Teresa Cardoso received a special commendation from the Board of Aldermen and Mayor Curtatone at the most recent Board meeting, honoring her 22 years of service as a Somerville School Committee Member.

By Erica Scharn

Three superintendents, four mayors, and six new or reconstructed schools later, Ward 2 Somerville School Committee member Teresa Cardoso is retiring from her position after 22 years of service.

Born and raised in Somerville, Cardoso became the first Portuguese-American bilingual elected official in the city. Now Somerville’s longest-serving School Committee member, she has decided to retire after more than two decades of service to spend more time with her family.

Mayor Curtatone and the Board of Aldermen submitted a citation honoring Cardoso for her years of service. In her remarks presenting the commendation November 26, Ward 2 Alderman Maryann M. Heuston said that she considered Cardoso a very good friend and mentor.

“She always had the pulse of the community, first and foremost,” said Heuston. “Teresa embodies all that is right and good about an elected official, and all that is right and good about a person who cares about her city and her community. She is also a symbol of comfort.”

Cardoso’s journey began with her involvement in the Parent Teacher Association (PTA), including serving as President for six years, at the then-Lincoln Park Community School, where her daughter was a student. In 1991, Cardoso testified at a School Committee budget hearing because one of the Lincoln School teachers – the only female teacher in the seventh and eighth grade team – was potentially going to be cut due to budget issues.

After she testified, her colleagues told her that she should run for School Committee; the Ward 2 seat had become vacant that year. Cardoso said that was the furthest thing from her mind, and that she hadn’t had any political ambitions. But further support from her family and friends prompted her to run, and she won the 1991 election after a friendly race.

Cardoso said that in her first years of service (which were marked by major changes brought on by education reform in 1993), the Committee tackled full-day pre-kindergarten and full-day kindergarten. “We were one of the first cities in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to have full-day kindergarten that you don’t have to pay for,” said Cardoso.

Reflecting on the School Committee’s work over the past 22 years, Cardoso said that with the Web site and other technologies, things have become more transparent and user-friendly. She said that she thinks it has become more student-oriented, and less top-down.

Another highlight for Cardoso was the building of several schools while she was on the School Committee. Cardoso said, “The most important one to me was the new Argenziano School [Lincoln Park Community School]. We desperately needed a school rebuilt on the Lincoln Park site, so I was very, very proud and excited to be part of that and be part of the advisory committee and see it through.”

On December 5, Cardoso’s family, friends and colleagues had a retirement party for her at the Dr. Albert F. Argenziano School, where her daughter teaches. “I will never forget all the people that came and made it very special for me. It was good to look back and see all the friends that I have made over the years,” said Cardoso.

A couple of years ago, Cardoso switched to part-time hours at her day job. She had been working full-time as an office manager at a law firm while attending School Committee meetings, PTA meetings and associated events. Now that her husband has retired and she has two young grandchildren, she said that she wants to be home more. So after talking to her family and friends, she came to the decision to retire from the Committee.

“My goal has always been that it’s the kids first. If it’s not good for the kids, then it’s not going to happen,” Cardoso said. “That’s where my heart and soul is.” She said that in her opinion, this requires 150%.

But the community can expect to see Cardoso around. She has long been involved in the community – including co-founding the Friends of Lincoln Park in the 1980s – and said that she’s sure that she’ll still be volunteering in the city in the coming years.

“It’s been a very good experience. I will miss it,” said Cardoso. “It’s kind of hard to just come to a halt. I don’t think that’ll happen. I think for the winter months I’ll slow down a bit. It’ll be nice to kick back and have my grandchildren stay for dinner and hang out for a little while.”

“I just want to thank everyone who has supported me and encouraged me and befriended me,” Cardoso said. “It’s been a long, great 22 years. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it, and I hope that I’ve made a difference in someone’s life along the way.”