Lee — In a unanimous vote, members of Lee’s School Committee and Select Board in a joint meeting agreed to offer resident Ashley Salvini the final position on the seven-member committee. She interviewed for the spot on September 9, along with resident Kevin O’Neil.
The unusual scenario prompting the vote began as the three-year terms of former School Committee members Andrea Larmon and Betsy Strickler expired this year. Both Larmon and Strickler did not run for another term, and at the time of the May 2025 election, no candidates were posted for the position.
However, the results of that election reflected a win for Dorothy French with 50 write-in votes. With the victory, French took one of the committee openings, but one vacancy remained, prompting the interview process. Salvini’s term will expire in May 2026.
In response to questions posed by the two groups, Salvini said, as a parent, she realizes the importance of education. The Lee native attended local schools and now has two children in the same district. “I feel like they both are where they are because of the faculty here and the teachers,” she said, praising the local system. “I cannot say enough about the school. I feel like the community has done a lot for me over several years, and I’d like to give back if I could.”
Salvini has worked in education for 23 years, recently joined Lee’s Board of Public Works, and said she loves to solve problems. “The fact that I’ve had the same career and I’ve been going down the same path and been very determined to follow my goals and get to where I am shows that I’m a dedicated person,” she said.
Salvini touted the need for school attendance since children who miss out on classroom days may fall behind in education advancement. For Salvini, school communications regarding the importance of attendance and students “staying on top” of their schoolwork has helped make parents aware of what is happening in the classroom. Additionally, allowing students access to teachers before and after school “helps kids get on the same track,” she said.
Regarding strengthening relationships between schools and the greater Lee community, Salvini finds that getting families involved in school functions is a priority. “I don’t think, maybe, that we have families enough involved,” she said. “We all pay taxes, and to parents, it’s really important. We’re paying taxes and we want to make sure the kids get the best education and the money goes to the school appropriately. But I don’t think a lot of other people out there are aware of this.”
Salvini said she canvassed her neighbors prior to the last budget meeting to get them interested with the effort, offering that involvement “affects us and our students.”
Salvini pushed for more outreach, increasing articles in the media and posting flyers to improve communication between the school district and the community. “I think it is important to have more people involved in that, especially taxpayers, people who don’t have kids in school,” she said.
Although Salvini has budgeted for her home, she admitted to never having done so in a much larger capacity, such as the school district. “I think working with others is huge, especially bringing somebody new on who hasn’t done this,” she said. “I think the education and listening to other committee members is key. I do like to work with others.”
Long term, Salvini looks to more discussion about puberty and wellness, including parents in that conversation. “It is, at times, uncomfortable to talk to your children about that,” she said. “That is something I’ve definitely thought a lot about. If we could offer something where it could be parents and kids involved more so, that would be great.”
Salvini noted that parents’ roles are on the sidelines, watching their children in sports or activities. “Preteen is tough, I have one, and I think being able to do some stuff with your children that involves school, I like that idea,” she said.
A numeric rubric was used by all members of both groups, with each member tabulating the individual with the highest scores.
“It’s only 13 months,” Select Board Member Gordon Bailey said. “Prove yourself here and then get elected. … Whoever does not get this position, should not be discouraged.”
A longtime business owner, contractor, and baseball coach, O’Neil advocated for more trade or vocational path options in the school system as well as heightened communication strategies between the district and public.
Many of the rubric results indicated close counts, with members stating that both candidates would bring different attributes to the table, and encouraged O’Neil to remain involved in the committee’s interests.
