Monroe Candidate Profile: Shannon Reilly Monaco For Board Of Ed.

MONROE, CT — The 2019 municipal election is heating up in Monroe and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office. First Selectman Ken Kellogg will face no challenger, but the races for town council and other offices are contested.

Monroe Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Shannon Reilly Monaco is running for Board of Education as a Republican. She is a realtor and has previous experience on the Board of Education.

Are you running for office in Monroe? Contact Rich Scinto at rich.scinto@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements to Monroe Patch.

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

Unfunded Mandates from the state of CT.

We need to continue to work with our State Representative JP Sredzinski who
works extremely hard on our behalf and provides excellent communication
between the town and the state. State Representative Sredzinski is a strong
voice in Hartford.

We are looking at resources within our town for potential cost savings.
Another way we are addressing unfunded State Mandates is by partnering with
other nearby towns wherever possible as a consortium to lower costs.

The district is doing our part to explore all options with no stone
unturned. The reality is we need to see changes made at the State level with
unrealistic unfunded mandates.

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

As a parent and a taxpayer, I want to see our limited resources spent
carefully and wisely to provide the best possible education for all the
students.

As a realtor, I know our school system is a major factor that drives people
to move to Monroe.

Experience serving the BoE since 2015.

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

I have served on the Monroe Board of Education since March 2015. In that
time, Monroe Schools boast several accomplishments and awards as a result of
the highly dedicated Staff, Administrators and Board working collaboratively.
We set the bar high. We are very lucky to have the level of talent working in
our district; they focus on the students and they take pride in their work.

The majority of our schools are named "Schools of Distinction" by
the CT State Dept. of Education. Masuk High School was named a National Blue
Ribbon School, a very prestigious award.

I am proud to be a member of this team and will continue to work hard for
Monroe.

The best advice ever shared with me was ...

"Say what you mean and mean you say. Be on time and keep your
promises. Make more money than you spend." My Father, James D. Reilly
Jr.

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

I've lived in Monroe almost my whole life; I understand Monroe and I care
deeply about our town. I'm a product of Monroe schools and so are my
children.

There is something special and unique about our community. You don't often
find this overall spirit of kindness and sense of deep roots in a hometown.

Monroe has beautiful parks and a top rated, award winning school district.
I want to continue to serve the community by maintaining our highly regarded
school system while keeping costs and taxes down as low as possible.