New London Candidate Profile: Robert Pero For Board of Education

NEW LONDON, CT —New London’s election is down to the wire.

New London Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns.

Robert Pero, 5o, is a Republican running for election to the Board of Education.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? This includes any relatives who work in the government you'd be representing.

My wife Dora is a teacher at Nathan Hale Arts Magnet School

Education:

Associate Degree in Criminal Justice
Bachelors Degree in Political Science

Occupation:

Frauds Investigator State of CT Department of Consumer Protection 20 years

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office:

Former Mayor of City of New London 2009-2010
Former City Councilor City of New London 1995-2011
Former Board Member Boys & Girls Club
Former Board of Trustees Lyman Art Museum 2010-2013
Former Board of Tax Review Member 1991 to 1993
New London Registrar of Voters 2015 to Present

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

The Board of Education has to better address accountability issues facing the district. Parents, teachers, and students have to have faith in the decisions being made and those decisions need to be done in a more transparent way. A review of the hiring procedures for the district has to be completed to ensure student safety. The board needs to insure the completion of the middle and high school construction approved by voters in 2014. The new board should provide the Superintendent with a list of goals to achieve over the next year, with a three month status review built in the process.

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

I have over twenty years of experience working within state and city government. My sixteen years of experience on the New London City Council will give me the ability to understand how the board and council can work together. The board and council lack a strategic plan that would ensure a successful relationship. I will use my experience to address a shared strategic plan that would encompass infrastructure needs, energy issues, risk management issues, health insurance costs and back of the house consolidation issues.

I will use my prior teaching experience to ensure that students with Individual Education Plans and plans concerning disability challenges have the opportunity to succeed in their learning environments. Also we must help parents understand the process to advocate for their children to be successful in their specialized learning environment.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:

I will work to address the issue over why our paraprofessionals still don't have a contract after two years of negotiations with the administration.

I will push for the adherence to past policies calling for the examination of learning objectives for each subject area. This policy has been overlooked

I will examine the educational gap seen in New London relative to surrounding communities. I believe the emphasis should focus on K-2 identification of specialized needs for students. With those needs identified, I would support additional programing specializing in Reading and Math.

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

During my first campaign for city council in 1995 one of my main issues was to get the city out of the management of Ocean Beach. Within my first term on the council I was able to achieve this campaign promise by establishing a bid process for the management of this treasured facility. Also during my term on the council the city made infrastructure improvements to our schools (Nathan Hale, Wintrop, Jennings, Bennie Dover, & Science & Tech High School) and parks (waterfront walkway and city parks). The city reduced taxes under my leadership as finance chairmen in 2009 & 2010.

The best advice ever shared with me was …

My dad always told me to treat others with respect and to volunteer for the betterment of your community.

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

Once elected I will continue to keep an open dialogue with the voters through monthly office hours, letters to the editor, and visits to school events. We need to rebuild confidence and trust within our school community. I pledge to be open and govern in a common sense approach.
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