Abigail Manahan has announced her candidacy for an Alna seat on the Sheepscot Valley Regional School Unit board. She said the renewed dialogue in Alna, regarding the future of school choice and the impact on local taxpayers, motivates her.

She grew up in rural Maine, 50 miles northwest of Bangor and attended both public and town academy schools. The fields, farms and forests of Alna remind her of her childhood in Atkinson, as does the independent and industrious mindset of her neighbors.

Manahan states, “As a community, we have the privilege and responsibility to be proactive with our decisions that will shape Alna’s community now and into the future. I want to ensure Alna residents are provided with a balanced approach to those decisions, particularly when it comes to the education of our children. I understand what a significant investment education represents for small communities.”

Manahan has been a resident of Alna since 2004. As a certified science teacher, she brings 16 years of educator experience to the table. She has taught in Rockland and Auburn public schools, developed science and project-based curriculum, evaluated program effectiveness, and been a strong advocate for at-risk students. A common theme throughout her career has been supporting teachers in professional growth. Most recently, she ended four years of service to the Maine Department of Education to return to directly supporting teachers and students with instructional technology in the Boothbay Region Schools.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in marine science and a master’s degree in science education, both from the University of Maine, Orono. She tends a motley crew of animals at her West Alna Road home with her husband and son.