Cathy MacKay, Exeter Elementary School Board Candidate

Cathy MacKay

Age (as of Election Day)

52

Position sought (including ward or district number if applicable)

SAU16 - Exeter Elementary School Board 2 year term

Party Affiliation

Family

My Husband David, Daughters Tara and Megan, Son Ryan

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

AAPC college coures

Occupation

15 years Medical Billing Manager

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

N/A

Campaign website

N/A

Why are you seeking elective office?

I am seeking elective office because I want to make a difference in my community. With three children who have attended SAU16 schools the past 16 years, I have a unique perspective on the greatest achievements and biggest challenges our district has faced. I hope to bring that perspective to the current School Board and administration and help shape policies that will get our students back on track both academically and emotionally.

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

The single most pressing issue facing our board, in the short term, is the lack of communication and collaboration with the parents in the district. For the past 2 years parents have been begging to be heard as part of the solution to get kids back to school in a normal setting (full-time, mask-free, with extra curricular activities). In speaking with parents, their emails and phone calls with suggestions of ways to do this safely were ignored or dismissed. SAU16 only went back to school full time, and mask optional, after the Governors orders, while other districts of similar size did so sooner. I intend to listen and respond to all parents’ concerns with an open mind, and bring them to my fellow board members and administration for discussion.

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

My opponent has only been on the board for a few months and I have never spoken to her.

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

I believe the current board has been ineffective with regards to transparency and communication with the community. Most of the differences between the board, administration, and community were related to school lockdowns, masking and simply allowing kids to be kids at school. Parents were frustrated that adults could be maskless, enjoying themselves in the community, while kids were masked, sitting alone at desks and deprived of extra curricular activities. My hope is we are coming out of this pandemic and will start to see more of a sense of normalcy, but we must not let fear of backlash or incomplete data prevent us from doing what is best for our kids.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

If elected, in addition to improving communication between parents and the School Board, I want to determine why our schools are falling behind others academically. There has been debate about our decline in rankings. I will review all pertinent information and help form a plan to catch our kids up with unfinished learning. We need to work together to acknowledge our shortcomings and promote viable solutions.
I will also review the budget and budget process. Enrollments are down in SAU16 but our budget continues to rise. We need to find real ways to reduce the burden on the taxpayer without sacrificing the needs of our students and teachers.

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

While my children were young, I volunteered my time serving on the PTO for 5 years, as well as in their classroom and with fundraisers and extra curricular activities for an additional 5. I developed meaningful and lasting relationships with teachers and parents in the community during this time, and have an understanding of the needs of both. I’m an excellent listener, a doer, and I love children. In my professional life I get to interact with children everyday and I will always strive to do what is best for them.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

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

I hope voters will consider writing, and filling my name in for the Exeter Elementary School Board 2 year term because I think it’s time for a calm, rational voice who can bridge the divide between the current board, administration and parents. Politics will never play a role in any of my decisions. I am an independent, critical thinker who will put students first