Candidate excels at planning, preparation
To the editor,
“A pillar of the community” is a description I would give to very few people these days. There is, however, one person most deserving of that title, and fortunately, she has decided to run for the Kennebunk Select Board.
Karen Plattes exemplifies public service. She has enriched Kennebunk as a board member of No Place Like Home, the senior living/thriving nonprofit; and as a chair and board member of Kennebunk Free Library, including 13 years on its fundraising Road Race Committee. Karen has mentored medical students from UNE, participated actively on the Coordinating Committee of Many Towns One Circle, served on the KKA Chamber of Commerce’s Inclusive Community Initiative, and has been a Kennebunk election official for three years. She has come to Town Hall meetings to speak her mind on pressing issues.
Professionally, Karen has 35 years of experience working for nonprofit organizations. In diverse capacities, she has been an able planner, manager, teacher, childcare center director, and collaborator. She has managed state and federal contracts, overseen statewide outreach campaigns, hired and supervised 20 employees, and organized large community events.
It is a distinct pleasure to endorse Karen Plattes for Select Board. Not only is she aware of the pressing need for planning and preparation for some challenging years ahead, she is keenly aware of short- and long-term budgetary and quality-of-life impacts on seniors, children, modest-income residents, newcomers to our town, and both established and incoming business owners. I know she can thoughtfully balance it all and move our town forward.
Susan A. Bloomfield
West Kennebunk
RSU 21 prioritizes students and staff
To the editor,
Over 70% of the RSU 21 budget is employee salary and benefits. Continuous professional development of all staff is a fiduciary responsibility to the students and taxpayers of RSU 21.
Look at the results. Core curriculum has been completely updated starting with literacy, social studies, and mathematics. This year’s focus is English and language arts grades 6-12. Next up is science PK-12. Continuous professional development is a core tenet of this effort. It is paying off with a 23% increase in reading growth K-8 over the last two years and Kennebunk High School remains No. 2 in the state three years running.
The $4.2 million athletic complex was completed without an additional bond and on budget. It is a facility supporting all athletes and state championship teams. Kennebunk High School safety issues threatening our accreditation were completed. The quiet haven now at KHS’s center courtyard was initiated by students and supported by the School Board and administration. The district also joined forces with a community driven effort to fund and install the first inclusive playground at Kennebunk Elementary School.
Dr. Cooper drove grants to start and support “Summer Boost” programming to help students who needed some extra time to keep them on track. Salary increases for teachers were adjusted to increase competitiveness across the first 15 years while eliminating three-year stagnation points. Allied arts were restored and 60-plus reclassified Educational Technician IIIs are now compensated to provide more support for teaching. Recent initiatives are addressing bus driver staffing shortages.
The school year now opens with a symposium for all employees. I’ll share a comment from a 40-plus year employee of RSU 21, “In all the years I have worked here I have never experienced anything like this. It has truly been an incredible day. Fantastic.”
Dr. Cooper has put professional development of all staff front and center. The School Board, administrators, and staff at all levels are driving for improvement in everything they do and we as a community are better for it.
Art LeBlanc
Kennebunk
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