Stuart “Toby” Pennels

Age: 53

Address: 20 Ward Road, Windham

Education: Windham High School 1977; Isenberg School of Management UMASS Amherst, 1981, BBA Bachelor Business Administration

Occupation: Owner of Penn Investment Services (Stock Portfolio Management). Retired U.S. Army, Colonel, 30 years.

Political Experience: Windham-Raymond School Board (RSU 14) 2002 to present. Also running for Maine Legislature, District 111.

1. What is motivating you to run for the school board?

The important work continues. I believe I contribute and there’s much unfinished business. As a current Board member I have been involved in teacher negotiation for about two years now for the purpose of developing a completely new alternative pay schedule – that is, a pay schedule with roots based on a myriad of agreed upon performance standards. This has been an exciting and collaborative endeavor between teachers, administrators and two board members. If we are successful this contract will attract, reward and retain our best. While I don’t think I’m irreplaceable for the task, I do think another board member catching up would be detrimental to the process.

2. What three issues do you think are most pressing for Windham-Raymond schools? And what would you do to address those issues?

1. Improving an RSU 14 education. Students first. Everything I do, every priority I make is directed toward this objective.

2. A revolutionary teacher contract to attract, inspire, reward and retain Maine’s highest caliber teaching staff. As I mentioned, I am part of the negotiation team working on this.

3. Crafting a budget that will support No. 1 and can also be ratified. If re-elected, I believe I will continue as the Finance Committee chair. In that capacity you will get my best effort to understand the needs and wants of our school community and to lead the finance committee toward achieving both School Board and community objectives through the process.

3. What do you think of the proposal to redraw the lines for Windham’s elementary and primary school students?

With less than ideal student population levels at Windham Primary, I think it’s an option we have to consider and I am considering it. I’m personally close to a decision, but not final with it. It will be my best judgment for a solution that considers the positive and negative effects imposed upon all RSU students.

4. Four years after consolidation, do you think Windham and Raymond work well together as a school district?

I’m very happy with our Raymond partners and have complete confidence in the Raymond staff and board members.

5. Are residents getting a good value for the school tax dollar?

I hope our residents think so. We bust our you-know-whats every year balancing the needs of our district and the needs of our community with how to best pay for them. However, I am frustrated with Augusta and the formulas that determine the Windham/Raymond share of state funding as it relates to other districts. Furthermore, the inability for Augusta to give us a solid revenue picture until well into our budget process, in my opinion, needs to change. Currently we work with our best guess of how much state funding the Department of Education will allocate to our district. These assumptions stung us last year and frankly what we ended up with almost seemed arbitrary. It’s important to note that last year’s budget was below a cost of living increase (Boston CPI) from our 2011-12 budget. Obviously, local property taxes increased more than the CPI, which was connected to our state funding surprise package. It’s also important to note that our current budget is only slightly higher than our budget just prior to the formation of the RSU (2008-09). Yes, we have reduced school costs, administrative and otherwise, since the formation of the RSU.

Marjorie (Marge) Govoni

Age: 71

Address: 89 Johnson Road

Education: Bunker Hill Community College

Occupation: Retired, former manufacturing manager

Political Experience: RSU 14 School Board for last four years.

1. What is motivating you to run for the school board?

I was part of the Board during consolidation and would like to continue our ongoing efforts to become one district. I am also on numerous committees within the board, such as the Finance, Facilities and both PATHS and WRVC Advisory Boards. The Technical Schools Advisory Boards are working toward the goal of assisting our students with their transition into college, military or the trades and that was my suggestion from last year. There are also many changes happening in the world of education and I would love to be a part of that.

2. What three issues do you think are most pressing for Windham-Raymond schools? And what would you do to address those issues?

A. The change over to a standards based system.

I think we have a tremendous staff and a new Curriculum Director who is in the process of implementing this system and I believe that with the support I can give, it will help the transition.

B. How do we address the overcrowding that Windham is seeing and the decline of students in Raymond?

I am on the Facilities Committee and we have been working on addressing that issue for a few years. There is a lot of work going on to come up with a short- and long-term plan but we are not there yet. We are getting closer on what we feel will be a short-term fix for one school while we continue to look at possible options which would address the bigger issue as stated in your question.

C. Funding from the state.

As everyone knows, we ride the financial roller coaster that comes from the state, being on the Finance Committee I see this unfold every year. I am very supportive of our administration, which has done an excellent job of balancing our budget with ever-changing numbers. I support their efforts while being fiscally responsible to the taxpayers and always keeping in mind that we cannot cut corners where it will affect the education of our students.

3. What do you think of the proposal to redraw the lines for Windham’s elementary and primary school students?

Everyone knows that there is overcrowding in our schools. The most immediate problem is the Primary School. Something has to be done to relieve that issue and that is why the Board is having the public meetings to hear any questions, concerns or possible solutions from the parents and public. I won’t have an answer until after the information from these public meetings is reviewed. I will say that I will not consider a portable at the Primary School as long as there is another elementary school in our district that has extra classroom space. I am not being elusive but I do need to think of all the students in RSU 14.

4. Four years after consolidation, do you think Windham and Raymond work well together as a school district?

The Board has finally reached the point of really working well together in supporting the staff and administration. Our collective goal is to provide a good education to all our students. It is a labor of love and I think we have come a long way in just four years.

5. Are residents getting a good value for the school tax dollar?

I believe so. If you look at the data, our graduation numbers are up. The numbers of students who are continuing their education continues to rise and we have been able to retain and hire some excellent teachers and staff. You are gauged on your success by the quality of your product and the students graduating from Windham High are our product and they have received an education that will allow them to pursue their education/careers with confidence.

Eric Colby

Age: 50

Address: 171 Main St.

Education: Burlington High School, Vermont

Occupation: System Designer for Main Security Surveillance

Political Experience: None

1. What is motivating you to run for the school board?

My wife and I have a son in the third grade at Windham Primary so we’re fairly new in dealing with the school but we have had a wonderful experience and have had four excellent teachers. We have had a couple of interactions with the principal and found him to be open and available and has handled each item as a professional. My desire is to get involved and to help ensure that all parents get the same experience we have had while being responsible to all the taxpayers in the town.

2. What three issues do you think are most pressing for Windham-Raymond schools? And what would you do to address those issues?

One big issue is the redistricting!!

I believe keeping up with technology and computers for the staff and students is important for the future but can be costly.

Recruiting and keeping good teachers and staff.

3. What do you think of the proposal to redraw the lines for Windham’s elementary and primary school students?

On the face of the issues, it seems to make sense to move kids to relieve overcrowding when empty classrooms in Raymond but as a parent myself I would fight having my child not pulled out of his school and from his friends to relieve the overcrowding pressure which amounts to about one child per class. It also seems that some of the issues were caused before Windham and Raymond formed a union. It looks like Raymond may have over-built the elementary and middle schools and didn’t build a high school. One of the big questions is why can’t Raymond put all its high school vouchers into Windham High School?

4. Four years after consolidation, do you think Windham and Raymond work well together as a school district?

I really don’t know that they don’t. I haven’t heard anything negative.

5. Are residents getting a good value for the school tax dollar?

Yes, I believe they are.

Election 2012
Marge Govoni