Abigail Cushman, Executive Editor
@abigailccourant
On November 2, the final election will be held for the New Canaan Public Schools Board of Education (BOE). Three Republican candidates and five Democratic candidates will be looking to fill one of the three seats as a four year member of the BOE. Two candidates, one from each party, are running to fill the single seat for a two year term on the board. This member will only become active on the BOE if a four year member has to vacate their seat. All candidates were asked the following question: How would your actions and decisions as a member of the Board of Education affect the student body within New Canaan High School? Candidates answered in 200 words or fewer. Below, you can find a little bit of information about each candidate as well as their unedited responses.
Hugo Alves is a Republican running as a two year term candidate. According to New Canaan Republicans, he has lived in New Canaan for 11 years and has three daughters ages two, seven, and five. Mr. Alves has a degree in Economics and worked primarily in the hedge fund space before launching a personal financial planning practice. Mr. Alves was born in Portugal, and immigrated to Connecticut with his parents in 1980.
“High school – a blast for some and daunting for others. Equally awesome and awkward. We laugh…we cry (sorry I couldn’t resist the cheesy 90’s Cats and Wayne’s World reference!). As parents, we watch our kids enjoy their final years before adulthood, hoping we prepared them for what lies ahead in college and beyond. If I’m elected to the board, I want to maintain and continue to build on our town’s educational excellence. With political and societal pressures mounting all around us, I want to be sure our kids get to be just that – kids – for as long as possible. Our students should be taught how to think and not what to think. We need to arm them with the tools necessary to be successful members, leaders, and contributors of society. I would love for our students to hone practical life skills in conjunction with our traditional classroom courses. I think it’s important to get feedback from students themselves and give them a voice, so they feel supported and are always getting what they need. Life can be complicated and stressful and with so many distractions we need to listen to our kids now more than ever. We want you all to look back fondly on NCHS as the foundation and launch pad to your most prosperous future. We also want you to have fun and spend your life living!”
Dan Bennet is a Republican running to be a four year term member. According to New Canaan Republicans, he has lived in New Canaan for over seven years and has three children ages four, six and eight. Mr. Bennet has a Bachelor of Science in Accounting, and is the Chief Investment Officer and Head of Capital Markets at LoanCore Capital. He also worked in the Real Estate Financing Group at Goldman Sachs and as an attorney at Sullivan & Cromwell LLC.
“We are running on a platform to improve Transparency, Communication and Accountability of the Board of Education in the role of representing students, parents, taxpayers and the community. This would certainly be something I hope would lead to improved communication from the BOE and the administration to the NCHS student body, across issues including budgets, curriculum and other initiatives such as block scheduling implementation. The goal is that NCHS students should have more access to the BOE and the administration when issues relevant to their education are being discussed. We would also like more forums to hear from students directly about the issues that they are facing day to day as they go through their NCHS educational experience. More communication will help foster more understanding about the rationale for changes and also help educate the BOE members so we better understand how decisions that are made at the BOE and administration level are actually impacting the NCHS students and their education.”
Janet Fonss is a Democrat running to be a four year term member. According to New Canaan Democrats, she has lived in New Canaan for 22 years and has a Junior at the high school as well as a Junior at the College of William & Mary who went through the New Canaan Public School system. Ms. Fonss has a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and Marketing, and has worked as a financial analyst and credit risk officer at Chase Manhattan Bank, Credit Suisse and Deutsche Bank.
“My top priority is making sure students are prepared foremost academically, but also socially and emotionally for the world when they graduate from NCHS. The world is rapidly changing and there is much required of students these days, both in their academic competencies and their ability to relate to different opinions, cultures and perspectives. Feeling connected to a greater cause and having a sense of purpose is critical to one’s emotional well being. I’m very concerned with the amount of stress teenagers endure, especially in light of isolation faced during the COVID pandemic. I would encourage more volunteerism and social activities as a way towards stress relief and as a way to connect with the greater community.
