Experience ruled the day for School Committee races, as all three incumbents up for re-election kept their seats on the board in Tuesday's election.
"I think we have a terrific team," said School Committee Vice Chairwoman Claire Sokoloff, who kept her Ward 6 seat from challenger Olivia Mathews.
Sokoloff, along with fellow incumbents Reenie Murphy and Jonathan Yeo, will serve another two-year term.
In the Ward 6 race, Sokoloff earned 9,112 votes, while Mathews collected 6,659.
Yeo, who earned 8,590 votes to beat challenger Dan Proskauer's 6,163 to keep his Ward 4 post, said board members "are going to need to work harder to keep our strengths and (find) improvements."
Both Sokoloff and Yeo said finding a new superintendent is a top priority for the school system - Sokoloff and Murphy lead a search committee that is overseeing that effort.
Yeo said the schools will be working to develop a budget during a difficult time, but there will be an opportunity to work with a new mayor and new school superintendent.
"This is an exciting time for Newton," said Yeo.
Proskauer said it's difficult running against an incumbent, but the more than 6,100 votes in his favor showed he had support in the city. He said he will continue being active in school business and will be in contact with Yeo.
"He knows I'll be standing behind him, whispering in his ear and holding him accountable,' Proskauer said of Yeo.
In the Ward 2 race, Murphy's 8,523 votes beat Margaret Albright, who earned 6,118 votes.
In the Ward 7 race to replace departing committee Chairman Marc Laredo, Matthew Hills beat fellow challenger Susan Flicop. Hills collected 8,301 votes and Flicop had 6,543.
Hills echoed the incumbent members and said a permanent superintendent is a priority.
"It's very simple: If we don't have the right superintendent, we're just pushing string to solve our problems," said Hills.
Though voters clearly chose experience over change in this year's school committee race, Hills said he won't be a silent addition.
"I don't expect to sit and learn and do nothing for two years," he said.
