Mary Guiseley, 48, a Democrat, is running for a seat on the Raymond School Board. She and her family reside at 201 Mountain Road, Raymond.

Guiseley has an associate’s degree from UNE. As the owner of her own adoption corporation, she has done work for the Maine Department of Human Services. She also volunteers with Maine Special Olympics and the March of Dimes.

Why are you running for the School Board?

Mary Guiseley: Because I’d like to make some changes. I don’t see that there’s any diversity on the School Board we have now. I think that they have shown it through the budget – cutting back on special needs. There are only six identified gifted and talented children in the Raymond school district, however, we are hiring on a full-time gifted and talented program director and we’re taking the special needs director – and I know there are many more special needs kids – and we’re cutting her job in half. I think the School Board needs to get back to giving to the children. I want to work to bring this district back together to get everybody listening to one another – and really listening to one another – not just by their ears but also by their thoughts.

How do you think you can work with a board, whose opinions may vary at times, to effect change?

Guiseley: I think that I can let them know how cutbacks in certain programs affect children. I’m the type to say if there need to be cutbacks. I am going to voice my opinion and the opinion of the people of this town.

What do you think has prepared you for this position?

Guiseley: I’ve been a member of this community for 15 years. I’ve dealt very closely with the school system because I do have a special needs daughter. I’ve worked with the state in dealing with children and I think that I’m really well-rounded for it and for the fact that I am open-minded and I will listen to the people. I understand the special needs part but, with my work, I do work a lot with contracts, which is another issue that’s going on.

What do you think is the biggest single challenge that Raymond schools face in the next three years?

Guiseley: Getting the people of this town to support them again. We need to do that so we’re not losing teachers; we’re not losing support staff – they’re very valuable to this school district – people who directly affect our children every day. I think that’s the biggest challenge – to get the school district going back to the people, where it needs to be.

How does having someone new on the School Board benefit the citizens of Raymond?

Guiseley: I think it gives diversity. I think it will hopefully give people their voice back. I see that at the school board meetings where people are going up and saying things that it’s turned a deaf ear. It doesn’t seem to matter what people say in this town or what they need or what they’re concerned about. It just seems like nobody’s listening.

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