HOULTON, Maine – Three candidates are running for three open 3-year term seats on the Houlton School Board.
One of the candidates, Mark Lipscombe, was appointed by the Houlton Town Council to an open seat earlier this year. Lipscombe is now running for a three-year term on the board.
All three candidates, Kelly Johnson, Lipscombe and Theresa Lynn Shannon, said part of their focus is on tough issues like bullying.
Additionally, Houlton Town Council Chairman Chris Robinson is running as a write-in candidate for an open two-year seat. Robinson’s term on town council expires in November.
A sample ballot is available online and at the Houlton Town Office. Voting is from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 5 at the Gentle Memorial Building also known as the Houlton Recreation Center at 128 Maine St.
RSU 29 School Board, 3-year term
Name: Kelly Johnson
Age: 45
Party Affiliation: Democrat
Education:
2018 Leadership Graduate, University of New Hampshire-Institute on Disabilities
2003 Bachelor of Arts in History, University of Maine at Machias; 1998 Graduate Southern Aroostook Community School
Employment:
Mental Health Rehabilitation Technician-C with Alternative Correctional Healthcare at Aroostook County Jail.
Family: Married to Chris Johnson, 21 years. Son, Wesley, 12.
Why are you running for school board?
As a parent of a fifth grade student who has special needs, I believe I have a broader understanding of the needs of that student demographic. It is important for the community to invest in education. If the students know the community cares about them, they will in turn care about the community as they grow. This may benefit Houlton in giving our students a reason to return to the community after college. I also believe that a parent’s number one responsibility in raising a child is making them a productive member of society. The best way to do that is through the long-term investment of their education.
What are the top three priorities you wish to address if elected?
- Accountability
- Investment in ALL Students
- Safety
Name: Mark Lipscombe
Age: 43
Party Affiliation: Democratic
Education:
Bachelor of Laws (University of New England, Australia) (In-Progress)
Associate of Science, Forensic Social Work (York County Community College) (In-Progress)
Employment:
I am a software developer, and one of the owners of County Micro, providing business IT services throughout Maine.
Family: Married to Nina Lipscombe, and we have four kids at home, all of whom are RSU 29 students.
Why are you running for school board?
My family and I moved to Houlton, in part, because of RSU 29’s excellent public schools. I am a passionate believer in the life-long value of a quality public education, both to each individual student, and our community as a whole.
As a parent, community member and small business owner, I want my children—and all students in our district—to receive the best educational opportunities possible. With four RSU 29 students at home, I am deeply invested in the long-term success of our district. I want to help shape policies that will positively impact our schools for years to come.
Top three priorities:
My top three priorities, if elected, are to continue advocating for:
- Improved policies and significantly increased accountability aimed at preventing bullying and sexual harassment in our schools.
- Strategies to prevent and address absenteeism and disengagement ensure that we are providing the best educational opportunity to all students in our community.
- Increased transparency and a focus on student-facing services in the RSU 29 budgetary process, including increased collaboration with our towns and communities.
Name: Theresa Lynn Shannon
Age: 57
Party Affiliation: Independent
Education: I have a bachelor’s degree in Mental Health and Social Services (UMA-2010)
and a master’s degree in Mental Health and Wellness with a Focus in Family Dynamics
(GCU-2024).
Employment: Program Manager of a Non-profit Child Welfare Agency
Family: I have two grown children, a son 37 and a daughter 35. I have two grandchildren,
Harleigh, 2 and Jerry, 12. I have a canine, Second Chance and a feline Axel
who reside with me in Houlton.
Why are you running for school board?
I am running for school board to support families with children in RSU 29 and give them a voice. Not only have I had children attend the Houlton schools, for the last 10 years I have been working with families in a variety of roles including attending IEP meetings to advocate for children who needed additional support. It also is a way to participate and be involved in “sensitive issues” our children are facing in a world where adults have conflicting views with the child somewhere in the middle.
What are the top three priorities you wish to address if elected?
While I know there are other topics which are equally as important, my focus is the hard conversations – bullying, drugs, domestic violence – that are not being had. This is getting in the child’s way of being successful, being confident and secure in not only who they are, but where they are going in the future. I would like to at least start a dialogue between parents and school administration. I have a lot to learn, however, I have never backed down from a challenge to stand up, advocate and seek more support for our children.
RSU 29 School Board, 2-year term
Name: Chris Robinson
Age: 58
Party Affiliation: Republican
Education : Bachelor Science in Environmental Science
Family: Wife Vicki Sawyer Robinson and two daughters Samantha and Rebecca
Employment: Sales Manager at Carroll’s Auto Sales
Volunteer: Founder and Director of Wilderness Walk for Warriors
Why are you running for school board?
The last six years I have served on the Houlton Town Council as chairman. I will be termed out as Town Councilor effective November 2024. I hope to continue to give back to my community in some capacity by running for school board after departing the town council.
Priorities if elected:
- Ensuring a balance between students’ education and the budget demands placed on our local communities.
- Develop a strong relationship with municipalities represented by RSU 29 as we face tighter budgets and a diminishing student population.
- Work closely with administration and current board members to help solve challenges tighter budgets and a diminishing student population facing our school district.
