By EMMA BARTLETT

Two Cranston residents announced their run for School Committee Monday. Domenic Fusco is running for reelection in Ward 3 while Anthony Melillo is running for the committee’s Ward 6 seat.

Fusco

Ward 3 School Committee member Domenic Fusco announced Monday his run for re-election. He said his six years on the committee have provided him with the experience to ensure the best for students in Ward 3 and all of Cranston.

During his time on the School Committee, Fusco worked with the administration to ensure the district had proper funding for programs in Cranston and spent countless hours helping our Cranston families with questions and/or problems with schools and how to get to the right people in the district to assist solving those problems, even if they are not Ward 3 residents. He was also part of a committee to ensure summer programming coming out of the pandemic for the summer of 2021.

Additionally, Fusco has been an advocate for the arts in school and said he is constantly advocating for the district’s children – whether it’s working with school administration or lobbying at city hall or the state house for items that affect the city’s kids.

“I attend events to support our children,” said Fusco, in Monday’s release. “I am proud to be a member of and advocate for Cranston Ward 3. That includes visiting schools, participating in our community events and generally being available to anyone who has questions.”

Fusco said the past few years have presented several challenges that the community had not seen before, and will hopefully never see again.

“We still need to ensure our children continue to succeed despite the obstacles,” Fusco said.

He mentioned that while people have seen and felt the inflation within society, and inflation has a huge impact on the school budget.

“Remember, schools do not have a funding mechanism, we rely on state and local funds to operate. Through the years we have managed to do what we can with less and I think we have done a good job doing it. I am constantly looking out for the children and taxpayers,” Fusco said.

Fusco said the next few years will include some changes to the district and more noticeable changes in Ward 3. If elected for another term, Fusco aims to work with colleagues on the school committee, the school buildings committee and central administration to ensure those plans are completed as planned and done in a way that will benefit Ward 3 and continue making Cranston schools the best they can be.

“I know this position is a political one and I have accepted that, however if someone is running for political reasons only, that I have a problem with,” Fusco said. “I firmly believe this position requires someone who is 100 percent dedicated to the wellbeing of our children first and foremost.

Fusco added that in the upcoming months, he looks forward to meeting and talking to individuals about Cranston Public Schools and how he will continue doing his best for the city’s children and taxpayers.

Melillo

Melillo, a 30+ year resident of the City of Cranston, Monday announced his candidacy to become the Ward 6 Representative to the Cranston School Committee. Anthony resides in the Garden City neighborhood of Cranston with his Wife, Elena.

“I believe in the old saying, ‘The first part of your life you learn, second part you earn, and as you mature, you return.’ I have been blessed to raise my family in the City of Cranston over the past 30+ years and to have sent three of my daughters through the Cranston Public School System,” said Melillo in a release Monday.

As a graduate of Rhode Island School of Design with a degree in Culinary Arts, Melillo has enjoyed a successful career in the food service industry for 30+ years, spending 17 of those years as a successful Food Service Director for Cranston Department of Senior Services. During his time there, Melillo created several intergenerational programs with senior citizens and Cranston Public School students, and developed department budgets and learned the workings of the City Budget process. Melillo is now the Director of Sales for a local food service distributor. He said he will bring his years of experience from the public and private sector to the Cranston School Committee.

“This position isn’t just a steppingstone for me. I am not a politician looking to take any seat just to start a political career. I actually want to serve the City of Cranston on the School Committee. I want to be a voice for children, neighbors and educators to make the great school system we already have, that much better,” said Melillo.

Melillo said he wants to bring more attention and focus to early childhood education as well as student mental health.

“We have some of the best schools in the state. We need to keep it that way. We cannot rest on our laurels. The children and residents of Cranston deserve to have best available education and it will be my focus to bring that to them,” Melillo said.

As of press time on Tuesday, theses are the Cranston residents who have declared their run for School Committee.

Ward 2
Christopher Maxwell
Kristen Haroian

Ward 3
Domenic Fusco
Paul Archetto

Ward 4
Kenneth Mancuso

Ward 5
Kimberly Lettieri

Ward 6
Anthony Melillo
Dylan Zelazo
Citywide
Michael Traficante