Portsmouth RI Democrats

Registered Nurse, Behavioral Health Unit, Newport Hospital. Graduate of Portsmouth High School, Newport Hospital School of Nursing, and the University of Rhode Island. President of the Newport Hospital School of Nursing Alumnae Board of Directors, Member of the Rhode Island State Nurses Association and The American Nurses Association, President of the Portsmouth Democratic Women's Club, Past President, Vice President, and current Secretary of the Daughters of Penelope of St. Spyridon's Church, Newport, RI.

An honest, hardworking, and dedicated professional who can make a difference. Would like to be part of the decision making process to maintain the excellence and integrity of the Portsmouth School system.

Graduated from Rhode Island College in 1984 with a BS in Elementary Education and Special Needs (K-9) and certified in RI as well as in Massachusetts. Started teaching in Fall River in September of 1984 as a Special Needs teacher, self-contained for grades 6-7-8, and have been at Henry Lord Middle School for 24 years. Teach a low-functioning class using alternative assessment testing in place of the state testing (MCAS) and also participate in the scoring of the tests from the Department of Education. Serve on the executive board for my union and also as the building representative for the Henry Lord school.

I love teaching and especially working with my students. My heart is in it 110% and I only want what is best for them and I want them to have the best education that I can give them. This is what I want for the students of Portsmouth. My daughter went through the Portsmouth school system, and I think that is a great system which has a lot to offer their students. The extras are great for them, but what goes on in the classrooms needs to come first a all times.

Raised in Milford, Connecticut, and attended the Butler Business School in Bridgeport, majoring in accounting, and Warren Business for data processing. Worked in finance and IT for several local companies before joining Star Drug as an office manager, eventually being promoted to the highest position below the owners, director of operations. Retired from Star in 1987 and moved to Rhode Island.

I was widowed in 1995, and have three children: Katherine, my partner at Beach Party Swimwear, now in our 20th year; Karen, (Kathy's twin), a manager for The Maher Center; and Deborah, a nurse who served as president of the Portsmouth Middle School PTO for 2 years. I also have three grandchildren, two PHS grads and one current student. Having grown children has given me the time to devote to serving Portsmouth on the school committee.

I ran for the school committee because I know the young people who will graduate from PHS are our future. Unlike other communities I've lived in, Portsmouth residents do not move away. They stay here and become our doctors, lawyers, dentists, realtors, etc. I want to help make sure that we turn out the best that is possible.

During my time on the Committee, where I currently serve as Chair, we made significant progress in areas that had been challenging in the past: We completed the new Gym on time and within budget. We hired Superintendent Susan Lusi and Finance Director Christine Tague and helped the schools move through a time of challenging budgets to ending this year in the black. And we made our meetings more accessible to the people of Portsmouth by moving them out of the Administration building, and managing the agenda to end the meetings before 9, rather than 11 or midnight.

If re-elected, I shall continue to work toward improving our school systems together with the entire School Committee.