Name: Anne E. Schools
Address: PO Box 292 Gorham, ME 04038 (street is 50 Hillview Rd)
Education: I have a B.A. in history from the University of Southern Florida and a J.D. from the University of Maine School of Law
Personal Information: I have been a resident of Gorham since 2012 where I live with my husband (who has been a fire fighter in the town for several decades), two daughters (3rd and 7th grades), and our two Goldendoodles, Stout and Zoe. We enjoy all that Gorham has to offer and consider ourselves lucky to be members of such a great community.
Employment: I have been licensed to practice law in Maine since 2010 and was in private practice until 2017 when I began working for the State of Maine. Until December of this year, I adjudicated administrative hearings, such as OUI alcohol and drug hearings, commercial fishing violations, adverse fatal hearings, and even served as an arbitrator for the Attorney General Office’s Lemon Law program. Since December, I have been the Assistant Director of Legal Affairs, Adjudications & Hearings at the Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles in Augusta.
Political and community experience: I have been an active member of the Gorham School Committee for the past three years and currently serve as Vice Chair. I also serve as the Chair of the Personnel and Policy Sub Committees. Additionally, for a short time prior to accepting a job with the state, I was a business owner in Gorham. Prior to joining the School Committee, I was a parent volunteer for the Gorham School District.
Why are you running for office and how will your experience benefit the School Committee?
I am running for office because I have worked hard these past three years while on the School Committee and feel that there is more left for me to accomplish. During my time on the committee, we have faced an unprecedented pandemic, school shut down, and additional issues that have been extremely challenging. While many decisions have been extremely difficult and divisive, I have always kept the best interest of the students in our district at heart and believe that I have proven that I am important voice in the committee. Most importantly, there are many projects and priorities facing our district that the committee has been working on during my tenure. I know the history of these projects, the people involved, and am familiar with the challenges facing us. I am running for office, because I am confident that my professional background as an attorney as well as my experience on the committee these past three years make me an excellent candidate.
What do you see as the major issues for our community and how might they be addressed?
We have a lot of issues facing our community. We are living through a pandemic and facing unprecedented challenges in our schools and community. We need to balance keeping our students healthy and safe, while ensuring that they receive the quality of education that Gorham is known for. We have continuing growth in our community and our facilities are overcrowded, specifically the high school. While facility issues are always challenging, we will need creativity and cooperation to find a suitable solution that will be best for our students and community. We have many programs that I would like to see implemented, but also recognize the financial challenges of a community hit by a pandemic. The challenges ahead of us, will be focused on facilities, student social and emotional needs as we enter into a new normal, and maintaining and even improving the quality of education in Gorham.
Name: Liesl Turner
Address: 65 Wilson Road
Education: Endicott College, B.S. Communications, 1999, Magna Cum Laude
Personal Information: I moved to Gorham in 2016 with my husband and children. We have two boys enrolled in Gorham schools who are also very active in Gorham sports. I enjoy gardening, reading, and spending time with our large family.
Employment: Senior Consultant, Munich Re
Political and community experience: This is my first time running for elected office. Over the years, I’ve volunteered with numerous organizations including schools, work, church, food banks and many other non-profits. I do follow politics and understand the dynamics they press upon the decisions we need to make as a community, but I believe strongly that our schools should be as politically neutral as possible and focused solely on preparing students for academic and career success.
Why are you running for office and how will your experience benefit the School Committee?
I’m a compassionate mom and common sense taxpayer who wants the best for every member of the Gorham community today and for generations to come. A thriving school system is at the heart of every great community, and while Gorham schools have amazing teachers and a strong reputation, we are facing mounting challenges that need long-term solutions. In my profession, I research and analyze data to make the best possible decisions for long-term business success and sustainability. This requires the ability to listen, educate one’s self and peers, build relationships and compromise. I would apply these same principles as a member of the Gorham School Committee. While I’m certain I’ll lose a good deal of sleep if elected, I would appreciate the opportunity to serve our town and help keep it a happy and prosperous place to live and raise a family.
What do you see as the major issues for our community and how might they be addressed?
Keeping students in school five days and supporting the physical and mental health of all students and staff continues to be very important at this time. Prior to COVID-19 and looking ahead, I see overcrowding, repairs and expansion as the top issues facing Gorham. Gorham rejected a $72M proposal for the GHS expansion in 2020 because the cost was too high. Since that decision, building and operational costs continue to rise. We have many difficult (if not heartbreaking) decisions ahead. The School Committee will need to prioritize essentials that maximize resources for students and staff. I’ll gladly partner with the Gorham Town Counsel, local businesses, neighboring schools and colleges, and state legislators for more creative solutions. I also see opportunity for students to take online electives and college credit courses as one example of a path to reduce the burden on GHS teachers and classrooms, while protecting our teachers jobs.
Name: Darryl Wright
Address: 12 Mosher Road
Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration
Personal Information: I’ve lived in Gorham for over 15 years and have two daughters, one is currently a Junior at Gorham High School and one is a recent graduate of Gorham High School.
Employment: Vice President/Senior Regional Market Manager at People’s United Bank. I have been with People’s United Bank for over 16 years and have been in the Banking and Finance Industry for over 25 years.
Political and community experience: Current member of the Gorham School Committee for 10 years, 5 years as Chair. I am the current Chair of the School Committee’s Finance/Facilities Committee. I am the President of the Board for the Gorham Arts Alliance (Community Arts Center).
I have previously served the Gorham School District through my membership on: Policy Committee, Personnel Committee, All Day Kindergarten Committee, Teacher Evaluation Committee, High School Building Committee, K-5 Reconfiguration Study Committee and the Negotiations Team for all three District Union Contracts.
Previous Community service based roles: Three term President of the Westbrook/Gorham Community Chamber of Commerce, Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce Board Member, Westbrook Housing Development Corporation Board Member, Member of the Mobilize Maine Workforce Development Group, President of the Schoolhouse Arts Center Board of Directors, Vice Chair of the 275th Gorham Founders Festival, Chair of the Westbrook Together Days Committee, Gorham School District Volunteer, United Way of Greater Portland Volunteer and as a Volunteer with the Nonesuch Service Unit of Girl Scouts. I was recognized by the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce in 2014 as the Volunteer of the year.
Why are you running for office and how will your experience benefit the School Committee?
I am running for re-election as I want to continue to make a difference in our community. I want to ensure that all students in Gorham have the opportunity for a quality education. I am a firm believer in education and have been involved in several organizations that focus in this area. I will use the knowledge and experience I have gained during my time on the School Committee to move the District forward as we continue to face difficulties regarding the Pandemic, Budget, space constraints and our growing population. I bring a thoughtful approach to the School Committee and the issues we face. I listen to the perspective of others through our discussion prior to making a decision. I have shown through my leadership roles on the Committee my ability to partner and collaborate with many different stakeholders and I will continue to do so as we address the ongoing challenges we face.
What do you see as the major issues for our community and how might they be addressed?
COVID 19 and the ongoing Pandemic continues to be the biggest issue our students and our community face. As a School Committee, we need to continue to follow what the data shows and make decisions that we feel is in the best interest of all our students. The decisions we have made and need to make in the future are not easy and there is no clear correct answer, but we need to continue to keep our students as our focus. The other major issue the District is facing is in regards to our aging facilities and the lack of space for our growing District. I have participated in several Committees that have looked at these issues and I am optimistic that with the collaboration and partnership between the Town Council and School Committee in initiating the joint Facilities study, we will be able to move our community forward together and address these issues. Once we receive the results of the Facilities study, we will need to think strategically about how we meet the demands of not just our School facilities but the Town facilities as well.