Occupation: Retired

Education: Graduated Boothbay Region High School class of 1979

Political History (Board, Committees): None

Clubs/Organizations: None

Considering the position you are running for, what do you feel are the three most pressing issues?

There being many pressing issues it is hard to narrow it down to just three.

First and most important to me is to make sure the vision, policies, mission and priorities of the board are focused on “what is in the best interests of the students.” The second issue is to ensure the Board of Trustees continues to strengthen a collaborative relationship with the community and staff through effective communications. Third, that communication should educate the community about the current condition of the schools so that all can come to a consensus about what updates are necessary and understand the maintenance needed to sustain our school campuses.

After researching Maine public school law and guidelines regarding which responsibilities are expected of the overseeing bodies within our school system, there are many aspects related to this, from creating policies, vision statements and bylaws to overseeing administration of the school - from teachers to support staff, student assessment, financial and property management, establishing enrollment criteria, and state and federal guidelines.

Any other thoughts on why you are running or what you can bring to the office?

We want our children to excel and learn in a healthy and safe environment. We need to have strong shared beliefs and a vision of commitment to a high expectation for student achievement. I recently retired and this has given me time to reflect on my community and think about how I can best serve this place I call home. Along with several family generations before and after, I was educated in the Boothbay Region school system. The saying, “the children are our future,” is one I believe to be true. There is much for me to learn going forward from all involved.