Name: James Brockman
Address: 31 Clearview Drive
Education: BA Psychology, Wake Forest University, 1995
Personal Info: I’m married with twin sons in second grade at Narragansett Elementary School. I grew up in Connecticut and have lived in North Carolina, New York, and Colorado. When we came to Maine in the summer of 2017, we knew that we had found our home. My mother sings in the choir at First Parish UCC. I’m proud that my family is part of this town. I enjoy triathlons (you may have seen me running or biking through town), woodworking, and building model rockets.
Employment: Business Analyst, FEI Systems, Inc. I have also worked as a professional or volunteer wildlife educator, a software consultant, a help desk analyst, a bike mechanic, and a caterer. I love new experiences and new challenges.
Political and community experience: I am a newcomer to politics and hoping to bring fresh perspectives to the Gorham School Committee. I’m excited about the opportunity to serve the town. I regularly volunteer my time with the children at Narragansett Elementary School: I have run several Kids Klubs at Narragansett in which I teach rocket science to elementary students, then help them build and fly their own working rockets.
Why are you running for office and how will your experience benefit the School Committee?
In the past year, I began speaking up in Town Council and School Committee meetings. I realized that I can do more to help the children of Gorham. I want to make decisions to lead our schools forward and ensure that our students thrive. As a parent of young students in the Gorham Schools, I have a personal stake in making sure that the schools make good choices, but will work with the Committee to make choices that support all Gorham students. I’m also a Gorham resident and taxpayer. I understand that school budget decisions will impact me as well as my neighbors. Allocating funds from municipal taxes is a serious responsibility, one that I will not take lightly.
I am a thoughtful and direct communicator, a fierce advocate for those whose voices aren’t heard, and a voracious researcher. Teaching and learning are both important parts of my life – whether explaining owl anatomy to children, passing technical exams, or teaching myself new hobbies. I have a passion for acquiring and disseminating information that I’m eager to put to work in this role. I can argue my beliefs passionately; I am also receptive to criticism and alternative viewpoints.
What do you see as the major issues for our community and how might they be addressed?
The health and safety of our students particularly concerns me. I will work with school administrators and town policymakers to do all I can
for the safety of our students in the event of a violent attack, and work to reduce the likelihood of those attacks. I want to make sure educators and administrators have the resources to support the physical and mental well-being of our children. Strong support networks are critical to help kids avoid the tragedies of suicide, violence, and addiction. I want to make sure that the food the schools offer is healthy and fosters good eating habits. I’d love for there to be increased cooperation between the schools and local food providers.
I want to work on using clear, frequent, and transparent communication to help our community understand how our schools are a valuable and necessary asset.
Name: Philip T Gagnon Jr.
Address: Gordon Farms Rd
Education: Master in Business Administration, Degrees in Economics and Business Administration
Personal Info: Married with three school aged children
Employment: Banking (Industry Award for Innovation in Banking 2017)
Political and community experience: Board Member for Big Brothers Big Sisters (Executive Committee), Currently on Gorham Revolving Loan Fund. Former: Town Councilor and Town Council Chairman, High School Building Committee member, Finance Committee member (Chair), Capital Improvements Committee member, Gorham Celebration Committee member for Town’s Incorporation, Gorham Founders Festival (Chair), Gorham Economic Development Corp member
Why are you running for office and how will your experience benefit the School Committee?
Many people know my positive track record with supporting the schools, along with my dedicated and strong work ethic. The number of people that have approached me to “come out of political retirement” has inspired me to apply my efforts towards school crowding and the capital improvements necessary to carry Gorham forward. I led the Town Council forward with identifying the deferred Capital Needs of the Town and School, with the emphasis placed on developing a cadence for addressing these items in their respective budgeting cycles. As Gorham faces a space issue for services provided to its citizens, due to continued growth, it is time for the Town Council and School Board to jointly work towards a strategic capital plan to address these needs. As a former Town Council Chair, with my prior work addressing these issues, I am prepared to contribute and guide Gorham forward with its pressing capital needs.
What do you see as the major issues for our community and how might they be addressed?
As an advocate for education and the schools, I have supported the expansion of All-Day Kindergarten and various school safety initiatives, while on the Town Council. Gorham is at a cross roads with residential growth, which is straining our capacity within our school system. The need to address and advocate for what Gorham can afford in school expansion, at all levels, should be our primary focus. As a former member of the High School Building committee, I am well positioned to help guide these projects forward. Our community will continue to grow, and the need to strategically plan how we expand our schools and curriculum needs to positively impact our children, while understanding the long term impact on the tax payer.
Name: Stewart B. McCallister
Address: 157 Flaggy Meadow Road
Education: Windham High School
Personal Info: My wife and I have lived in Gorham for almost 10 years. One of the biggest reasons we chose Gorham was for the schools. My oldest son is in sixth grade and my youngest will start kindergarten next year.
Employment: I am currently a Letter Carrier at the United States Postal Service and have been for the past four years. Prior to that I was a retail manager.
Political and community experience: I have been on the Gorham School Committee for almost three years with two of those as the Vice-Chair. I served on the Personnel Committee for three years with the two most recent years as the chair. I have also served on the School Day Committee which examined our high school’s start times and overall length of the school day.
Why are you running for office and how will your experience benefit the School Committee?
I am running for re-election to the School Committee to help ensure that every student in Gorham continues to receive the same wonderful experience that my oldest son has received over the last six years. Budgets are necessary and funds are not unlimited but preparing our students for what lies beyond our schools is my priority and providing teachers with the space, resources and training to do so is of the utmost importance. I will use the experience I have gained over the last three years and my knowledge of the current challenges and goals of the school department to make our schools a welcoming and inclusive place for all of our students.
What do you see as the major issues for our community and how might they be addressed?
Major issues for our schools right now are directly related to the growth we are experiencing right now in Gorham. Making sure that we are carefully planning capital projects to address facility needs to accommodate this growth is paramount. The school committee has spent years developing plans to address growing enrollment numbers in our schools. Over my next three years on the School Committee I will continue to move these plans forward ensuring we are spending responsibly while still meeting the growing needs of our school community.