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Cunningham Seeks Westfield School Board Seat

Rachael Cunningham

WESTFIELD — Rachael Cunningham announced she is seeking a position on the Westfield Academy and Central School Board in the June 9 election.

Cunningham is a native of the Fredonia and Westfield areas. After graduating high school, she joined the Marine Corps with an occupational specialty in communications.

“I spent my first year in Okinawa, Japan, and the three remaining years in Yuma, Arizona,” she said. “After leaving the Marine Corps, I moved back to Millcreek, Pa., where I raised my children as a single parent, working full-time and furthering my education at Mercyhurst University.”

Cunningham moved back to the Westfield area eight years ago. She has worked for Renold Inc. for the past five years and is currently the AJAX product specialist.

“I have several goals that have prompted me to want to serve on the WACS Board of Education,” she said. “These goals include a total restructuring of the special education department. I want to ensure that the educators working with children with disabilities have the appropriate training and ability. Parents should be able to trust that their child’s best interests and academic achievements are of the utmost importance. There will be no child left behind while I serve on the Board of Education. Parents should never be put in the position that I was with my son. Education in your home school should always be the mindset. Pushing children to alternative education or forcing them to another district is unacceptable. Bullying and discrimination should never be tolerated among students or staff, and as a member of the Board of Education I will not permit it in our district.

“In keeping with my promise to put our students first again, I want to ensure that parents feel comfortable coming to the Board of Education to address any areas of concern. One of the main purposes of having elected board members is to ensure that the community is able to be heard, informed, and taken seriously. There is a current lack of accountability within the framework of WACS. Currently it is apparent that only a very small minority of the board is actively trying to stop corruption and misconduct in our district. This also includes being fiscally responsible with taxpayer money.”

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