After moving to Pelham in 1987, Linda Koehler became active in its schools: coaching field hockey, running the booster club at Memorial School and serving on school councils.

Now, she is taking on a new responsibility: being a School Board member.

Koehler, in her first run for public office, was elected to a one-year term on the School Board when voters went to the polls March 11.

That same day, voters rejected a proposed new high school, so Koehler and her board colleagues will now have to figure out how to ease tight space in the schools.

“I’m willing to listen and work with people and see what we need to do to get to the next step,” she said. “I’m not afraid to throw out ideas.”

Koehler and her husband, Fred, have three children: Evan, 20, who is studying film and Asian studies at Temple University and is currently at its Tokyo campus; Ryan, 19, a freshman engineering student at Rensselaer Polytechnic University; and Emily, 17, a Pelham High School junior.

Koehler didn’t want to run for the School Board while her kids were busy with activities while growing up. But now that they’re older, she felt the time was right. Fred and Emily supported her wish to run this year.

“It was an opportunity that I didn’t want to let go by,” said Koehler, adding that a one-year term would give her the opportunity to learn about the board’s work and decide if she wanted to make a longer commitment.

Koehler grew up Abington, Mass., and earned a bachelor of science degree in occupational therapy from Boston University. She currently helps physically disabled homebound patients for Home Health VNA in Lawrence, Mass.

Leading up to this year’s elections, Koehler was active in Voices for Pelham Education, a group of residents who promoted the School Board’s four-school model, which included the proposed new high school.

“We wanted people to understand why this was a good model for Pelham, instead of just adding on to the high school,” Koehler said. “Just adding on doesn’t solve the whole problem.”

The one-year seat became available when Michael Conrad, citing work and family matters, decided to step down from the School Board. In a three-candidate race, Koehler emerged the winner with 1,445 voters, while Lorraine Dube took 1,290 votes and Joseph Farris garnered 681 votes.

Koehler said both of her opponents opposed the new high school and could have split the “anti-school” vote, enabling her to win. But she also believes her reputation was another factor.

“People know me. I consider myself a doer, try to get things done,” she said. “(When) something needs to be done, I develop a plan and go forth. I’m hoping that’s why people voted for me – to get things done.”

Koehler said she believes the proposed school – which was rejected along with the school district’s operating budget and many other spending requests – failed at the polls because of the softening economy and the big property tax increase that residents were hit with last December.

“I understand that in this economy people are fearful of spending money they feel they don’t have,” Koehler said. “I understand that. It’s just now – how do we move on from here?”

“I don’t have a problem going into the new situation and working with people, trying to solve some of these issues in front of us,” she added. “The hard part is the money. It’s always the money. That’s what it boils down to.”

School Board Chairman Bruce Couture said he’s happy to see Koehler joining the board.

“She a doer, she gets a lot done,” Couture said. “She’s not afraid to ask questions, which is a good thing. She’s an action person, and she’s quite capable of doing (the job) well.”

Koehler said she’s got some learning to do in her new role, including becoming familiar with legal issues and school budgets. She’s nervous and excited.

“It’s something I’ve never done before,” Koehler said. “It’s like going into a new job.”

But she’s committed to doing the best job she can, she said. She welcomes residents to bring their concerns to her and one of her goals is to improve communication between the School Board and residents. Her work in the schools, she said, will help her in her new role.

“I think I have a pulse on what’s going on, being in the schools, seeing the kids,” said Koehler. “I know the teachers, I know the administrators. I feel they know me.”