With local elections taking place on the fourth of November, a few changes have been made to the Old Saybrook Board of Education. After the votes were counted at Old Saybrook High School, a common theme was seen. The town Democrats had a very promising election, and they now hold the majority on the town Board of Education. The newly elected members of the Board will be Kelley Kennedy (R), Deborah Bole (R), Joe Maselli (R), Marijke Kehrhahn (D), Jordan Schellens (D), Eileen Baker (D), and Karen Brodeur (D). Kennedy, Maselli, Baker, and Brodeur were running for re-election.
The Board of Education is a group of elected officials who oversee the school district. The main goal of the BOE is to ensure that the schools provide a good education while complying with state and federal laws. They help to set goals, approve the budget, and evaluate the Superintendent every year. Additionally, they listen to grievances from the general public, which allows for open communication throughout the school system with the community. To ensure that the Board of Education is kept reflective of the constituents of the town, a general election is held every four years.
To further strengthen the Board, two student representatives from OSHS attend every meeting and represent the student body. This provides a balance of input and allows the adults on the BOE to hear about what is truly going on within the schools. One of these representatives is OSHS junior Sylvie Webber. When asked about how the school board impacts the school positively, Webber said “the biggest reason why the Board of Education makes our school a better place is because they listen to the opinions of the student body. They love hearing from their Student Representatives to help them understand the school’s needs and ensure that our school has the support it needs!” The student representatives work alongside the Board Members, and will begin working with the newly elected officials at the next meeting. Superintendent Chris Drezek will also be present at every meeting.
