Now that students in kindergarten through grade 8 are learning in state-of-the-art buildings, the current Medford School Committee is enjoying its success while keeping an eye on the future. It took plenty of effort to administer the building plan, and hard work to secure 90 percent reimbursement from the state, but most residents feel there is still plenty of work left to do in the public schools.

This year, six incumbents and two newcomers are vying for a chance to bring the city into "phase two" of the building project and into the future.

Candidates recently spoke with the Transcript about their reasons for running and what they see as the most important issues facing the city:

William J. Brady

William J. Brady uses one word to describe what he contributes to the School Committee: experience. He first served from 1987 to 1992 and ran again in 1997, making this his sixth consecutive year.

A retired parks manager in Medford, Brady raised six children in the city and they all graduated from Medford High School. Through them, Brady said, he learned the ropes of the school system.

"I thought it might be best to get in and help the children of the city, try to get them a better education," Brady said.

Brady has had an individual voice over his last few terms, most recently taking an unpopular stance in a debate over installing air conditioning in the new schools.

"We had long battles over it," Brady said. "They said there was no money for it. I said we have a 600 seat auditorium, why don't we cut it down. They cut it down to 400 and they were able to scrounge up the money."

Air conditioning at the high school is the next project, Brady said, along with finishing renovations and fixing the heating system.

Brady is also a champion for student rights in MCAS. He believes it's unfair to hold Special Education students to general education standards, and feels the test detracts from trade acquisition at the Voke.

"I'm a leading opponent on that one," Brady said. "I think the theory behind it is good, but the way they handle it, as far I'm concerned, is discriminatory."

Brady hopes to continue to help students learn, schools improve and parents' concerns be met.

"I'm always looking for something new," Brady said. "I'm always looking for what I can do, how I can see what's going on."

Lena DiGiantommaso

Lena DiGiantommaso jokes that her last name made it tough to get elected in her early political days, but after serving 22 years, the name has become almost synonymous with the Medford School Committee.

DiGiantommaso is the mother of three children who motivated her years ago to become president of the PTA, the band parents group and head up Girl and Boy Scout activities. The transition "seemed natural."

DiGiantommaso's leadership helped found the day care at Medford High School, allowing city employees to leave their children for a moderate cost. She said being responsive to parents' needs has become her "trademark."

In the coming term, DiGiantommaso expects tough financial times, but says she's ready, having served during the installation of Proposition 2 1/2, which devastated many school departments.

While other communities are suffering massive layoffs and the loss of school transportation, DiGiantommaso is proud that Medford survived the current fiscal crisis so comfortably.

Unlike many longtime members, DiGiantommaso never tried to make the move to City Council, simply because she wasn't interested.

"I enjoy what I'm doing," she explained. "I enjoy working with the school department and the kids."

Daniel G. Hurley

If being a School Committee member is one part political, one part educational and one part community relations, Daniel Hurley is, as his campaign slogan says "our guy."

The father of two former Medford public school students, Hurley has been involved in sports teams and PTAs at several schools. He made a name for himself as a founder of the city's now-closed alternative school, the Hervey.

The lifelong Medford resident owns a public relations firm in the Boston area, evidencing financial skills that Hurley believes will be useful to the schools. As a former county budget director, he plans to search for grant money at the corporate and federal levels.

"I've been around," Hurley said. "With finances you need someone who knows and understands it. You can't look to the state, you have to look elsewhere."

He is also a member of the Governor's Council, representing Medford and 18 other communities as a fiscal watchdog.

"I can pick up the phone and make a call when no other candidate would know what the phone number is," Hurley said.

Hurley would like to focus on encouraging good teachers to remain in the school system through financial and other compensation. He plans to sit in on union negotiations and work closely with the mayor and superintendent.

Funding aside, Hurley said community partnership is key. He said he will strive to utilize seniors, Tufts University and local businesses in the educational process.

Bruce Kulik

Bruce Kulik has something no other candidate for School Committee has: children who are enrolled in Medford's public schools.

This is Kulik's first run for School Committee, or any other municipal board, but he believes his day-to-day involvement in the schools is the most useful experience he could offer.

It's appropriate then that guardian participation is a subject Kulik is emphasizing in this race. He plans to call for more parent volunteers in the classroom, affiliated programs and the PTA.

"It's been shown that the more parental involvement, the better kids do," Kulik said.

Kulik was the director of a program developed through the Medford Family Network, in which state funding was obtained to provide a workshop on Saturdays. Parents and children worked with tools, like scales and compasses, to master math and science topics.

He endorses a shift in academics, in which games and other means are used to administer the concepts of a subject, not just the steps taken to answer a problem. The idea, Kulik said, is to make connections to real life that make learning easier and more meaningful.

A computer engineer, Kulik said improving the high school is a priority now that the elementary schools are complete. He also plans to focus on getting citizens involved in the schools and, of course, responding to parents' needs.

"I try to understand the problem, gather the right amount of information and look at it from several different angles," Kulik said.

