Greetings Members of the Community, Friends and Supporters:
It is with profound gratitude that I greet you as your newly elected Cumberland County School Board member in District 1. I sincerely “thank you” for your invaluable support during my campaign. As a new member of the Board, I am committed to serving our community as we make decisions collectively that will equip and empower students to truly become contributing and productive members of our community and society. Please know that I am community-focused, compassionate and will communicate and collaborate with all stakeholders in an effective manner to accomplish goals.
I am dedicated to ensuring school safety, to advocating for better pay for all school employees and strongly advocating for students to stay in school and earn their diplomas. My belief is that together we can elevate our good school system into a great one by prioritizing where funding goes, which means truly investing in educators and all children.
As a retired school administrator, my desire is to ultimately observe a significant increase in academic achievement, especially for those students with socio-economic disadvantages. We must utilize effective and appropriate strategies that are paramount for successful outcomes, address both academic and non-academic barriers to learning and continue to link students and families to school resources and community organizations. In addition, our children and educators deserve to learn and work in environments that are conducive for optimal learning which means school repairs must also be completed for many of our schools.
I implore you to talk with your community members/neighbors so all will be involved in the decisions that are made for your children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews. It really does take a village to raise, collaborate with and be concerned for all children.
I am unwavering in my commitment to excellence and vow to utilize all the knowledge and wisdom I learned in the classroom and as an administrator to make the best decisions to increase the opportunity for success for “All Students, Faculty and Staff”. I hope you will agree with me when I say “All Children” deserve a quality and equitable education!
Again, thank you for your support and I look forward to working with you.

—Dr. Mary A. Hales
Member, Cumberland County School Board
District # One