October 22, 2021

RSU 14 Board of Directors candidate profiles

Candidates for RSU 14 Board
of Directors include clockwise 
from top left, Jessica Bridges,
Barbara Bagshaw, Jennie 
Butler and Michael Pasquini.
SUBMITTED PHOTOS
(Two available seats for three-year terms)

BARBARA BAGSHAW

Barbara Bagshaw lives in Windham and has more than 25 years of experience in local education. She has taught at levels ranging from grade school to college, including 13 years of teaching Adult Education, predominantly in RSU 14. She has taught art on all levels and at the college level she has taught Introduction to Phlebotomy. She is an artist and a nanny as well. Her passion for the arts, children and serving communities has taken Bagshaw to 24 countries. She is an international speaker on the arts and has spoken in most of these countries, and/or volunteered in orphanages. Bagshaw served as the president of an arts non-profit for 10 years and was the event planner of its international annual event. She oversaw their budget, as well as handling the organization’s fundraising. Her work has been featured in books, magazines and licensed for use in a European school curriculum.

Why did you choose to become a candidate for the RSU 14 Board of Directors this year?

Bagshaw: “I chose to become a candidate for the RSU 14 Board of directors because of my experience, my love of and dedication to children and teaching.”

What do you feel is the most significant issue facing RSU 14 town over the next three years and how do you feel you can help address this issue adequately for residents?

Bagshaw: “I feel the most significant issues facing RSU 14 over the next three years are the curriculum and policy leading to a proper education. I also feel that children’s mental and physical health and their ability to learn and grow in a safe supportive environment is vital. Parental input is needed in all of this.”


Can you describe what you like the most about the quality and caliber of education students receive in RSU 14?

Bagshaw: “One of RSU 14’s core beliefs is community engagement. I think it’s very important that RSU 14 is trying to attain the best environment for every child’s education. It is always looking to improve but carving out a partnership with the families will continue to move the district forward in accomplishing crucial educational goals.”

What’s the most important thing you’ve learned about RSU 14 since you have declared your candidacy for the RSU 14 Board of Directors?

Bagshaw: “The most important thing I have learned about RSU 14 since I declared my candidacy is the parents, students, and teachers deserve a voice and advocates.”

 

MICHAEL PASQUINI

Michael Pasquini is a proud Windham resident and parent to three children. His personal passions range from family, food, and sports. He loves to cook for friends and family, especially using fresh ingredients from his garden. Sports have always been a large part of his life. He’s a huge hockey and football fan but loves golf above all. He said he had a blast coaching in Windham Little League this past summer and is looking forward to doing so for years to come. His professional life has been diverse to say the least. His experience ranges from teaching and playing the game of golf for a living, to operating his own distribution company, to currently serving communities across five states as a licensed life and health insurance agent. He said he has learned a great deal from each venture, both successes and failures that he consistently applies to his everyday life. .

Why did you choose to become a candidate for the RSU 14 Board of Directors this year?

Pasquini:My decision to run for a seat on the RSU 14 school board of directors was primarily based on having three kids in the district school system. I want to effectively represent their educational needs and those of their peers and families. I would describe myself as a levelheaded, critical thinker that likes to educate himself on topics prior to passing judgment or opinion. I feel that these are qualities that will serve our board well.”

What do you feel is the most significant issue facing RSU 14 town over the next three years and how do you feel you can help address this issue adequately for residents?

Pasquini: “Whether we like to admit it or not, the pandemic has changed our lives in a variety of ways. There are tensions in the air that simply did not exist two years ago. We all love our children and I firmly believe we all want the best for our neighbors. What we need right now are elected officials that can help pull our community together for the better through application of logical thought, transparency, integrity, and open discourse. The choice is ours and that has never been more apparent.”

Can you describe what you like the most about the quality and caliber of education students receive in RSU 14?

Pasquini: “There are reasons why we all live in Windham. The reputation of the school district was paramount for us. I’ve had the pleasure to meet and engage with so many upstanding young adults in this community. As a whole, their character, intelligence and drive to succeed speaks volumes about the quality of our educators. Further, many of the older kids in our neighborhood are proving to be exemplary role models for my kids! As a member of the board, I would strive to support the RSU 14 mission “success for all” students to the best of my ability.”

What’s the most important thing you’ve learned about RSU 14 since you have declared your candidacy for the RSU 14 Board of Directors?

Pasquini:There is no denying that there is currently a great divide in thoughts and beliefs within our community. Given that fact, the most important thing I’ve learned about this district since declaring my candidacy has been the resilience of the kids and the engagement of the parents. I’m a firm believer that when something seems out of place, one should question why. Especially when it has a direct impact on the education of our children and family lives. I have been engaged in many civil and constructive conversations. I am proud of our community and look forward to being an active member for years to come.”

