Jennifer Jacobsen Running For Fairfield Board Of Education

FAIRFIELD, CT — It's election season in Fairfield, and Patch is here to help you get to know the candidates running for local office in 2021 before voters head to the polls Nov. 2.

Questionnaire responses appear as submitted by candidates.

Democrat Jennifer Jacobsen, 50, is running for Fairfield Board of Education.

Occupation:

Experience: Fairfield Board of Education

Family in government: No

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

Education Goals:

• Address the academic and social/emotional impact of the pandemic.

• Work on the development of a new 5-year District Improvement Plan.

• Ensure we continue to maintain and address our facility needs, including, but not limited to, mechanical means of fresh air and air conditioning.

• Evaluate our initiatives for meeting goals and effectiveness.

• Advocate for policies and programming that meet the diverse learning needs of all students, inclusive of co-curricular opportunities and supports.

• Provide our classrooms and educators with the necessary tools, development, and resources.

• Build upon the hard work of all the boards I have watched before me and continue to operate collaboratively with those serving today.

• Work towards ensuring that Fairfield kids receive the very best we can give them on the road to their successful journeys as both students and individuals who can move into their adult lives confident that we have provided them with the tools needed to thrive in their post Fairfield school lives.

• Confront whatever challenges come our way with integrity and fidelity to our values so we may preserve all that we have built within this community for those who have made Fairfield their home.

• Communicate factually with the public about our schools, their value, and and how we achieve efficiencies and contain costs while maintaining high quality.

Accomplishments:

• 21 year Fairfield Resident.

• 20 years in the field of Education.

• 2 children currently in our schools.

• Master’s Degree in Education with a specialization in School Counseling.

• I have been certified in 3 states pre-k through grade 12 in Pupil Services.

• Special Needs arena including IEP development and implementation, crisis intervention and prevention experience.

• Early Childhood Education.

Fairfield Schools and BOE Experience: Member of the BOE Policy Committee and Liaison to the CT General Assembly.

Sample of Advocacy:

• Air Quality and A.C. in Schools,

• Excess Cost and State Budgets supporting education funding,

• Opposition to proposed reduced rates of state reimbursement for facility projects,

• In favor of disallowing mid-year cuts to municipal education funding by the state,

• Creation of a cybersecurity division at the state level and student data cyber security protections,

• Many others I am happy to share.

• PTA member serving in various volunteer capacities including Community Outreach for student service learning opportunities within our district and well beyond.

• Fairfield Cares PTA representative for three years at two of our schools, coalition coordinator for 3 years, and now member. Fairfield Cares serves as our local prevention coalition that aims to address substance abuse and mental health within our community and our public and private school student population.

• Curriculum review panels.

• Girls Scouts of America Troop Leader, and 10 years for two Fairfield troops.

Other issues:

Fiscal Vision: I have been engaged at the local and state level fiscal happenings regarding education for quite a while now. I will continue to work together in a collaborative and respectful manner to not only sustain our excellent school system but Fairfield at large.

• Identify efficiencies that do not diminish quality,

• Analyze and Advocate for the BOE Approved Budget,

• Make difficult choices when they arrive ever mindful of the short and long-term impact of those decision upon our students, staff, and facilities and community.

What else would you like voters to know about you?

It has been an honor to serve Fairfield the last 4 years and I hope to continue to do so for the next four. The last year and a half have been incredibly difficult on so many. We know it will take time and work to address the full scope of this impact upon our students, staff, families, and community. I am squarely focused on the task before us while enthusiastically celebrating our successes. I am unwavering in my dedication to this role and its importance in the lives of our residents and to each student. I am as knowledgeable as a citizen can be on education issues from D.C. to Fairfield and am committed to the work every day necessary to be so. I have advocated on our behalf before other town bodies and the state and am prepared to take on this great responsibility within our community. Mostly because at this juncture, as we face recovery of the last year and half and look towards a bright future, we need strong voices on all our boards to work together on behalf our town.. As we move forward, and I will be sure to provide ample opportunity to discuss my candidacy and commitment with you. Please feel free to reach out anytime!