Massaway

HOUGHTON — Schools provide the foundation for future of the community and the world, said Amanda Massaway. That, and having children in the district, makes being on the Houghton-Portage Township School District Board important to her.

Massaway has been on the board since September 2017, when she was appointed to serve the remainder of former board member Amy Schrank’s term. She is one of three board members seeking three four-year terms.

Massaway praised the “committed and intelligent” students, teachers and administration in the district.

“To be able to just mix with a different group of people but also learning the back end of the school district, from the legal and regulatory side of it, has definitely been a big learning experience for me,” she said.

Massaway’s top priority is learning from school employees and community members. She will also work to stay on top of educational issues from around the state and world.

Over the next term, Massaway sees the biggest challenges being how to keep students safe and keep the school’s curriculum relevant as the world and technology changes.

“I think that’s a constant need to continue to evolve as the needs of the students and the community evolves,” she said.

A retail accountant, Massaway said she contributes to the diverse mix of experience on the board.

“Even though it’s not education-based, it lends a different voice to the board so you’re not getting seven voices saying the same thing,” she said. “I think one of the good things about the board is we’re not afraid to have a discussion, and I’m not afraid to lend my voice to the discussions.”