DALTON, Mass. — Central Berkshire Regional School Committee appointed its newest member, Sara Tucker, during its meeting last week.
Tucker will be serving as the committee's Dalton representative taking the place of the town's former representative Nicole Tucker. Although Sara and Nicole share a last name they have no relation.
Nicole Tucker decided to leave her seat early, which caused a vacancy on the committee that needed to be filled. The district put a call out for applications and received three but two dropped out.
The seat will be included in the elections in November so the community can vote who they want to have as the Dalton representative.
Sara Tucker is a supervisor for an adolescent unit at the state Department of Children and Families.
As a social worker, she has experience working with teens in the criminal justice system which the committee has not had before, committee Chair Richard Peters said.
"I'm excited actually, because obviously she has a lot of energy and a lot of really good experience and it's good to have a really great mix of people, parents, other folks who've been not in education, folks that are in education, and we have a really good blend of all of the above characters," Peters said.
"So, it really works out well and everybody on the committee is very respectful and it's just a pleasure to be on this committee, and I hope it maintains that for sure. It actually makes it really nice. So, I'm excited to have her, that's for sure."
Tucker has children in the district, one who will be going to Nessacus Regional Middle School next year and another one is involved in special education and receives Individualized Education Program services. She also is president of the Parent Teacher Organization.
"Since my kiddos started, I've been trying to figure out ways to kind of be helpful to the school system to be helpful to my children and their growth within the school system," Tucker said.
"I think she has an excellent background," Superintendent Leslie Blake-Davis. "She has great ideas, great suggestions. She's very invested in all students. She has children in the district."
As the PTO president, Tucker has helped the Craneville Elementary School principal bring in more "diversity, equity inclusion" with a reading program.
The program works to increase belonging and make children feel included while also encouraging readers, especially the reluctant readers, she said. She is also working with Craneville to bring the entrepreneur fair for its fifth graders.
She has a master's degree in social work from the University of Albany in New York and a post-master's certificate working with adolescents and children that are dealing with different challenges.
"Having that experience and coming from where I'm trying to kind of fix things. I would love to be able to kind of come in here and help create more positive change for our kids and our staff," Tucker said.
