Communication, transparency, civility are goals of candidates for Laconia School Board member-at-large

LACONIA — Mask wearing, critical race theory, community input, and preserving in-person learning in the wake of COVID have been challenges during the past two years that no one could have predicted. School boards try to conduct business as usual while grappling with tough issues as they arise.

In Laconia, three impassioned residents are vying for position of school board member-at-large. They agree that transparency, better communication, preserving education quality and keeping kids in school are their goals for the next two years.

The top vote getter on Nov. 2 will replace Joe Cormier, who served on the board from 2001 to 2013 before filling in as member-at-large when Bob Champlin resigned last year. Here’s the lineup of current candidates:

Jennifer Anderson, deputy director of the Laconia Motorcycle Week Association and a college psychology teacher, said serving on the school board is a chance to express her gratitude by paying it forward.

“I think the majority of people have been influenced by a teacher in their life. The very direction of my life changed for the better because of an educator, and I want others to have that same experience,” said Anderson, who has worked in public education for roughly 20 years, primarily at Lakes Region Community College and Plymouth State University. “I’m a product of public education, and I believe in public education. Our school system promotes opportunities.”

Anderson, 44, holds a  B.A. in psychology, a master's in social work from the University of New Hampshire and and an Ed.D. in Learning, Leadership and Community from Plymouth State University. She has worked as a social worker at New Hampshire Hospital and for Child and Family Services, an executive director for the Belknap Mill Society, and an academic counselor at LRCC. She is currently president of the board of directors for the Belknap County Economic Development Council and the Laconia Rotary Club. She serves on the board of directors for Gilda’s Club, a community cancer support organization, is co-president of the board of directors for the Belknap Mill Society, and co-hosts the Lakes Region public access television show, “Today in Focus.”

“The job of the school board is to listen to its community, to work with staff and stakeholders, and most importantly, to be transparent and responsive,” said Anderson, who grew up in Northfield and graduated from Winnisquam Regional High School. She lives in Ward 4.

School boards need to base their decisions on facts and data, and listen to their constituents, she said.

“People have a right to be heard. It’s a public institution, a school system of the people. There are going to be disagreements. People are impassioned. There needs to be disclosure,” she said. “You need to be responsive in any public position. That’s the reason you’re there.”

Anderson said she is proud of the city’s strong schools, which are key to preparing future leaders and  promoting the local economy. She said people relocate to a community based on the quality of its school system, even if they have no children. “It’s the backbone of our community,” Anderson said.

She said at school board meetings, residents should be able to voice their concerns, opinions and questions in a respectful manner, at the same time the school board must attend to the agenda and get things done. “I don’t know the ins and outs of how it will be set up, but I believe there should always be opportunity for public input and questions. There needs to be a time limit.”

The school board’s job is to hold the superintendent accountable, while the schools’ job is “to teach students how to think – not what to think. What skills do they want graduates to have?”

“There are great things happening throughout the schools in this city. For the last year and a half, we’ve all been working in triage mode. It’s essential to keep focused on long term success. The school board needs to have the trust of the community, and the community needs to trust its schools,” Anderson said.

Liana Crowell, a lifelong resident who lives in Ward 3, is a parent of a kindergartner who started school this fall. She brings first-hand concern and interest in preserving the quality of education for all kids.

“I’m very dedicated to building a strong foundation for our children, so that they can grow and fulfill a vision of a better tomorrow,” said Crowell, who graduated from Laconia High School in 2001.

Crowell, a hair stylist for 20 years and a salon owner for 10 years, says she’ll bring people skills, civility and the ability to keep good working relationships to the role. “I can listen to what someone is saying regardless of whether I agree with them or not, and make a sound decision based on what they say. I have a business side and a people side. I would be there to speak for parents, including those who don’t have a voice. I’m working for the parents of Laconia and all the kids and hoping for a brighter future for all of them.”

Last year was her first experience in the Laconia school system, she said. With the pandemic, it was frustrating for parents not to be seen or heard, unable to go into schools, and to email school board members and not receive any form of correspondence, she said. “If (parents) have an issue, I’d like to hear their voice and have them be heard. It’s important to have representation so you can be heard as a parent,” said Crowell.

"I am a firm believer in parents' rights and for them to be involved in making decisions for their children's education and well being. Keeping an open dialog will help ensure the community that their concerns and deeds are being addressed to establish a strong faith in their school district and school board," Crowell wrote on Oct. 21 in a letter to the editor of the Laconia Daily Sun.

She believes the school board has a supervisory role vis a vis the superintendent, who provides guidance and information. “He’ll present what he thinks, then we vote what should happen based on what he has said. We’re also there to voice the opinions of our constituents,” Crowell.

“As taxpayers, everyone should have a voice and an opinion, and be able to express their voice, and not be shut down if one of my fellow board members disagrees. Everyone should be heard regardless." The community “should feel we’re working for them, not against them. The meetings are run fairly well, but they’ve been heated recently. I do think we should be able to listen," said Crowell.

It’s important for parents and community members to be able to ask questions. “It would be nice if we could come up with a way to get a response” so they don’t feel shut out or left in the dark. “I’d like to be a resource to get an opinion across or try to get them an answer.” Time limits during meetings are important to get business done, Crowell said.

She believes it's crucial to verify that the speakers during public comment period actually live in Laconia. Intrusion by non-residents is sometimes an issue. “The lack of public trust feels politically driven, which is sad. We should be able to hear (another viewpoint) and be able to talk about it without fighting,”

Jay Tomlinson, a local carpenter and parent of students in Laconia Middle School and Laconia High School, said it’s important to forge sound relationships with parents and community members in order to build a solid foundation for all children.

“The number one issue I see is schools staying open so children can get a quality education and parents can do what they do to make a living,” said Tomlinson, who has lived in Laconia for 20 years and currently resides in Ward 4.

 “Wearing masks is a difficult subject to talk about,” he said. “There are issues on both sides. In the end we need to do whatever it takes for kids to stay in school with in-person learning. That’s what’s best for the parents, too. We can’t be dealing with hybrid learning and also maintain a job. It’s just not feasible for a lot of people.”

Tomlinson said that in general, school board meetings do a good job allowing all people to speak and citizens to voice their concerns.

“We have a lot of community involvement in Laconia’s schools, which is good. I don’t like seeing shouting back and forth” between school board members and the community, said Tomlinson. “You should be able to formulate your opinion without silencing other people. That leads to be better discussion” as well as more understanding and respect. “If you have an issue that you need to bring up, being the loudest in the room is not going to help.”

Many parents are frustrated by not being able to ask questions and get answers, whether by email or at school board meetings – which may not be possible when they need to formulate a joint response. “I imagine what they’re trying to do is not to have people singled out. The school board is a group of individuals who make decisions together” which requires talking amongst themselves. “Asking questions is a good idea. But expecting a response immediately isn’t really practical when you’re dealing with a group.”

Bullying seems to have become a problem on both sides, he said. “Pointing fingers and shouting results in people ‘cowarding down’ because they’re being yelled at. You get bad results when someone doesn’t like the answer. That’s why you vote for who you want to vote for. These are not lifetime positions, thank goodness.”

Tomlinson said he’ll bring “an ability to listen, an ability to hear what people say and be willing to change. I’m not a professional by any means. With the ability to listen, you can truly help out.”

Tomlinson said most of the meetings he’s had with teachers in Laconia schools have been very productive, including in developing an individualized plan for one of his children. “The school is always willing to give the students what they need to succeed,” he said. “As long as the schools can keep doing that, the schools are doing their job.”