WESTBROOK - There are two contested races for three vacant seats on

the Westbrook's School Committee.

Newcomer Martha Henderson, a Democrat, is challenging incumbent Republican Ed Symbol in Ward 3. In Ward 4, Republican Gary Rairdon, also a new face in Westbrook politics, will challenge incumbent Mary Hall, a Democrat.

Democrat Emily Serway is running unopposed for a vacant at-large seat. Serway, 35, is a teacher at Riverton School in Portland and serves as the chairwoman for the Westbrook Performing Arts Center Committee.

School Committee terms are four years long. These are the candidates running in contested races.

WARD 3

Martha Henderson

Martha Henderson has always thought highly of Westbrook schools and would like to have a hand in making sure they keep running smoothly.

Henderson, 59, is a graduate of Westbrook High School and lives in the Hamlet on Saco Street with her husband, Bruce. They have a grown son, Mike, who's 31.

Henderson, a Democrat, who is a retired office worker, said the most important thing Westbrook schools can do is "just keep giving the kids the best education we can."

Henderson said she doesn't place a lot of emphasis on tests and would like to see how other school districts fared on standardized tests - on which Westbrook's junior high and high schools did not meet state standards - before making changes to the curriculum.

In the face of the reduction in state funding expected this year, Henderson said she would "hate to have layoffs" and favors having shut-down days. She said she wouldn't want to cut programs because activities like band and football are what keep a lot of kids interested in school.

Ed Symbol

With a new superintendent, a new school opening, contract negotiations and less state funding, Ed Symbol believes the next year is going to be a "huge transition" for Westbrook schools and thinks the School Committee needs members with experience and knowledge of the district's history.

Symbol, 43, a Republican, has served on both the School Committee and the City Council during the past 10 years. A graduate of Westbrook High School and owner of the Main Street printing company Full Court Press, he lives on Mechanic Street with his wife Stacy, and they have three daughters, ages 8 to 21 years old.

Symbol sees a reorganization of the school's central office as a way to save money in light of the increased state curtailment. He believes the schools have been "proactive and frugal," which has put them in a better position facing these economic challenges.

Though the students' standardized test results didn't alarm him, he said, he believes the schools do need to make some progress. He believes moving into the new middle school will help.

"I think when we get into a new place we'll be able to deal with those issues," he said.

WARD 4

Mary Hall

With 12 years of experience on the School Committee, Mary Hall hopes to be able to continue "seeing we provide a good education to all our students."

The Democratic incumbent has lived in the city for nearly 40 years and saw her two sons, now in their 30s, go through Westbrook schools. A Massachusetts native, Hall, 59, holds an accounting degree from Boston Business School and works as a business specialist at Unum.

The chairwoman of the Finance Committee, Hall said she sees the expected decrease in funding from state to be the biggest hurdle for the school department in the upcoming year. However, she said, she trusts newly hired superintendent Reza Namin to look at the whole budget and make the cuts that can be made. Hall said she also trusts Namin to use the school's resources wisely in order to improve standardized test scores.

Hall sees opportunities to consolidate buildings and regroup which grades attend school together. She said she'd like to see the fifth grade become part of the middle school. With about 800 students in the high school building, which can hold up to 1,200, Hall said she'd like to see that space used more effectively.

Gary Rairdon

The father of seven children, ranging in age from 6 to 22 years old, Gary Rairdon says he has a vested interest in all Westbrook schools.

Rairdon, 45, is a graduate of Westbrook High School and an assistant store manager at Hannaford on Forest Avenue in Portland. A Republican, Rairdon is the president of the middle school hockey program and involved in youth soccer in Westbrook.

With less state funding coming forward, Rairdon believes the School Committee needs to look at the budget line by line and decide "what is a want and what is a need." He said he hopes to avoid layoffs but believes the board should carefully consider whether to fill positions that are vacated.

In order to raise test scores, Rairdon thinks the board should re-examine the curriculum and look at "what is being taught and how it's being taught."

"We can tweak that a little," he said.

Rairdon said he has the time to dedicate to being on the School Committee and would like the opportunity to "make some thoughtful, balanced decisions" about the school department and its budget.