MONIQUE ROY

Occupation: Adult education director

Education: Bachelor of Arts in political science; Master of Arts in leadership studies; Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in adult learning

Political experience: Two years as a Lewiston School Committee member; one year as vice chairwoman of the School Committee.

Why are you running for school board? If elected, what will be your priorities? 

I am running for my second term because there is so much more to be done. With a new superintendent at the helm, consistency at the board level is vital. Board turnover can be hard on teachers and administration, as they constantly have to adjust to different board priorities. Beyond the practicalities of board stability, I love this work. Revisiting old policies that are outdated and don’t serve a functional purpose, is high on my priority list. Having strong policies that support the work that is actually happening in the schools provides a solid foundation for our students, teachers and staff.

What do you like and what don’t you like about the school budget that passed in the spring? 

Unlike other districts in Maine, our district is growing. I am grateful for the support that we received through the budget process to add crucial teachers and staff positions. This growth is good, but it makes space a real challenge. Knowing that our buildings need to be expanded and upgraded and not having the money to get that work done can be frustrating. That being said, I understand that we have to be good stewards of the taxpayer dollars and it is our responsibility to help find creative and realistic solutions to the issues we have.

Lewiston has one of the lowest graduation rates in the state. What can be done to address that problem?

The graduation rate is a byproduct of some very serious underlying issues that our students and families face in Lewiston. Chronic absenteeism plagues our schools and is a major contributing factor to our graduation rates being what they are. Our superintendent has some fantastic ideas on how to engage our learners and supports for families who are struggling. He is also empowering building leaders and teachers to share their ideas about engaging our learners. The board can support those efforts. Together, we can obtain a higher goal than just upping the graduation rate … we can get kids coming to school again.

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