Brenda Eckstrom has a long history in Wareham town politics, having served on the Select Board between 2005 and 2011. 

“I got involved in the very beginning because of affordable housing — it’s a passion of mine,” Eckstrom said. 

This election cycle, Eckstrom took out nomination papers for multiple positions, including Select Board, School Committee and Sewer Commission. She did so because she’s “sick of seeing people walk in unopposed," she said.

With rising inflation and no more Covid pandemic relief funding, districts across the state are struggling and Wareham is among them. 

However, Eckstrom took issue with some of the school’s discussion of its budgetary issues. 

In a hypothetical example where the school got $8 million the previous year, asks for $10 million this year and gets $9 million, that’s not a budget cut, Eckstrom said. “It’s like, ‘This is our wish list, and you won’t give us everything on our wish list.’ That’s not a cut.”

The school’s approach to its budget situation leads to parents thinking the school is being deprived, at which point they “clamor on every door” to increase school funding, Eckstrom said. 

“Parents want everything for their kids, and I don’t blame parents, I’m a parent too,” she said. 

Additionally, Eckstrom said the current level of support for teachers compared to administrators is lopsided. 

“The teachers need to be supported, and the teachers aids need to be supported, and I think that we need more in-class and less top heavy,” Eckstrom said. 

With the money that’s used for certain administrative positions, the schools could hire more para-professionals, or could have an upper level employee come into the classrooms and give the teachers breaks to prepare for their lessons, Eckstrom said.