Daniel Cruson Jr Running For Newtown Newtown Board Of Education

NEWTOWN, CT — Election Day is approaching fast, and a number of key positions in Newtown will be on the ballot.

To help readers make an informed decision on Nov. 2, Patch has reached out to local candidates to share their views on various topics of importance in town.

Patch will post these candidate profiles over the next several days, so check back often to see the latest.

Democrat Daniel Cruson Jr, 38, is running for Newtown Board of Education in Newtown.

Occupation: Web Developer

Experience: Newtown Board of Education

Family in government: No

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

The biggest issue before the Newtown Board of Education is our continued work on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. While the district has been doing a lot of work in this area, there is still a lot of work left to do. With the recent hiring of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Coordinator, we now have someone who can help bring a new lens and help guide us in the work. I intend to be a staunch supporter of our new DEI coordinator and continue to work, with their help, and on our policy work which is under the direct purview of the Board.

Critical differences between me and my opponents:

I am the only incumbent on the ticket this election, I have 5 years of experience working on the Board. I have been involved with all aspects of Board of Education work, most of the different sub committees of the Board, and attended a variety of workshops, and trainings and conferences on the work of members of Boards of Education. This puts me in a position of experience but also one of being able to help the other candidates that are elected acclimate to their new roles on the Board of Education.

Accomplishments:

Other than having been a member of the Board of Education for the past 5 years and I spent 5 years after High School working in various areas of the Newtown Public Schools Central Office. This has made me familiar with the way the school district runs and the processes that are used. I have found that this knowledge has been helpful to my work as a member of the Board of Education. I was also a student in the Newtown Public Schools from Kindergarten up through 12th grade. This gives me a historical perspective toward what has been tried and in the past that has been helpful when considering projects and proposals that the Board is involved in.

Other issues:

I see the Board of Education as a non-partisan position, every member should be working toward providing students with the best education possible and supporting the staff that makes that happen. Safety for all students is something that we need to continue to focus on, not just because of COVID, but in general. Students can't learn properly if they don't feel safe in their school in their school. The answers for this will be dictated through a science and data driven approach to policies and processes. Addressing the Learning Gap that has occurred over the last year and a half is something that we need to be working on. That requires making sure we are establishing where every student needs support, and making those supports available to them. Every student is unique and had their own strengths and weaknesses during this time, and so addressing the issue will require a more individual approach and won't be able to be solved by a wide approach.

What else would you like voters to know about you?

I am a logical person who takes a data driven approach to decision making. I am willing to listen to all sides of an issue and have had my mind changed on topics when presented with a well reasoned and researched argument. I have been endorsed by the Connecticut chapter of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT CT). I am in the unique position of having been a student, employee, and parent and Board member in Newtown over the course of 30 combined years in town.