Rita Pello (Augusta School Department, At-large, Maine, candidate 2025)
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Rita Pello ran for election for an at-large seat of the Augusta School Department in Maine. Pello was on the ballot in the general election on November 4, 2025.[source]
Pello completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.
[1]Biography
Rita Pello provided the following biographical information via Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey on September 29, 2025:
- High school: William Fremd High School
- Bachelor's: University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2012
- Graduate: Harvard Graduate School of Education, 2018
- Profession: Education Specialist
- Prior offices held:
- Augusta School Board - At Lage (2022-Prsnt)
- Incumbent officeholder: Yes
- Campaign Facebook
Elections
General election
General election for Augusta School Department, At-large
Rita Pello and Kelly Smith ran in the general election for Augusta School Department, At-large on November 4, 2025.
Candidate | ||
 | Rita Pello (Nonpartisan)  | |
| Kelly Smith (Nonpartisan) | ||
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| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Election results
Endorsements
Pello received the following endorsements.
Campaign themes
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Rita Pello completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Pello's responses.
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By providing a strong education for our kids, we commit to building a strong future for our city. Nearly every job I’ve held has served students and children. From camp counselor to my many years as a high-school English teacher, I have seen up close and personal how education policies can make or break my students' futures. After teaching, I earned a master’s in education policy and joined the Maine Department of Education, where I help districts coordinate federal funding for their highest-need students. I understand how our education system works, and have dedicated my life and my career to helping schools and students thrive. I am ready to keep improving our schools and supporting our community as a member of the School Board, as I have for the past 3 years.
- I value public schools and see them as a cornerstone of a strong community. The Augusta School Department must continue to strive to serve all students and increase opportunities for learning, success, and employment. By doing so, we increase our chances of having a healthy, educated, and empowered community.
- I will work together with everybody on the board, listen to constituents, and make reasonable decisions with compassion and diligence. One candidate cannot determine the outcome of the board. It's about working together to understand the problems and seek out the best solutions. Because I have worked on building relationships over the last few years, I am in a strong position to help us do what needs to be done.
- As a school department, there are always many competing priorities, but the board's main focus must remain on safe and healthy students, effective teaching practices, and a culture that promotes learning and continuous improvement.
My career in education shows my passion for great schools. Because the Augusta Schools are one of the largest employers in Augusta, it's important we continue to make it a strong organization. That way, we will recruit the best teachers, attract families to move here, and provide for our school community and the taxpayers of Augusta. With strong public schools, we stand to create a strong city.
My very first job was a summer camp counselor to 25 third grade girls when I was going into my senior year of high school. It was then I knew I wanted a career that supported child development so I went to college to become a high school teacher. While I am no longer in the classroom, I still work in education. At the Maine Department of Education, I help high-poverty school districts receive federal funding that supports their highest needs. It's just about as rewarding as it was being a camp counselor and seeing children learn, develop, and grow. Now, I help ensure that schools have the right resources to do the same. All students deserve schools that will help them learn, develop, and grow; and this is the work I'd like to continue doing for the children of Augusta.
My primary job of a school board member is to serve as a governing leader and represent our city in setting and overseeing the policies, budget, and strategic direction of the school district.
First and foremost, my constituents are the students, as ultimately it their education - and their futures - that depend on sound policies, good governance, and effective teaching. My other constituents are parents, teachers, staff, taxpayers, community members, and local businesses.
It is important to understand all sides to a problem to come up with the best possible solution. Sometimes people will disagree with decisions the board makes, but it's important to maintain our constituents at the forefront of our decision-making.
I will continue to build strong relationships with parents, school staff, students, and community members who all work together to provide educational opportunities for our young people. It is important to keep supporting the Augusta Teen Center, partnering with other local education providers/schools, and the Lithgow Library.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
See also
2025 Elections
External links
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Candidate Augusta School Department, At-large |
Footnotes
