In cities and towns across the state, teachers are making their schools and communities stronger by joining town councils, serving on boards of education, and taking on other municipal leadership roles.
“Teachers recognize that even outside the classroom they can have a communitywide impact when they help set education goals and policies,” says CEA President Jeff Leake. “Civic engagement is so important. When teachers are at the table, serving as selectmen and committee members, they’re helping ensure their students, their profession, and their public schools get the attention they deserve and the resources they need to thrive.”
From Avon to Windsor, active and retired teachers stepped up to the challenge this past election season and successfully campaigned for a range of offices throughout Connecticut.
Teacher Angie Parkinson won a seat on the town council in East Hartford.
Former science teacher and retired CEA Government Relations director Vincent Loffredo was elected to Middletown’s common council, then appointed to be the city’s deputy mayor.
Former third-grade teacher and former CEA President Rosemary Coyle was elected to Colchester’s board of selectmen.
Southington voters gave high school Spanish teacher Chris Poulos a seat on the town council and put retired teacher and current CEA board member Bob Brown on the board of education.
Windsor’s town council welcomes retired teacher Lisa Bress.
Granby teacher Sean Passan earned a spot on West Hartford’s board of education.
West Hartford teacher and building rep David Peling has taken a seat on Granby’s board of education.
West Hartford teacher Anthony Weber ran a successful campaign for a seat on Avon’s town council.
Windsor elementary school teacher Lisa Thomas earned a spot on Coventry’s town council.
Fairfield English language arts teacher Mick McGarry is Hamden District 1 councilman.
Plainfield Education Association Vice President Joyce Rice won a board of education seat in Griswold.
Canterbury elementary school teacher Courtney Langlois and recently retired Sterling teacher Holly Wood won BOE seats in Sterling.
Andover building rep Laura Bush won a seat on Vernon’s town council.
Elected to a full four-year term on Litchfield’s board of education, Thomaston school counselor Steve Malo was the top vote-getter, while Region 10 world languages teacher Jodiann Tenney won a seat on the board of finance.
Patricia Mechare, who retired from teaching in Kent, chairs the Canaan Board of Education (Falls Village) and won re-election to the Region 1 BOE.
In Clinton, high school social studies teacher Eric Bergman was elected to the town council, Waterford teacher Jason Adler was the top vote-getter for the board of education, and retired teacher Don Hansen was the top vote-getter for the board of assessment appeals.
