Rhonda Veugen, a graduate of Nauset Regional High School in Cape Cod, said she was inspired to run for the School Committee after meeting students and teachers while volunteering on the Wareham Public Schools Strategic Planning Committee, which formed last year to set priorities and goals for the district's future.

"It opened my eyes to the needs of Wareham in the school system," Veugen said.

Other motivators for her run for the School Committee were her three-year-old son, who will be entering Wareham schools soon, as well as her upbringing with numerous family members who were teachers and administrators. The importance of education was instilled in her, she said.

Veugen said she sees funding as the biggest challenge facing the School Committee. "On top of traditional methods, we have to think differently about how we get much-needed resources into our schools," she said. "I think that the most important things that we need to consider and think about are, 'What are the needs of our children?' and how are we going give them enough resources, whether it's people, dollars, whatever it is, so that they can have a quality education and move on."

Veugen, who has professional experience in community-building, civic-engagement, and balancing budgets, said she wants to find additional ways to get the community involved in the schools to ease the sting of budget limitations.

Veugen said that many budget challenges can be overcome just by asking volunteers to help. "You just have to ask. That's what I'll do. I'll force the 'ask,'" she said.

"One of the first things I want to do is I want to ask for us to pull together a committee of active citizens to research alternative funding, to suggest additional ways for parents and community members to get involved, and to recommend efficiencies that can be debated and then put into action," Veugen said.

Veugen said she also wants to expand programs already in place that encourage accountability throughout the schools. "I believe that goal-setting and then being evaluated on those goals lead to a greater sense of responsibility and pride," she said. "We must work to find accountability at all levels."

Veugen said collaboration among all parties involved in education is essential. "I feel the key to collaboration is to listen first, work to agree on solutions or next steps, document objectives, and monitor progress."

Veugen and her husband moved to Wareham six years ago. In addition to her three-year-old, Veugen has a 19-year-old stepson.

Veugen has an associate's degree from Dean College in Franklin and has taken classes at New York University's Gallatin School of Individualized Study and UMASS Boston.

After her time at NYU, Veugen decided on a career in nonprofits, she said. She managed the volunteer center for the United Way of Massachusetts Bay and then went on to work as the director of the eCommunity for the United Way of America. She is currently the director of customer experience for Truist, which sells philanthropic technology products and services.

If elected, Veugen said she wants to be part of a School Committee that continues forward-thinking. "It's about finding creative and additional ways for involvement in the future and achievements of our students," she said. "At the end of the day, it's all about constantly striving to learn."