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School Board Candidate Lori Peters
| Name: | Lori Peters |
| Office: | School Board |
| Term of Office: | 3 |
| Years Resident: | 8 |
| Contact Info: | https://www.facebook.com/Lori-Peters-for-Merrimack-School-Board-110889077730840 |
| Website: | https://www.facebook.com/Lori-Peters-for-Merrimack-School-Board-110889077730840 |
| Offices/Community Involvement: | Current member of the School Budget Committee. Volunteer for 4th of July Celebrations, Merrimack Business Expo, local food pantry |
| Why am I Running: | I believe that the last year has demonstrated a need for decisive and inspiring leadership. I have a wealth of leadership experience in nonprofits as well as leadership education. While I am currently a teacher and department head, it has not been my only career. Secondly, I come from a nonpublic school where innovation, creativity, and budget consciousness are essentials. That experience will be critical in moving into the post-Covid education world. Thirdly, I believe in the opportunity to make Merrimack schools more amazing and improve our rankings. As an Air Force wife, I have lived all over the country and our six children have experienced all different types of educational options, including public schools, and we have seen the best and the worst of schools. Those experiences bring fresh ideas and outside-the-box thinking. Lastly, having served this past year on the School Budget Committee, it is apparent that real change that is reflected in the budget must come first from the School Board in partnership with the community. What I find exciting about running this year is the challenge and opportunity to do what we have never done before. |
| What do you plan on accomplishing while in Office: |
The most important goal in the short run is the return to school for students. While the vote to return was made and the Governor has pushed up the timeline, there are still many issues that will need to be addressed for next year.
Secondly, searching for a new superintendent has come to forefront. Thirdly, the advancement and integration of technology this last year needs to be clarified and enhanced. Clear communication to parents and students across the district is a serious need. Teachers need continued training, support, and encouragement to use these tools. Lastly, more transparency, clear communication, and accountability for the board and the administration is a must. I believe the public cannot be heard in most board meetings and there should be more open communication with the Board. I would like to rebuild the trust between the public and board as this last year has greatly deteriorated that trust. |
| Candidate Statement: | |
| School District Articles Below were questions asked of the candidates running for School District Positions |
|
| Article 2 Accept Gifts: |
Yes |
| Comments | If gifts are given, then as long as there is no net negative impact on the voters, the School Board should be given the leeway to accept them without a special ballot measure. |
| Article 3 Support Contract |
Yes |
| Comments | I support this warrant article. I would also like the process and the details to be more transparent to the community. |
| Article 4 Spec. Mtg A3: |
Yes |
| Comments | It is reasonable to expect a meeting should the article fail due to contract obligations. |
| Article 5 Ventilators |
Yes |
| Comments | While I support the upgrade in the ventilation system and the lowest cost option of the lease to purchase agreement, I am disappointed that the investigation and inclusion of air scrubbers was not included. I still support this warrant article. |
| Article 6 Disband Budget Committee |
DNA |
| Comments | No For or Against was given, however comments were provided: As a current member of the committee, I do not find it appropriate to comment one way or another on this warrant article. |
| Article 7 Budget |
Yes |
| Comments | The variable portion of the budget is level funded with the exception of extending summer services which is plainly a great need after a year of hybrid/remote learning for many students. The majority of the budget increase is contractual obligations for teacher pay raises and retirement contributions. I do support this budget for 2021-2022. |
| School District Non Ballot Questions Below were questions asked of all candidates |
|
| Question 1 |
What is your stance on travel and quarantine policy? Do we make up our own school
policy or do we follow what the CDC and DHHS has a current policy and keep up to date
with them.
|
| Response: | The DHHS has been consistently guiding schools as data and situations change. The current recommendation of both the CDC and DHHS is that travel quarantines for domestic travel are unnecessary. As such we should allow those who have the expertise make that decision. |
| Question 2 |
What is your stance on continuing the REAL academy for those who cannot safely
return to school or choose not to until there is a vaccine for children.
|
| Response: | I support continued remote/concurrent education for families affected by medical fragility issues and others until the pandemic is over. Beyond that, there is medical fragility coverage through IEP and 504 plans that help families who may need to continue remote for various medical reasons. The criteria for non-medical fragile issues post-pandemic would need to be well-defined and legal issues addressed before moving forward. |
| Question 3 |
What is the role of the School Board and what differences do you see with their role
versus the role of administration?
|
| Response: | The role of the School Board is to act as the guardrails of the vision and mission of the school district. The School Board has final adjudication of success in meeting the vision and mission. Should a crisis or lack of competence arise, it is the responsibility of the School Board to roll up its sleeves and delve into the details to guide the school district through such difficulties. In regards to the budget, only the School Board has the final authority to make line-item changes to the budget once submitted by the administration. The administration is tasked with providing the strategic plan to achieve the mission and report to the School Board the success in doing so. The administration is also responsible for submitting a budget that is both fiscally responsible and accomplishes the mission for the current year and looking towards the future. |
| Question 4 |
What are your thoughts about full-day kindergarten?
|
| Response: | The voters approved full day Kindergarten and it has been in full implementation since 2018. Individual families can and have chosen what works best for them by utilizing full-day kindergarten or seeking 1/2 day alternatives. |
| Question 5 |
What are your thoughts on college and career readiness?
|
| Response: | One area that education on the whole needs to change is the attitude that everyone needs to attend college. There are so many opportunities for students beyond graduation and they need to be exposed to these options to find the best fit for their talents and education goals. The need for exposing students to various career fields, education tracks, and volunteer opportunities is part of the education process. The school district should provide students who do wish to go to college with the skills, course selection and goal-setting guidance. |
| Question 6 |
What are your thoughts on Vocational programs and how would you improve the
programs what we have now?
|
| Response: | Students should be encouraged to explore vocational programs. Trades on the whole are suffering great shortages of incoming young people who are learning and apprenticing the trade careers. Many students are very talented in these areas and should be encouraged by teachers and guidance counselors to investigate these career fields. |
| Question 7 |
What are your thoughts on ELO's (extended learning opportunities)?
|
| Response: | ELOs are a fabulous way for students to creatively learn and advance their education. ELOs should be annually evaluated, revised, and expanded to reach more students so they can become well-rounded citizens and life-long learners. |
| Question 8 |
Do you find value in benchmarking us against other districts and if so, how?
|
| Response: | Part of the process of evaluating success is measuring the district against comparable standards. There is no "perfect" district to compare to, but there are several that are close to the demographics of Merrimack as well as numerous resources from the state and outside sites to help collect data. It is with a wide net of gathering data that a picture can be made on how successful the district is in achieving its goals. |
| Question 9 |
Please share your thoughts on how Merrimack is currently doing working with
students who have additional and special needs, and if you see any changes that should
be made, etc.
|
| Response: | One of the things I did on the Budget Committee was to volunteer my time for the Student Services liaison team. We met with Heather Barker, the head of Student Services who came on board in Fall 2019 and listened to her share her vision and strategic plan for the department. She was open about areas of improvement and areas that still need improving. While I have received both positive and negative feedback from families with special needs students, I believe, post-covid, the department has promise for moving forward in a positive direction. One area that I believe has been beneficial are the monthly virtual "coffees" where families with IEP and 504 students can meet with Heather and other members of her team to share concerns. |
| Question 10 |
If there is a budget cut, what would you cut first?
|
| Response: | By examining each line item within the budget, I would look for savings with the least impact on teachers and students. The School Board is the only entity capable of line-by-line changes to the budget and able to see what items may induce savings with little to no impact. |