The North Shore school district is preparing for its upcoming school budget vote and education board elections on May 20.
Four seats are up for election this year, all uncontested: incumbent Trustees Lisa Cashman, Jessica Dillon, and James Svendsen will be running for re-election. Brian Hanley, a newcomer, will be running for the first time to fill the open seat left by Richard Galati, who previously left the board last November.
Here is a brief synopsis of each of the candidates:
1: Why are you running?
Cashman: I think, looking at the history of the board and the longevity and some of the big decisions, I believe that after three years, I'm finally have my footing underneath me, and so it's really for the good of the community and for the good of the board, I think it's beneficial to serve two terms.
Dillon: As somebody with a background in higher education administration, working with states and budgets and things like that, I thought that the board was kind of a natural progression for me. So I want to be able to bring my skills and talent to be able to help serve the community.
Hanley: I am running for Trustee because, after serving on the Legislative Action Committee for several years, I wanted to contribute more. I recognized that my legal and financial background would be of even greater service as a board member. We are at a critical juncture, and we need to meet the upcoming fiscal challenges head-on.
Svendsen: I believe in helping the schools and helping the community, always been like that.
2: If elected, what are your top priorities for the board?
Cashman: There are a lot of utility projects coming down the pike that could affect funding and safety. The decisions we make as a Board impact every child, and I take that responsibility seriously.
Dillon: Making sure that we keep the quality of the education in schools and maintain the spirit of the North Shore education.
Hanley: The most pressing priorities involve keeping pace with a rapidly changing world, particularly the instructional implications of artificial intelligence, along with the focus and wellness implications of electronic devices and social media. From a budget perspective, our top priority needs to be to try to mitigate the fiscal cliff while ensuring the continued wellbeing of our students and staff. These are tough challenges, but I’ve been encouraged by the administration’s efforts so far.
Svendsen: To me, the biggest issue is, even though we have a two year reprieve, sort of with what we're losing, there's a chance that we have a significant cliff in two years that could, you know, truly affect our budget. So for me, I'm continually looking at how we can manage that, now, instead of waiting.
3: What unique qualities do you have that you bring to the board?
Cashman: I really make a concerted effort to be present in the community, to be available to community members. I'm involved in a wide swath of different community based organizations, and it gives me access to different demographics within our community.
Dillon I feel a lot of the skills that I have working at a state institution with budgets are transferable. I think a lot of that knowledge, and having the perspective from higher education, bringing that to K-12, I think, is also valuable.
Hanley: I would say my greatest strength is my willingness and enthusiasm to do a “deep dive,” getting into the details and making sure we’re getting it right. I am here to do the work. I believe my legal training and compliance experience will prove useful for board oversight, and for engaging with authorities regarding funding and other matters.
Svendsen: I'm a former educator. I believe that my experience in education helps the board to give them a different perspective and perspective of someone who's worked through, you know, in education.
