We reached out to both the Haddam Republican Town Committee and the Haddam Democratic Town Committee and asked candidates to respond to a set of questions; if a candidate did not respond, their name is listed, so that you know who is running for each office. Updates from all candidates are welcome, and will be published as Letters to the Editor. The questions posed to the candidates were:
Jane Baird (Democrat)
I moved to Haddam with my family in 2002 because I was attracted to the town’s natural beauty, small town vibe, and excellent schools. My husband, Peter, and I have two sons, one who just graduated college and plans to be a middle school teacher and one who is a current HK student. For the past 17 years I have worked at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, most recently as Senior Director for External Affairs, where I lead advocacy efforts in support of public policies that impact children’s health and wellbeing. I coordinate with partners such as the Hartford Public Schools and YMCAs who share the medical center’s priority to promote healthy families and communities that help children grow, learn and succeed.
I am running for a seat on the board of education because I want to help our district navigate the changes we face in a way that puts the needs of children first and recognizes the impact that outstanding schools and a vibrant community have on each other.
In the coming year, all of us who make up Region 17 will have many opportunities to positively impact our schools and our towns including hiring a new superintendent, assessing the impact of the HES closure, and evaluating the restructuring effort that established a new intermediate school.
My experience as a child health advocate has taught me that children and families benefit when public agencies and the citizens they represent collaborate in respectful partnership with one another. I want to use that perspective to help lead our district and provide our children with the tools they need to succeed.
I look forward to joining the BoE and promoting the essential role that community members must play in charting a course for our town’s future.
Jen Favalora (Unaffiliated, but endorsed by the Republicans)
Jen Favalora and her husband Scott moved to Higganum nineteen years ago. With two children in the school district, Jen has spent the last nine years as a full-time volunteer for our District #17 schools. She served as Vice President on the Burr PTO Board for four years and Vice President on the HKMS PTO Board for two years. In those years she worked as their liaison to the administrators, the Superintendent, and the Board of Education.
Jen majored in Communication Studies and moved to Connecticut after college to work at ESPN. At ESPN, she managed staff and directed live television shows. Throughout her career Jen was also responsible for managing budgets, negotiating contracts and producing departmental communications. Two years ago Jen returned to work as a substitute teacher for District #17. She has spent her time as a District #17 employee building relationships and gaining insight into the issues in our schools today. Jen additionally volunteers as Co-Chairman of the HKMS Craft Fair. She has been a soccer coach for both HK boys and girls, and also enjoyed volunteering on the Haddam Junior Women’s Club. This year Jen was honored with the Sgt. George Dingwall Award for her volunteer work in our HK community.
Serving on the Board of Education, Jen plans to use her experience and knowledge to ensure we are using our district resources wisely, bridge the gap in communications to our community, and bring us together as we move forward.
Shawna Goldfarb (Republican)
Shawna Goldfarb is a wife and mom of two boys whose family moved from Middlefield to Higganum 4 years ago. Her boys attend HK Middle School and have special needs. Shawna has worked very closely with the Special Education Department of Regional School District #17, helping her boys to be successful in school. She also supports both of her boys’ many hobbies, including having coached an HK Little League baseball team for 2 years.
For the past 8 years, Shawna has worked for King Arthur Flour as the Northeast Regional Sales Manager. In that capacity, she manages a multi-million-dollar sales region, working with food distributors, restaurants and bakeries, as well as supplying technical help to companies, and creating events for Culinary Schools such as Johnson and Wales.
Shawna was an active member of the Haddam Elementary School PTO, creating fun, educational cultural events for the students, along with managing fund-raising events. She continues to support the district, becoming a board member of the HK Youth and Family Services. She has also been very involved with the SaveHES group, working diligently with other members, the current Board of Education and the Board of Selectmen on the District’s budgets so she could gain a better understanding of where our tax dollars are being spent.
