Following the strong community engagement at QCAN’s recent Candidates’ Night, many constituents expressed interest in hearing more about how School Committee candidates view climate action in Quincy Public Schools (QPS). To help voters make informed decisions ahead of next week’s election, the Quincy Climate Action Network invited all School Committee candidates to answer one of four climate-related questions submitted by members of the QCAN community.

We recognize that candidates are in the final stretch of their campaigns, and we appreciate that not everyone had the time or bandwidth to participate. Responses were optional, and the answers below are published exactly as submitted, with only minor formatting for readability.

Our goals are simple:

• give every candidate an equal opportunity to share their views
• help the community understand where candidates stand on climate
• highlight issues that matter to families, educators, and students- from energy efficiency to food waste, climate education, and resilient school buildings

Thank you to all candidates who took the time to share their perspectives.

How This Worked

QCAN invited all Quincy School Committee candidates to answer one of the following four community-generated questions:

Food Waste Diversion
Energy Efficiency & Climate Resilience
Climate Education
Sustainability Leadership

Responses were voluntary and accepted until 5:00 PM on October 29, 2025. Candidates selected the question they wished to answer. Submissions appear below in alphabetical order by last name.

Candidate Responses:

Kate Campbell
Question Selected: Food Waste Diversion

Response:
Yes, I support expanding the QPS food waste diversion program. Thank you to QCAN for their years of advocacy to launch the pilot program, and for continuing to advocate for residential food waste collection. The school food waste diversion program is a great example of how collaboration between local groups, the city/school district, and private companies can have a real impact on issues affecting our community. Especially now with funding threats and attacks on climate science and initiatives, it is even more important to continue building collaborative relationships to come up with creative and effective solutions.

I am the director of a cooperative early learning center in Cambridge, which has city-wide food waste collection. Every classroom has a bin to collect food waste, and our staff, parents, and children are all familiar with how to properly sort what may be composted, and what goes into the recycling or trash. It is crucial to teach and model for young children what they can do to protect our environment, so they can develop positive habits and establish a routine to carry with them as they grow. I believe comprehensive food waste collection in Quincy would play a large role in helping the expansion of the school program, as it has in Cambridge.

If elected to the school committee I will continue building relationships with QCAN and other local groups, and continue learning about issues that need to be addressed within the school district, such as energy efficiency and climate resilience. I strongly support climate education for educators, staff, families, and students at all grade levels but particularly at the elementary schools.

Kai Man Lee
Question Selected: Climate Education

Response:
I’m going to focus on renewables, specifically solar for my answer. My family installed solar panels during the summer of 2023 and I sing praises about it whenever anyone asks me about it. I learned a lot during the process and made a financial case to my wife in order for this investment and home improvement project to proceed. That should also be a guiding principle on whether we are able to add solar to our school buildings as an upgrade and whether we can include them in new buildings. Looking at Google Maps, it looks like Lincoln Hancock has solar panels but South West Middle School does not. Similarly, it looks like Clifford Marshall has solar and Point Webster does not. I don’t have the history but will be interested to find out why.

If we do not have it already (I would like something catered to each grade level so that our students can understand it at their level):

• We should have lessons on renewables
• The environmental impact they’re able to make
• How they are an investment and what the ROI looks like
• Projections on energy usage vs current energy generation and projections/options on energy generation expansion

As for projects (again, also at the appropriate grade level), I would advocate for and like to see:

In the younger grades: hands-on projects using a solar panel and a motor or light inside a cardboard house or building
In the upper grades: research projects and presentations on various renewable options

Partnerships:
Invite (ideally local) companies in to provide info sessions on solar/renewable solutions. These can take place at night and be geared toward parents. I’m not sure what the rules or regulations are around that, but it would be valuable.

Frank Santoro
Question Selected: Energy Efficiency & Climate Resilience

Response:
Since being a member of the design team for the new Quincy High School, I have developed a keen interest in creating Net Zero Schools. By designing and constructing green initiatives, like rooftop solar panels and energy recovery units, we were able to establish enough points to get further reimbursements from the Mass State Building Authority.

It’s no secret that both energy efficiency and climate resiliency have become higher priorities over time. Years ago, all school buildings were heated by steam using coal and oil. The buildings intentionally used steam radiators to induce ventilation for classrooms through shafts, only to release the heated air out through vents in the roof. We’ve certainly come a long way.

Some of our schools are still heated with steam. These should be the highest priority buildings to upgrade—the lowest-hanging fruit, so to speak. These include Atherton Hough, Atlantic Middle, Montclair, Merrymount, Wollaston, and Snug Harbor. If elected, I would urge the City to continue pursuing funding for projects such as the Green School Works project at Snug Harbor Elementary.

The City applied for and received a $4.5 million grant for this project and also plans to match the grant dollars. I attended the award ceremony. This project has already begun with the installation of a large energy recovery ventilation unit that uses heat pump technology for both heating and cooling. Subsequent phases of the project will eliminate the steam system and incorporate additional heat pump and energy recovery systems. Indoor air quality has already improved, and summers will be more tolerable for students and staff with tempered air delivered by the new system.

Perhaps the biggest example of energy efficiency and climate resilience in a new school is Squantum Elementary. As a member of the design team, I encouraged the pursuit of an energy-efficient and resilient building. As a result, we are constructing Quincy’s first complete geothermal school building with the goal of achieving as close as we can to net zero.

One challenge is that when an older building is upgraded using heat pump technology, the current electrical service is often inadequate. This can add cost and time, and sometimes the grid infrastructure itself poses limits. This challenge is another factor when selecting buildings for upgrades.

We should continue assigning priority to steam-heated buildings, starting with those with available grid electrical capacity. We should also incorporate energy-efficient systems into existing facilities facing end-of-life equipment failures. I also believe vocational students in engineering, electrical, and plumbing programs should spend time at these sites to learn firsthand how geothermal systems are designed, installed, and operated.

Marsha Roos
Question Selected: Energy Efficiency & Climate Resilience

Response:
Currently, I work in an outdated and energy-inefficient school building, which has given me firsthand experience in understanding the value that new design and energy efficiency can bring. There’s a direct correlation: students perform better on tests in classrooms that are comfortable and have ample daylight. New school construction should be designed with maximum energy efficiency and sustainability in mind. Key considerations should include strategic use of natural light, placement of solar panels, and efficient use of water for conservation.

No Response Received as of October 29, 2025
Tina Cahill
Tom Leung

Thank You
Thank you again to the candidates who shared their insights, and to the community members who raised these thoughtful questions.

Election Day is coming up on Tuesday, November 4th, remember to vote!