Candidate Profile: School Board District 5: Mary Cantrell

Candidate: Mary Cantrell

Office:School Board District 5

Party: Non-Partisan race

Mary Cantrell is the former director at Manatee Technical Institute where she oversaw the school's transition to its new SR70 campus. After her position was consolidated and her contract non-renewed for the 2014/15 school year, she filed to seek the district 5 school board seat currently held by board chair Julie Aranibar.

Cantrell has emphasized making student achievement and raising what she believes to be low morale among educators in the district. Of students, she has talked about wanting to ensure that kids of all skill sets are excited to go to school in the morning.

She also says that teachers need to be listened to more closely in order to make sure that their needs are met. "I would like to listen to them and ask what they want to happen, and what could make things better - and be a part of that process," she told TBT in a recent interview.

Click here to read an in-depth article on Cantrell.