Photo credit James BrockmanName: James David Brockman
Address: 31 Clearview Dr.
Education: BA Psychology, Wake Forest University, 1995
Personal/Bio: I grew up in Connecticut and have lived and worked all over the country, but Maine is home. I live in Gorham with my wife, twin sons, and two cats. I enjoy gardening, woodworking, mountain biking, and amateur rocketry.
Employment: I am a business analyst for a software firm that specializes in systems that support the healthcare industry.
Political and community experience: My father was the business services manager in the school district where I grew up. I was listening to the challenges of budget meetings and union negotiations before I was in middle school. I’ve also volunteered as a wildlife educator and, recently, at several Kids Club sessions with Narragansett Elementary school, teaching kids to build and fly rockets.
Why are you running for School Committee? I am a voracious learner and a proud parent, and I am excited about the opportunity to serve the town. I want to make sure Gorham schools are a supportive and safe environment where all students can thrive. A few years ago, I began attending School Committee meetings; more than once I have wished I could get a “word in” during discussions – whether to present a solution that was not on the table or to offer a different perspective. I am running to do just that.
What do you see as the major issues for our schools and how might they be addressed? The biggest issue facing our schools is safely delivering quality education during the COVID pandemic. Doing that means addressing many concurrent issues: balancing the benefits of sports with the risks of close contact; balancing the benefits of in-person education with the risks of full classrooms. Though these examples have been decided, we are in the midst of changing information and circumstances. It is critical that the School Committee respond quickly and thoughtfully to new information.
Another issue is the need for a high school expansion or replacement. I brought up this issue during my last run for School Committee. Frustratingly, plans to expand or replace the High School were dropped. While there will be a tax impact to renovating or building a new school, this must happen soon. Construction costs never go down; the project will only become more expensive. We need more capacity in the high school. We need to replace the aging high school infrastructure. And if work doesn’t begin on a comprehensive plan soon, the alternative is to address this piecemeal: replacing plumbing and walls and circuits as they fail; building modular classrooms to address overcrowding. The result is taxpayers paying more and getting less.
How would your perspective or experience benefit the School Committee? As a parent, I will advocate for a school system that is a safe place in which learning may blossom. As a resident, I understand that I – like all residents – will have to pay for school expenses when the tax bill comes due. I will do my best to make decisions with compassion and thoughtfulness and the best analysis I can give to the information I have available.
Photo credit Nicole HudsonName: Nicole (Nicki) Hudson
Address: 42 Village Woods Circle
Education: B.S. in Special Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Currently a graduate student at USM in the Master of Social Work program
Personal Info: My family moved to Gorham three years ago. My husband, Brett, and I have two children: our oldest just started kindergarten (virtually) at Village and our 4-year-old will start school next year.
Employment: Currently, I am a stay-at-home mom and graduate student in the Master of Social Work program at USM. Previously, I was a Special Education teacher for 5 years in Maine and 3 years in Arizona. I was a substitute teacher in the Gorham Schools for one year between teaching and starting grad school.
Political and community experience: I am new to politics, as this is my first time running for office. I have volunteered as a Gorham Rec soccer coach and coached Girls on the Run – Heart and Soul in the Lake Region area. My children are just starting school, but I plan to be an active volunteer in the Gorham Schools.
Why are you running for School Committee? We spent the better part of last year planning and building excitement for our oldest to start kindergarten. Our new ‘pandemic reality’ made it clear that our first year at Village would look very different. I was so impressed with the information provided, the exploration of different options, and the careful consideration given to the reopening plans. There’s no perfect option, but I appreciated how serious our school committee and school administration took the responsibility of planning for the start of the year.
Let’s be clear, the pandemic has created new dilemmas, but many of the issues we face existed before COVID-19 and will continue after. Serving on the school committee is one way I can serve and support my community. As an educator and parent, my experiences will allow me to guide our schools through the current moment and plan for our future: to address inequity and accessibility, create and maintain schools that are inclusive for everyone in our community, and problem solve our need for larger, updated educational spaces. The compassion, patience, flexibility, and organization skills I practiced in my classroom (and at home) will make me an effective school committee member.
What do you see as the major issues for our schools and how might they be addressed? We’ve reached a critical point in education due to COVID-19. The disparity between students who are excelling and those who are struggling is growing at an accelerated rate. We must continue to consider the health and safety of our school community, while also providing meaningful and supportive educational services for all students.
Gorham also has an opportunity to listen and amplify the voices of our students of color. The school committee made a commitment to the creation of an anti-racist policy based on the proclamation presented by the GHS Civil Rights team. It is imperative that we continue this work, without discomfort or difficulty deterring the progress we hope to see in the Gorham schools. I want my children to grow up in a community that acknowledges we can always do more, aim higher, and follow through on promises.
Gorham’s growth and the issues related to overcrowding, especially at the high school, continue to require our attention. This summer, our community collaborated to get GHS students back in the building. That happened in a matter of days! I hope we can use those community partnerships to develop reasonable plans for the high school, while being mindful of affordability in Gorham.
