2 Bourne men launch write-in campaigns for Upper Cape Tech School Committee seat

Oct 29, 2018

Two write-in candidates are seeking Bourne’s seat on the Upper Cape Cod Technical Regional School Committee in the Nov. 6 election.

David Sampson, a former superintendent at the school, and Gregory Wirsen, a business owner, are running write-in campaigns for the four-year term.

Upper Cape Cod accepts students from Bourne, Falmouth, Sandwich, Wareham and Marion. The School Committee includes nine members. Voters from all of the school’s five towns choose each town’s representative.

Sampson served as the school’s superintendent from 1985 to 2001. He started at Upper Cape in 1976 as assistant director. Now retired, Sampson said he’s hoping to serve once again.

“I still have something to offer the school,” said Sampson, who holds a Master of Arts degree in School Administration from the University of Connecticut, and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Educational Leadership from Boston University. “There are a great number of graduates, teachers and former staffers I know that are very successful, and I want to be a part of that.”

Sampson said community service has always been a focus for him. He has held leadership positions in the Bourne-Sandwich Rotary Club, the Cape Cod Canal Region Chamber of Commerce, Falmouth Hospital and Cape Cod Healthcare among other organizations.

He’s also served on the board of directors for Plymouth Savings Bank, Eastern Bank and was a member of the Sandwich Finance Committee. Those experiences would serve the committee well, he said.

“I’ve got a strong financial background that I could bring to the table,” said Sampson.

The school and its mission is close to him he said. Many of his family are tradespeople and he grew up in the trades, too. Since retiring, he’s overseen management of several investment properties he owns.

He has four children. His oldest son currently chairs Sandwich’s Board of Selectmen.

“I worry about our schools and I care deeply about the students,” he said. “I think we’ve all got to work together to make the school the best it can be.”

Wirsen is a co-owner of Green Seal Environmental, which he founded in 1997 with his wife Christie. The Bourne-based company provides civil engineering, environmental engineering and land surveying services.

He graduated Bourne High School in 1987 and holds a master’s degree in environmental science.

Wirsen said his background could provide the committee with someone well-versed in several trades the school offers.

“My goal is to bring my experience as a business owner, developer, scientist and engineer to a school that is consistently looking to improve their programs,” said Wirsen. “I have worked on thousands of projects, large and small, that directly relate to many of the trades offered at Upper Cape Tech.”

Wirsen’s firm built the solar array above the school’s parking, which provides some energy to the campus. He noted that the project had him working closely with the school’s superintendent.

Wirsen he has hired students from Upper Cape in the past and has a good idea of what they need to be successful after graduation.

Wirsen has three sons, one of which is adopted. The youngest attends Bourne High School and the others are in college. He said with his children now older he has time to devote to the committee if elected.

“I believe that I can bring valuable insights and improvement to the programs that will help keep this school a valuable asset to the region,” said Wirsen.

On the ballot, the space for Bourne’s seat is blank. To vote for a candidate, write either “David Sampson” or “Gregory Wirsen” under the “Bourne Representative in the Regional School Committee” portion. Then, completely fill in the oval to the right of the name.