Candidate Bio
Maureen is a 26-year resident of Easton, having moved here when her sons, Chris and Jon, were two years old and an infant. Both were educated in the Easton system, together with Maureen’s daughter Hannah. In addition to serving on the Region 9 Board, Maureen has also served as a member of the Easton Zoning Board of Appeals, and as treasurer of the Easton Democratic Town Committee.
Maureen received a Bachelor of Arts degree. in Political Science from Barnard College, of Columbia University, and her law degree from Washington College of Law of American University. She has worked with other law firms in Connecticut, and has been self-employed in her own firm since July 2020. Her work concentrates on the legal needs of small businesses and individuals.
Maureen knows the work on the Region 9 Board, having worked with the negotiating committees involving teachers’ contracts and central office hires, having assisted with the committees that worked to hire our Superintendent and our head of Joel Barlow High School and our Technology and Finance Directors. Most recently, Maureen was the co-chair of the committee that brought us our wonderful new Superintendent, Dr. Jason McKinnon.
Candidate Statement
In the next four years, it is my hope and expectation that the Region 9 Board will confront the back-burner key issues as we emerge on a permanent basis from the Covid-19 pandemic.
During two of the four years of my term, board work was in crisis management mode. The board worked collegially to confront governance issues related to a transition to remote learning and related teachers’ Memoranda of Understanding, the engagement of key personnel, health issues on behalf of staff, students, and community members, on and off boarding concerns, and several very significant matters confidential to the board. That work was in addition to budgeting, which is traditionally the mainstay of our work as members, and teachers’ contract renewal, which is a periodic concern.
Moving forward, and immediately, we must appropriately use grant monies to bring students back from pandemic gaps in knowledge and address lingering mental health concerns. We must insure a smooth and supportive transition for our new leadership team at Central Office such that each can do the work they were hired to, and born to, do.
Finally, we must reassure our community that our commitment to education of our children and young adults is what it has always been, first and foremost in our minds. We must do all this without distraction from those who may be seeking to advance personal or national interests rather than those of our community in the education of our children.
On a longer-term basis, we must envision our best 21st century education and the metrics by which to measure ourselves. I would ask the following questions among others: Is there a continued place for remote learning for some students? When will we mandate stronger coding and technology programs? Is the focus on foreign language too limited?
I believe I have a strong commitment to this work, and a strong enough personality to withstand the slings and arrows of conspiracy theories and nonsense and keep focused on the good we do as stewards of the public trust.
I hope to have your vote on Nov. 2.