How would your perspective or experience benefit the School Committee? I understand the unique challenges educators face today. School staff are asked to do more with less, which has been highlighted in the last six months. Educators are changing their teaching practices on the fly and are doing an amazing job! These changes are the result of a lot of work — over the summer, before students arrive, and after students leave for the day. As a school committee member, I will work diligently to support the dedication and innovation of our school staff.
As a parent, I am acutely aware of the issues families are facing. So many families are struggling to manage their own responsibilities and the educational needs of their children. No matter how kids are attending school, families are doing more than ever before. I promise these struggles will not be ignored and will always be weighed in my decisions.
When we moved to Gorham, we fell in love with our neighborhood and the growing community around us. I won’t pretend to have all the solutions, but I will work tirelessly to advocate for our students, support our staff, and serve a community that I am so blessed to be part of.
Photo credit Sarah PerkinsName: Sarah Perkins
Address: 8 Bridle Path Way, Gorham
Education: B.A. in English from the University of Maine at Orono
Personal/Bio: My husband and I are lifelong Mainers who value the quality education provided by the Gorham School District. Our children attend third grade and kindergarten at Narragansett School.
Employment: Chief Operating Officer, TruChoice Federal Credit Union
Political and community experience: I have volunteered extensively within the credit union system for organizations like McAuley House, Maine Children’s Cancer Program, Financial Fitness Fairs for high school students and Ending Hunger in Maine. In addition, I’ve volunteered within the Gorham school system on career day and in support of the book fair.
Why are you running for School Committee? Gorham is a growing community poised to answer some large questions in the coming years. A big part of that growth is due to the strong reputation of the school district and the rich sense of community we enjoy here. The past year has stretched us all in ways we couldn’t have anticipated and new challenges and possibilities are emerging for the next several years. I am not running because I think I know the answers to these questions, but instead because I think I can use my professional background to collaborate with all stakeholders to find the best possible solutions.
What do you see as the major issues for our schools and how might they be addressed? Our kids need functional, practical places to learn and grow. Our community needs to remain affordable in order to continue to thrive. The balancing act between these two needs is a major issue in the next few years. My background renovating and building commercial properties for credit unions will help me navigate these conversations and work to find the right balance.
In addition, the impacts of COVID-19 continue to necessitate changes in how education is delivered. The ability to provide quality education during these times, as well as understanding the impact long-term is another crucial issue for Gorham. The School Committee, administration, teachers and staff have done incredible work over the past several months, but the impact of this challenge is far from over.
Change is happening at a rapid rate in our society. We are faced with differing viewpoints on a daily basis and the discussion is not always constructive or respectful. As a parent, I hope to raise children who know their own minds, share their thoughts respectfully and who can also change their opinion when new information is learned. This is the type of skill set that is so important to teach within our schools as well.
How would your perspective or experience benefit the School Committee? My professional background in credit unions includes a focus on board governance, project oversight and operations. Collaboration, careful listening and not being afraid to ask questions are critical assets in my work. I think my background will be helpful as Gorham navigates some major decisions in the coming years.
I have overseen the renovation and building of several commercial buildings over the years and hope to participate on the facilities sub-group of the School Committee.
My work navigating the COVID-19 response for my workplace has provided me with an understanding of the human resources, technology and facilities components facing the schools.
Building collaborative teams and tackling complex problems are strengths of mine and ones that I hope to use as a member of the Gorham School Board.
Photo credit Leah SturmName: Leah Sturm
Address: 67 Hillview Rd.
Education: B.A. from Cornell College of IA in Geology and Environmental Studies, focusing on Policy
Personal/Bio: My husband and I have lived in Gorham for the past nine years. We have two children currently attending GMS and Narragansett Elementary School.
Employment: Environmental Scientist with VHB in South Portland
Political and community experience: I am a newcomer to politics and running for a local office position. I have served as a volunteer at Great Falls and continue to volunteer at the Middle School when the opportunities arise. I am looking forward to doing the same at Narragansett this year, where my youngest just started kindergarten.
Why are you running for School Committee? I have two children in the school system, and I look forward to involvement at the school and community levels. I see this as an opportunity to apply the knowledge I continuously gain from my children and the community as we continue to move through the Gorham schools. I am a steady, calm, and rational individual who is open-minded and willing to listen and collaborate. I think I can add to the School Committee another voice for our community and students, while working diplomatically with the town and school administration to accomplish the tasks at hand and those that will be coming down the pipeline over the next several years.
What do you see as the major issues for our schools and how might they be addressed? There is no doubt that we will continue to focus on how COVID-19 is affecting the schools, and this will likely dominate in the short-term. However, we also need to remember there are other issues at hand. We need to continue raising civil rights awareness in all the schools – working with both students and administration to continue the forward momentum. Additionally, the persistent growth of our town continues to impact our school facilities. The School Committee has already spent so much time working toward solutions and this work will continue as the student population continues to outgrow our facilities.
How would your perspective or experience benefit the School Committee? As an environmental scientist, I work with data. My experience is that understanding your data makes for better informed, long-lasting, supported decision-making. I would hope that as a Committee member, I can help support the district in making sure we have the staff and tools in place to provide each student with the best education possible. I will use my background in data, as well as my open-mindedness and collaboration skills to help support the School Committee and ultimately our students.