Vacancies for Amherst School Committee hope to be filled by October

AMHERST, Mass. (WWLP) – Town officials in Amherst say they’re hoping to fill the three empty spots on the School Committee by early October.

In a news release, the town said they plan to interview prospective candidates by September 26th at a Special Joint Meeting of the Town Council and School Committee. If needed they’ll host another Special Joint Meeting on October 2nd.

Anyone who is interested in filling these positions needs to submit a statement of interest by September 20th and that’s a hard deadline that can’t be extended. Amherst residents told 22News they want the school committee to get things in order.

“We are not doing the job now and Amherst needs to get its schoolhouse in order or we’re going to risk falling behind in the coming year in terms of student achievement and focus,” Thomas Porter of Amherst said.

All of this comes not only on the brink of the new school year but also ahead of the release of a Title IX investigation report looking into the handling of reported LGBTQ bullying at the middle school.