LEWISTON — Tina Hutchinson has announced her campaign to run for the Ward 7 seat on the Lewiston School Committee.
The seat is currently held by Thomas Shannon.
According to a written statement, Hutchinson said it was time for a change after “years of lackluster graduation rates, overcrowded classrooms and a declining teacher morale.”
According to her statement, “I feel it is time for fresh ideas and people willing to listen to those who actually do the work and to those who are affected by the decisions made. Our children deserve to have people representing them who are going to show up and who are going to ask the hard questions. Our teachers deserve to be able to speak up without fear of retribution.
“I have been attending School Committee meetings for the last three years and have learned much about our schools. I have spoken on issues with PBL (Performance Based Learning) from a parent and student perspective, the budgetary issues, and the excess testing our schools do.”
And, according to Hutchinson, “I have met with current and former teachers, parents, students, administration and others concerned about education in our community. I am adamant that choices need to be informed. We need to know the benefits as well as the cons to any decision we are asked to make. I have advocated for an audit of our initiatives to see if they are beneficial, our staff is trained appropriately, and if they are truly needed.”
She has served on the District PBL Committee, the High School PBL Committee, the Committee for Graduation Requirements for our Other Learners, the Dropout Committee, and the Longley Programming Committee.
Hutchinson was born in Lewiston, graduated from Leavitt Area High School and has raised her children in Lewiston. Her daughter graduated from Lewiston High School and the University of Maine at Farmington and is currently teaching in North Carolina. Her son is currently a senior at Lewiston High School.
“I am in the unique position of having the views of a teacher, a student, and a parent,” she said. “This is the kind of experience that matters.”
Tina Hutchinson
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