Sharlene Cronin resigned from the School Committee effective Aug. 31. Chair Abby Besse announced Cronin’s resignation at the committee’s Sept. 11 meeting. Besse said the School Committee had also officially notified the Select Board of the vacancy. Cronin was first elected to the School Committee in 2018 and reelected in 2021.
“I want to thank Sharlene for her five years of service through some pretty tough times—through COVID and post-COVID,” Besse said. “That was not an easy time at all.” Besse also praised Cronin’s financial acumen, saying, “I learned so much from her. … I’m never going to see a spreadsheet again without thinking of Sharlene.”
In an email to the Press, Cronin wrote, “During my 4.5 years on School Committee, my goal was to focus on improving the systems that serve our students and community, inclusive of advocating for accountability, pushing for evidence-based curriculum, and using data to inform our decision making. I am grateful for the opportunity and the learning that came with it.”
Under the terms of the Harvard Charter, public notice of a vacancy must be given. Then, in a joint vote, the Select Board and the remaining four members of the School Committee will appoint someone to fill the position until the next Town Election.
The Select Board announced the vacancy at this week’s meeting. The board requested anyone interested in filling the vacancy to complete and submit a volunteer form. The form is available on the town website, under Forms and Documents/Select Board (https://harvard.seamlessdocs.com/f/volunteerform).
