Shannon Gascoyne, Amherst School Board Candidate

Shannon Gascoyne

Age (as of Election Day)

43

Position sought (including district number if applicable)

Amherst School Board

Party Affiliation

Unaffiliated

Family

My husband, Joe, and I have lived in Amherst since 2012. We have four children ages 7-14

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

B.S. Marketing, Franklin University

Occupation

After a number of years working as the Director of Employee Engagement at Franklin University, I made the decision to become a stay at home mom to our young family. I have spent the last half dozen years serving our community in a variety of ways.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Executive Board of the Amherst PTA - 2016-2020 - I am proud to have served two elected terms on the Executive Board of the Amherst PTA, where I worked to increase community participation through membership and the creation of the Civic Engagement Committee.

SAU 39 Joint Facilities Advisory Committee - 2018-Present - Vice Chair from 2019-2021 and Chair from 2021-2022. I currently serve as the Chair of the Amherst Building and Grounds Committee, focusing on the Clark School, Wilkins School and Amherst Middle School. The work of this committee has been central in shining a light on the infrastructure needs of our district.

SAU39 School Re-Opening Task Force - Summer 2020 - Appointed as Chair of the Parent/Community Sub-Group. This experience provided me with a deep understanding of the broad needs and priorities of families and students in our district.

Amherst Recreation Commission - 2020-Present - Appointed by the Amherst Board of Selectmen. I am pleased to serve on this commission; parks and recreation are an important part of maintaining the quality of life for all residents in our town.

Campaign website

Follow me on FB Shannon Gascoyne for Amherst School Board
Email:shannonforamherstschools@gmail.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

I have entered this race because I am proud of our town and believe that maintaining a high-quality public education system is central to a thriving community. As an engaged volunteer and parent of four, I have seen all the good things happening in our schools and I see the opportunities that lie ahead. If elected, I will continue to advocate for policies and practices that make Amherst an exceptional place to live and educate children.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The Amherst School District has reached an inflection point with its public school buildings. The facilities are undersized for programming needs. The useful lives of major systems were extended over the years, but are now beyond basic repair and maintenance. Students spend 15,000+ hours in a school building during their K-12 experience. The physical space, indoor air quality, noise levels, lighting, and exposure to other indoor air pollutants can dramatically hinder student and educator performance. There is no simple or quick solution. I have worked closely with the SAU 39 Director of Facilities, SAU and Building Leadership, and the Amherst School Board to garner a deep understanding of the current and future capital needs and plans of the district. I am committed to ensuring continued improvement in our capital maintenance planning and responsible tax-payer spending. I have spent the past several months working closely with the SAU Leadership team to address the roof and HVAC issues at AMS. I am pleased that a plan is in place that should see work beginning this summer, utilizing capital reserve funds. This work remains a primary focus and passion for me. If elected, I intend to continue driving forward progress in this area, whatever the outcome of Warrant Article 12.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

My experience with the majority of the other candidates, with the exception of the incumbent, is limited, as they are all either relatively new to town or relatively new to serving on school committees. For this reason, I am unable to offer any bold statements regarding my opponents. What I am able to offer is a sense of what I bring to the table; an even keeled temperament, a wide breadth of knowledge on school and community issues, and a demonstrated commitment to advocating for quality public schools.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

I believe that the current board has made forward progress, particularly in community outreach and communication. That being said, the board still has a fair amount of work ahead to establish a set of performance indicators tied to a clearly articulated vision for our schools. This is work that several boards have undertaken but, for a variety of reasons, have failed to deliver on. With discord in the community and nation over the state and value of public schools, this work can no longer sit on the shelf.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

If I am elected, I am interested in driving three key areas in the Amherst School District, including building and grounds as mentioned above:

Planning and Reporting: I am dedicated to providing residents with clear and consistent feedback on the financial, student and cultural health of the district. I support and will push for the development of an annual report card tied to a strategic plan; one that employs a variety of qualitative and quantitative factors. A plan that is developed with professional educators at the forefront, working in collaboration with the community. What we value as taxpayers is not a question that can be answered by a singular group or singular set of metrics. A holistic approach is required.

Process, Policy, and Communication: Process and policy at every level of government impacts the use of local tax dollars. If elected, I will work to ensure that we operate in alignment within the statutes and administrative rules of New Hampshire, within all district policies, and update our processes when necessary. I will also drive the board and district to coordinate efforts with state and local officials, on behalf of the Amherst taxpayer.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

Balancing a variety of interests, establishing budgets, and monitoring performance is a critical skill set for a board member to possess.

In my past professional life, aligning employee interests with the interests of the institution was my primary role. As a Director of Employee Engagement, I was responsible for successfully increasing performance and retention through engagement, culture and satisfaction. My team utilized a variety of qualitative and quantitative measurement tools to measure engagement and performance and inform planning. I also successfully managed a departmental budget and a team of employees.

As a concerned parent, volunteer and resident, I have been advocating for better results and experiences in our district for many years. I began regularly attending and testifying at school board meetings in 2017. At the time, the condition and crowding of our elementary and middle school buildings was not a topic of community conversation. Today, a comprehensive facilities maintenance plan exists and there is no question that something must be done to address the educational environment, aging infrastructure and space constraints in the Amherst School District. My work advocating in this area and leading the Joint Facilities Advisory Committee has been central to raising community awareness and driving the SAU forward in its Capital Maintenance and Facilities Planning.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

“It’s a marathon, not a sprint.”

I have entered this race with the full knowledge that public service and good governance require a great deal of patience, tenacity, analyses, and the ability to calmly and respectfully engage with others of differing viewpoints and opinions.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

If elected, you can be certain that I will take my responsibility to our town seriously. I am committed to quality public education in Amherst, not only for my children, but for future generations. We must bring forward strategic plans that balance the needs of educators and students in a way that tax-payers are able to support. This can be a difficult needle to thread, particularly when large needs loom. This work requires board representatives who are diligent, patient, and open minded. I possess these qualities and am ready to get to work for our schools, our families, and our residents.