Election 2015: Bethel Board of Education Candidate Profiles

Information is provided by the Republican and Democratic Town Committee’s websites.

Board of Education
Lawrence Craybas
Incumbent: Endorsed by the Independent Party: 36-year resident; retired, 30 years marketing, sales, management experience for Kraft Foods. Member Bethel Board of Education Chairman 2008 – 2015; Vice Chairman 2007; Republican First Selectman Candidate 2009. Currently, Volunteer Business Educator, Bethel Health Department; past Board of Directors Member Bethel Visiting Nurse Assoc.; certified member of Bethel’s CERT team; past member St. Mary’s Board of Finance; Eucharistic Minister & Lector, St. Mary’s Church. Graduate, Syracuse University, B.S. Marketing. Larry and his wife, Joan, have four children and seven grandchildren with one grandson, a senior, in Bethel High School.

Scott Clayton
Incumbent: Endorsed by the Independent Party: Life-long resident; School Principal, Stamford Public Schools; former Assistant Principal, Newtown Public Schools; former U.S. History and American Government teacher; former Dean of Students; Connecticut Army National Guard. Graduate, Western CT State University, B.A. History; University of Bridgeport, M.S. Secondary Education; Sacred Heart University, 6th Year Advanced Degree in Educational Leadership/Administration; CCSU-CT Public School Superintendent Certification. Scott and his wife, Caryn, have four children.

Kristen Lacey (I)
Incumbent: 20-year resident; Senior Director of Marketing & Brand Management – Save the Children; current member, Board of Education, Community Outreach Chair; Junior Achievement volunteer; PTO volunteer; Scotty Fund volunteer, Gala Committee; Graduate, Wittenberg University, B.A. Business Administration and Psychology. Kristen and her husband, Jim, have two children.

William Foster
Endorsed by the Independent Party: 40-year resident; retired airline pilot, American Airlines; current Zoning Board of Appeals alternate; former member Board of Education; served with the U.S. Army, Commissioned Officer, helicopter pilot; Graduate, University of Connecticut, B.A. Sociology. Bill and his wife, Susan, have three children.

Courtney Martin
Endorsed by the Independent Party 6-year resident; Real Estate Salesperson, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage; Bethel Board of Education, President 4 years; District Safe School Climate Committee 2 years; currently District Strategic Planning Committee; former Loan Officer and Escrow Agent; Member Bethel Chamber of Commerce; School volunteer. Graduate, Carnegie Mellon University, Computer Engineering. Courtney and her husband, Timothy, have 3 children.

Democratic Board of Education (Incumbent)

Robin Renner. Robin believes her experience and background make her well qualified to continue for a sixth term as an informed, hardworking and dedicated BOE member. Robin has served on the Board of Education for ten years, and is the current Secretary. She is the Central PTO President, Bethel High School PTO Secretary, and past PTO President of Berry, Johnson, and Bethel Middle Schools. She is involved with NJROTC both as an Administrator and Medical Mom Chaperone for summer Leadership Academy in Newport, RI. Robin teaches 7th and 8th grade Science at Schaghticoke Middle School in New Milford, has an MA in Special Education from the University of St. Joseph in West Hartford and a BS in Medical Technology from the University of Bridgeport. A member of St. Mary’s Church, Robin, with her husband Tom and two daughters, has lived in Bethel since 2000. Both daughters attended Bethel Public Schools. Robin currently serves on the Cable Advisory Council, and previously served eight years on the Parks & Recreation Commission, including three years as a Park & Rec basketball coach. She is an avid runner with six marathons to her credit.

Democrat - Board of Education

Jennifer Larsen. Jennifer is a teacher who is not only aware of the needs of schools, students and families, she also understands how the Board of Education works as she has been a regular at meetings for the last 14 years. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Northern Arizona University, and recently obtained her 112 Certification which allows her to teach birth through kindergarten in Connecticut. Jen worked for Head Start of Northern Fairfield County in Danbury as a Lead Preschool teacher from 2009 to 2015, and is currently employed as a Preschool 3’s teacher by the Bridgeport Board of Education. Since her three children began their school careers, Jen has been involved in PTOs running many committees and events, and serving as President of Berry, Johnson, BMS and BHS PTOs, and Secretary of Berry and Central PTO.

As parent liaison for the Berry Building Committee she ran the Playground Building Committee and parent workshops. Jen has also worked with BYSA recreational league soccer, and has taught Religious Education for St. Mary Parish for 15 years. With her husband Stuart and their children Stephan, Claudia and Anna, she has lived in Bethel for the last 22 years and loves this town.

Democrat- Board of Education

Penny Kessler. Penny is a Cantor at the United Jewish Center in Danbury and has lived in Bethel with her husband Stanley since 1985. Though her 3 children graduated from Bethel public schools many years ago, she feels a strong sense of responsibility for the next generation, “My children succeeded in the Bethel schools because they had teachers that supported their learning and took the time to know my kids’ quirks and hopes. For the most part, their schools were guided by principals and administrative staffs that were loving and nurturing.

I believe that each generation of parents must be and remain responsible for ensuring a solid education for the next generation. Someone provided for my children, and it’s my responsibility to make sure that the Bethel public schools continue to offer the finest public education possible. One of my responsibilities as a Cantor is to teach kids and grownups; I’ve been teaching in synagogue schools for almost 25 years and I ran a religious school for two years – probably the most challenging two years of my professional career – so I know how much support our administrative staffs need. If my voice and considered and educated opinion can help keep our schools providing the best education possible, then I will have done my job. We owe our kids a quality education that both opens their minds to this complex world and gives them tools to find career fulfillment in their future years.”

Democrat - Board of Education

Michele Conderino. Michele has worked for Catholic Charities Homeless Services for ten years and is now Regional Director of Northern Fairfield County. She says, “Working with the homeless, I have seen the results of poor education systems and the lasting effects that can have on an individual.” Michele has a BA in Social Work from WCSU, and an MSW in Social Work Administration with a focus on International Development from UConn. Beginning as a case manager working with homeless individuals diagnosed with a chronic mental illness, Michele later helped create the Morning Glory Breakfast Program.

She has worked statewide on initiatives to end chronic homelessness, requiring extensive committee collaborations and negotiations. Michele is co-chair of the Continuum of Care, a collaboration that brings housing resources to the area targeting homeless individuals and families. She chairs the Danbury Housing First Collaborative, and the Housing Placement Committee, which target housing the chronically homeless population. She is also a member of Danbury Hospital’s Community Care Team which targets homeless individuals that are high utilizers of the Emergency Department and creates individual care plans to meet the individual’s needs in a more impactful way. Michele has lived in Bethel for the past 10 years.

Democrat- Board of Education

Carrie Kilian-Sirois. Carrie is an Educational Consultant who supports local school districts in implementing and sustaining current trends, and both state and federal mandates in education. She has worked as an Assistant Principal in New Fairfield, and as Principal of Center School in Brookfield. She is currently Vice President of the CT Northwest Reading Association. A lifelong resident of Bethel and Danbury, she has a BS in Political Science and Elementary Education and an MS in Elementary Education from WCSU, and a Sixth Year in Administration and Supervision from the University of Bridgeport.

Carrie says, “Having spent time as a classroom teacher, building principal, educational consultant and parent I have a deep understanding of policy, budget, curriculum, instructional best practice and the importance of community within the education system. I feel strongly that it is critical that our town not only maintains but continues to support and move forward our schools for the sake of, first and foremost the children and adolescents who live here, but also for the economic development of the community.” Carrie also volunteers for Regional Hospice and Home Care. She lives with her husband and two children.