Government

Laura Jane Sturgis to Run for School Board as Write-In Candidate

In a May 4 letter to the community, Laura Jane Sturgis has announced that she will run for MSAD 51 School Board as a write-in candidate.  Sturgis will complete a term on the New Gloucester board of selectmen in June.  Her letter announcing her run for school board follows:

“At our annual Town Meeting I was shocked to learn that no one had taken out nomination papers for School Board. It is not good for New Gloucester to have an understaffed representation from our town. There are a great many issues facing public education today that will impact many families in our two towns.

“Since the meeting I have been doing some soul-searching. My plan was to spend time after the June election working on some of my hobbies and perhaps “kicking back.” However, I must be honest and say that I like a challenge, so I have decided to enter the election as a write-in candidate for School Board. I think that I have the educational background and life experience to ably represent New Gloucester on the SAD15 School Board. I have had a varied work experience which included teaching elementary school, working in accounting, running a restaurant with my daughter, and finishing my career as an English teacher at Edward Little High School in Auburn, where I also served as president of the Auburn Education Association for two terms. I have three degrees from the University of Maine: a Bachelor of Arts in Education, a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and a Masters in Secondary Education.

“My two children, Melissa and Matthew Sturgis, are both graduates of GNG High School and my granddaughter is going to be a freshman there next year. That alone gives me a familial interest in our schools.

“While serving as a selectman I had the opportunity to work with SAD15 leadership as part of the group of town leaders from Gray and New Gloucester. Because of that experience I have developed a relationship with some members of the School Board as well as with our new Superintendent.

“Therefore, I am asking that when you go to vote in June, please enter my name, Laura Jane Sturgis, in the write-in section of the ballot for school board. Thank you.

Jane”