Previous Offices Held
none
Top Three Priorities
1. Making sure our schools have the resources to adequately address the needs of alternative learners who may not thrive in typical classroom environments; 2. Centering the diversity of our student body as a foundational point to be considered in committee decisions; 3. Fostering and supporting community involvement and opportunities at every level of our students’ academic careers
Why are you running?
After our schools opened back up following the 2020 shutdown, my work in Gorham schools gave me good insight into how intricately our schools are intertwined with our greater community, even for residents and families who don’t have student-aged children. I want to make sure that our town continues to cultivate this important relationship, and I would love to be a steward to carry that forward.
What is the biggest challenge facing your area’s schools? The biggest opportunity?
Our biggest challenge is balancing the increasing cost of operating our schools with the financial realities of Gorham’s residents. Property taxes go up every year, and many in our community are justifiably concerned about affording that cost. We need to honor that concern, while still prioritizing students’ needs. One of our greatest opportunities centers on ensuring we can provide sufficient resources to address and incorporate advancing technologies in our schools, in age-appropriate ways.
A top issue for many parents is the age of Maine’s school infrastructure. How would you address this issue locally from your position on the school board?
Several of Gorham’s school buildings and grounds have required renovation and expansion over the past several years. While I acknowledge that these necessary updates have been completed as economically as possible, there is still a lot of concern about future needs as Gorham’s population continues to increase, and more students begin attending our schools. These needs must be addressed creatively, and with a focus on long-term viability wherever possible.
Do you think the state government is too involved in local schooling? Not involved enough? The right amount of involved? Explain your answer.
I have been very pleased with the level of involvement from the Maine Department of Education, and appreciative of the many unique and inventive ways Gorham schools have operated within the state’s framework in the past. Gorham’s pioneering “Family AI Handbook,” completed earlier this year, is a great example of the freedom we have at the local level to implement policies and processes that best serve our students, faculty, and administrators, and to remain innovative and forward-thinking as we do so.