Enfield Candidate Profile: Steve Niemitz, Board of Education

ENFIELD, CT — Enfield's election season is heating up, and there are plenty of contested races with candidates eager to represent their town in November's municipal election. Enfield Patch asked candidates in the town council and Board of Education races to answer questions about their campaigns, and has been publishing candidate profiles each weekday as election day draws near.

Steve Niemitz is running for election to the Enfield Board of Education as a member of the Democratic party.

Age: 67

Position sought: Board of Education

Party affiliation: Democrat

Family: Wife-Robin, Sons-Dave, Christopher, Stephen, Daughter-in-law-Sarah, Grandson-William

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

Education: East Windsor High School. 1970; Community College of the Air Force; Asnuntuck Community College

Occupation: Retired from the State of Connecticut Military Department

Previous or current elected or appointed office: Presently serving on the Town of Enfield Prison Liaison Committee; former member of the Board of Education, Redevelopment Commission, and Historic District Commission

The single most pressing issue facing Enfield is: The town's ability to fully fund the education budget and the much-needed infrastructure repairs to our school buildings is a major concern. This is compounded by state budget problems and the legislative process in Hartford.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post: I cannot speak to differences, but I have always worked well with fellow board and commission members to solve problems and address issues in a bipartisan and non-political manner.

List other issues that define your campaign platform: School security is an ongoing concern and we must continue to upgrade our perimeter security measures at our schools. Also related to this issue are student outbursts and assaults within the school. They are traumatic for all concerned. They affect the students who are in the classroom, the student who commits the assault or outburst, and the teacher who may be injured as a result. Adequate staff training and safety care measures are necessary so our teachers can work to prevent these incidents when possible. This may require providing additional resources to assist the classroom teacher with students who may have a propensity for physical outbursts. Resources could take the form of additional adult support in the classroom, or providing flexible classrooms that are designed to support students for whom the traditional classroom might not be the most appropriate setting.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job: I have served on many boards and commission, both elected and appointed.

The best advice ever shared with me was: Stay true to who you are.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions: I am a good listener, and an honest and thoughtful person, who will strive to consider all sides of each issue in order to make decisions that will most effectively support the students, residents, and school staff of Enfield. We also need to start a community dialogue concerning the issue of student achievement, which is multidimensional. We must understand that each child learns at his or her own pace and requires a unique set of supports and enrichment. As such, we must keep in mind that standardized test results are only one measure of a child's academic progress.