Newtown Candidate Profile: Deborra Zukowski Board Of Education

NEWTOWN, CT — The 2019 municipal election is heating up in Newtown and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office.

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

Deborra Zukowski is running for the Board of Education as a Republican. Prior to retirement she worked in technology research and development as an information systems engineer.

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

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office:

I am currently a member of the Cultural Arts Commission. In addition, I
served on the 2018 and 2010 Fairfield Hills Master Plan Review Committees
along with the 2012 Master Plan Amendment Work Group. In 2016, I was a member
of the Charter Revision Commission. I
was also active on school committees during 2004-2008, including the first
Sleep Time Committee and internal work groups for revising the Newtown High
School GPA process and for reviewing air quality in the high school.

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

There are many in the community who feel their concerns are dismissed,
their questions never answered, and their wallets always open. If I am
elected, I will be available to address those concerns and questions. I plan
to closely examine how we spend taxpayers’ money to ensure that our
students get the best possible education that we, as a community, can
afford.

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

I am exceptionally analytical, and have a long history of making sense of
complex information.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder
failed the community (or district or constituency)?

I also have a reputation for asking questions that, once asked, are well
received and that yield the data needed to make informed decisions.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:

Classroom Learning: Student education is and should be our central goal.
Teacher Morale: Teachers who welcome each day with enthusiasm inspire
students to learn. Monitoring Student Outcomes after Graduation: We need to
know if we are successful.

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

While I have several accomplishments I could cite - e.g., associated with
my public roles and work experience, I think that my broad life experience
may be more relevant to my potential success on the board of education. I am
the granddaughter of a logger and sawmill operator, and am a first-generation
college graduate in my family. With this background, I have had the
opportunity to get to know and respect many people who have had varied life
experiences. I've learned about the trials of those who did not graduate high
school and those who attained PhD's. I've known farmers, those who work the
trades, small business owners, and those in service jobs, along with
engineers and scientists. In addition I've comforted, and was comforted by,
those whose children struggled because of disabilities. Public schools are
there for everyone, and should be a place where everyone learns the skills
and tools needed to launch a rewarding adult life.

The best advice ever shared with me was ...

You get out of life what you put into it. If you do little, you exist. If
you reach out with both your hands and your heart, you live.

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

I am honest, straight forward, and very hard working.