Academically, I would support NCPS’ continued expansion of its STEM, coding, and foreign language programs. The skills required today are rapidly changing and we want to make sure our students are prepared to be global citizens. Arts and sports are key areas that should continue to be supported as creative outlets and for a healthy mind/body balance. Lastly, I’d advocate for students having more agency in the curriculum – what do students like in the curriculum and what might they think is lacking for them to succeed.”
Jennifer Hladick is a Democrat running to be a four year term member. According to New Canaan Democrats, she has lived in New Canaan since 2007 and has two sons – a Junior and Freshman at the high school. Before having children, Ms. Hladick worked in the Field of Social Service and Education. For several years she has also had a part time position at the Carriage Barn Arts Center and has regularly volunteered within the NCPS system.
“New Canaan public schools are a huge part of our community, and many families choose to raise their kids in New Canaan specifically because of our schools’ reputation for being among the best. At the high school, that means that students have a huge variety of classes, clubs, and activities to choose from as they begin to pursue their interests. When New Canaan students apply to colleges, they have an automatic advantage due to that reputation. College admissions officers know that a New Canaan High School graduate has a solid foundation in academic skills and also every opportunity to build on that knowledge in the classroom and outside of it.
I am running for a seat on the BOE to protect that level of excellence. There are some who believe that high school students should learn only “math” and “reading” at school. They believe that students should be shielded from the many controversial issues in the world today. I will fight to protect against limiting the high school curriculum, AP offerings, and elective classes. To be successful in college and as an adult, it is crucial that your school teaches you HOW to think, not WHAT to think.”
Philip Hogan is a Republican running to be a four year term member. According to New Canaan Republicans, he has lived in New Canaan for over five years and has four children ages four, six, eight, and ten. Mr. Hogan has a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, and previously worked at a personal data startup called Datacoup as well as the Deutsche Bank Securities High Yield Bond Group.
“Well, if you’re asking me if I want to make you guys wake up earlier, the answer is no! Let me get that right out of the way. I’ve got a daughter who will be in high school in a few years…she’s going to need her sleep too! I do think at some point we need to evaluate block scheduling since it was implemented on a temporary basis as a pandemic-related mitigation strategy. We should discuss the pros and cons of cementing that block framework, and I think the NCHS student body will play a critical role in giving feedback. I also want to make sure that the start time changes are implemented in a way that doesn’t negatively impact student athletes and those who participate in other after school clubs and activities. That’s actually a huge priority for me. Bigger picture, I’m running on a platform of greater transparency, better communication, and more accessibility to BOE members, so I don’t think much of that will affect you guys day in and day out. We’ve got the best schools in the state, and the high school is a big reason why. I’m running to make sure it stays that way.”
Fatou Niang is a Democrat running to be a four year term member. According to New Canaan Democrats, she moved to New Canaan 17 years ago and has two sons who went through New Canaan High School. Ms. Niang has a Bachelor of Arts in Advertising and Communication, and is a realtor for William Pitt Sotheby’s Realty in both New York and Connecticut. She founded Stand Together Against Racism in 2020 after organizing a peaceful protest in New Canaan with her family after the murder of George Floyd.
“BOE decisions have affected and will continue to affect how you learn, what you learn, and the school environment created for you to learn in. As a new member, I want you to know that political agendas will not impact your education or have any effect on your curriculum. I am advocating for you and will vote decisions that will ensure another successful in-person learning year again as long as possible. My actions will ensure that you are cared for both academically and emotionally especially after the social restrictions of these past 2 years. By maintaining and expanding upon the high quality of programs offered to you, I hope we give you the edge needed to navigate the world you will be part of after graduation. By letting your teachers use their experience to develop balanced and relevant syllabi without undue political pressure, we will make your classrooms spaces where open and frank debates of ideas thrive and where you can have a greater insight about yourselves and the world around you. We will support your teachers with their professional development so that they can continue to enrich your curriculum. Finally, I want you to know that you belong with everybody else.”
