Gaspa-Caravona challenges Dunn's seat in Ward 2 on Laconia School Board while Salmone runs unopposed

LACONIA — Two seats on the Laconia School Board are up for grabs in November’s election.

In Ward 2, incumbent Laura Dunn, a parent and president of the parent-teacher organization at Pleasant Street school, faces challenger Kelley Gaspa-Caravona, a crisis counselor at Gilford High School. 

In Ward 3, Karin Salome is running unopposed to fill the seat currently held by board Chair Aaron Hayward — not eligible for or interested in reelection, he has said.

School board members serve three-year terms, with two or three of the board’s seven seats coming up for election each year. The school board sets policy for the district’s six schools and oversees the work of the superintendent.

The winners of these races will join a relatively inexperienced board: If Dunn wins reelection, she will be one of just two board members serving a second term. If she is unsuccessful, Gaspa-Caravona will join five other members elected in the past three years. 

Ward 2 incumbent Dunn is running on her network of community involvement, experience on the board and genuine passion for service. Dunn won as a write-in candidate in 2019 and is a Laconia native with three children currently in city schools.

As president of the Pleasant Street School PTA, U6 director for Laconia Youth Soccer, treasurer of Lou Athanas Basketball and a children’s auction volunteer, Dunn believes her presence in the community and immersion in local youth organizations are key assets she brings to the board.

“I get that insight by being embedded with our youth. I see the struggle every day,” she said. Having children currently in Laconia schools, she added, puts her in touch with contemporary school needs such as the impact of paraprofessional and other staff shortages.

This connectedness, she said, is the “why” of her campaign. “It ​​shows my level of commitment and my passion, that this is a want for me.”

With the many new faces on the current board, Dunn stressed her dedication to her duties and the value of returning experience.

“I've never missed one meeting — and I'm very proud of that,” Dunn said, noting that, during pre-pandemic schedules, she was committed to six school board-related meetings per month. Dunn currently chairs the budget and personnel committees and sits on the policy committee. She also served on the Portrait of a Graduate committee, and hopes to help that program mature if reelected.

As the board has faced community passions and tensions over her term, Dunn has been a frequent and firm voice during meetings. 

“I love to ask questions,” Dunn said. “I certainly don’t ever mean any disrespect — and I hope it doesn’t come off that way — but I’m going to uphold a level of accountability.”

She strives not to change others’ minds by being vocal when the board isn’t unanimous, she said, but to present an alternative viewpoint. “I think it's important to have the confidence and ability” to speak up, she said. 

Gaspa-Caravona currently works as student support and crisis counselor and behavioral health coordinator in Gilford schools. Her three children are graduates of Laconia High School and she was a district employee for eight years as director of Project Extra at PSS. 

Gaspa-Caravona also highlighted experience on the ground in schools, working on task forces and coalitions in Franklin, Gilford, Tilton, Danbury and Northfield. Through her profession she has contacts in districts across the region, which she said has helped provide her with creative problem-solving resources and a keen understanding of what staff and students alike are going through.

“My experience lends itself to being a good listener, to collecting data and information that helps us look at how we best support young people,” she said, as well as giving her experience with grant and budget management. 

Gaspa-Caravona is also a parent looking to give back to schools where her children had positive experiences.

“I bring a well-rounded perspective of being on both sides of education. Being both a parent and an educator, I believe, is going to lend itself to being really effective in this role,” she said.

When it comes to her approach, Gaspa-Caravona described herself as a “solutions-focused collaborator” with a “team approach to productivity.”

“I love being part of a team. I think it's really important to listen and to be open to the opinions and ideas of others and communicate clearly and contribute thoughtfully,” she said. 

Dunn and Gaspa-Caravona both noted that, when tensions or passions on the board and in the community are high, maintaining focus on what is best for the district and for students should be paramount. 

Both also highlighted the need to attract and retain school staff as a top priority for the district moving forward. 

Salome, a multi-decade city resident and nurse, highlighted her extensive community volunteer work and value for public education as what she would bring to the Ward 3 seat.

Salome’s volunteer experience in the Lakes Region spans 42 years and includes time with St. James Nursery School, Laconia Little League, the Lakes Region Scholarship Foundation, Partnership for Public Health and the vestry and youth group at St. James Episcopal Church, which she attends. Her two sons are alumni of Laconia schools.

These experiences have equipped her with the skill set and mindset to be a productive board member, Salome said. 

“I have a really good ability for collaboration and participation and teamwork,” Salome said. “That's really what the school board is all about. It's not an individual activity on a school board; it's the entire school board. You can't act as an individual to make a decision. It has to be a cooperative endeavor.”

Salome also highlighted her “conviction that public education is really important, not only for our students, but for the welfare, the reputation and success of our entire community.” 

When it comes to the interpersonal dynamic of the board — which has been underwritten by tension in recent months over administrative hiring and firing decisions and board member volunteering — Salome said her background as a nurse has conditioned her to keep a cool head and clear focus. 

“I definitely have the temperament to bridge all kinds of folks,” she said. 

Salome spoke optimistically about the direction of the district and said, though she did not have specific issues before the board on her mind, she is excited to contribute to that momentum. 

“There's no question I have a learning curve ahead of me,” Salome said. “But, you know, I'm ready for it.”

School board races will appear on the general election ballot on Nov. 8.