Middletown Teacher Vies for BOE Slot as Write-In

Citing a need to heal divisions that have recently plagued the Middletown Board of Education, Middletown resident and career teacher Mark Loomis is seeking a seat as a write-in candidate.

Loomis believes that the performance of the board would be improved by adhering to “Key Work,” as defined by the National School Boards Association. These goals include: vision, standards, assessment, accountability, alignment, climate and collaboration.

“If elected, my aim would be to continuously improve how the board functions, by insisting on accountability at every level," said Loomis.  "Too often, the discussion about who is responsible for the education of Middletown’s children begins and ends with teachers.”

Loomis sees communication and problem-solving as endeavors that must be shared by all stakeholders and he has plans for programs to accomplish those goals. One, which he has dubbed “Partners in Progress,” has the board officially recognize the contributions of people who work together to identify and successfully respond to problems or areas of need. Another, “Students on Board,” invites students to provide input to the board as to what is and isn’t working for them.

Registered as an independent, Loomis enters the race as a write-in candidate with no ties to a political party. He says he believes his lack of affiliation will give him the flexibility to work with both Democrats and Republicans on the board.

“While we need to find solutions to existing issues, we must be proactive in our pursuit of excellence," Loomis says. "By researching and emulating best practices of other boards across the country, we can efficiently develop programs that we already know will have a great chance of effecting real and positive change.”

A resident of Middletown’s South Farms district, Loomis, who has been married 33 years to Tina (Marino) Loomis, has been a public school teacher for nearly 20 years. Prior to moving to Middletown, he lived in Portland, where he served on the Board of Education.