“Be careful what you wish for.” Those were the words of warning from a retiring teacher’s comments to the Board of Education on June 5th. These words were in response to a national movement to narrow school curriculum towards “traditional education” – one where only core subject areas are taught. The argument here is that teaching anything other than core subjects “distracts” from academic success. Whatever your view is, we can all agree on this: New Canaan must focus on continued excellence in order to attract the most talented teachers.
As a 20+ year resident with NCHS graduates, I can tell you with absolute certainty our schools are extremely good at preparing our children for success. They have done so by being able to look outside of core subject areas without compromising achievement. For as long as I’ve lived here, NCPS has prioritized the whole child – focusing not only on challenging each child to their highest potential academically but also on each child’s emotional wellness and individual value as an important part in the community. Whatever perceived “distractions” one might think is occurring is certainly not happening.
With this in mind, who are the best BOE candidates to lead our school district forward? Our leaders impact the board’s tone and reflect the values we hold as a community. Choose ones who will seek bold and creative solutions to teaching and instruction and fully embrace innovation. Brendan Hayes, Lauren Nussbaum and Josh Kaye all have the requisite skills, experience and temperament to lead our district with excellence. They are smart problem solvers, consensus builders and have long histories advocating for children.
Brendan Hayes is an incumbent seeking a third term. He is a finance professional who understands where every dollar in the BOE budget is being spent. He is smart and the calm voice of reason during lively BOE debates.
Lauren Nussbaum is an active volunteer, coach and board member of many local organizations. As the South School BOE liaison, she is highly informed of all the important issues. A special needs advocate, Lauren has by far the highest emotional intelligence of anyone I have met in my life. She has a unique ability to empathize and advocate for all.
Josh Kaye is a young dad and seasoned litigator adept at navigating complex legal issues. His skills will be invaluable with teacher negotiations, handling insurance issues and drafting BOE policies. Josh is smart, affable and a true team player. With very young children in the district, Josh has a vested interest in New Canaan schools for more than a decade to come.
Like the retiring NCPS teacher, I wish for a BOE focused on preparing our kids in all aspects. I wish for a board prepared to do the hard work of the board on Day 1, ready to represent stakeholders of all backgrounds and abilities – not just the ones they agree with. Your voice matters. Like minded voters should vote for Row A November 7th.
Janet Leung Fonss
