News Features

Educational election

Only a few step up to serve Portland’s schools

By DEIRDRE FULTON | October 29, 2008

Elizabeth Holton

School Committee At-Large

ANNA TREVORROW
ANNATREVORROW08.BLOGSPOT.COM | Trevorrow, a young activist and a board member of Maine’s Green Independent Party, highlights her banking experience (her day job is at Norway Savings Bank) and knowledge of progressive curriculum design as top reasons to elect her to the Portland School Committee. She advocates increased diversity in the schools, and magnet-program models, which allow students to delve deeply into special interests. To address the school system’s dwindling funds, she suggests retrofitting educational facilities, and lobbying the state for more money.

ELIZABETH HOLTON
A mother of three and the president of the Presumpscot Elementary School’s parent-teacher organization, Holton is intimately knowledgeable about Portland schools’ strengths and weaknesses. She’s an advocate of neighborhood schools and stronger support for English Language Learners programs. From working on several projects, committees, and task forces (including the Elementary Facilities Task Force and the Building Committee), Holton has experience navigating the tenuous connection between the city council and the schools.

School Committee, District 4
Two people have declared write-in candidacies for School Committee District 4 seat, which would have gone empty otherwise. One is MARY FRANCES O’BRIEN, the other is JUSTIN COSTA. Both are Democrats. O’Brien, a political newcomer, wants the School Committee to establish long-term goals; Costa, who places the search for a new superintendent and renovation of school facilities at the top of his priority list, ran an unsuccessful primary campaign to serve House District 114.

School Committee, District 5
MARNIE MORRIONE, who has two children at Longfellow Elementary School and serves on the PTO there, is running as the sole write-in candidate for District 5.

Topics: News Features , Elections and Voting, Politics, Elementary and High School Education, More

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