{Update: Video of last night’s meeting is below.]
(The other members who aren’t Republicans: Anne McLaurin, Carolyn Morrison and Keith Sutton.)
And if Hill’s seat is vulnerable now, wait until GOP lawyer Kieran Shanahan’s done redrawing all the districts.
Who “likes” Losurdo? Well, Ron Margiotta does, and John Tedesco, Chris Malone and Deborah Prickett. Not Debra Goldman? Oh, that’s right, she wasn’t invited.
Anyhoo, this just in from the Losurdo camp:
Wakefield community activist and mother of two, Heather Losurdo will be a candidate for the District 3 seat on the Wake County Board of Education in the election scheduled for October 11, 2011. Mrs. Losurdo announced her candidacy at a meeting of the Northern Wake Republican Club [tonight] in Raleigh.
On hand at the meeting were School Board President Ron Margiotta, as well as members Chris Malone, Debra Prickett and John Tedesco, all of whom have indicated they will support Losurdo.
Kevin Hill, who has indicated his plans to seek re-election, currently represents the Third District. It is anticipated that new redistricting boundaries will be drawn in the near future, which could affect the candidacy of either or both of the candidates.
Losurdo said when elected she will focus on improving student achievement. “Achievement First,” she said. “We need to help all students to do the best they can to achieve their full potential and be prepared for life in the 21st Century.” The Wake County School Board that I want to be a part of is one that focuses on the students. The ‘product’ of the Wake County Schools is the students. The universities that they will attend and the businesses that will hire them are counting on us to prepare them. I will be responsive to their needs and represent their concerns. I know I will have an excellent working relationship with the rest of the board and I will use my relationship building skills and abilities on behalf of the students and parents in District 3.”
Losurdo also said she would be active in seeking to provide greater engagement for the stakeholders in the Wake education community, particularly parents and businesses, whom she feels have a greater role to play. “By getting parents more involved and by partnering with businesses in creative and innovative new ways, we will be able to demonstrate that strong communities equal strong schools,” she said. “In the past year and a half, Wake County schools have been moving by leaps and bounds in the right direction, and I want to ensure we keep pushing those goals forward. I want the North Raleigh area I live in to help lead the way.”
Heather and her husband Craig, a tile installation contractor, have two middle school girls attending Wake County Public Schools. She has been active in the Wake Schools Community Alliance, and has been serving as President of the Northern Wake Republican Club, a post she will leave in order to pursue her candidacy. She is also a veteran of the United States Air Force. Following her service, she worked in the small business banking field, but later chose to stay at home to raise her children.
Heather fans are invited to visit www.StudentAchievementFirst.com — obviously a work-in-progress.
