Candidate roundup for local election

With the October election just around the corner, there are many residents of Wrangell seeking office. One of the most hotly contested races this year is for two open positions on the Wrangell School Board. Eight members of the community are running for a seat on the school board, each with their own reasons to run. They are Aleisha Mollen, Aaron Angerman, Annya Ritchie, Brian Ashton, David Powell, Jennifer Bates, Karey Losinski, and Leeann Wiggins-Martin.

Aleisha Mollen is an incumbent candidate seeking reelection. Mollen said that she has a passion for all the kids in the school system, as well as for providing the best education possible. She also said there is an added benefit of neutrality to her being on the board. Not having children of her own in the school, she said that she can more easily take a step back and look at issues from a unique perspective, and really consider what would be best. She also said that a strong school system is very important, as better schools can help create better towns.

"My focus is on the little people issues, not the big people issues," Mollen said. "Since I don't have a kid of my own in the school, every kid in the school is my kid."

Aaron Angerman said he had been on the fence about running for the school board for a while, but felt the time was right as Wrangell had just brought on new principals and a new superintendent. With the school system in a period of transition, he said he felt it was a good opportunity to help bring ideas and improvements to the table. He said it was very important for locals in small towns like Wrangell to run for volunteer positions such as the school board, so as to help provide better opportunities and tools for the children.

"I think that I can hit the ground running," Angerman said. "I plan to study up on what's been going on and keep an open mind."

Annya Ritchie said that this is her first time running for any public office. She wants to see the school system put more emphasis on career preparedness, rather than complete focus on college prep. She also said she would like to see an expansion of the schools' language programs, as well as more reviews of long term goals and use of technology in classrooms. She added that increased communication with parents was key.

"I am somebody that is going to ask questions. I'm not somebody who is going to be passive in any situation," Ritchie said. "But I'm also somebody who's willing to listen. I want to hear what it is our students want, what our parents want to see in our system, and not put what I feel is right above whatever else."

Brian Ashton said that he was part of a group of Wrangell residents who helped create the school district's strategic plan. He described it as an awesome experience where people offered valuable insight into what the district needed to focus on in the coming years. He said he is running to assist in carrying out that strategic plan. Ashton said that he wants to help Wrangell become a place known for a thriving culture and economy, a place where parents come to raise their families. A strong educational system, he said, is a critical component of Wrangell's success.

"We need to continue to develop our educational system on a culture of encouragement, excellence, and resilience," Ashton said in an email to the Sentinel. "I am offering my time in supporting and encouraging excellence in our children, teachers, and school administration, for the betterment of our community schools."

David Powell is a unique candidate in that he is running for two different offices. While pursuing a seat on the school board, he is also looking for reelection to the borough assembly. He said that he wants to be on the school board to help the district recapture former glory. Powell said that Evergreen Elementary, for example, used to be a "blue ribbon" school but it is not anymore. He wants to be a part of the school board to help raise standards in Wrangell and provide greater opportunities for the community's children.

"I've lived here all my life, I know everybody and everybody knows me," Powell said. "If they want to talk to me, just about everybody has my cell phone. I want to listen to somebody's concerns. I think that's what made me a good assemblyperson, is that I listen to concerns and take them to the right people."

Jennifer Bates said she is running for a position on the school board to be an advocate for the children. She said that experience as a substitute teacher and volunteer in the elementary and middle schools has given her a special perspective on what the school district needs. She said that one of her main goals, if elected, is to find ways to get more paraprofessionals into schools. Teachers are facing larger class sizes and need more help, she said. Bates also added that the schools needed to get their safety policies updated, in the event of a bomb threat or an active shooter. She said that her main pitch to voters is "change."

"We have been in a slump of 'This is it. This is Wrangell.' We have a new superintendent, two new principals, so change," Bates said. "And, hopefully, with change comes fresh, new ideas, fresh ears to bounce things off of, and somebody coming up to you and being able to say 'Hey, I need you to listen."

Karey Losinski was a paraprofessional last year, she said, and is on-call as a substitute teacher this year. She said that she decided to run for a seat on the school board to try and combat what she said was favoritism going on in the school system. She said that she has seen several things getting ignored or pushed under the rug because of someone having a certain name, or being friends with other certain people. She said she was worried that proper regulations were not being followed by the district in certain aspects, and she would like to make sure it was doing so. She also said that a big concern of hers was to improve school structure and to make communication between school staff and parents easier. She asked that people not turn the election into a popularity contest, but to actually support someone who will work to better the district.

"I guess I would say to not necessarily vote for me, vote for whoever you think has the best interest for the children. One that's not intimidated, one that's going to be strong and fair," Losinski said. "Make your vote an honest vote."

Leeann Wiggins-Martin is the eighth candidate seeking election to the school board. Martin said that this is her first time

running, and she wanted to run because she has kids in the school system. In an

email, Martin said that she wanted to support the staff and the students of the district, and one of her priorities would be to open up the lines of

communication between

the schools and the community.

"I have been on both sides. I was a staff member so I have seen the issues on the

inside," Martin wrote. "I am a parent and have had to deal with issues regarding my

students and I am a community member that would like to see more community involvement in the schools and vise versa."