Wilton Election: Jess Christ For Wilton BOE

WILTON, CT — The state Municipal Election is Tuesday, Nov. 2.

Patch contacted candidates to answer questions about their campaigns.

Republican Jess Christ, 44, is running for Wilton BOE in Wilton.

Occupation: Realtor

Family: Colin Christ (husband), Ella Christ (16), Liam Christ (14), and Phoebe Christ (11). All 3 of our children have attended Wilton Public Schools since Kindergarten.

Experience: n/a

Family in government: no

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

The single most pressing issue facing our town is the strength of our schools. Wilton has always been a top-ranking school district in not only Fairfield County but also across our state. Although our scores and ranking remain high, we are behind our neighboring competitors, specifically New Canaan, Westport, Darien, and Greenwich. It is extremely important, for our schools in particular to thrive, as the schools determine the health and success of our town and prepare our students to be productive, inquisitive adults able to make a positive impact on our world and be fulfilled in doing so. I have learned from talking to many parents in our town that the common denominator among many families is the implementation of tutors to fill in the gaps or help "connect the dots” for our students. I want to ensure that our schools are teaching basic fundamentals to our lower grades. Math in the younger grades needs to be more streamlined and coherent. Young students need not be taught three different ways to solve a math problem until they have mastered the basic way. In terms of our reading and writing skills, our students, although encouraged to read from a very young age, are missing essential skills such as the understanding of sentence structures and organizational skills required to write a coherent paragraph or paper. Additionally, in an age when countries are separated by a short plane ride and our own country is becoming more culturally diverse, and it is my belief that our students need to be learning a foreign language from the time they enter the public school in Kindergarten (or even pre-k). We cannot expect our students to be highly competitive in their careers when they are not expected to understand languages other than English.

Critical differences between me and my opponents:

Having three children in the Wilton public school system, who are all very different learners, has allowed me to see many different points of view of the learning spectrum. My eldest daughter has struggled with learning challenges since she was in first grade. Instead of advocating for her and seeking a better understanding of how she could be a successful learner, I was met with resistance from the Wilton schools for four years. I had to remove her from the public school system and send her to a private school so she could attend a program that would recognize her challenges and work with her, not against her, to help her overcome them. She was successful in overcoming many of the challenges she faced and returned to Wilton High School in 2019. On the other end of the spectrum is my son who was never challenged in school. There was not a path offered in which he could excel at his own pace. Because of my firsthand experience in dealing with both ends of the learning spectrum, and I believe that I have an advantage over many of the other candidates running for BOE.

Accomplishments:

Working in real estate has taught me to look at a situation from many different viewpoints and with an understanding that there is not always one “perfect” way, just like there is no one “perfect” property. Being on the Board of Education, just like being on the Vestry Board at my church, requires some give and take and looking at issues from many different viewpoints. It is my belief that if I stay focused on the ultimate goal, which is the success of all our students, and then I will be successful.

Other issues:

It is my firm belief that parents play a vital role in their child’s education and ultimately in their success. I believe that members of the Board play an integral part in providing the students the best education possible. It is only when the Administration, the Board, and parents have an open line of communication and transparency, and that we will truly succeed.

What else would you like voters to know about you?

Volunteering my time to encourage the happiness and success of our children did not start with my run for a position on the BOE. I have volunteered my time in the Wilton schools for many years. I successfully chaired the fundraising for the Spring Carnival at Miller Driscoll School for four years. At Cider Mill School, I was part of a small group of women who ran the Bingo Nights as well as pioneered the hugely successful “Cider Mill’s Got Talent” talent show for a number of years. Most recently in Middlebrook School, I received my license to belay the students during the Project Adventure portion of their gym curriculum where they were taught to not only rock climb, and but also to overcome their fears and find personal pride in their accomplishments.