Courtesy photo via Facebook Retired school teacher Susan Porter, who won the special election for Board of Education.

NASHUA – Susan Porter, a recently retired elementary school teacher, was elected to the Board of Education Tuesday, beating Sandra Ziehm, former longtime board member, 1436 to 453.

Only 3.37 percent of Nashua’s voters went to the polls, a fact which Dotty Oden, board president said was very disappointing.

Porter will be officially sworn in at the Board of Aldermen meeting March 27 after the election results are officially declared valid, according to the City Clerk’s Office.

Porter worked in the Nashua School District at Mount Pleasant Elementary School for 28 years, and worked in Lowell for six years before that.

She has taught almost every grade in elementary education and as well as English Language Learners.

“I’m a firm believer that public education is the backbone of our society,” she said in a recent interview, and added that she believes in teaching the whole child, and not treating students simply as data points.

“I think having a teacher on board would be a valuable insight, someone who has been on the front lines and sees the day to day.” Having retired just this last May, she knows a number of teachers in the district and said that she felt that could be a valuable resource.

Porter was endorsed by the Nashua Teachers Union COPE, according to Adam Marcoux, NTU President.

“I congratulate her and I look forward to working with her and the rest of the board,” Marcoux said, and thanked Ziehm for her many years of service.

Oden said she thought both Ziehm and Porter were worthy candidates, and that either would have been a win/win for the district.

“Both of them put the kids first, and that’s really why we’re all there. We have kids to educate,” she said. “I know she was highly respected as a teacher,” she said, “and I think the board is in good hands.”

Oden also added that she was glad to have the position filled after nearly four months with a vacant seat, especially as they move farther into budget season.

Ziehm said in an earlier interview that she was running to provide some of her experience to the board, particularly as they address issues like

Brentwood and Elm Street Middle School renovations, as she works in real estate.

She also said she had been happy to see she was running against a former teacher who, if elected, would bring her own set of strengths to the board.

“That’s what the voters need to decide … the skills we each have vs. the skills most needed in the district.”

Porter will fill Robert Hallowell’s seat, who resigned suddenly in November after more than a decade of service.

She will serve for the remainder of his term, which will expire at the end of 2019.

Hannah LaClaire can be reached at 594-1243 or hlaclaire@nashuatelegraph.com.