Four people are running for two seats with three-year terms on the Hermon School Committee.
Haily Keezer, 41, is running for reelection. She was first elected in June 2022. Caroline DelMonaco, 47, and Jonathan “Jon” Smith, 44, are running for the first time. Eugene “Gene” Sullivan Jr., 48, ran for a partial term in November but lost to James Stubbs. Stubbs is not running for reelection when his term expires this month.
DelMonaco and Keezer are campaigning together. Both women were endorsed by Rep. James Thorne, R-Carmel, for their conservative values.
Smith and Sullivan are also running together, on a platform of cooperation and teamwork.
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on June 10 at the Hermon High School Gym at 2415 Route 2.
The Hermon School Committee candidates are listed in the order they appear on the ballot.
Caroline DelMonaco
DelMonaco has lived in Hermon for 24 years and is a licensed social worker. She said she is running for election because she is committed to creating an “inclusive, balanced approach on the committee, which it desperately needs.”
The biggest issue facing Hermon schools is community distrust, DelMonaco said.
If elected, DelMonaco said she wants to focus on rebuilding trust with transparency and open forums. She also wants to make sure there are practical solutions to address any needs for parents and teachers.
“For three years, I’ve attended meetings, observing a current approach that often prioritizes control over student and community needs,” DelMonaco said. “I’m patient and kind, yet firm in my resolve, and when resistance hinders meaningful change, I’ll be ready to work constructively together to develop viable solutions.”
Haily Keezer
Keezer, a registered nurse, has lived in Hermon for five years. She said she is running for reelection because she wants to keep being an advocate and help unite the community.
The school committee’s inability to work transparently and collaboratively is the biggest issue facing the school department, Keezer said. If she’s reelected, she said she wants to create more collaboration between the schools and community, as well as make sure the budget is allocated to the schools’ needs.
As a registered nurse, Keezer works one day a week caring for a quadriplegic student who attends Hermon High School. Keezer was originally allowed in the school to care for the student, in a position not paid by the school. When a new superintendent took over in April, she said Keezer was violating state law, which bars school committee members from working for schools they oversee.
The 14-year-old student does not attend school one day a week because Keezer is barred from attending with her.
“I will continue to serve and prioritize our community,” Keezer said. “I believe in teamwork, where all voices matter, and together we can restore our community.”
Jonathan Smith
Smith and his family moved to Hermon in 2011. He works as a counselor and administrator at a mental health agency. He’s also the president of the town’s Little League program.
He said he decided to run because he wants to contribute to the community he’s part of, and because he can bring a level of calm and collaboration to the school committee. The committee is supposed to ensure the schools run well with students’ best interests in mind, he said.
If Smith is elected, he said he isn’t joining with any “preconceived agenda” about what needs to happen differently on the committee.
“The proper candidates should have the ability to take in and consider and really honor multiple viewpoints and arrive at fair and reasonable decisions,” Smith said.
Eugene Sullivan
Sullivan is a lawyer and adjunct professor who has lived in Hermon for eight years. He said he is running again because he thinks he can help the school committee be more efficient by being a calm voice.
He and his wife are also teaching their children to never give up on their goals, and Sullivan said his goal is to serve on the school committee. He lost by 76 votes in the November election.
If elected, Sullivan said he views his job as ensuring the school department runs well, not to run the schools. He said he wants to help make sure the school committee is collaborative as it makes decisions.
“We just need voters to come out and make an informed decision for themselves,” Sullivan said.