At-large seat representing the entire city

Write-in candidate: ZamZam Mohamud

Age: 36

Address: 66 Tall Pines

Occupation: CNA/interpreter at Central Maine Medical Center

Education: Central Maine Medical Center School of Nursing graduate

Political experience: None.

Community organizations: Advisory Board of School-Based Health Centers, served on superintendent search committee, the Mayor’s Downtown Neighborhood Task Force; member of Lewiston Police Department’s Civil Rights Team; Lewiston Middle and High Schools’ Community Advisory Board; led a volunteer effort to provide formal attire and dinner for homeless students to attend the Lewiston High prom; participant in panel discussion with other parents as part of New England Association of School and Colleges’ accreditation of Lewiston High School.

What is the biggest problem you perceive in Lewiston schools, and how will you work to correct it?

Funds! Sustainability of funds, especially for special projects that explore the creativity of our students beyond the three R’s, making sure money will go for external funds that will supplement the provision of such projects.

What do you think is going right in Lewiston schools, something you want to support?

Parent involvement in the education of children, especially emphasizing extracurricular activities. As a soccer mom for nine years, (I’ve seen that) a well-rounded, supported student has a higher chance of performing highly. As a community, Lewiston is proud of having school-loving parents. This is manifested by the prime mission of the board to involve all — it’s just a big village.

Lewiston’s student population of Somali students continues to climb. Do you approve of how they’re being taught, where they’re going to school, how their needs are being met?

For a long time the assumption has been that English as a Second Language students are refugees from the boat, but actually we are seeing more American-Somali students join the school system, mostly with interrupted education from around the country. …  A structured-immersed instruction could be of essence to catching up these students with their peers in their respective grade levels. Academic English is a requirement for school advancement. With the district’s partners, as a community we can pull remedial work of integrating students with limited academic English in the system. Our district has been in the forefront of meeting these needs, change has to come from within, especially for those administering the program. By running for the board, this in itself will be a very big change.

When the next Lewiston school budget comes out, would you favor flat funding, a higher budget or a lower budget?

After I look at all the details as an insider, I will be able to make decisions based on concrete facts. In reality, everyone needs more money for programming, but something workable that is informed by the needs of our schools will be my favorite.

Superintendent Bill Webster has released projections showing Lewiston’s enrollment will continue to grow at 100 students a year. He’s recommending turning the Lewiston Multi-Purpose Center into a prekindergarten school for the city, expanding the middle school and McMahon. Lewiston senior citizens do not want to give up their space at the Multi-Purpose Center. Do you approve or disapprove of Webster’s plan?

This is an issue impacting both crucial sectors of our community, senior citizens and poor souls that need more room to expand. … As a community we should be able to come up with a working solution. … Both programs are crucial to our community.