Milford Candidate Profile: Susan Glennon For School Board

MILFORD, CT — Milford's election season is heating and there are plenty of contested races with candidates eager to get their name on the ballot for the city's municipal election. One of those contested races is the race for the Board of Education.

Milford Patch asked candidates in the contested races to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Board of Education Chairman Susan Glennon is running for re-election as a Democrat in the second-district.

Are you running for office in Milford? Contact Brian McCready at brian.mccready@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements to Milford Patch.

Family: *

Three children who attended Milford Public Schools

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? *

This includes any relatives who work in the government you'd be representing.

No

Education: *

Southern Connecticut State University - Art History
Housatonic Community College - Child Development
CABE Certificated Board of Education Member

Occupation: *

Please include years of experience.

Small business owner and licensed early childhood professional 25+ years

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office: *

Milford Board of Education 2011 - Present.
Chair of the Board 2013-Present

Campaign Website: *

milforddemocrats.com

The single most pressing issue facing our town/district is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it. *

A pressing issue for Milford is how to meet the varied needs of our young people while preparing them for life after graduation in an ever-changing 21st-Century world and doing so in a manner that most efficiently utilizes budget dollars. As a member of the board I will continue to advocate for a budget that truly meets the needs of the district, both on the infrastructure and operations side as well as the instructional side. I will work closely with my colleagues and the superintendent of schools to ensure our school system continues to grow, continues to thrive and continues to move towards more relevant 21st teaching and learning for all.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post? *

My experience, both as an involved parent of three children who attended Milford Public Schools and as a current member of the Board of Education, sets me apart from other candidates. I possess a valuable historical perspective and have a good understanding of the role of the Board.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:

As a current board member, I am proud of how far we’ve come and encouraged by our progress but recognize there is always more to do. I believe in a student-centered holistic approach to education that supports the social and emotional development of our young people and ensures that our graduates are ready for whatever they choose to do after graduation, whether it’s college, career, the military or a trade. If re-elected I will work to implement a more developmentally appropriate playful experience for our youngest learners, more robust science instruction in elementary and middle school, more choice for world language grades 6-12 and more individualized student-centered learning for all students.

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

During my time on the Board, we’ve added world language in elementary school and Career Pathways, including Computer Science and Business Management and Entrepreneurship, in high school. We’ve re-evaluated the use of cutting-edge technology to make it more purposeful, more meaningful and more fiscally efficient. Students have a wide range of offerings in the area of STEAM - Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Math. With our emphasis on supporting staff's delivery of high-quality instruction to their students, Milford was one of a handful of districts in CT to see improvement in both Math and English Language Arts scores on the most recent standardized test. My current colleagues on the board and I undertook the important task of hiring our new Superintendent. She has demonstrated an understanding of the needs of 21st Century schools and has already taken numerous steps to improve instruction and to implement cost saving measures in the district.

The best advice ever shared with me was ...

Be honest and true to my beliefs.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

During the time my three children attended Milford Public Schools, I remained an active member of their school communities and served on many district and PTA committees. This spurred my desire to seek election to the Board of Education. I am a strong supporter of public education and I love Milford, plain and simple. I believe I still have much to contribute and would be honored to serve another term on the Board.