Wallingford Candidate Profile: Rivard For Board Of Education

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

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

Bryan Rivard, 38, is running for election to the Board of Education as a Democrat.

Are you running for office in Wallingford? Contact Vinnie Salzo at vincent.salzo@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements to Wallingford Patch.

Family:

Proud dad of twin daughters in 4th grade at Parker Farms School and devoted husband married 14 years. Raised by a lifelong pre-school teacher who inspired a passion for learning and instilled a great respect for the positive impact that talented educators and strong school communities can have on a child's future in partnership with families.

Education:

Master of Business – Carnegie Mellon University

Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering – Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Bachelor of Science in Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering – Cornell University

Public high school graduate

Occupation:

Pratt & Whitney Jet Engine Program Director, responsible for business objectives and financial results in a global industry. Experience has led to a deep understanding of the skills students need to succeed in a competitive world. 15 years of increasing responsibility and breadth of experience. Builds creative, self-motivated and collaborative teams to solve challenging problems. Listens to many voices and data to inform complex choices and make successful decisions.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office:

Elected Chairperson of the Wallingford System-Wide Parent Teacher Advisory Council, which includes representatives from all schools, special education PTAC, school district administration and Board of Education to advise on all school matters except personnel performance.

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

..to ensure the community we love remains attractive and vibrant, long into the future, amid a rapidly changing world. To do so, it is imperative that we assure a high quality and challenging education for all our students of all abilities which sparks a personal love of learning and a self-motivation to succeed while making a positive contribution to our community and country.

To support this goal, as a board member I would focus on the following critical educational issues:

Planning - Set high expectations and encourage a culture of openness, and continuous improvement that strives to anticipate future needs. Collaborate across all stakeholders to update and act upon long-term objectives and measure results. Family and community involvement in the process is critical.

People - Attract, develop, retain and trust top talent to inspire a life-long love of learning in our students and to provide compounding long-term educational value for our community investment.

Instruction - Encourage personalized learning opportunities and creative problem solving with 21st century tools in areas of student interest and community need (e.g. capstone projects). Enhance and provide skills development in STEM fields like sustainability, trades, the arts and professional certifications that remain honorable alternatives to traditional 4-year college-preparatory instruction. (e.g. advanced manufactring, nursing, etc).

Financial - Ensure that educational expenditures are affordable and that selected investments yield positive returns to student outcomes and community value. In the event that unforeseen state or local financial challenges force difficult budget decisions, I would be prepared to make them, but will work hard to minimize impact to student learning and protect educational success drivers such as appropriate class sizes.

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

Unlike almost all other current Board members, I am not an educator myself. My unique career experiences in working up through various positions and interacting with all functions of our states largest employer will bring a necessary perspective as we develop the future skills instruction of our students. I also have two daughters currently in the system which further enhances my personal motivation to assure strength in our schools.

List other issues that define your campaign platform:

See above

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

In addition to the above, I'm very active in our schools and community:

STEM town steering committee member

Interview panel participant in district leadership appointments

United Way community campaign leader

Girl Scout Troop Leader

Led advanced manufacturing students on Pratt & Whitney experience tour

Mentored on college and career interests

Active support of local non-profits including YMCA and our church

Eagle Scout

The best advice ever shared with me was ...

Take some extra time to really, truly listen, then think, then act.

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

Other than the above, I have a love and passion for hiking and the outdoors.

Campaign website:

bryan-rivard.squarespace.com