North Shore School District residents will vote on Board of Education candidates along with the district’s proposed budget on May 19. Board President Andrea Macari and Trustee Brian Hanley are each running uncontested for re-election.
Hanley is completing his first term with the school board. Macari was first elected to the board in 2020. She has served as president since 2023.
Macari said that it has been “a great honor” to serve on the school board and that she is “grateful” to those who have trusted her in her role.
Hanley noted putting together the bond proposal that passed in February as a “great learning experience” for him in his first term with the board.
Meet the candidates ahead of the election.
Q:Why are you running for re-election?
Macari: I just feel my work isn’t done. There’s such a learning curve in being on a school board that at this point I have really invested a lot of time into learning how to do it that I think I still have a lot to give.
Hanley: I’m running for re-election, really, to fulfill the commitment I made last year to serve the community… I’m still somewhat new at this, and I feel I’ve gotten up to speed and started contributing relatively quickly. But no matter how qualified you are, or think you are, there’s a learning curve as a new school board member. So, it’s my hope that I can increase my contribution now that I’ve really started to learn the role.
Q:What are your top priorities if re-elected?
Hanley: From an instructional perspective, one of my top priorities continues to be keeping pace with the changing world and being intentional about how and when we use technology in the classroom… From a budget perspective, we need to continue to plan for contingencies around the fiscal cliff. There’s still a lot of uncertainty there.
Q:How does the transition between superintendents impact your work with the board?
Macari: I do think stability is always important, but even more important now that we are transitioning to an interim superintendent and then eventually a new superintendent. So, over the course of my next term, which would be my third term, maintaining the strength of our schools, maintaining our community, preserving our community’s values while we undergo this administrative change would be my priority.
Q:What unique qualities do you bring to the school board?
Macari: I am a clinical psychologist in private practice for the last 20 years, and my knowledge of psychology and mental health is involved in every aspect of the school board and relations. I think I have helped to improve the civility on the board, as well as our relationship with the community, and that is probably what I’m most proud of.
Hanley: I really enjoy research and digging into a problem… I also value hearing multiple perspectives, but I think that’s true all my fellow board members. I think my professional background as an attorney in the finance industry, and a technologist is a good complement to some of the other board members’ skill sets. We have a well-rounded group.
