Newtown Election 2021 Profile: Jennifer Larkin

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.

Republican Jennifer Larkin, 45, is running for Board of Education in Newtown.

Occupation:

Family in government: No

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

The most pressing issue facing our schools right now are the setbacks to students due to the pandemic. We all know that children learn differently and have different needs, and during the pandemic, students were disparately impacted by the response. Remote learning was much harder for some students than others, with it favoring students who learned well that way, while not providing alternatives for those who struggled. We must do a better job listening to parents and being responsive to student needs and see that no students get caught up, and not left behind or pushed through.

Critical differences between me and my opponents:

I think what makes me best suited for the job on the Board of Education is my ability to advocate and speak on issues that are frustrating parents right now. I am in the thick of the issues many families are facing in the district. Along with Janet Kuzma I fiercely advocated for our children to return to the school buildings 5 days, where they are intended to learn and most learn best, and continued to push for revisions to protocols to keep the children there. As a parent of a special education student, I have spent the last two years advocating both on my own, and with the help of a professional advocate. However, we need to recognize not all families have the resources to do that which can potentially put those students at disadvantage. I understand these challenges and if I am on the Board of Education will work to be a voice for all families. Lastly, the best boards are those that work together to accomplish great things. Along with Don and Janet, and we decided to show the voters that we have already accomplished that critical part by running a team from the start.

Accomplishments:

I think what makes me best suited for the job on the Board of Education is my ability to advocate and speak on issues that are frustrating parents right now. I am in the thick of the issues many families are facing in the district. Along with Janet Kuzma I fiercely advocated for our children and challenged to return to the school buildings 5 days, where they are intended to learn and most learn best, and continued to push for revisions to protocols to keep the children there. As a parent of a special education student, I have spent the last two years advocating both on my own, and with the help of a professional advocate. However, we need to recognize not all families have the resources to do that which can potentially put those students at disadvantage. I understand these challenges and if I am on the Board of Education I will work to be a voice for all families. Lastly, the best boards are those that work together to accomplish great things. Along with Don and Janet, and we decided to show the voters that we have already accomplished that critical part by running a team from the start.

Other issues:

The foundation of our platform starts with preparing children for tomorrow’s workplace. Along with Janet and Don together we believe to do this we must put student’s first and advocate for academic accountability and an equitable educational experience for all students. We will prioritize the budget to support teachers and staff and students needs first and foremost while keeping budget cuts as far from the classroom as possible.

What else would you like voters to know about you?

One of the deciding factors for me to run for the Board of Education was my frustration with the current one size fits all return to school plan. Whether it is being flexible with protocols, respecting parent choice on matters that impact their children, or addressing learning loss at the individual student level, I feel we owe it to the students and teachers to be more dynamic with solutions as we continue to solve for the problems brought on by covid. I believe that an equal emphasis needs to be placed on creating educational opportunities for students who want to pursue college or vocational or skilled trades in the future, and equity occurs when students’ outcomes and experiences in school are not determined by race, gender, family income or ability. I have two children in the school system, and so it is fair to say I have skin in the game and want to see the best possible educational experience be available and attainable to all students in the district.