Harpswell is part of Maine School Administrative District 75, composed of four towns — Harpswell, Bowdoin, Bowdoinham and Topsham. The school board responsible for what happens in our district is made up of members from each of the four towns.
Since all board members vote on all decisions, the people elected by the other towns also impact Harpswell residents.
On Nov. 2, Topsham and Bowdoinham will elect some of their board members; Harpswell will vote on ours next March. Given this, if you know people in Bowdoinham, I hope you will encourage them to vote for Hutson Hayward, himself a graduate of MSAD 75 and the parent of two children, one entering kindergarten next year and one currently in second grade. I believe Hutson will bring a respectful, measured approach to problem-solving and will always put the well-being of our children and teachers first.
If you know people in Topsham, please ask them to vote for Amy Spelke and Mike Timberlake. Amy believes in the power and value of public education. Her two kids recently graduated from Mt. Ararat High School and she has volunteered extensively with the schools in a variety of capacities. Amy has a strong academic background with a career in public policy and economics.
Mike Timberlake has had a close family member working at or attending a district school continuously for 58 years. With a strong connection to this district, I believe he respects the very important role of public education. Mike has pledged to listen to diverse viewpoints from all stakeholders with an open mind and make decisions based on what is best for the students.
We need committed and competent board members from all four towns to enable our kids to receive the high-quality education they deserve.
LeAnne Grillo, Harpswell
