The views stated here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the editors of this newspaper.
September 23, 2019
I am writing in support of Niralee Patel-Lye, who is running for the Board of Education as an unaffiliated petitioning candidate. A resident of Connecticut for the past 25 years, Niralee and her family moved to Killingworth three years ago. She lives with her husband, Chris, and her two daughters, Tara, 6 and Elisa, 4. Tara is in the first grade at Killingworth Elementary School and Elisa attends the HK Cubs program. Niralee and her family were attracted to Killingworth because of the well-respected school system and small-town feel. She serves on the Board of Haddam Killingworth Youth and Family Services, the PTO, and is a room mom and Book Fair volunteer at Killingworth Elementary. She stays active in the community, socializing with neighbors and shopping at local stores and farmers’ markets.
Niralee has an extensive academic background and experience in education, which makes her an ideal candidate. She earned a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership and Policy and holds the Connecticut State Certificate for Intermediate Administration or Supervision. Currently, she works at Connecticut College as the Teacher Certification Officer and Assessment Coordinator. Previously, Niralee spent twelve years teaching in Connecticut Middle and High Schools. For three years she served as the Department Chair for World Languages in Region 19. She also ran the International Baccalaureate Programme in Bridgeport for two years.
Her deep investment in her children’s education and current issues facing the Haddam Killingworth district have been Niralee’s motivation to run for the Board of Education. One of the most important issues she plans to address is the division in our district. As a Board of Education member, Niralee would like to foster open communication by validating and respecting differing points of view. She would engage the community in working with the Board by having small, purposeful focus groups with parents, teachers, and others in the community. She is also concerned that the district is facing a reduction in State Education Cost Sharing. Niralee would like to see a more fiscally-responsible, streamlined budget and plans to achieve this by reducing costs through the renegotiation of vendor contracts.
I believe that Niralee’s insight into issues facing our school district and concrete plans for addressing problems, as well as her extensive experience and investment in our community, would make her a valuable agent of change. Running as an unaffiliated candidate, she is looking to not create more division, but to unify our community for the sake of our children.
Sincerely,
Gail E. Buller, Ph.D.
Killingworth
