Darien Election 2021: Tara Wurm For Board of Education

DARIEN, CT — Election Day is approaching fast, and a number of key positions in town will be on the ballot.

To help readers make an informed decision on Nov. 2, Patch has reached out to local candidates to share their views on a few topics.

Republican Tara Wurm, 50, is running for the Board of Education in Darien.

Occupation: Stay At Home Mom, Volunteer and Student

Family: Daughter: Lilly (16); Son: Charles (13)

Experience: RTM Education Committee

Family in government: No

The single biggest issue in town is ______, and I plan to do this about it:

The single most pressing issue in our town is the mental health of our students. In the recent Thriving Youth Task Force Survey, 69 percent of our students in grades 7-12 fell into a category experiencing sadness, anxiety and loneliness. That means only 31 percent of our teens are thriving, and that is not what Darien strives for.

Darien has beautiful parks and beaches, our academics are top notch, and our student extracurriculars are beyond compare, but if our students are not mentally healthy they can not fully access all that Darien has to offer.

In the past few years, we have invested in resources such as additional guidance counselors and psychologists. Let's use those resources effectively and look to our professionals for a comprehensive plan to prioritize the health of our students.

Critical differences between me and my opponents:

I have strong values and opinions and integrity. I will listen to constituents to form a consensus on what is best for our town and our students. I will not take my cues from a national party or local political committees. I will work for the entire community and, to the entire community, I will be accountable.

Accomplishments:

While chairing the Royle PTO, my co-chair and I revamped the board process to create more financial transparency. We also built consensus with parents and raised $140,000 dollars to install a new playground. As co-president of DAEG, we saw the need for math enrichment and brought new programs to the school community in order to meet those needs. I believe these are just two small examples of my ability to collaborate, assess needs and deliver for our students.

Other issues:

The Board of Education recently unanimously voted on forming a curriculum committee, which I was fully in support of. This positive development will be the start to more transparency and accountability. In order to be productive, we need to not alienate our parents and broader community but rather include them in the conversation. We need to teach our children how to think, not what to think!

What else would you like voters to know about you?

I am currently pursuing my MA in clinical mental health counseling. If I am elected, I will bring this unique skill set to the BOE, along with critical decision making on how best to support our students and staff.

As a board, we must work with the administration on remediation of learning loss that has occurred, especially for our youngest and most vulnerable learners. All students deserve to be met and supported at their individual levels.

If elected, I plan to collaborate with all board members of the BOE and boards across town. We all want what is best for Darien, and we are more productive together. I believe in transparency, accountability, fiscal responsibility and compassion. I humbly ask for your vote on Nov. 2.