Portland Press Herald (Maine), November 2, 2005, Wednesday

Copyright 2005 Blethen Maine Newspapers, Inc.
Portland Press Herald (Maine)

November 2, 2005 Wednesday, Final Edition

SECTION: LOCAL & STATE; Pg. B3

HEADLINE: Scarborough School Board slate crowded;
On the Town Council, meanwhile, candidates are running uncontested for three seats.

BYLINE: MARK PETERS Staff Writer

DATELINE: SCARBOROUGH

BODY:
Voters will have a variety of School Board candidates to choose among Nov. 8, but there there are no contested races for seats on the Town Council. Four candidates are running for two seats on the board. Also, two candidates want to fill the seat of board member Linda Gordius, who resigned because she moved from town.
The council race is uncontested. Three incumbents, Shawn Babine, Jeffrey Messer and Sylvia Most, are running for three seats.
THREE-YEAR TERM
CHRIS BROWNSEY
AGE: 36
PERSONAL: Married, two children
ADDRESS: 8 Frazier Lane
EDUCATION: Graduate, Niskayuna High School, Niskayuna, N.Y.; bachelor's degree in economics, Colby College; master's degree in business administration, Pace University, New York, N.Y.
OCCUPATION: Director of analysis, UnumProvident Corp.
POLITICAL/CIVIC EXPERIENCE: School Board, 2003-present
ON THE ISSUES: Brownsey said he worked during his first term to keep the cost of education affordable, while only adding programs with a strong effect on the schools.
He said he brings a mixture of experience as both a board member and someone who has a background in budgeting, finance and accounting.
As for new school construction projects the board is considering, he wants to balance the needs of Wentworth Intermediate School and Scarborough Middle School with the town's ability to pay. He thinks the town doesn't need to do both projects at once and believes it can do the work for less than what is being discussed.
MICHELE HALLETT
AGE: 37
PERSONAL: Married, two child- ren
ADDRESS: 42 Maple Ave.
EDUCATION: Graduate, Massabesic High School; working on a business degree, Husson College
OCCUPATION: Manager, Seligman Data Corp., a mutual fund company
POLITICAL/CIVIC EXPERIENCE: None
ON THE ISSUES: Hallett is running to get involved in her community and bring her experience in business and project management to the board.
Hallett will work on creating a solid plan to address overcrowding in the schools. She wants to make sure the board comes up with a plan that will last more than a few years.
GRACE HOTCHKISS SCARANO
AGE: 39
PERSONAL: Married, three children
ADDRESS: 5 Woodrock Drive
EDUCATION: Graduate, Martha's Vineyard Regional High School; bachelor's degree in music, University of Lowell, Lowell, Mass.; master's degree in education and doctorate in education, Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y.
OCCUPATION: Faculty member, education department, University of New England
POLITICAL/CIVIC EXPERIENCE: Participant, Maine Department of Education Balance of Representation Institute; participant, Scarborough Middle School math/science mentor program; facilitator, Pi Day, Children's Museum of Maine
ON THE ISSUES: Scarano is running because she wants to put her expertise to use in her "own backyard."
She said the schools in town are functioning well, but she feels they can do more. Scarano would focus on where students aren't meeting state standards.
Scarano wants the board to look at educational research before deciding what to do with the intermediate and middle schools. She said there is no reason to rush into large construction projects.
COLLEEN STASZKO
AGE: 46
PERSONAL: Married, two children
ADDRESS: 245 Pleasant Hill Road
EDUCATION: Graduate, South Portland High School; bachelor's degree in communication, University of Maine; K-8 post baccalaureate certificate, University of New England; finishing a master's degree in education, University of New England
OCCUPATION: Fourth-grade teacher, MSAD 51 (Cumberland and North Yarmouth)
POLITICAL/CIVIC EXPERIENCE: Past member, Committee for Scarborough Superintendent Search; past member, School Department Financial Advisory Committee; past member, Scarborough Middle School Sixth-Grade Parent Committee
ON THE ISSUES: Staszko wants to bring her expertise to the board. She is a teacher and said she has experience in budgeting as a former employee of the U.S. Social Security Administration.
Staszko would like to set an overall goal for the district and work to achieve it. She also would like to make sure the schools have the best instructional practices to ensure students meet or exceed state standards.
The board should look at long-term needs when addressing the space issues at the intermediate and middle schools, Staszko said.
ONE-YEAR TERM
JACQUELYN PERRY
AGE: 68
PERSONAL: Single
ADDRESS: 215 Black Point Road
EDUCATION: Graduate, John Bapst High School, Bangor; bachelor's degree in education, University of Maine; master's degree in education, University of Maine Portland-Gorham
POLITICAL/CIVIC EXPERIENCE: School Board, first elected 1976, with most recent tenure 1995-2004
ON THE ISSUES: Perry is running again because she likes children and enjoys the work of the board. She did not run for reelection last year because of term limits.
If elected to the one-year term, Perry plans to work on the class sizes in kindergarten. Parents have told her that some classes have 19 to 22 students, which she considers to be too many.
Perry also wants to address space issues the schools face. She favors the direction the board is going with the intermediate and middle schools and agrees with keeping the current grade levels.
ANNALEE ROSENBLATT
AGE: 61
PERSONAL: Two children
ADDRESS: 18 Tall Pines Road
EDUCATION: Graduate, Shadle Park High School, Spokane, Wash.; bachelor's degree in education and master's degree in school counseling, Arizona State University; certificate of labor studies, Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations
POLITICAL/CIVIC EXPERIENCE:School Board, 2001-2004; 350th Anniversary Committee; Comprehensive Plan Update Committee; Maine State Civil Service Board; Maine Board of Arbitration and Conciliation
ON THE ISSUES: Rosenblatt says she would bring a background in education and experience building consensus as a mediator to the board.
She has long-term goals for the school like improving the performance level of students. But since the term is one year, Rosenblatt said she would like to focus on short-term goals. They include trying to create a system in which parents can go directly to the board with an issue after it is addressed by an administrator.
Rosenblatt also would like to see residents get more than one option when they vote on the intermediate and middle school construction projects.
Staff Writer Mark Peters can be contacted at 791-6325 or at:
mpeters@pressherald.com

GRAPHIC: Chris Brownsey
Michele Hallett
Grace Hotchkiss Scarano
Colleen Staszko
Jacquelyn Perry
Annalee Rosenblatt