Barnstable Election 2021: Stephanie Ellis For School Committee

BARNSTABLE, MA — The Barnstable town election is less than two weeks away, and soon voters will hit the polls and elect new members to the Town Council and school committee.

Barnstable, which has half its town council members up for election every other year, has even numbered districts on the ballot this year, running for four-year terms. But just one of those districts will see a contested race. That's Precinct 12, where incumbent Paula Schnepp will square off against Donald Lynde.

As for the school committee race, five candidates are running for two openings. Incumbent Stephanie Ellis is seeking re-election, but Barbara Dunn isn't. Ellis will face four challengers for the two spots on Nov. 2, including Peter Goode, Andre King, Sara Gonzalez and Linda Letourneau.

Prior to the election, Patch is running candidate profiles to help inform residents on where candidates stand on the issue. Here's a little about Ellis before you vote.

Stephanie Ellis (inc.)

Age (as of Election Day)

51

Position Sought

Barnstable School Committee

Family

I have three children, ages, 20,17 and 14. I have been married to my husband for 29 years.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

Master's of science in nursing
Concentration in Family Nurse Practitioner
Post grad certificate- first assist in the operating room

Occupation

Nurse practitioner for 7 years and Registered nurse for a total of 23 years

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Barnstable school committee for 12 years

Campaign website

None

Why are you seeking elective office?

To continue the work that I have been doing for 12 years. Allow experience to remain infused in the daily operations.

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

With the current global pandemic and all that this environment encompasses, the social emotional learning of our students is paramount to effective education. Not only the students, but the educator and all adults in Barnstable Public schools, need to be supported as we traverse a course that has not been paved. The school committee needs to remain committed to budgetary recourses that allow for the support of our students and staff.

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

Experience. Twelve years on the school committee has afforded me the opportunity to obtain a depth of knowledge and understanding of budget, role responsibility and policy.

How do you think local officials performed in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?

I believe that local officials utilized the recourses they had available to them to help guide their decisions based on the most accurate data and clinical information at a given time.
Hind sight is 20/20. Asking what I would have done differently now that we have more knowledge of the Coronavirus is a sticky question. I imagine that I would not do anything different. I would rely on experts in their field to guide decision making.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

I don't have a specific platform. I am running for re-election based on my experience and desire to continue to support and guide the district. I have worked with 4 superintendents in Barnstable Public schools, and we are in the process of searching for a 5th. That process of searching, hiring, and onboarding a leader of a district is complex and pivotal to the success in moving a district forward. The Barnstable School committee needs experience to help guide then through the pandemic, superintendent search and budget challenges.

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

I have been on the school committee for 12 years. In addition,
I have volunteered in the schools with fundraising ( parent) and PTO activities
served on the school council for the Marstons Mills elementary school
served on the board of director for the Horace Mann charter school for the 4/5 school
substituted as a school nurse served as a representative to the Cape Cod Collaborative board
Worked with 4 different superintendents and 3 different school attorneys worked on multiple subcommittees including but not limited to the culture and climate subcommittee, the transportation subcommittee, the superintendent search committee, and the community engagement subcommittee.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Know your role

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

All decisions I make as a school committee member are done through the lens of diversity, equity and inclusion. I have committed 12 years of my time to the district, and I am hoping for a re-election to help support the school system through the pandemic, the aftermath of the pandemic, new superintendent and anything else that may come up