NORWICH - About 40 voters turned out last night at the Eaton Center to meet the seven candidates vying for five positions on the Norwich City School District’s Board of Education.
During the two-hour event, sponsored by the district’s Parent/Teacher Organization, the candidates fielded, in turn, a list of questions that were prepared in advance. They later answered a handful of questions from the audience.
The candidates are: Sally Chirlin, 73; Mark Hollifield, 49; Kim Mack, 40; Joe Stagliano, 39; Tim Brown, 58; Clyde Birch, Jr. 48; and Priscilla Johnson, 58. Johnson, Brown and Birch are incumbents vying to retain their seats on the board.
Many of the questions posed concerned how the candidates would inspire administrators, teachers, staff, students, parents and volunteers to become more vested and active in the school district. Others asked what individual characteristics each would bring to the board, as well as what issues were most important to them.
All of the candidates said the board’s primary responsibility would be to settle the outstanding contract with the district’s support staff. “We need those signs to come down,” said Chirlin, a former long-time teacher in Norwich and New Berlin. “It doesn’t attract people to our community. I hope that’s one thing that we certainly get accomplished.”
Chirlin joined all of the other candidates when she called for more appreciation for teachers and staff.
“I know what it’s like to be a teacher and not feel appreciated. Parents, teachers and the administration need to find ways to encourage staff and make them feel appreciated. We need a climate for learning to take place.”
Birch, a native of Norwich, said, “Stronger school district employees, taken care of and appreciated, means a stronger local economy.”
Stagliano, who came to the area as an executive with NBT Bank in 1999, said many key decisions need to be made in the coming year, including employee contracts, budgeting and overseeing the building project. The candidate said he would bring “a fresh set of eyes” and experience managing people, budgets and negotiating contracts.
“I have no agenda. I’m not disappointed with anything. I think I can add value to the school board and to the community,” he said.
Mack, who has worked for Preferred Mutual Insurance Company in New Berlin since 1990, said she was running for the school board to reinstate the district’s reputation for excellence. “I feel that reputation has been lost. My friends have been pulling their kids out of the Norwich schools for various reasons. That’s why I’m here.”
Birch said being on the board has been a great learning experience. He said he left the area for a three-year period and asked to come back primarily because of the school’s reputation. “I’ve been back for 20 years and the district is still not where we were when we left, but we’ve made great progress.”
“It’s all about communications, communications, communications. I don’t get enough phone calls,” the NBT Bank employee said.
Brown, who works in the health, safety and maintenance department at DCMO-BOCES, said keeping taxes in check for seniors and others on fixed incomes will be his primary focus, as well as attracting “teachers with the passion to teach.”
All of the candidates said students need more and better technological skills training in order to be prepared for future job requirements.
Johnson, former teacher and current substitute, has served for three years on the board. She said she has “a deep passion for education” and “comes from “a family of educators.”
“Our academic standard should be based on high expectations...and our long range plans should include training children for future jobs.”
Johnson joined Mack in calling for the gifted and talented program to be reinstated. “I hope to give our kids a quality education so they will come back when they grow up and give it to their kids,” Mack said.
Stagliano said the district needed a strategic plan for the future that would “make sure kids have tools and resources to be successful.” Several others candidates mentioned the need for a volunteers coordinator, more qualified substitutes, more women’s sports and to reinstate the gifted and talented program.
Two students in the audience asked about creating a women’s lacrosse team. Several board candidates concurred that they were aware of an inequality in women’s sports offerings in the district.
“When you have 60 girls trying out for one softball team, that tells me there isn’t enough for girls to do,” Stagliano said.
Brown pointed out that a record number of students tried out for modified sports teams last year and, due to demand, a winter track program was instituted.