Shawna will strive to be a liaison for the residents of Haddam and the parents of the entire district by using her skills in business, her knowledge of Special Education, and her ability to listen and work with people to move District #17 forward.
Katie Packtor (Republican, endorsed by the Democrats)
When asked where I’m from, I used to pause before responding. My family moved around the country when I was young, and I transplanted myself again as a young adult until I found Higganum, Connecticut. Now when asked where I am from, my answer is immediate. Higganum is the place I come from and the home I go to. It is the place I’ve put down roots with my own family. I have lived here for 15 years with my husband, Sam. We have two remarkable children, who attend RSD17 schools. Our daughter is entering high school, and our son will be part of the inaugural class of HKIS 4th grade students this fall. Our two dogs round out our busy, joyful, goofy, imperfect, humble family.
I am delighted by the people I’ve met in Haddam and the unique character of the Connecticut River Valley. My family and I enjoy exploring the parks, hiking trails, waterways and greens. We walk and bike to the center regularly to frequent the businesses, attend a concert on the green or a church service at the gazebo, or simply to get some fresh air and exercise. There is something quiet and unassuming about this town that attracts me, and I’m so grateful to be raising my kids here.
I credit my mom with teaching me how to cook, and I’m a self-proclaimed foodie. Gathering around a table and breaking bread with friends (or strangers) not only fills bellies, it feeds souls. To that end, we entertain as often as we can. I’m also an avid (albeit not at all competitive or skilled) runner, so if you see me out pounding the pavement, give a wave or a holler!
Taking an active role in my community has always been important to me. I’ve served in the schools as HES PTO member and co-president, event chair, and room parent. I have also volunteered time in the community—whether for church, sporting activities, scouting, or other town organizations. I like to be involved and am proud of the accomplishments achieved through these group efforts.
I have also built a career outside of the home practicing Landscape Architecture. I’ve been working for The SLAM Collaborative in Glastonbury for over a decade. I have always appreciated the value of place-making and planning and how that discipline can improve the quality of life for the people it serves. Through my work, I’ve learned how to balance big picture conception with detailed focus, a skill that will serve me well if elected to the BoE.
Over the past couple of years, I witnessed a rift between the BoE and the community when the board pursued the closure and consolidation of our schools. As a founding member of the Save HES group, I worked diligently to try to bring the voice of our community to the attention of both our educational and town leaders. I was troubled by the way that the public was received, and by the way education and town matters were being managed. I know we can do better—for our children, for our residents, for our future.
I seek this position on the BoE to help heal our community—to build strong connections, tend to the needs of every student and staff member, and advance our educational district towards financial sustainability and academic success.
My role is to serve you—all of you. Foremost on my platform will be fortifying communication between the district and the towns we serve. Our schools are one of our greatest assets, and they warrant dedicated attention and care. In a time of financial reform at the state level, it is important that we manage resources responsibly and thoughtfully. I will see to it that we utilize creative problem-solving skills to transform challenges into progressive systems of performance, a satisfied staff, and well-rounded young citizens.
In closing, I’m committed to this town that we all call “home.” I offer a history of volunteering in our schools and community, a professional background that is both analytical and artistic, and an immediate understanding of the issues at hand. All citizens should have the opportunity to participate in the conversation and enhance the living and learning experience in Haddam. Together we will achieve that goal.
Thank you and please feel free to reach out at any time!
Edith Hanson Pawlicki (Democrat)
I was born and raised in Higganum, and grew up playing in the woods with my three older siblings. I “rang into” HES for kindergarten, where I learned about environmental stewardship building trails on Swan Hill and observing the small pond. My Girl Scout troop learned cross-stitch at the Thankful Arnold House, the root of my embroidery passion. I rang out in fifth—I was one of the sixth grades that was bussed to Burr Elementary School (BES) because the schools were overcrowded. In 7th grade, I was the Wicked Witch in the HKMS Wizard of Oz, and then a Governor’s Scholar in 8th grade. At HKHS, I ran all three seasons and had the mixed blessing of being coached by my brother Ross Hanson.
