The Waltham Candidates: Lisa Limonciello for School Committee (challenger)

Lisa Limonciello

Age: 39

Family: married to husband Thomas, they have two daughters, 8-year-old Sophia and 6-year-old Ava. They attend Henry Whittemore Elementary School.

Neighborhood: South Side

Education: After graduating from Waltham High, she attended the University of Massachusetts-Lowell for two years, studying child psychology.

Occupation: Merchandise specialist for the TJX Companies in Framingham

Experience: Co-president of Whittemore Elementary Parent-Teacher Organization since 2004, cofounder and board member of the Waltham Education and Beyond Foundation

Key issues: "My priorities this go around would be the MCAS [several] schools haven't met Adequate Yearly Progress, and that's really concerning to me. I know it's a tough test, and I know it's state mandated, but we really need to stop making excuses and put our department heads on notice and start making some hard changes, and not accept mediocrity." Limonciello said she also wants to make sure the committee finds ways to mitigate large class sizes before the start of the school year, by adding teachers, aides, or volunteers. She is emphatic for the need for a better School department website that provides information for parents and touts the district's achievements.

What distinguishes her: Her corporate background and ability to put efficiency and effectiveness over politics, she says. "Some of our school committee members want to play nice in the sand with everybody. but it's about running a business and doing right by the students, and not about who you used to work with, or who you were friends with. That's not important to me. My children and their education are what's important."

Listen to an audio clip of Lisa Limonciello discuss what should be done to recruit and retain more qualified teachers to Waltham.

-- Stephanie Siek