Enfield Candidate Profile: Tim Neville, 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.

Tim Neville is running for re-election to the Enfield Board of Education as a member of the Democratic party.

Occupation: 1973 - 2011 (38 yrs) Enfield Educator ( teacher, Dept Chair, Vice Prin, Principal) 1992 - 2011 (19 yrs) Principal JFK, 2011 - Retired

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office: 2011 - 2013 Enfield Board of Education Chair, 2013 - present, Enfield Board of Education member

The single most pressing issue facing our town is: Addressing the tremendous back log of Town and School District infrastructure and facilities needs. I'm talking about roofs, exterior walls, windows, insulation, HVAC systems, technology, security, etc. As a BOE candidate, I'd rather be talking about Curriculum, assessment, educational tech etc. However, these issue affect our ability to provide safe and secure learning facilities to Enfield's students. Unfortunately, this is a huge and very expensive problem. There is a solution. It starts with planning how to get the current backlog financed and fixed, The final step is to create a facilities maintenance plan to make sure we don't get in this situation in the future. The Town and the BOE collaborated and created a Joint Facilities Committee to address what we all saw as a Joint problem needing a joint solution. I joined. In 2015, the TC initiated a report that assessed facility needs on all town and school facilities. It was a comprehensive list that if attacked at once would cost tens of millions of dollars. Our committee analyzed the report and made recommendations to the Council and the BOE on how to progress. Some issues of a more pressing nature, ie HVAC, lighting, energy use, etc went out to referendum in the Honeywell energy ref. It was determined that immediate work would save the town money and be recouped by the cost of the energy saved. This is working. For the remainder of the list, Joint facilities recommended addressing the roofs first. Unfortunately, many of the roofs needing replacement were of the same age and needed replacement at the same time. A list was put together by need and we started with the Barnard Roof last year, continuing the second stage this past summer. Not the speed any of us would like, but its a start. The committee is working with the council on some ideas to speed this up. Until, we make a significant dent in our infrastructure needs list, I still see this as our most pressing Town and School issue.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post: We all bring our total life experience, education, values and beliefs to the Board table. Based on that, the voters decide who they think will best represent the educational needs of the town's children. What makes me a bit different from other candidates is that my education, knowledge base about teaching and learning, extensive work experience as a public school teacher/ administrator are directly related to the mission of the Board of Education. I ran in 2011 and am still running again this year because I want to work with the BOE and school administration to make a Positive difference. I want to use what I have learned in my 38 career as an Enfield educator to improve education in Enfield. I'm hoping that Enfield's voters will again give me the opportunity to do this.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:

1. Ensure that a quality and challenging education is available to ALL students.

2. Create a long term educational vision of what Enfield Education should look like in 5-10 years. Its very difficult to assess success with only one or two years of data. A long term vision and goals informs the community. It tells them where we are headed and gives them a road map to get us there.

3. Collaborate with the Town Council and all stakeholders to develop a long term budget plan. Mesh the budget with the long term vision mentioned above. Visions, goals and budgets need to be connected and assessed for success if they are to work.

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

1. Creating and co- chairing with Jean Haughey and Scott Kaupin the Suicide Prevention Committee back in 2012 which continues today. This committee arose out of a community crisis. The initial idea was prevention. We wanted to make all staff aware of the signs of suicide ideation and empower anyone who saw signs to report it. Rachel's Challenge was an off shoot of this committee's work.

2. Chaired the Curriculum Committee for the last 6 years. Supported ACC and STCC collaborative tech programs yielding college credit and providing career opportunities. Increased Advanced Placement (AP) course offerings from 12 - 19. Supported implementation of STEAM program Pre-K -12 Supported implantation of 1-1 IPad program at EHS

3. Full Day K. - worked with BOE and Town Council to make this a budget priority in 2013 and implemented it the following year.

4. Member of EHS Building for 5 years. Proud to say we delivered a state of the art High School for Enfield on time and under budget.

5. Member of JFK Pre Committee. Delivered a design that met the current and future needs of our middle school students. Thanks to our Enfield voters for approving it last year.

6. Member of JFK Building Committee - Designs, detailed budget and timeline completed. Looking to break ground in April 2020.

The best advice ever shared with me was: From my first principal, Jim Mahoney. He was also my mentor as I pursued a school leadership position. He said that as a school leader you'll have to make many decisions affecting students, teachers, parents, and families. You will get lots of advice on what you should do. You will also have many variables to weigh in making decisions. As a school leader, the final question you should ask yourself is "How will it affect my students?" Jim felt that was the most important measure in the educational decision making process. I do too and I've tried to keep this advice my focus throughout my career.