Incumbent Janet Beaudoin faces Melanie Gould for School Committee.
Name: Janet Beaudoin
Age: 42
Occupation: Property management
Family: Married for 22 years with two daughters. My oldest is a sophomore in college and my youngest is an early grad senior at Lewiston High School.
Community involvement: Lewiston School Committee member since 2021, active in local education, boosters, politics and youth sports.
1. Why do you think you are the most qualified or best candidate for this seat?
I’ve served on the Lewiston School Committee since 2021, and I care deeply about our schools and community. I try to be fair, listen to all sides, and focus on what’s best for students and staff. My background in early childhood education and property management helps me stay practical when it comes to budgets and problem solving. This will be my final term as my youngest graduates this year. I’d like to finish the work I started by helping create safer schools and stronger connections between families, teachers and students.
2. What is the most important issue facing the Lewiston School Department and how would you address it?
Keeping students and staff safe is my biggest priority. When people feel safe and supported, everything else gets better, including attendance and learning. We need to keep improving communication between schools and families and make sure students have clear expectations. I believe safety is about more than rules. It’s about creating schools that feel welcoming, structured, and respectful. I’ll continue to support programs that build trust, encourage accountability, and put student well-being at the center of every decision.
3. What can you do as a School Committee member to improve test scores and graduation rates?
We need to help students see that school connects to real life. I believe in paid workplace apprenticeships and other hands-on learning opportunities that keep students motivated and excited about their future. I’m not an expert, but I’ve raised two motivated and successful daughters. My oldest graduated third in her class and attends college on a full athletic scholarship while maintaining a 4.0 GPA. My youngest is dual enrolled in college courses and on track to graduate at 16. I’ve seen firsthand what encouragement and opportunity can do, and I want that for every student in Lewiston.
Name: Melanie Gould
Age: 50
Occupation: Quality and training coordinator at L.L.Bean for business
Family: Two adult children and three grandchildren
Community involvement: Adviser for the Olympia Snowe Women’s Leadership Institute, currently mentoring four seniors at Spruce Mountain High School.
1. Why do you think you are the most qualified or best candidate for this seat?
I am coming to the School Committee with an open mind and a desire to learn how I can best serve the residents in Ward 2 and Lewiston as a whole. I bring personal experience in advocating for my own children while they were in school, understanding the needs of current students and families while working with my mentees, as well as the importance of supporting our staff and educators from my friends and family members who are in these roles throughout the state.
2. What is the most important issue facing the Lewiston School Department and how would you address it? Be specific.
Graduation rates and attendance are two of our most important issues facing the Lewiston School Department. I attended a meeting last week to discuss the School Committee goals, including the five-year plan to increase graduation rates by 15%. I believe that early warning systems that start early, as early as elementary school, can help students stay engaged and involved in school. Part of this proposed plan includes assigning mentors to at-risk students, which I have seen the benefits of firsthand during my last three years of mentoring high school students and can be invaluable if properly structured.
3. What can you do as a School Committee member to improve test scores and graduation rates?
Previously I discussed the importance of early warning and mentoring to help keep students in class and improve graduation rates. A second goal being proposed for the School Committee is to improve standardized test scores by 10% in five years. These proposals include a quality, culturally responsive curriculum, professional development and tutoring for students below grade level. I believe it is my job to be educated on the potential options for these categories, doing so by speaking to parents, staff and educators that are the experts on the students and their needs before the School Committee makes any decisions.