Endorsed by the MSAD 51 Education Association as one of
their recommended candidates for this election!

We all want the same things for our community, especially when it comes to ensuring that kids have the support they need to thrive here,
and that we can all afford to stay here.
Vote for me so that I can help bridge the gap that we have in how to get there!

who i am

I’m a mom of 4: Kelly (GHS class of 2014); Julia (GHS class of 2017); Martessa (Baxter Academy, class of 2024), and Archie (GMS class of 2026); a wife to Tony; and a human to a dog and two kittens.

I’ve lived on Valley Road in Cumberland since 1998, but before that I was born and raised in Southern California where I got my Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics from
Loyola Marymount University.

At my core is my faith, and therefore I am guided to
act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly (Micah 6:8).

how you might know me

I was on staff at White Pine Church for 14 years as the Director of Children’s Ministry. Besides leading the Sunday morning program KidConnect, I also ran Camp White Pine, Trunk or Treat, Community Easter Egg Hunts, and the Christmas Kick-Off Community Service. It’s a passion of mine to serve families in our area, making sure kids feel known and parents feel supported.

In addition to that, my husband and I own and operate indieDriver where we teach teens to drive. It’s given me an opportunity to get to know the high schoolers and what’s going on in their lives while I ride around town in the car with them.

I also have enjoyed many opportunities to volunteer and serve in our town, such as: on the board of Cumberland Community Nursery School, including serving as President for one term; on the board of Casco Bay CAN; on the committee to get the Mabel Wilson playground funded and built; plus countless hours in each of my kids’ classrooms (I went on the 5th grade Boston trip all 4 times!)

what I’ll bring to our school board

Yet another job I have is doing income taxes and bookkeeping. When I lived in CA I was a production accountant for a Television Studio. Since all 3 of our empty School Board seats were filled by people who have expertise in finance and budgets, it’s important that at least one new member has a similar background.

But even more importantly is my commitment to NOT have a personal or political agenda. I’m at a time in my life when I’m able to bring my experience and credibility to serve the community I love and have been a part of for almost 24 years. We have some big, complicated problems to solve that require nuance, transparency, and receptiveness. I am committed to listening to anyone who wants to have a genuine conversation about any of the issues we are working through (or maybe not even aware of yet).

The moment someone feels that the board is working in secret, or deliberately not representing the needs of all community members, is the moment that discord begins. While the School Board can’t force people to come to meetings or read documents, I do have some ideas for how the misunderstandings and miscommunications could be reduced and alleviated. It is the job of each School Board member to bring the needs and viewpoints of the community to the table. This requires listening actively and objectively, and then coming together as a team to figure out how to balance and meet those needs in a way that at least the majority of the community can respect.

my thoughts on equity

Yep, let’s talk about it!
I have 3 values that will always frame my approach to this very important topic:

1. Every student and MSAD51 community member must be kept safe -— physically, emotionally, mentally, socially, and academically. This includes making sure that each student and faculty member feels known, seen, included, welcome, and equipped so that they can develop into the person they were created to be. 
   
2. Our country’s true history must be taught. Understanding how people have been marginalized in America is not shaming or guilt-inducing. Rather, it is giving this generation an accurate and vivid worldview so that they can recognize prejudice and injustice in all its forms, ensure that the same mistakes are not repeated, and are inspired to creatively and compassionately do their part to bring about needed change.
   
3. Our leaders must exercise both fiscal integrity and generosity. If we are serious about prioritizing equity then by definition we must balance investing in the children of our community with protecting the financial security of every household. Furthermore, we have to think beyond our district and be prepared to share our resources with other districts who do not benefit from the mean income that Cumberland enjoys. This potentially means sacrificing some of our wants in order to contribute to others’ needs.

where you can reach me

My email is vinekimber@gmail.com, and I’m on all the social media platforms. I genuinely love meeting people and talking while sipping whatever beverage we want, so please contact me if you have anything you want to ask or tell me!

To make it even easier, I will be at Twin Brooks at a couple of scheduled times so come by and introduce yourself! I’ll be the one with the golden retriever, sitting under the awning at the red building. I hope to meet many of you and learn about your hopes and concerns for our district!

Tuesday June 7th 9am-11am
Thursday June 9th 5pm-6pm (canceled due to weather)
Sunday June 12th 2pm-4pm

how to learn more about the candidates

I really encourage you to watch the recording of the “Meet the Candidates” event which was hosted by the town of Cumberland on May 18th. You can watch it by clicking here. We were each asked 6 questions about the district and it’s a great way to get a sense of how we all plan to approach various issues and responsibilities.

You can also read the interviews we did with the Portland Press Herald by clicking here.

who I’m voting for

Since there are two seats we’re all voting on, I would like to share with you the person I’ve decided to give my other vote to. Her name is Christina Mitchell, and we are very similar. We realized during the Meet The Candidates event that we are very like-minded, so if you like everything you’ve read so far about me, you will like her too!

who’s voting for me

Here are some endorsements I’ve received from people you may know!
I’ll be adding more as they come along.

“We are happy to announce that the MSAD51 Education Association, our local branch of the MEA, has chosen to endorse your candidacy in this year’s MSAD51 school board election! We feel that your beliefs are strongly aligned with the goals of the Association and that your ideas will make a positive impact when implemented in the district…(W)e believe you are a strong candidate for the position.”
Jason Curry, President MSAD51 EA & Graham Shove, Vice President MSAD51 EA

“I’ve known Kim for several years now as a fellow parent to 8th graders. I am confident she would be an incredible asset to our school board as she is to our community at-large. She is intelligent, kind, compassionate, thoughtful and respectful. She has decades-long experience raising wonderful humans in this district as well as financial expertise from running a small business. We should all be grateful to have someone of Kim’s caliber running for this important role.” Erin Mcallister

“I’m voting for Kim Vine because she has a comprehensive pulse on the community.  From being a parent with children (former and current) in the district, involved in multiple areas socially and civically within Cumberland, and interacting with students on a regular basis, I see Kim having the best oversight about what is needed for our schools.  She listens, is thoughtful and possesses the insight to help move our schools in the right direction.” Sarah Klein