Dionna Carlson is arguably one of the top three officials in New Canaan. She was elected by the citizens to the Board of Education in 2013 and was elected by her fellow school board members in November to be their chairman.
She is now leader of the board that is responsible for educating New Canaan children, hiring the superintendent of schools, and managing the New Canaan Public Schools’ $83 million budget, which is 59% of the Town’s overall expenses.
During her first two years on the Board of Education, Carlson served as chairman of the Educational Resources Committee, which involves financial resources, and on the contract negotiations team during the recent teacher contract negotiations.
When the Advertiser requested an appointment to interview the school board’s new leader, an arrangement was made for the questions and answers to be handled in writing, via email.
Carlson submitted her responses, as agreed, on Dec. 17. A few follow-up email questions from the Advertiser were left unanswered.
The interview is being published in two parts. Part 1 follows here and touches on Carlson’s views of the school system in general. Part 2 covers budgeting issues and the working relationship with the Town, and that will be published in these pages next week.
The questions are from Editor Greg Reilly.
1. What is your vision for what you might like to see New Canaan Public Schools accomplish or achieve during the next two years?
We are fortunate to live in a community with exceptional schools that are run by top-notch administrators and dedicated educators, and who are supported by a parent population and overall community that is highly engaged.
My hope is that we continue to give the community a high return on its investment by continuing to develop and nurture supportive learning environments that empower each child to succeed and excel in school as they prepare to become productive members of their communities.
2. Can you name one area where you feel there is room for improvement at the Board of Education level?
The sign of a good board is it is always looking to improve. Since I was elected chair, the board has begun to re-evaluate each sub-committee’s charter to identify priorities for the year ahead. Whether it’s how we communicate with the parent population and community, how we articulate budget priorities, evaluate our strategic vision, or update our governing policies, it is healthy to step back each year to decide if we are moving in the direction we desire or if we think we should adjust course. Additionally, with three new BOE members and a new executive board, throughout this process we are learning to work together as a team on behalf of the students, schools, and community.
3. Can you name two areas where you feel there is room for improvement in the schools?
One easily identifiable area for improvement is our physical plant. As our buildings age, it is necessary to refurbish and replace things that are no longer functional or are impediments to a safe and constructive learning environment. For example, Saxe Middle School is in desperate need of expansion to accommodate increasing student enrollment and programmatic changes and improvements. We are thrilled that the community recognizes this need and supports this project on behalf of our students.
Another area that the board and administration continue to evaluate is the expansion and depth of STEM — Science, Technology, Engineering and Math — opportunities. As we look forward, we are committed to finding ways to expand STEM opportunities for students at all grade levels, with a focus on inquiry-based, hands-on, and relevant educational experiences.
This is an exciting area in education and we are committed to giving NCPS students the opportunity to develop and grow their skills to prepare them for the dynamic and complex 21st century challenges ahead.
4. Describe your leadership style, which observers can expect to see throughout your chairmanship.
The Board of Education is fortunate to have a diverse group of talented leaders as members. As chair, it’s my job to make sure that we are all working together to achieve the goals we’ve established for the board. To be successful as chair, it’s important for me to be adaptive in my leadership style. Depending upon the situation, I may be a facilitator, a collaborator, an analyst, a negotiator, a teacher, or a learner. No matter the role, however, one thing that I will always be is a strong supporter of the New Canaan Public Schools. Additionally, the Board of Education believes in and values open and frequent communication between the various town boards, and as chair I look forward to furthering these dialogues in constructive and productive ways.
5. Can you speak to the pressure that NCPS students feel from peers, parents, teachers, administrators, and themselves related to achievement and success?
We are privileged to live in affluent community that places high value on providing its children a world class education. With this privilege come stressors, both self and externally imposed. Like all things in life, individuals deal with these stressors in different ways. The BOE, administration, and staff work tirelessly to ensure that students who need support, whether social, emotional or academic have access to the support that’s needed, and are constantly evaluating ways to improve that support. For example, one of the ways the school system provides support to students in need is through the comprehensive mental health team at each building, which is comprised of social workers, school psychologists, school counselors, nurses, and administrators. These teams work with students, parents, and families as they navigate the many stressors in the lives of students today.
Along with the mental health teams at each building, teachers at all levels work to understand and support students through advisory programs, morning meetings, and other, grade-appropriate activities.
5 a. Do you feel it is enough for NCPS to have staff in place to address the student’s stress and anxiety as it arises? Or do you think the school system should work to prevent some of the stress from occurring?
See above.
New New Canaan School Board Chairman Dionna Carlson
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