Q&A: BoE Candidate Julia Cronin

Note: Over the next two weeks the Ledyard Patch will run short profiles of all town candidates for council and board of education, along with their responses to three questions that we asked. Election Day is Nov. 8.

Name: Julia Cronin

Age: 41

Education: M.Ed. Harvard University, B.A. Mount Holyoke College

Work Experience: 1992-2009 Research Scientist, Pfizer Inc
2009-present, 7/8 Science Teacher, Integrated Day Charter School

Civic/Political Experience: Ledyard Board of Education 2007-present; Chairperson, Strategic Planning Committee, Ledyard Educational Advancement Foundation (LEAF) 2005-2009; Den Leader, Troop 16 Cub scouts 2006-2009;
Ledyard Agri-Science Boosters 2005-2009

Family: Husband Brian Cronin.  3 children:  Parker (15), Emme (14), and Peter (11)

1. Why are you running for this office?

I have a vested interest in what the education system does for our community. Why?  Because I have three children enrolled in Ledyard schools.  I firmly believe that a quality education provides the foundation for students to be successful in their lives and in their community. I want my children to be successful and the Ledyard school system is an integral part of that process.   Under the leadership of the current administration and the Board of Education, Ledyard Public Schools has made remarkable progress in the quality of education provided to the students over the past five years.  We are moving steadily in the right direction and I want to continue to be a part of the process that is directing and implementing these positive changes.

As an educator myself, I believe that I bring a valuable perspective to the board. I have a very good understanding of the federal and state mandates and the challenges our district faces as it relates to curriculum design and implementation. I have a passion to do what is right for our students while recognizing the realistic constraints we have as a community.

2. What do you believe is the greatest challenge Ledyard schools face today, and what would you do to meet this challenge?

Like nearly all towns in Connecticut, we face a serious budget issue. At the state level, there is a gap between revenue generation and expenditures. As a result, communities across the state will be forced to make difficult decisions. Ledyard is not alone in this situation, but we will need to make decisions that are in the best interests of our community.   The Board of Education has made every effort to spend taxpayer dollars as effectively and efficiently as possible. We have been acting pro-actively to address these issues before they become a problem.

As we look ahead to the 2012-2013 budget, we are working diligently towards providing a quality education for our students while not putting an undue burden on the taxpayers. We realize that the difficulties we have are not just related to the education budget, it is an issue for the community as a whole, including public services, businesses, and individuals.  If re-elected to the Board, I will continue to support the work the Board has demonstrated over the past years:  maintaining fiscal responsibility while providing a quality education.

Another issue the school district has faced, along with schools across the country, is the increasing demands of No Child Left Behind.  Ledyard continues to show tremendous improvement in its "high stakes testing" scores (CMT and CAPT testing).  This hasn't happened by accident.  There has been planning, professional development, and curricular revisions that have allowed these improvements to take place.  With the implementation of federal curricular standards in the coming years, Ledyard needs to maintain this commitment to excellence in order to remain successful. 

The operating system of the public schools can be overwhelming, at times it feels like we are speaking a foreign language. Through my past experience on the board and my own experience as a teacher, I understand that language and the level of complexity it brings to the table.  I will support our district such that our teachers and administrators can continue to be successful in what they do best: educating our children.

3. How would you rate the effectiveness of the school board now and what would you do to improve that?

I believe that the current BOE has been very effective in their mission of supporting the education of the students of Ledyard.  The Board as a whole is bipartisan in spirit and always puts what is right for the students and the community before their own personal agendas.  They have spent many hours learning "the lingo" of the education system and always endeavor to improve the quality of education, rather than just resting on their laurels. 

Again, this is not something that just happens, it needs continuous work to be successful.  If re-elected to the Board, I will continue to work on long term Strategic Planning so that the district is able to maintain it's focus.  Moreover, I will continue to work with my colleagues on the Board so that we can constructively work towards making Ledyard Public Schools the school district of choice.