Windham will vote on five candidates for the RSU 14 School Board, which covers Windham and Raymond. The top two candidates in the race will serve in two of Windham’s six allotted seats. Lakes Region Now reached out to each of the candidates, and here’s what they had to say:

MATTHEW IRVING

What made you decide to run for school board?

I am running for school board because I want the best future possible for our children. I am a
graduate of public schools and a first-generation public university graduate, so I can vouch for
the value of public education. Our kids need relevant skills and confidence in their ability to think critically in a tumultuous world. Our board needs people who engage respectfully with our
community and contribute with well-researched ideas, which I will do.

How do you plan to address relations between the school district and the communities that it serves?

We all need to remember that the purpose of school board service is to unite in working to find
the best solutions for our kids. The board’s work should be transparent and informed by the
community’s needs and input. Residents should feel heard and seen. We also would do well to
remember that a diversity of viewpoints makes for stronger solutions.

What are some of the major issues facing the school district at the moment, and how do you
hope to address them as a school board member?

Taxes, transportation, and test scores/academic success. The cost of living continues to rise not
just for our teachers and residents, but to operate our schools at current levels. Our budgeting
needs to reflect the squeeze we are all feeling. It’s clear we need more bus drivers. I’ve heard
from a number of voters how frustrating and disruptive canceled buses are to their families.
Others have relayed some unreasonable expectations about the distance or conditions of some
bus stops. This should be an immediate priority. We need to make sure our students are getting
the best education possible. I believe the best way to do that is to ensure we are identifying
when students are having trouble and intervening with support immediately. The best way to
increase fourth-grade test scores is to support students before they get there.

DESTINY JOHNSON

What made you decide to run for school board?

I’m running to protect students’ safety, fairness, and educational opportunities. As a mom and
coach, I’ve seen firsthand how families feel left out when raising district concerns. I will not
stand on the sidelines. Our children’s innocence, privacy, safety are vital for our communities
future. I will work with the school board to restore trust, ensure parental voices are heard, and
make sure academic priorities focus on every student being prepared for college or are career
ready.

How do you plan to address relations between the school district and the communities that it serves?

Windham is strong because of its families, small businesses, and community strength. We are
parents dedicated to our children, as neighbors we support each another, and local small
businesses drive our economy. As a board member, I’ll strengthen school-parent relations,
optimize our local business leaders, and maintain policies that reflect community values.

What are some of the major issues facing the school district at the moment, and how do you hope to address them as a school board member?

The most pressing issue is restoring trust between all families and the district. Parents must
have reasonable time to decide if school material is violating their sincerely held beliefs and they
must know their girls’ rights to sports and privacy are secure. I will work with our school board to
emphasize transparency, respect parental rights, and prioritize policies that put students’ safety,
privacy, and education first.

MEGAN POTTER

What made you decide to run for school board?

I love this community and want to give back by helping every child have the opportunity to thrive. As a parent of two students and someone shaped by personal challenges, I bring compassion, perspective, and resilience. I’m not extreme — I tend to be middle-of-the-road and value hearing multiple viewpoints. I make decisions based on facts, not feelings. Professionally, I lead a team at a local law firm, which has strengthened my leadership and problem-solving skills. I’ll listen, stay open-minded, and always put students first while balancing the needs of families, teachers, and taxpayers.

What are some of the major issues facing the school district at the moment, and how do
you hope to address them as a school board member?

Some of the major issues are the budget, attracting and retaining good teachers, and community division. The last budget barely passed, and rising property taxes are a real concern for families. I believe we need to go line by line, cut where we can without hurting kids, and be open with the community about where the money goes. At the same time, attracting and retaining good teachers is a concern. We need to offer competitive wages, strong benefits, and a supportive culture where teachers feel seen and valued. When it comes to community division, I believe it helps to have someone who can see multiple perspectives, keep an open mind, and really listen. We won’t always agree and that’s OK, but if we’re willing to talk things through and meet in the middle, we can move forward together.

How do you plan to address the relations between the school district and the communities
it serves.

I think it’s important to listen to people and be honest with them. Even when we don’t all agree, we can still have respectful conversations. I want to make sure the community knows what’s going on and feels included in the process. Being open about decisions helps build trust. At the end of the day, we all want what’s best for the kids, and I believe we can work together to get there.

CHRISTINA SMALL

What made you decide to run for school board?

The first time I sought appointment to the board in early 2020 my goal was to serve my community. My knowledge about the role and effectiveness as a board member has grown significantly over time but my goal hasn’t changed. The connections I’ve made within the schools help me gain insight into some of the challenges our district faces. Were I to be reelected, I would continue to utilize these connections and insights to help move the work of the board forward.

What are some of the major issues facing the school district at the moment, and how do you hope to address them as a school board member?

Staffing remains an issue in RSU 14, but also nationwide. Most people are aware of our struggle to hire bus drivers. One of the few tools we have to address this is negotiating a competitive wage. We also need to be sure that all staff feel respected and supported at work. It doesn’t cost a lot to have a positive school culture; we want to be a place where people want to work.

Attendance rates have not returned to pre-pandemic levels. We can’t teach kids who aren’t there. To help address this the board has funded training for BARR implementation which is a model that actively engages families and improves student connection in school which has shown promise to increase attendance rates.

How do you plan to address relations between the school district and the communities that it serves?

One of the board goals we set for the 2025-26 school year was about communication with the public. We recognize that even though all of our work is publicly available it’s not easily accessible or digestible to people who don’t regularly look for it. This is a work in progress, and I’m eager to build meaningful two-way communication — making board information more accessible while also creating better opportunities for community members to share their perspectives and be heard.

I saw that you are an incumbent school board member. Could you tell me a bit about some of your accomplishments during your time in office?

It’s a challenge to pick out the things I accomplished because I view board work as a team effort. Some things that come to mind are first, advancing the new Windham Raymond Middle School through the final stages of the approval process. Second, settling contracts with all three of our associations that addressed growing wage gaps for the area. Third, updating policies to include a bell-to-bell student cellphone ban across the district and strengthening our tobacco use policy to match the strict disciplinary guidelines already in place for marijuana use.

ADAM ZAJAC

Adam Zajac did not respond to requests for comment. According to the website of the Windham Republican Town Committee, Zajac supports a “no-nonsense, results-driven approach to education,” and “will represent both students and parents, ensuring safe, distraction-free classrooms free of ‘woke’ agendas or graphic content.”