Naomi Halter, Merrimack School Board Candidate

Naomi Halter

Age (as of Election Day)

41

Position sought (including ward or district number if applicable)

School Board, 3 year term

Party Affiliation

School Board is a non-partisan office

Family

My husband Bryan and I share two children, Eric (11), and Amelia (5). Both kids attend public school in Merrimack. We also have a dog, Ike.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics and Japanese

Occupation

My 10+ year career includes producing and running large successful business to business events (the Made In NH Expo being the largest), and directing volunteer operations for more than 300 NH Granite State Ambassador volunteers. I am currently a stay at home mom, and in addition to keeping our busy household running smoothly, I volunteer my time with the Girl Scouts in Merrimack and serve as a NH Trustee and Chairperson of the NH Promotions Committee for the Eastern States Exposition (Big E).

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

None

Campaign website

www.haltermartin.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

I care deeply about our community, and I want to serve our families and schools.

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

Academic recovery from the past two years of disrupted learning is so important right now. It’s affected kids at all levels. I will work with administration and the Board to make sure that we’re taking steps in all schools to get kids back to where they need to be.

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

Six months ago when I began to consider serving, I also started regularly attending and participating in School Board meetings. In that time the Board has been through the budget process for next year, worked on their Capital Improvement Plan, started up a visioning task force for the district, worked on some policy updates, and more. This knowledge and experience will help me hit the ground running!

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

N/A - none of the current Board members are running for re-election.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

My other top priorities are making sure Merrimack is a competitive and desirable district to work for, focusing on literacy at the elementary level, and working to reduce our dropout rate.

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

In my work for Business NH Magazine and NH Granite State Ambassadors I’ve had to communicate effectively with and lead people from volunteers and interns on up to CEOs. Running successful events teaches you quickly to be flexible, understanding, and open-minded, but still able to take charge and make necessary (sometimes very difficult!) decisions to get the job done. I will use all of those skills to elevate Merrimack schools from good to great!

The best advice ever shared with me was:

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

I want voters to know that I plan to be open and honest. My desire for excellent schools will of course be balanced with community concerns and taxpayer needs.

I would also like voters to know that I’m supporting Ken Martin for the other School Board seat. He is an experienced educator who shares similar values and vision for our schools and our community, and he has also been a regular at recent meetings.

Please vote for Naomi Halter and Ken Martin on April 12!