Penny Rashin is a Democrat running to be a four year term member. According to New Canaan Democrats, she has lived in New Canaan for 22 years during which her sons graduated from New Canaan High School. Ms. Rashin is a three-term incumbent and played a role in helping the district navigate the early pandemic. While on the board she has chaired the Saxe Building Committee, served on the Re-Open Schools and Resources Committee and more. Ms. Rashin also practiced as a litigator for 17 years before staying home to take care of her sons.
“I support the new healthier school times BOE initiative. If elected I will work to have the new high school start time of 8:35 am start next spring. I also make sure each year there is support for robust arts, sports and extracurricular programs as well as excellent academics. I want every NCHS student to feel like they belong and are connected to the school through both their classes and their chosen activities. I will do everything I can to keep students safely learning in school, rather than remotely, as we navigate our way out of this pandemic. I will listen carefully to Bill Egan and support ideas he brings forward to enrich your education and high school experience. As a school district we can’t rest on our past successes; we have to strive each year to improve and make sure each student will succeed in their chosen careers. I am particularly excited this year to hear how Dr Luizzi and Bill Egan will plan to implement the BOE diversity, equity and inclusion initiative at the high school so that it meaningfully benefits all students.”
Erica Schwedel is a Democrat running to be a four year term member. According to New Canaan Democrats, she has lived in New Canaan for over 11 years and has two elementary school children. Ms. Schwedel has a Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Science, and has worked in the education sector for Achievement First, as well as a private family foundation focused on public school education in Connecticut. She has also worked in consulting for Bain & Company, PricewaterhouseCoopers and IBM.
“As a member of the Board of Education, I will support the district and administration in preparing NCHS students to succeed in college and in the workplace, and to thrive in a rapidly changing world. I will make sure that all students have the resources, tools and skills they need to realize their full potential. I believe it’s important that students are given a strong base of knowledge in core subjects and are taught how to think, not what to think. In addition, I strongly support a wide range of Athletic and Visual & Performing Arts Programs, which encourage individuality and teach life skills. In all situations, I will carefully research the potential impact of my decisions on the high school population and solicit the perspectives of parents and high school students.”
Julie Toal is a Republican running to be a four year term member. According to New Canaan Republicans, she has lived in New Canaan since 2016 and is a dedicated mother to her five and four year old children, as well as a step-mom to her husband’s three children ages 16, 20 and 22. Ms. Toal has a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and had a ten year career in the medical pathology industry, winning various awards for her work, before moving to New Canaan.
“The best way I can answer this question is two words: transparency and engagement. I am running for the BOE because I feel our community at large needs to be more engaged and have more transparency around decisions that affect our children – the future leaders of this world! I, personally, would love a student representative to be at every BOE meeting and report back to the student body about what is being discussed. Your voice matters too! It is so important for the community at large to understand the decisions our administration and BOE is making on behalf of our students so as to ensure we remain the best of the best in CT! As we progress through the years, we need ALL voices to be heard, not just a generation of voices who have already gone through the school system. I aim to bring all these voices to the board every week and will work tirelessly to make sure we are doing what is best for the kids and young adults of New Canaan!”
Karen Willet is a Democrat running as a two year term candidate. According to New Canaan Democrats, she has lived in New Canaan for eight years and has one child in elementary school as well as another in high school. Ms. Willet has a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and currently does business development and account management at a financial technology start-up. Ms. Willet also has fifteen years of experience in consulting and Human Resources at PricewaterhouseCoopers and IBM.
“As any student at NCHS knows, high school is different. The stakes are higher and the pressures are greater, but there is also more freedom to make your own decisions about academics and extracurriculars. Many of the decisions made by the BOE impact high school students in particular. Recent examples are the change to block scheduling and the upcoming later school start time. The next BOE may have to make decisions about allowing dogs to search for drugs in the high school. As a BOE member, I will be mindful of the unique needs of high school students and the importance of balance – rigorous preparation for college but also support for your physical and emotional wellbeing. I will emphasize the importance of continuously evolving instruction at the high school, to be sure we keep up with a changing world by including the classes and opportunities that will prepare you for college and beyond.”
