Tom Croteau, District A Charter Commission Candidate

Tom Croteau

Age (as of Election Day)

67

Position Sought

Concord Charter Commission and Concord School District Treasurer

Party Affiliation

Family

I am 67 years old and have lived in Concord all of my life. Married for 47 years to my wife Pat and have three grown children all of whom attended
Concord schools. I am a life-long educator.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

My daughter Sarah works for a local nonprofit in public affairs.

Education

Master’s Degree in Elementary Education and Administrative Certification.

Occupation

Retired teacher-principal 35 years

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

I spent nine years on the Concord School Board and was elected once as secretary and twice as Vice President.

Campaign website

Not applicable

Why are you seeking elective office?

As a former teacher, principal and board member, I have used my career to keep me involved with what I love and that is the education of students. I believe everything I have done and hope to continue to do boils down to how we as a community can make education in Concord very enlightening and special for each and every one of our students.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

I believe the single most pressing issue facing the district charter commission is to look carefully at the current charter and ask ourselves what, if anything, needs addressing and/or changing. I want the commission to read each and every component of the current charter, discuss the effects that particular component has on the day-to-day operation of the district, gather community input and make any changes as necessary. While I don’t favor making changes for the sake of change, I strongly believe that the issue needs to be revisited at least every 10 years so that any necessary changes can be made for the students and families of Concord School District.

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

I’m very interested in the Concord School District and how the school board operates within the district. I’m sure other candidates feel the same. I think the one significant difference would be that I have many years of experience as a teacher, administrator and school board member and that probably sets me apart.

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

How do you think local officials performed in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?

I believe our school officials acted responsibly and professionally based on scientific data. I think early on there was some confusion, but I think that was happening across the country at various times.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

I am a life-long resident of Concord and I care deeply for how our city and school district are run. I am extremely open-minded; at times reversing a decision based on new information. I am a listener and a hard worker who seeks input from all reaches of the city.

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

I am board president and member for over seventeen years of New Hampshire Partners in Education; Member of the Concord school board where I spent many years as chair of the finance committee and served for years on many other committees such as instructional, communications and facilities.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

You can’t make everyone happy; you’ve just got to make an informed decision and adjust if necessary.

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

I especially enjoy talking to people who are interested in education; the way things should be taught, and using measurable objectives and the subsequent data to achieve success.
The work of the charter commission is to look at the charter as it is currently written and determine if it is applicable for today's needs. Our children in this community deserve the best education possible, we need to assure that they get it.