Stamford Election 2021 Profile: Versha Munshi-South For BOE

STAMFORD, CT — Election Day on Nov. 2 is fast approaching, and there are a number of key races on the ballot in Stamford.

Patch reached out to candidates for local office to get more information on their campaigns and the issues that are facing the city.

Democrat Versha Munshi-South, 42, is running for Board of Education in Stamford.

Occupation: Leadership Coach At Tntp

Family: Jason (spouse, Biology Professor at Fordham University), Kiran (son, 13 years old), Zulekha (daughter, 10 years old). Both kids are students in Stamford Public Schools.

Experience: none

Family in government: no

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

This is the third school year impacted by the pandemic, and we simply can’t wait for the pandemic to be “over” to provide our students with an excellent education. As an educator, and as a mother with students in the Stamford school system today, I believe that the most pressing issue facing our town today is shifting from reacting to the pandemic to proactively planning and adapting our approach, so we can best educate students and support faculty and staff in this new reality.

My professional and academic background in education offers me a unique perspective in this space, and I would work with the BOE and district to ensure that we design and implement smart, proactive policies that prioritize the health and safety of our students and faculty, while helping them continue to learn. At the same time, the pandemic didn’t create all the challenges we’ve seen in schools over the past 18 months; It simply revealed them.

We need to adjust both our teaching and learning approaches if we want to ensure our students have the resources and support they need to succeed academically, socially, and emotionally. As a BOE member, I’d support updating the curriculum to ensure our teachers have access to more modern resources and training to address the needs of the diversity of learners in their classrooms.

We can’t - and shouldn’t want to - go back to “business as usual”. We need to be innovative in our thinking, and take the lessons we learned during this challenging time to offer students more than what they had before.

Critical differences between me and my opponents:

I think it deserves calling out that I am the only Democratic candidate who currently has children in Stamford Public Schools. My children are graduates of Northeast Elementary and now attend Turn of River Middle School and Scofield Magnet Middle Schools.

As a parent, I have a window into the schools through the homework that my kids bring home, the parent-teacher conferences I attend, and the communications that I receive from school and district leaders. I have a real sense of urgency about the quality of our schools, and the significant impact BOE decisions have on our students, teachers and faculty in real-time, because I entrust these schools with my kids’ safety and education every day.

I am also the only BOE candidate with deep, professional expertise in education. For more than two decades, I have worked tirelessly and passionately in roles at every level of the school system, including as a teacher and a school principal. I know how schools work, I know what teachers and faculty need, and I know how students learn from my own first-hand experience.

I currently work for a nationally respected education organization, and support schools and school districts with strategic planning, teacher recruitment, and a variety of other needs.

Accomplishments:

As a school principal, I was responsible for the safety, wellbeing, and education of hundreds of students every year. I managed a staff of over 50 employees, and regularly engaged with families and the community.

In my current role as an education consultant and leadership coach, I help school and district leaders make complex investment and structural decisions by drawing from research and best practices from the education field, collaborating with stakeholders and sharing information with the community. I know the questions to ask to support a culture of both accountability and support, and I have a deep understanding of what it takes to effectively run schools and districts with students who graduate with a range of college and career options.

My educational leadership knowledge and experience, my ability to collaborate and problem-solve with diverse groups of people, my skills in strategic planning, and my personal role as a mother of students currently in the system mean I would approach BOE discussions and decisions from a well-rounded perspective.

Other issues:

Communication: I truly believe the foundation of any strong system is built on consistent and clear communication, which includes both listening and active engagement. The pandemic has highlighted the need for a diverse, real-time communication plan which ensures that all families have timely access to the information they need to support their children.

Here in Stamford, we also have a need for increased opportunities for families and students to provide regular feedback, and to show those individuals how their feedback is being addressed and incorporated into decision making. As a BOE member, I would advocate for inclusive and equitable engagement with students, faculty and staff, families, and community partners, so all perspectives are represented, and that BOE decisions are reflective of the needs of the community. I’d also advocate for transparency to ensure accountability.

Curriculum: Our current district curriculum audit is the first step towards ensuring that our students have equitable access to rigorous instructional materials at every level and at every school. Following the audit, the district must move quickly to replace outdated and weak materials, and provide school-based staff with appropriate professional development opportunities and resources so that teachers have the tools and training they need to best meet the needs of all of their learners. As a BOE member, I would bring my knowledge of best practices in curriculum review and implementation to discussions and decisions involving curricular resources.

Collaboration: If we want to make transformational, positive changes in our district, our BOE will need to partner more closely and effectively - with each other, the district, the city, and the community. Too often, decision making and policy are stagnant because of polarizing issues that inhibit open dialogue. As a BOE member, I will work to deeply understand multiple issues and points of view, and bring a solution-oriented mindset to our work together. I would use data and research from the field to support my recommendations and decisions. Being a BOE member is an enormous responsibility, and I’d conduct a continuous “listening tour” to learn how I can best support the students and families from my seat at the table.

What else would you like voters to know about you?

Today’s BOE has an opportunity to make significant changes that will impact our students, our faculty and staff, and our schools for years to come. I’m personally vested in the outcome, with two children in the system today, with many years ahead as SPS students. At the same time, I have deep experience in the field of education, a desire to listen and facilitate progress in education as a whole, and a passion for giving back to my community in ways that will drive real, positive results.

I truly believe I’d bring long-term value as a Stamford Public Schools BOE member, and ask that anyone who has questions about my background, my positions, or my perspective, to please reach out to versha4boe@gmail.com, and I welcome these conversations as a chance to learn more about SPS and the needs of our students.