After graduating as valedictorian in 2008, I studied Computer Science and Japanese at the University of Rochester where I met my husband. After graduating, I taught English in Japan until getting married. I then moved to Seattle, where he worked, and earned my Masters in Teaching. I went on to teach AP CS, high school math, and CS engineering.
In 2016, I was blessed with twin sons, Gil and Cae. I very much wanted to raise them near family, so we moved back to Haddam in 2017. They are the reason I am running for board of education.
I want to protect our public schools for them and for our town’s children. I have a strong background in education, not only through my own experiences but also because of the many education professionals in my family, including my mother, Gail Hanson, who retired in June after 25 years of teaching, mostly in RSD 17. As my sons and nephews will soon start at BES, I am deeply committed to the quality of our schools.
As a tutor of a local student and volunteer at HKMS, I have been concerned by the placement of teachers in the district. Several young, talented teachers have been fired while experienced teachers have been moved from their established subject to ones they were not comfortable teaching, prioritizing budget over the education of our children.
It is important to examine the school budget rigorously and make sure it is manageable for the towns, but we should not do so at the cost of quality instruction. The materials I have read show integrated elementary and middle schools are correlated with increased disciplinary issues, and I am concerned about the integration of the fourth graders into HKMS.
As for the closing of HES, I was disturbed by the lack of data shared, as well as the rushed timeline when the community asked for more information. As BOE member, my goal will be to communicate consistently and openly with the town regarding major decisions and to prioritize our children’s education over internal school politics. I hope we can improve the district’s administration so that our teachers are supported and free to do their jobs to the best of their abilities.
When I think of Haddam, I think of family. My Manning grandparents moved to Haddam in 1950 and my Hanson grandparents in 1963. My parents and several of their siblings chose to raise their children in town, so their children could benefit from the great public schools here as well as the state forests and parks nearby. Haddam has been a wonderful home for my sons—they love the Tony Bondi Playground on Jail Hill Rd, visiting their Manning uncles’ cows and vegetable garden, the wonderful children’s department at Brainerd Memorial Library, canoeing on Miller’s Pond and (their all-time favorite) the HK Dairy Barn. It is a blessing to be take them to the Memorial Day parade where I marched in the school band and show them the bricks outside the Veteran’s Museum with their great-uncles’ names. Every morning when I walk into our backyard, listen to the birds calling, and every evening as we look up at the stars, and hear the crickets chirping, I feel so grateful to be able to raise my sons in this beautiful area.
I love this town, and I passionately believe that education changes lives. I hope you will give me the opportunity to represent our community on the BOE so that I can use my skills and knowledge to ensure the quality of our schools for our children. I would listen to the community concerns and do my best to keep the BOE transparent and accessible. At this critical time for the district, as we hire a new superintendent and new middle school principal, I want to make sure our community and its values will be preserved.
Peter Sonski (Unaffiliated, but endorsed by the Republicans)
Peter Sonski and his family have been Haddam residents for 13 years and he has five children educated in Regional School District #17. Peter is active at St. Peter’s Church and in the Knights of Columbus. He coordinates three Red Cross Blood Drives in town annually. Peter was President of the Haddam-Killingworth Youth Football program, and continues to volunteer as a Little League Umpire.
Peter has a Master’s Degree in Business Management and is an Education Director at a New Haven museum. Before moving to Haddam, he served as a Selectman and Finance Board Chairman in Somers, Connecticut in addition to being a member of the town’s Infrastructure Committee.
A quality school system is a benefit to everyone in our town. District #17 enjoys a superior reputation within Connecticut. It is the reason many parents move to Haddam. Maintaining excellence in education while managing the resources available will be an important priority for the board. Peter presently serves as Treasurer on the RSD #17 Board of Education and is seeking re-election.
