Caitlyn Fahey-Pearl, Nashua Board Of Education Candidate

Caitlyn Fahey-Pearl

Age (as of Election Day)

42

Position Sought

Board of Education

Party Affiliation

Undeclared

Family

I am married with four children. I have a freshman in college, a junior in high school , a sixth grader in middle school and a third grader.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

Studied Early Childhood Education

Occupation

I left my job as a HR recruiter and started bartending part time when my 2nd child was an infant. It has allowed me to spend a majority of time with my family.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

none

Campaign website

www.facebook.com/cfpforboe

Why are you seeking elective office?

I am seeking a seat on the Board of Education because I believe the board needs to have parents experiencing the district in real time. I have been a strong advocate for my children including my two in special education and it is my opinion that parents and guardians are the districts most valuable resource when making decisions on the needs of the students. I am a strong supporter of public education and know that to be successful a district needs families to be engaged. This can only happen when the public feels that they are heard.

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

I think that the biggest issue facing our school district stems from the pandemic and that is the mental health and readiness to learn of our student body. As a district we need to assess where the students are and meet them there. Finding innovative and updated solutions to helping all students reach their full potential is the goal. Understanding that there were varying experiences through remote learning and the readjustment to in person learning is critical. This can’t be done with a one size fits all approach as some children thrived and stayed on grade level while many struggled with the isolation and lack of personal connection. I think moving forward we need to educate our staff on recognizing key indicating signs of a struggling student and how to intervene properly.

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

What separates me from most of the other candidates is that I am an independent voice. Too many are toeing party lines and holding their party over the people of the community they wish to serve. I believe that we are in need of someone who will take every issue and weigh equally the voices of the administration, teachers and families.

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

Recently the pandemic has highlighted a political divide in the city. To often meetings have stalled because of board members attacking the character or political beliefs of another. This has trickled into the public creating disruptive and unproductive meetings. As the mother of four very different children I have spoken at meetings, with the support of my children's academic teams and have left feeling unheard and dismissed. A strong public school is one where all including families have a voice.

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

I think at the beginning everyone was reacting on the go. To me it was clear shortly after the "2 week" shutdown that it would be longer. I was incredibly disappointed that the district didn't proactively start planning for the fall of 2020 when it was clear we wouldn't finish the 2019-2020 school year with any in person learning. Votes were delayed and decisions weren't made until days before school started. If on the board at the time of the closing I would have pushed for a planning committee with the goal of an education plan for all stages of transmission of the virus to start the following year. Families and our staff deserved more time to prepare. After receiving the results of the back to school survey and seeing what our surrounding districts were planning I would have fought to start the 2020 school year with in person instruction.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Nashua is in need of a permanent leader. Finding the right superintendent with the desire to stay and grow with us into a strong 21st century ready district is incredibly pressing as it will affect the success of all other issues. As we move forward with the middle school project we need to ensure that equity in our curriculum and student population is consistent in every building. This includes access to technology as well. With many contract negotiations ahead Nashua needs to become a competitive employer who puts retention and continuing education at the forefront especially in areas servicing our ELL and special education students.

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

. Eight years ago this month my third child was diagnosed with Autism at 3 years old. I had just had my fourth child and was working towards my degree in early childhood education but at that moment I knew that my purpose in this life was making sure this boy had everything he needed to succeed. I turned my fear of the unknown into a fierce need for information and became an advocate for him. It was my journey through IEP procedure and requesting private services that I learned the challenges of some of the most fragile in our community. I have been able to use my experiences to help guide others in their journey and myself again when my youngest needed me.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Never be afraid to ask questions

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

It is my firm belief that parents and guardians are a child's greatest advocate and they are the district best resource in knowing what they need to be successful. We need to re-engage families in a positive and constructive way. A strong public school system is based on all parts working and listening to each other.