Fairfield School Board Member Resigns 2 Years Early

FAIRFIELD, CT — The recent election for Board of Education may have been uncontested, but Fairfield still has a new member joining the school board.

Republican Trisha Pytko, a member of the board for six years, resigned last week. Representative Town Meeting member Crissy Kelly, R-District 9, was unanimously appointed to replace her at Monday’s Board of Selectmen meeting.

During the meeting, First Selectwoman Brenda Kupchick lauded Pytko as “a stellar member” of the school board and “an advocate for many issues but most especially special education.”

In a Facebook post announcing her resignation, Pytko, who was last elected in 2019, said she was stepping down to pursue a doctorate, complete the requirements to become a special education teacher, and focus more on her work as a science teacher at Bunnell High School in Stratford.

“Recently, I have found that my high school students need me more than they did before,” Pytko said. “It has been about their mental health as much as teaching them science content and concepts — they deserve more of my time and energy.”

Pytko added that her biggest role continues to be parenting her 9-year-old daughter.

“I am honored by my fellow residents of Fairfield and the Republican Town Council who elected me and trusted me to serve as a Board of Education member,” she said. “I don’t take the decision to step down lightly. I may not always agree with my fellow Board of Education members, but I value their dedication to our students and staff.”

Kelly is a substitute teacher in the Fairfield Public Schools who has sat on the town meeting for the past two years, although she was not re-elected Nov. 2. She has lived in Fairfield for 16 years and has four school-aged children.

“I want to be able to advocate for all of our students while also being aware of our fiscal responsibility to all of Fairfield,” Kelly said in her school board application questionnaire.

That work will start soon — the Board of Education is scheduled to hold a special meeting 7:30 p.m. Wednesday to discuss budget initiatives for the coming academic year.