 

JESSICA BRIDGES

Jessica Bridges has lived in Windham for 11 years. She has two daughters, one in first grade and the other in third grade. She has worked in the healthcare community for about 18 years and grew up in a small town with a very small school system. She said it was a great place to get an education, get extra help and really thrive learning and wants this for our kids. She said Windham’s school system is quite large and her dream is that each kid is allowed to grow and learn to their potential, and she wants to be a part of that. She said advocacy is one of the only ways to get the education for our children that they need. She hopes to be able to listen and advocate for the parents but also for the teachers and students, with its number one priority being the education of our future. She supports RSU 14's mission in providing a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment for all students; supporting the mental, emotional, and social health of students and staff; and accessible education for adults and students.

Why did you choose to become a candidate for the RSU 14 Board of Directors this year?

Bridges:I made the decision to run for the RSU 14 Board of Directors for numerous reasons. First and foremost, as a parent of two school aged children; I have a vested interest in preserving and improving the quality of our school system. I have been involved in the school community as a parent volunteer as well as a member of the PTA and I am seeking a new and challenging role in which I can further contribute and help improve our community. I believe in quality public education for our current and future students and in order to achieve this; our district needs school board members to collaborate as a team to accomplish the district's goals. I feel that being on the board would allow me to share my life experience as a parent and health care worker to benefit the community. Additionally, as a board member I can help influence the fiscal health of the district. Many constituents have expressed concerns about how their taxpayer money is spent and as a member of the board, I would have the ability to help influence the district's budget.”

What do you feel is the most significant issue facing RSU 14 town over the next three years and how do you feel you can help address this issue adequately for residents?

Bridges: “Windham's population is rapidly growing and with population growth comes higher student enrollment. The challenges that face our district is attracting qualified educators, staff, and bus drivers to ensure that each and every student's needs are met. As a board member, I would ask our superintendent for a risk assessment on how future enrollment changes may impact our district's academics, finances, and operations. It would be my responsibility as a board member to have an in-depth understanding of the dynamics at play in our community. Additionally, I would encourage our district leaders to take a proactive stance toward enrollment management. This would provide both stability and sustainability to the mission of the board. In addition, I would love to see our pre-k program expand to serve more children and families in our community.”

Can you describe what you like the most about the quality and caliber of education students receive in RSU 14?

Bridges: “Every RSU14 administrator, teacher, staff member, and transportation department employee that I have ever come into contact with is genuine and passionate about serving our community and enhancing the lives of our district's children through quality education offerings. This commitment was exemplified with the onset of the pandemic and demonstrated through creative and adaptive teaching. Our teachers simultaneously taught their own children at home while logging on to their computers to teach our students. Our school's librarians took email requests for books and left them on tables in the school's vestibules, our kitchen staff continued to prepare healthy meals and our administrators kept steady hands on the helm - encouraging all of us.”

What’s the most important thing you’ve learned about RSU 14 since you have declared your candidacy for the RSU 14 Board of Directors?

Bridges: “Since declaring my candidacy; I have gained better understanding of the numerous challenges that are affecting our district now and what hurdles may come in the future. I believe that a school board must be responsive and receptive to students, parents, educators, staff, administrators as well as the community at large. The board sets the standard for communication within the district, and it is my job as a board member to ensure that I am open to a thorough discussion about the topic at hand. Every stakeholder truly has the best interest of our district's students at heart, and it is my job to listen, learn and use my voice to uphold the mission of the board to provide a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment for all students.”

 

JENNIE BUTLER

Jennie Butler is married to Brian Butler, and they have two adult sons who are Windham graduates. She grew up in Bath, Maine and is a Morse graduate. She earned her BA in Mathematics from the University of Maine and MS in Education from USM. Jennie taught high school mathematics for 31 years until her retirement in 2014 to become the primary caregiver for her mother. Jennie teaches math part time at USM. She volunteers with several organizations including the Windham Recreation Department Advisory Committee and Age Friendly Windham. For the last 24 years St. Ann’s Episcopal Church in Windham has been her Church home. Her hobbies include sailing, skiing, and Irish or tap dancing.

Why did you choose to become a candidate for the RSU 14 Board of Directors this year?

Butler: “I am running for re-election and want to serve my community as an active member of the School Board. It can be difficult, but it is rewarding to see how well RSU 14 is respected in Maine.”

What do you feel is the most significant issue facing RSU 14 town over the next three years and how do you feel you can help address this issue adequately for residents?

Butler: As it is every year, we need to be fiscally responsible balancing the needs of staff and students. We need to keep tax increases at a minimum for the community especially with a new middle school in the works.”

Can you describe what you like the most about the quality and caliber of education students receive in RSU 14?

Butler: RSU 14 has very dedicated staff that put students first. The staff does their best to meet the students where they are so they may grow in all aspects of their education. Additionally, parents in RSU 14 want all students to have a wide variety of opportunities not only in academics but also in sports, the trades, and the arts.”

What’s the most important thing you’ve learned about RSU 14 since you have declared your candidacy for the RSU 14 Board of Directors?

Butler: I taught in Windham from 1987 until 2014 and have been on the Board since 2019. I have always tried to keep up with what is happening in RSU 14. However, it concerns me how widespread the internet issues were within the district this fall and how long it took for them to be corrected.” <

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