My name is Sarah Farwell and I am running for one of the two At-Large seats on the Oyster River Cooperative School Board. I am a resident of Lee.
Background:
Fourteen years ago in April, my
husband Tobin and I moved into an old home in Lee NH, that many in the
community have watched us work to bring back to some of its original
beauty. Living 10 feet off of Route 152
can be like living in a fish bowl at times, but it has certainly allowed us to get
to know many in the community. We share our home with our three kids: Silas (5th gr), Maggie (3rd
gr) and Eliza (K). We moved into the
district because we wanted great schools for our kids, we loved Lee’s
rural/agricultural feel, and we were thrilled by it’s proximity to the
University.
I first came to the area as a UNH
student and graduated with a BA in Psychology in 1991. In 1993 I earned my M.ED in Elementary
Education (K-8) from Boston College and taught for a total of 10 years in
Brookline, MA, Anchorage, AK and Exeter Cooperative District before becoming a
“stay at home mom”.
I have been an active participant
in both the community and our schools.
My husband and I ran the Pedal Tractor Pull for years at the Lee Fair
and I have served on the Mast Way PTO Board for the past 3 years. I oversaw the re-landscaping of Mast Way’s
front entrance last spring and run the monthly Parents Night Out for the
school. I volunteer in my children’s
classrooms, the library and anywhere else I can be of help. I coordinated the composting initiative at
Mast Way School and when the Middle School started a composting program, I
volunteered to help with that effort. I
served on hiring committees for two Mast Way Principals and the current Mast
Way Secretary. I participated in the School
District’s most recent strategic planning process, and served on the recent
Elementary Enrollment Committee. In
order to stay current with issues district wide, I actively follow the school
board.
Beliefs and Values:
- I believe in excellent public education and believe we can
have incredible schools that our towns can afford.
- I believe that our teachers and staff value our children
as individuals and honor the characteristics that make them unique. With that foundation, everything is possible.
- I believe that it
is our district’s job to provide each individual student with the opportunities
to get them to their own next best place.
- I believe that as the world changes, so must our
schools. We need to be sure we are
looking ahead to the future when making decisions in the present.
- I believe in fiscal accountability and will continue to
look for ways to make sure we are getting the most for our taxpayer dollars.
- I believe excellent teachers, staff and administrators are
a school district’s best assets.
- I believe issues are complex and will listen to the views
of all stake holders in order to make informed votes.
Should I be elected, I will do my best to make my votes a
reflection of the greater community and individual student needs.
Thank you for voting
on March 11.
I am soooo happy that you have finally decided to run! You've got my vote, hands down!
ReplyDelete~Stephanie Cottrell
Thanks Stephanie!
DeleteHi Sarah! If you would like me to help find people to hold signs for you, please contact me.
ReplyDeleteGood luck, and I'm glad you are running!
Ruth
Hi Ruth,
DeleteI would love your help finding people to hold signs at the polls...all locations. I'll be in touch. And thanks for the words of support!
Sarah
Sarah,
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, thank you for your willingness to serve on the school board. I wish you luck.
I'd like to ask what your position will be should the issue of the elementary split come up again during your term. The district administration was very keen to create a k-2 school at Mast Way, and a 3-4 school at Moharimet, and the enrollment issue was used as an opportunity to achieve this. The current board voted to keep the current wider grade span K-4 system in two community schools, which as you know is preferred by the teachers and a majority of parents. Could you state the preference you would carry in to the school board?
Thanks,
Rob McEwan, Madbury.
Hi Rob,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your question. During the Elementary Rebalancing discussions, I was a strong proponent of keeping the current K-4 configuration. My experience as a psychology major in college, and an educator, and a parent have informed that decision. Should I be elected to the school board, I would continue to support a broad range of ages at our elementary schools. Thank you. Sarah Farwell