MONTAGUE — Three candidates are seeking two three-year terms on the Gill-Montague School Committee in Monday’s election.
Heather Katsoulis is seeking her first term, while incumbents Marjorie Levenson and Joyce Phillips wish to continue serving the district.
As an educator with decades of experience, Joyce Phillips of 18 Vladish Ave. in Turners Falls believes that committee members must demonstrate leadership and embrace change. This would be her seventh term on the committee since 1994.
She said she developed a passion for education as a child, which has carried on throughout her life. In varying capacities she has worked and been involved in special education, religious education and educational enrichment.
Going forward, she hopes that the committee would focus on implementing policies that will ensure success for all students and develop a fiscally responsible budget to sustain the district.
Raised in Northfield, she has lived in Turners Falls for over 50 years. She also worked as a classroom aide and an administrative secretary in Montague classrooms.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing and business administration.
Incumbent Marjorie Levenson of 25 Turners St. in Lake Pleasant is also seeking a new term on the committee.
If elected, this would be her third three-year term. She said she is passionate about making sure students in the district receive the best education possible.
Levenson is the co-owner of Squash Inc., an independent produce and cheese company, specializing in local products. “As a business person you have a duty at some point to give back to the community,” she said.
In the future, she hopes she can help the district get more state aid. “Like many districts we face tough financial constraints. I hope I can continue to serve to do my best to continue to make our district fulfill its potential,” she said. “Tough times need creative, difficult decisions and choices. I hope our voters allow me to continue to serve them for three more years.”
Her goal is to be an advocate for the parents and students of the district by upholding transparency in the district.
“I consider myself an advocate for the students as well as the community,” she said. “If I am concerned about an issue, I try to bring it to the forefront.”
She hopes to promote critical thinking in schools and help students become productive members of society, whether they stay in Montague or move to another town.
“Every student needs to know our district can and will provide them the support they need,” she said. “Teaching our students to think critically is key. They must be thoughtful learners with minds not afraid to question.”
She also wants the committee to work in more proactive ways to recruit minority teachers.
Originally from outside Boston, she owns a home in Lake Pleasant and has lived in Montague since the early ’80s.
She has served on the town’s Finance Committee, has served on the Capital Improvements Committee and has been a longtime town meeting member.
She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts in Afro-American studies and master’s in American history from Columbia University in New York.
Photographer Heather Katsoulis of 89 High St. in Turners Falls is running for her first term on the committee. She has served as a Montague town meeting member for three years and as a parent representative on the Sheffield Elementary School Council.
“If elected as a School Committee member, I will utilize my knowledge, experience, dedication and passion to work toward creating exceptional schools for our community,” Katsoulis, 41, said.
Born and raised in the Pioneer Valley, she has lived in Turners Falls for four years with her husband and two children.
She hopes to support a collaborative leadership culture within the committee.
If elected, one of her goals would be to curb the number of students choosing to leave the district.
She also wants to look at ways to increase funding for the school. She said that many parents are choosing to opt their children out of standardized testing and this strategy has the unintentional effect of undermining the school and funding. “I would like to investigate alternatives to bring balance to standardized testing,” she said.
You can reach Lisa Spear at:
lspear@recorder.com or
413-772-0261, ext. 280