.

With a child going into first grade at Robertson School, Kirby Chapman said that she thought it was the time to get involved.

“I’m invested into the school system for 11 years from this point on. I feel like its time to put parents back on the school board,” said Kirby Chapman. “ I  really thought it was time that the parents voices be heard.”

After living in California for 20 years Kirby Chapman  and her husband moved back to Warwick to raise her child.

“She is the reason I am back here. I wanted her to have the same childhood that I had. I wanted her to have the same fond memories that I did,” said Kirby Chapman.

When she moved back, one of the first experiences she witnessed in local politics was seeing her best friend's kids fighting to keep sports in the schools after threats that it would be cut in 2019 due to budget cuts.

“That point kinda triggered me to start following and looking into things,” said Kirby Chapman.

While she hasn’t made a decision personally on two high schools Kirby Chapman said that she thinks it should be a decision made by the voters.

“Absolutely I think it should be a community decision,” said Kirby Chapman.

Kirby Chapman who went through the school system starting at John Wikes said that she wants to see more transparency and open communication when it comes to the school district.

“I think there should be more,” said Kirby Chapman.

Kirby Chapman along with her husband and daughter reside in Ward 7. Kirby Chapman is a bar manager in Providence.

In addition to Kirby Chapman and Levasseur School Department Teacher Assistant Leah Hazlewood has been rumored to run for the District 2 seat. Hazlewood is a teacher assistant at Pilgrim High School.

Following publication former Ward 7 Councilman CJ Donovan announced that he would be running in the District 3 seat.