Ellington Candidate Profile: Kerry Socha, Board Of Education

ELLINGTON, CT — The 2023 municipal election season is heating up in Ellington, and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office.

Ellington-Somers Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

Name: Kerry Socha

How old will you be as of Election Day? 53

What city or town do you live in? Ellington

What office are you seeking? Board of Education

Party affiliation: Republican

Education: Juris Doctor and Batchelor of Science in Business Administration

What is your occupation? Attorney 25 years

Do you have a family? If so, please tell us about them.

I live in Ellington with my husband Chris Socha. My two daughters are Remy age 15 and Carly age 13. Remy attends Ellington High School and is in the 10th grade. Remy is proud to be part of EHS Volleyball team. Carly attends Ellington Middle School and is in the 8th grade and is looking forward to the ski program at EMS. We have two dogs, Sarah and Frankie.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? No

Have you ever held a public office, whether appointive or elective?

I have served on the Ellington Board of Education the last eight years.

Now we'd like to ask a few questions about your reasons for running and your general views on politics and government. First, why are you seeking this office?

It is an opportunity to be able to give back to my community. As a Board of Education member, my goal is to protect our children and support parents. I have worked to bring a transparent curriculum to our schools, to ensure that student's education does not conflict with their family's values. Keeping children safe at our schools is my first priority. Today through the work I have been able to do on the Board of Education, we now have three-armed Student School Security Officers that are exclusively assigned to our schools.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is \_\_\_, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is the economy, being able to afford basic needs. It was not that long ago when families could go out to eat and fill their gas tanks without going into debt. The Board of Education is the biggest expense to our town's budget. Keeping our school budget expenses low and delivering quality education is one of the most important things our Board of Education does for all the people of Ellington. I intend to keep watching every penny we spend to make sure that Ellington is getting the best value for its dollar.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

My experience and legal education set me apart from the other candidates. I have been on the Board of Education for the last eight years and serve as Chair of Operations. Through my committee we are currently rebuilding Windermere Elementary and bringing better air quality to all of our schools with a new HVAC system. These are two major projects that were supported by the people of Ellington. We were able to do these projects in a fiscally responsible way while meeting the needs of our residents.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

With the pandemic in our rear-view mirror, we now have to continue to address the effects it has had on our student body. We need to make sure our students have the resources and opportunities to optimize their education and provide support for all students.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I work across all party lines for the betterment of our students, families and residents. I am proud to be part of the Ellington community. I strongly advocated for an Enrichment Program, which was implemented in 2021. This was a program that was long overdue but could not have come at a better time. At the high school level, in 2021-2022 we were the only school district in Connecticut to have an increase in the average SAT score. This is a testament to the work we do here in Ellington.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

The best advice I ever received was to say my prayers and keep the faith. When I seek God first, I gain better perspective.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I work to understand all sides of an issue and do my level best to listen and remain flexible. At the same time, I am not afraid to take a stand on the difficult issues that the Board of Education faces.