Alfred Pompeo Sr.

Alfred Pompeo's first encounter with the School Committee was as the mayor of Medford, serving as the committee's chairman. Years later, he decided to give it another go as a regular member. He was elected in 1999 and has served ever since.

Pompeo's lifetime in education is his motivation to serve, he said. He was the director of guidance at Medford High School and spent 40 years in the profession, counseling students and organizing job and college fairs.

The committee allows him to remain committed to his field while being retired.

"It's a vocational kind of pursuit," he said. "I enjoy it."

Being retired allows him plenty of free time for his School Committee duties, including responding to teachers' and parents' needs.

"With the new schools, there's a lot of activity," Pompeo said. "I'm at events three times a week sometimes."

There is still work to be done at the high school, he said. He plans to introduce new guidance curriculum in the classroom and to install a career center at the school.

Pompeo knows the ropes from raising eight children who all attended Medford schools.

"We're 'indigenous' Medford people," he explained.

Pompeo is a key member of the SHORE Business Collaborative, a private-public partnership spanning nine area communities, which saves the city $100,000 each year.

"These are exciting times," Pompeo said. "The response for me is very pleasing. There is a sense that Medford is dedicated to providing quality education."

Robert E. Skerry Jr.

Robert Emmett Skerry Jr. has been to school, taught school and overseen the schools, and he believes those varying angles offer him a good perspective of education in Medford.

This year, his 16th on the School Committee, Skerry is happy to share his pride in what the board has accomplished so far, including the construction of new schools and the strengthening of the academic curriculum.

"People don't believe it, but we have the smallest class size in a 50-mile radius," Skerry said. "I have to give credit to the mayor (Michael J. McGlynn) and the superintendent (Roy E. Belson). We're doing it on a shoestring. It's our job."

The economic, social and racial diversity of Medford is something Skerry is aware of, and he believes the city has been adapting the schools to it for years.

"We were leaving no child behind long before the Bush administration thought it was a good thing to do," Skerry said.

Skerry wants to reinforce the newly-introduced after-school program, which he said is important because of the changing structure of families.

"There's a lot of latchkey kids in Medford," Skerry said. "The kids need a safe place to go and a place where they can maintain their sanity and become productive members of society."

Formerly a criminal investigator, Skerry said he is acutely aware of the power of education to guide children away from negative influences.

"If you don't have an education, there's not much you can do with your life," Skerry said. "If Medford is going to remain a bright community every child must be learning. And not all children learn at the same rate, the same speed or the same way."

Paulette Van der Kloot

Paulette Van der Kloot became involved in the school system like most residents: her children attended the public schools. But 14 years ago, Van der Kloot's interest evolved beyond her children's own experience to the general welfare of the students. She ran for School Committee, won, and has held the position ever since.

This year she's running for re-election, riding on the collective high over the new schools, but already watchful of upcoming projects and issues. Curriculum and academic success are priorities for her in the coming term.

"I think now we're really free to think more and more about accomplishing things educationally for our kids," Van der Kloot said.

Assuring residents that closed school buildings are sold appropriately and refurbishing the high school are community-wide hotspots she will focus on.

This will be the first time Van der Kloot doesn't have a child in the schools, but she said she's every bit as devoted to the position. She has openly shown support for challenger Bruce Kulik, who has children in the schools.

"For myself, I am so deeply committed to public education in Medford, it won't make a difference to my level of commitment," Van der Kloot said. "However, I do feel strongly there should be someone or people on board have children currently in the school system."

Van der Kloot's passion for education also evolved into a career. She recently obtained her masters degree in education from Cambridge College and is currently interning as a guidance counselor at Bedford Middle School.

"It seemed like a natural thing to do," Van der Kloot said of the career choice.

Ronald C. Vining

Ronald C. Vining knows all about higher education - he teaches at Suffolk University, in the communication and journalism, management and second languages divisions. For years, he said, he's considered running for School Committee, being convinced the children of Medford need another perspective.

"The primary thing that pushed me is that a lot of my students are from Medford or from the local area, and they're not ready for college," Vining said. "It's a trend that I've seen. I've been teaching at Suffolk for 10 years now. Every one or two years, a crop of students will be more prepared. But for the most part they're at the same level. My colleagues and I, we always talk about why aren't they ready?"

Vining said his understanding of the ultimate goal of college education will help him guide the school system to high academic standards.

Apart from academics, Vining said it's time to focus on the high school building now that the elementary schools are complete. The vocational school and the high school are both in rough shape, he said.

Vining spent five years as a senior manager at the MBTA, so he is accustomed to handling money in the public sector. He believes there is still waste to target in the school budget and his skills will be called upon to do that in the upcoming fiscal year.

"I know how to manage budgets, especially large budgets," Vining said. "The school budget is like a slush fund for MBTA (in terms of size). Unlike many people in government, I understand it's taxpayer money and I understand it's my money. You need to be very diligent. In tight times you have to buckle down."